Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
WHEN TRAVELING 35MPH ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY HESITATED/ AND SHOOK AND AND VIBRATED. ALSO, BRAKES PULSATE, AND WANDERED OFF TO THE RIGHT. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED BRAKES TWICE WITHIN TWO WEEKS LATER. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN CITY TRAFFIC VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WHEN ENGINE STALLED. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE OF $1400.00. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH HEARD NOISE LIKE A GARBAGE DISPOSAL, THEN VEHICLE LOST POWER. AFTER STOPPING SAW A LOT OF TRANSMISSION PIECES ON GROUND. TOOK IT TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $1000 SINCE IT FAILED PREMATURELY. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE 3 RECALLS ON TRANSMISSION FOR THE 1996 MODEL AND WAS SEEKING REFUND OF THE REPAIR COST. OWNER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. *YH
WHILE TRAVELING OVER RAIL ROAD TRACKS VEHICLE STALLED IN MIDDLE OF TRACKS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. CONSUMER COASTED VEHICLE OFF TRACKS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
AFTER COMING OFF A GREEN LIGHT, AT ABOUT 15 MPH, TRANSMISSION FLUID BEGAN TO LEAK AND THE RPM'S REVVED WITH NO FURTHER ACCELERATION. AFTER HAVING VEHICLE TOWED TO AAMCO, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT SEAL HAD A MAJOR LEAK AND FAILED ALONG WITH THE STADOR AND TRANSMISSION. I ASKED HAYWARD FORD FOR RECALL OR TECHNICAL SERVICE ISSUES AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY. I ALSO CALLED THE FORD COROPORATE OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE THE FORD ENGINEERS WOULD BE FORWARDED THE MESSAGE, BUT WOULDN'T BE GIVING ME A CALL NOR THE INFORMATION I NEEDED.
TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO MAKE A STRANGE SOUNDS (WHIRLING). PROBLEM ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE A WHEEL BEARING BUT ENDED UP NEEDING A TRANSMISSION COSTING ME $3100. DEALER (SLOAN FORD IN DOWNINGTOWN) WAS INCOMPETENT. I ENDED UP REPLACING TRANSMISSION AGAIN IN MAY OF THE SAME YEAR. GOT NO SATISFACTION FROM FORD. ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 30000 MILES AND TRANSMISSION AT 54000MILES. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT A RECALL ON 1996 TRANSMISSIONS (I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL) I AM VERY CURIOUS IF THIS COULD BE THE REASON FOR THE TRANSMISSION'S SHORT LIFE. *AK
MASSIVE TREAD SEPARATION AFTER ONLY 11,000MILES OF NORMAL ROAD USE. CONTINENTAL-GENERAL CONTACTED RESPONSE WAS "TOUGH LUCK."*AK (TIRESIZE: P20565RS15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P20565RS15 )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
FREEZE PLUGS FAILED AT 65MPH; THERMOSTAT SHOWED NORMAL; ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONLY WHEN ENGINE DIED; REQUIRED HEAD GASKET JOB...
