1996 Ford Taurus Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 182 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1996 Ford Taurus, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 97,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (8% of reports).
- 182power train complaints
- 97,500median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $3,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 32%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 14 of 182 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 1996 Ford Taurus at $3,250, and half of them between $2,700 and $4,250.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2004), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 24 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 182 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Ford Taurus power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Taurus | 7 | 14% | 67,500 |
| 2017 Taurus | 1 | 2% | 48,000 |
| 2016 Taurus | 3 | 4% | 56,965 |
| 2015 Taurus | 18 | 6% | 9,800 |
| 2014 Taurus | 12 | 5% | 89,555 |
| 2013 Taurus | 44 | 8% | 72,000 |
| 2012 Taurus | 2 | 3% | 5,012 |
| 2011 Taurus | 18 | 10% | 45,500 |
| 2010 Taurus | 36 | 18% | 13,431 |
| 2009 Taurus | 5 | 8% | 21,050 |
| 2008 Taurus | 44 | 25% | 81,500 |
| 2007 Taurus | 16 | 11% | 61,700 |
| 2006 Taurus | 32 | 10% | 87,000 |
| 2005 Taurus | 123 | 16% | 84,000 |
| 2004 Taurus | 72 | 19% | 104,500 |
| 2003 Taurus | 316 | 26% | 86,753 |
| 2002 Taurus | 39 | 3% | 79,000 |
| 2001 Taurus | 58 | 6% | 86,000 |
| 2000 Taurus | 99 | 8% | 53,844 |
| 1999 Taurus | 91 | 10% | 80,000 |
| 1998 Taurus | 69 | 13% | 94,500 |
| 1997 Taurus | 214 | 28% | 72,000 |
| 1996 Taurus | 182 | 22% | 97,500 |
| 1995 Taurus | 394 | 33% | 91,400 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: The automatic transmission park pawl shaft may not be free to rotate as intended. If the park pawl shaft does not rotate, it would prevent the park pawl from engaging the park gear when the shift lever is in the park position.
Risk: This condition could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral with the shift lever in the park position.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the park pawl shaft rotation and those shafts with restricted rotation will be replaced with a shorter shaft that will not restrict rotation.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. This would allow the vehicle to move even though the gear shift indicator shows that the vehicle is in park.
Risk: Unintended and unexpected vehicle movement can result in personal injury and property damage.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park pawl abutment bracket.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: The park pawl shaft was improperly positioned when the roll pin that retains it was installed during transmission assembly. If the shaft was not properly positioned, the roll pin may not have lined up with the groove in the shaft and have been crushed at assembly. Also, a burr could have been raised on the shaft.
Risk: This could result in the park pawl occasionally not engaging when the transmission selector lever is placed in the park position. This could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral if the vehicle operator does not apply the parking brake.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the park pawl shaft roll pin. If the roll pin is damaged, both the roll pin and the park pawl shaft will be replaced. In addition, owners will be reminded to fully apply the parking brake, in addition to placing the transmission in park.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
1996 ford taurus. Consumer states problem with the park pawl *tgw the consumer stated when she put the gear in park, the park pawl did not engage, which cause the vehicle to roll. The consumer spoke with her mechanic and he informed her a recall had been issued in 1996 for certain vehicles. The…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. It cranks, but the ignition does not turn over until she depresses the accelerator pedal. The vehicle would stall at least ten to twelve times before it would start. She took the vehicle to a mechanic and…
The transmission partially shifts between first and second gears intermittently. This has been happening for a couple months and is increasing in occurrence. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Ford Tauruss have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 182 owner complaints about power train for the 1996 Ford Taurus (22% of the 825 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Ford Taurus power train?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 97,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1996 Ford Taurus?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,250 (half paid between $2,700 and $4,250), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1996 Ford Taurus?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 14 of 182 complaints.
Other 1996 Ford Taurus problems
See all 1996 Ford Taurus problems or power train problems across all Taurus years.