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 1998 record →
CAR HAS NO ENGINE BRAKING ON COAST DOWN. IN FACT THROTTLE SEEMS TO OPEN WHEN COASTING DOWN A GRADE. THIS REQUIRES BRAKING TO PREVENT RUNAWAY. BELIEVE THIS HAS RESULTED IN PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR AND WARPED ROTORS. THE LAST CAR I OWNED THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM WAS A 1972 NOVA, WHICH OPENED THE THROTTLE TO PREVENT NO2 EMISSIONS. I THOUGHT WE HAD PROGRESS. FORD NEEDS A BETTER WAY TO CONTROL EMISSIONS. *AK
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAS FAILED; NO COOL AIR WAS COMING OUT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, IT WILL COST $1200.00. *AK
VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO 3 RPMS WHEN IN PARK. ABS LIGHT STAYS ON SINCE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED 8-9 MONTHS AGO.*AK
2-YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, PROBLEM WAS A FACTORY DEFECT--ONLY EXPLANATION. I WILL PROCEED TO PLACE A COMPLAINT WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT IN FULL!
LEFT REAR ROTOR CUT BADLY DUE TO FROZEN CALIPER. MILAGE 21,475. BOTH REAR BRAKES REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND FAILURE ON LEFT REAR ROTOR AT 35,140 MILES. DETERMINED BY DEALER TO BE "NORMAL WEAR". BOTH REAR BRAKES REPLACED AT CUSTOMER COST. FRONT BRAKES INDICATE NORMAL WEAR.
BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR OF PARTS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS WERE BEING MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AT SLOW SPEED WHEN BRAKING THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING 45MPH TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE INCREASED SPEED & MAINTAINED THAT SPEED. CRUISE CONTROL NOT ON. VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN WITH BRAKING & RPMS HAD CAME DOWN WITHOUT BRAKING. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER FOR A CHECK.*AK VEHICLE TAKES OFF BY ITSELF AND CAN BE SLOWED ONLY BY BRAKING. *YH
WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ANOTHER DRIVER HIT CONSUMER AT ABOUT 50 MPH, AND CONSUMER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
THE CAR IS IDLING UP TO 4RMP IN "PARK" THE CAR ACCELERATE WHEN TAKING OUT OF PARK IN PUT INTO GEAR
FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS SEPARATING AND STILL HAD PLENTY OF TREAD REPLACED FRONT TWO TIRES WITH THE SAME GENERAL TIRES BUT WORRIED THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE TIRES THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED WITH THE OTHER GENERAL TIRES THAT ARE BEING RECALLED NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
AFTER 40 MPH THE CAR HAS A SURGING PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY CALLED FORD MOTOR CO AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A SURGING PROBLEM WHEN THE HYDROCARBON BUILDS UP. THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM SO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RECALL THEM UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE RPM'S GO UP. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN. PATALANO FORD EXPECTS ME TO PAY FOR THE THROTTLE SENSOR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM RIDING IN AN UNSAFE CAR. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS?
CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT HOLD SPEED WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN INCLINES, FLUCTUATION IS 15 TO 50 MILES MPH, TOO EXTREME. *MJS
VEHICLE'S SPEED DID NOT DECREASE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS JUST LIKE USING CRUISE CONTROL. *AK
WAS DRIVING TO WORK AR 5AM ON 6-21 AND IT WAS RAINING WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN AN 18 WHEELER PASSED AND CAUSED WATER TO SPLASH UP AND MY CAR DIED. I STARTED THE CAR AND WENT ON TO WORK AND WORKED 7.5 HOURS ON MY WAY HOME I WAS MOTIONED OFF THE ROAD BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND TOLD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR THAT THERE WAS FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE CAR THIS DRIVER TOOK ME TO GET A TOW TRUCK AND WHILE WE WERE GONE THE FIRE DEPT HAD TO BE CALLED TO PUT A FIRE OUT ON THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT PUTNAM LINCOLN FOR OVER 2 MONTHS BECAUSE IT HAS TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR AND FORD WILL NOT REPLACRE THE MOTOR BECAUSE THEY SAID I DROVE THROUGH WATER THIS HAS CAUSED ME MUCH STRESS AND MENTAL TRAUMA AND BECAUSE OF THIS I MIGHT HAVE TO FILE BANKRUPTCY IF I CAN NOT GET HELP GETTING MY CAR BACK ON THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD BY PUTNAM THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ANOTHER FORD CAR THE SAME DAY AND HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT SEVERAL 1997 FORD VECHICLES THAT THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO AND THAT THE CONSUMER HAS TO PAY TO FIX THE VECHICLE I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE VECHICLE AND IT IS NOT SAFE FOR A VECHICLE THAT WILL CATCH ON FIRE TO BE ON THE ROAD AND IF THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ME DRIVING IN THE RAIN THAT AM WHY AND HOW COULD IT CATCH ON FIRE THAT AFTERNOON. I NEED HELP DESPERATELY PLEASE I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT FORD CAN NOT DETERMING THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FIRE UNTIL THEY GET THE 3500. NEED FOR THE NEW MOTOR AND GET THE CAR STARTED AGAIN ALL FORD HAS OFFERED ME IS TO EXTEND TWO MONTHS PAYMENTS
WHEN LEVER IS IN PARK VEHICLE WOULD IDLE UP TO 3000 RMPS LIKE IT WAS TAKING OFF. VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. FOOT WOULD REMAIN ON THE BRAKE DUE TO HIGH ACCELERATION. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 SEPARATE TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE DEFECT. DAMAGE: $1,500. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPORTED FOR MODEL YEARS 1996 THROUGH 1999. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT TAKEN ANY ACTION? I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NOT LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT. I WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE ONES. THIS NOT ONLY PUTS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN JEOPARDY, BUT PEDESTRIANS AS WELL!