ENGINE INTERMITENTLY ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN. ENGINE SPEED OF 2500 RPM'S AT IDLE AND UNDER LOAD OBSERVED. *AK
AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER WENT TO HIS INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AT THAT TIME CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO ABS BECAUSE THE DASH LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE ABS HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED, CURRENTLY THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A BUZZING NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED DURING THE DAY IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP THAT STATED THEY REPAIRED ABS AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THAT A WHEEL SENSOR WAS CHANGED AND THEY ARE NOT OFFERING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ABS SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A MINUTES.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING, NO WARNING FLASHES TO ALERT CONSUMER. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEAELR KEEPS SAYING THEY HAVE INTERNAL MEMORANDUM, BUT UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *AK
CONSUMER STATES BACK UP LIGHTS NOT WORKING, AS WELL AS BRAKE LIGHT ON DASHBOARD NOT WORKING WHEN PARKING BRAKE IN USE. *JB
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE DRIVER PLACED CAR IN REVERSE, THE MOTOR REVVED THEN IT WAS PLACE IN DRIVE AND IT TOOK OFF. TRAVELED FOR 2.2 MILES BEFORE CATAPULTING IN THE AIR AND IMPACTING A UTILITY POLE ONLY AFTER CRASHING THROUGH AN IRON I BEAM GATE. BRAKING WOULD NOT EVEN SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. BLEW BOTH PASSENGER TIRES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. ESTIMATED SPEED REACHED 50-70MPH ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AND DRIVER. *AK
RPMS INCREASED WHILE CONSUMER WAS GOING 60MPH. IT KEPT REVVING WITHOUT GIVING ANY GAS. FINALLY IT QUIT RUNNING, AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIFT IN A PARKING LOT. DEALER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION TWICE WITH REBUILD TRANSMISSIONS, AND IT STILL WAS NOT CORRECT. DEALER ONLY WARRANTIED TRANSMISSION FOR 12,000 MILES OR 12 MONTHS. DEALER SAID THEY DIDN'T PUT IN NEW TRANSMISSIONS, THEY JUST REBUILD THEM. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY OPERATING IN LOW SPEED MODE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
DOOR HANDLES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THEY OPEN DOOR SOMETIMES, AND OTHER TIMES IT DO NOT. CONTACTED DEALER, THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO HELP. *AK
FREEZE PLUGS BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE HWY; TEMP GAUGE WITHIN NORMAL RANGE AND "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL ENGINE DIED. REQUIRED HEAD GASKET JOB AS WELL AS REPAIR OF FREEZE PLUGS. TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING CORNERS ON WET STREETS. WINDSHIELD FOGS OVER COMPLETELY WHEN DEFROST/DEFOG IS TURNED ON BEFORE IT CLEARS. TEMPORARY LOSS OF VISION THROUGH WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS...
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICE ENGINE CHECK INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. TECHNICIAN STATED THAT CAMSHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A LOCAL SURFACE STREET, THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING THE GEAR LEVER MOVED THROUGH THE GEARS WITHOUT CATCHING, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO PUT VEHICLE INTO PARK TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING, VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AND FOUND THAT TRANSMISSION WAS BEYOND REPAIR APPARENTLY BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. *JB
FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 2 WEEK FOR PART TO COME IN. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND TOTALLY FAILED. THERE WAS NO POWER AVAILABLE FOR THE CAR TO MOVE. THIS HAPPENED IN A LOW TRAFFIC AREA. IF IT HAD HAPPEND ON A HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE DISASTROUS.
REAR SHOULDER BELTS ARE GETTING JAMMED INSIDE RETRACTOR AND CANNOT BE PULLED OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION.*AK
REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND BACK UP LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. ELECTRICAL DEFECT DID NOT AFFECT HEADLIGHTS OR DASHBOARD LIGHTS.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING 35-40MPH FELL ASLEEP AT WHEEL AND STRUCK A LIGHT POLE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK
ENGINE AND COOLANT SYSTEM FAILED. HEAD GASKET BLEW. KOONS FORD OF ANNAPPLIS, MD SAID I NEED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE FOR $4,500. CALLED FORD SERVICE REP. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS NOT A PRODUCT DEFECT AND FORD WILL NOT HELP WITH REPAIRS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
BROKEN COIL SPRING POSES A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT COULD RUPTURE THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, THE FAILURE IS PREMATURE -- ONLY 70000 MILES ON THIS CAR. ESTIMATES VARY, BUT THIS SPRING SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR.*AK
RACK & PINION STTERING HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASION WITHIN A YEAR. DEALER DID THE REPAIRS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT FRONTAL DRIVER'S AIR BAG, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHEN IT SUDDENLY STOPPED. WAS NO WARNING. VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC. FOUND ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO LACK OF FLUID. FREEZE PLUGS AHD FALLEN OUT, AND LEAKED FLUID. VEHICLE FUEL HAD REGISTERED OVERHEATING. *AK
FREEZE PLUGS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, RUSTED. *AK
FRONT DASHBOARD DETACHES. *SLC
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE FORCED INTO DASHBOARD. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. *AK
THE REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME . NOW THE REAR RIGHT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL . I WAS GIVEN A PRICE OF 250.-270-.,FOR TWO NEW SEATBELTS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED TO NO IF I HAVE ANY LEGAL RIGHTS.
WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC SMELLED ENGINE COOLANT. 15 MINUTES AFTER TRAFFIC BROKE LOSE, AT 60 MPH, CHECK ENGINE SOON, ILLUMINATED. TEMPERATURE SHOWED NORMAL. THEN, THE ENGINE STALLED. I BARELY GOT THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BEFORE IT QUIT. ENGINE THEN OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE REP THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY HEAT. REPAIRS COVERED UNDER TSB 97-24-16 HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON THIS CAR, ALTHOUGH NOT BY THE DEALER. MAURICE AT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THEY WOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME OUT.*AK
HEAT GAUGE WENT UP AND DOWN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO FLUSHED COOLANT AND FOUND COOLANT HAD BROKEN DOWN AND DAMAGED ENGINE. VEHICLE STILL AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK
MANUAL LEVER POSITION SENSOR FAILED AT ~50,000 MILES. AT ~75,000 MILES, LOST OVERDRIVE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE FULLY REBUILT INCLUDING VALVE BODY, GASKETS, SEALS, PLATES, ETC. FORD MECHANIC IN MELBOURNE FLORIDA (KELLY FORD) SAID THEY WERE ALL BADLY WORN. CHARGED ME $2270 FOR COMPLETE REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A CLANKING NOISE AND NOTICED SMOKE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FOUND IT EMPTY, AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT A HOLE WAS BLOWN IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE GEARS RIPPED APART, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT AND STATES THAT THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISISON. *SLC TRANSMISSION SUFFERED AN INTERNAL MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN, A FAILURE OF THE DRIVE GEARS THAT REVOLVE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING, THE RESULT OF THIS FAILURE CAUSED THESE PARTS TO BE PROPELLED THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION CASE. *SLC *JB
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED OR WHILE APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT PROBLEM.*AK
MY BATTERY HAS RUN DOWN DUE TO THE INTERIOR LIGHT PROBLEM. *AK
THE COOL SYSTEM HAS BEEN RECALLED AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BUT IT IS I DO NOT WANT TURNPIKE FORD TO DO REPAIRS ON MY CAR I KNOW THERE WORK AND DO NOT TRUST IT THAT IS WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED STILL GIVING US PROBLEMS THE COOLANT IN IT TURN TO A RUST THE HEATER WILL NOT GET HOT NOW THE TEMPERNTURE HAND ON GUAGE STAYS DOWN ON THE C ALL OF THE TIME WE HAVE TRIED TO CALL FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THIS AND THE WILL NOT GIVE US A ANSWER ON THE PROBLEM WE HAVE BEEN TOLL THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND SOME SAY THAT FORD HAS REPLACED THE ENGINE IN SOME OF THE CARS. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME I DO NOT HAVE THE FINICIAL MEANS TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH PASSENGER'S SIDE. WITHIN MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE WAS UP IN FLAMES. INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMED FIRE STARTED DUE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK
IN RAINY WEATHER VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED. *AK THE VEHICLE STALLS ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING IN PUDDLES. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *YH
SEAL BLOWOUT AND FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION, REQUIRED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. AAMCO ADVISED ME THE UNIT FAILED INTERNALLY. I HAD A FORD DEALER REPLACE THE UNIT. UNIT HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THIS IS COMMON FOR FORD TAURUS (NEVER HAD A FAILURE OF A TRANSMISSION IN 32 YRS OF DRIVING, SO THIS ONE SEEMS LIKE A HAZARD TO ME.)*AK
LEFT REAR SEAT BELT FROZEN IN A MOSTLY RETRACTED POSITION. WILL NOT RETRACT OR EXTEND.*AK
WHILE PULLING UP TO PARK TRIED TO TURN CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE.*AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Ford Taurus → · Every Taurus year → · How the figures are calculated →