1998 Ford Taurus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Taurus years
- More complaints than other years 11th of 25 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 545 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Taurus. That ranks 11th out of 25 Taurus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (111 complaints, 20%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 61 crashes, 14 fires, 64 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 545owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 61complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Ford Taurus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 111 | 20% | 90,000 | “cruise control” (24%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 74 | 14% | 65,500 | “brakes failed” (12%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 69 | 13% | 94,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 62 | 11% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Suspension problems | 59 | 11% | 83,501 | “coil spring” (41%) | — |
| Steering | 40 | 7% | 56,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 39 | 7% | 100,013 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 34 | 6% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 28 | 5% | 82,650 | — | — |
| Structure | 22 | 4% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 17 | 3% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 15 | 3% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 | 3% | 121,828 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 2% | 79,150 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 | 2% | 53,693 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 2% | 127,582 | — | — |
| Equipment | 9 | 2% | 95,512 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 7 | 1% | 73,990 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 1% | 140,655 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 1% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 1% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 0% | 156,750 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Ford Taurus recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manual seat tracks. The front seat belt buckle attaching stud may have been improperly heat treated. This heat treatment may have resulted in cracks developing in the stud.
Risk: If the stud is cracked, in the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle mounting bracket and stud assembly.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the owner guides causing the headlamps to be improperly aimed.
Fix: Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
This car only has 73k milrs on it i am the 3rd owner. The power steering and the rack and pinion failed on this car. I was driving west on Columbus Drive in East Chicago three weeks ago when my steering became so stiff it was very difficult for me to make a turn and i could have easily hit another…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. The contact stated that all four seat belts in the vehicle malfunctioned and failed to retract, which left the occupants unsecured. The vehicle was taken to bayshore ford of pennsyville (200 s. Broadway st, pennsyville, nj). The contact was informed that the…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. While driving at an unknown speed, the horn became inoperable and the service engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 mph, the brakes failed completely and the check engine warning indicator illuminated continuously. The failure had recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician…
This is the scariest thing i have ever seen while driving my teenage son's vehicle. His vehicle would not decrease in speed. While taking off from a stop, without touching the pedal, the vehicle accelerated on its own. I have never seen a vehicle accelerate without hitting the gas pedal. This is a…
Other Ford Taurus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Taurus | 17 | 2 |
| 2018 Taurus | 50 | 4 |
| 2017 Taurus | 44 | 4 |
| 2016 Taurus | 83 | 4 |
| 2015 Taurus | 278 | 6 |
| 2014 Taurus | 229 | 5 |
| 2013 Taurus | 585 | 9 |
| 2012 Taurus | 79 | 5 |
| 2011 Taurus | 187 | 4 |
| 2010 Taurus | 204 | 3 |
| 2009 Taurus | 64 | 0 |
| 2008 Taurus | 175 | 1 |
| 2007 Taurus | 149 | 0 |
| 2006 Taurus | 318 | 2 |
| 2005 Taurus | 774 | 0 |
| 2004 Taurus | 375 | 1 |
| 2003 Taurus | 1,223 | 3 |
| 2002 Taurus | 1,426 | 3 |
| 2001 Taurus | 1,037 | 9 |
| 2000 Taurus | 1,195 | 8 |
| 1999 Taurus | 874 | 5 |
| 1998 | 545 | 2 |
| 1997 Taurus | 770 | 3 |
| 1996 Taurus | 825 | 6 |
| 1995 Taurus | 1,205 | 5 |
See all Ford Taurus problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Taurus?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, service brakes, hydraulic, power train problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 111 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Ford Taurus?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Ford Taurus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Taurus model years, the 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.