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH INCREASE IN SPEED DURING DEACCELERATION, WHILE GOING DOWN A INCLINE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL. *AK CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. *YH
ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR , RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NO SUMMARY
WHEN CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND APPLIED BRAKES THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. BRAKING SYSTEM DIDN'T ALLOW HER TO BRAKE EFFECTIVELY.*AK THE BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A PROBLEM IN AUTO LOCK SYSTEM. *YH
CRUISE CONTROL PICKS UP SPEED WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS. DEALER & THE CONSUMER BOTH TEST DROVE A 2000 TAURUS & THE VEHICLE ALSO INCREASED IN SPEED. CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS 1994 TAURUS WAS TRADED IN FOR THIS 1998, DIDN'T DO THIS.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD HER STEERING RACK AND PINION BROKE. DEALERSHIP FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. THEN, VEHICLE REPEATED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
ROTORS WERE WORPED AT 14000MI GOT THEM FIXED. ROTORS WERE WORPED AGAIN AT 46000MI EVEN THOUGH ALL 4 BREAKS PADS WERE FINE.
VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. IT DOES NOT SLOW WHEN ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND TWO VISITS TO THE DEALER PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. DEALER SAID TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT IS HAPPENING, BUT THIS IS UNWORKABLE AS CAR MUST BE SHUT OFF TO STOP HIGH ENGINE SPEED AND THEN THE PROBLEM STOPS UNTIL NEXT OCCURANCE. I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS AND THE CAVALIER ATTITUDE OF THE DEALER IS OF NO HELP.*AK
ACCELERATOR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE, JERKS AND STICKS DOWN.*ET
BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL THROUGH THE INTERSECTION RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. *ET
PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
TRUNK WILL NOT REMAIN OPEN, IT WILL CLOSE ON CONSUMER'S HEAD, TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE WEIGHT OF THE SPOILER WILL NOT HOLD IT UP. *AK
I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK AT 35 MPH THE LIGHT TURNED RED I HIT THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AND I PUSHED THE BRAKES AGAIN, BUT IT WOULD'NT STOP .I RAN THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND HIT ANOTHER CAR, CAUSING HIM TO HIT SOMEONE ELSE.IF THE SPEED ZONE HAD BEEN HIGHER SOMEONE COULD HAVE GOT KILLED.*AK
WNEN I LEFT THE DEALER AND PUT THE BRAKES ON A BLOCK AWAY THEY DID NOT WORK AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED. I TOOK THE CAR RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IF THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE CAR 100% I COULD TRADE. WELL THAT NEVER HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL IT MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE WHEN I ENGAGED IT. WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN PARK THE ENGINE REVS UP TO BETWEEN 3 AND 4. I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF TO MAKE IT STOP.*AK
ALTHOUGH I HAVE STATED MY VEHICLE WAS GOING AT A LOW MPH, THE VEHICLE THAT HIT MY BACK PASSANGER SIDE WAS GOING AT ABOUT 45 MPH FOR IMPACT, AT WHICH POINT MY CAR WAS SENT SPINNING AROUND, AND BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP AND I HAD TO MANUALLY SHUT IT OFF.*AK
WOULD TOUCH BRAKE PEDAL LIGHTLY TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP, AND VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FOR NO REASON. ACCELERATION PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES & PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK
VEHICLE SPEED DOES NOT DECREASE AFTER RELEASE OF GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE MAINTAINS SPEED! CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT ACTIVATED. NO ENGINE BRAKING OCCURS! THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. PLACE TRANS IN NUETRAL WHILE IN MOTION AND THE RPM INCREASES AFEW HUNDRED RPM THE MAINTAINS RPM. APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES DECREASES RPM PROPORTIONATLY TO MPH WHILE IN NUETRAL..DEALER SAYS " LIKE IT OR NOT THAT IS HOW IT IS". *AK
THIS IS AN SE MODEL WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED SPOILER ON THE TRUNK. THE SPRINGS ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE TRUNK LID IN IT'S FULLY OPEN POSITION. THIS HAS HIT MYSELF AND MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY SEVERAL TIMES. HOW LONG BEFORE ONE OF MY KIDS GET SERIOUSLY HURT GETTING SOMETHING FROM THE TRUNK!! THE DEALER SAYS IT IS BECAUSE OF THE ADDED WEIGHT OF THE FACTORY INSTALLED SPOILER. THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS NONSENSE. THE SERVICE REPORT STATED THAT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND!!*AK
CATALITIC CONVERTER PIPE BRACKET CRACKED AND SOUNDED LIKE A MANIFOLD LEAK. COST TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT IS ABOUT $600.00 DOLLARS. THIS DOS NOT SEEM TO BE A STANDARD AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN CONSUMER TRAVELED ON THE HIGHWAY RPMS REGISTERED AS HIGH AS 4 . THEN, RPMS WENT BACK DOWN TO ZERO WHEN CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. NOISE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS GOING TO DROP FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS HIGH AS 4000 RPM'S WHEN IN PARK. IT APPEARS THAT THE TRANSMISSION OR THE ENGINE FALLING OUT. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT CAN'T BE FIXED. *YH
WHILE CONSUMER WAS TURNING INTO A DAY CARE CENTER VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A WALL. CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL, PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, AND BRAKES FAILED. THEN CONSUMER DROVE TO THE SIDE OF ROAD, AND BRAKES STARTED WORKING AGAIN. *AK
WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL IT WILL NOT DISENGAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO TRAVEL OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FUEL SPITTING BACK OUT WHILE REFUELING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER COST. *AK
CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN AFTER CAR IS PUT INTO PARK, NOW IT IS DOING IT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, INTERIOR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND NOT GO OUT, RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF BY IT'S SELF, ELECTRIC SEAT ONLY WORKS HALF THE TIME, GOES BACK THEN WILL NOT GO BACK UP, CAR WILL INCREASE IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE IN PARK AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP UNLESS YOU TURN OFF ENGINE, STARTING TO CLIMB IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED ON PASSENGER FRONT SEAT.*AK
INTERMITTENT BATTERY DISCHARGE...BATTERY REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR...UNSATISFACTORY FUEL ECONOMY -ONLY 9 MPH. *AK
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, GOING AT A SPEED OF APROXIMATELY 15 MPH, AND BOTH PASSENGER' SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEFECT WAS COSTING CONSUMER TO REINSTALL THE AIRBAGS. *AK
THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM REPLACED A BATTERY ON 05/20/00. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG MODULE. SINCE THIS LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON BEFORE, I BELIEVED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY REPLACEMENT. I REFUSED THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW AIRBAG MODULE TO SEE IF THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF ON ITS OWN. AFTER THREE WEEKS IT HAS NOT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH WILL NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG MODULE. MY SECOND CONCERN IS WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL). THEY HAVE OCCASIONALLY GONE ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AND HAVE STAYED ON AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF AS WELL. I CAN MAKE THEM GO OFF BY TURNING THE HEADLAMPS ON AND OFF. THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIND NO CAUSE FOR THIS. *AK
EXTREME WEAR ON ONE FRONT DISC PAD. *AK
THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY WILL ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN WHILE COASTING AT A SLOW SPEED. THIS REQUIRES HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THIS IS A VERY REPEATABLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ALSO IDLES VERY FAST AT ALL ENGINE TEMPERATURES WHICH CAUSES VERY HARSH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND IS TELLING ME THIS IS NORMAL.
TRUCK CARGO LIGHT BURNED HOLES THROUGH 3 LAYERS OF FABRIC, COULD HAVE CAUSE A FIRE, THIS IS A VERY HIGH POWERED HALOGEN BULB AND CAN GET QUITE HOT WHILE THE TRUCK IS OPEN, THE LIGHT HAS NO PROTECTIVE COVER.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHLE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING UNDERNEATH DRIVER'S SIDE, AND FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND WITHIN MINUTES VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. INVESTIGATOR ADVISES FIRE CAUSED BY FAULTY FUEL LINES. DAMAGE TOO EXCESSIVE TO HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL. *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 1998 Ford Taurus → · Every Taurus year → · How the figures are calculated →