Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Ford Taurus problems
Owners filed 868 complaints about the 1996 Ford Taurus with NHTSA between Oct 1995 and Jan 2016. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (235).
Complaints
868
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
71
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
74
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling235
- Power train177
- Steering95
- Service brakes, hydraulic66
- Electrical system58
- Suspension55
- Visibility50
- Air bags46
- Vehicle speed control42
- Structure34
- Tires32
- Seat belts25
- Exterior lighting24
- Equipment19
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
73
115
81
117
131
117
59
51
42
24
11
6
17
5
7
4
2
1
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 73 |
| 1997 | 115 |
| 1998 | 81 |
| 1999 | 117 |
| 2000 | 131 |
| 2001 | 117 |
| 2002 | 59 |
| 2003 | 51 |
| 2004 | 42 |
| 2005 | 24 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 17 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
235 reports5 crashes4 fires
“MY 1996 FORD TAURUS GL STALLED DUE TO A FAILED CAMSHAFT SYNCHRONIZER THAT BROKE. IT ONLY HAS 106,500 MILES ON IT. I UNDERSTAND THE 1997'S HAVE A RECALL - WHY AREN'T THE 1996 TAURUS INCLUDED ?? THESE SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. *TR”
Power train
177 reports4 crashes3 related recalls
“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 CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED. WHILE THE DEALER DID ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALL AND THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AX4N AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, SHE WAS ADVISED HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB”
Steering
95 reports6 crashes
“MY 96 FORD TAURUS GL HAS THE FOLLOWING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, RADIO GOES OUT, SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND CLICKS, INTERMITTENT WIPERS FAIL, POWER WINDOWS FAIL, FINALLY POWER STEERING LOCKS UP,AND WHEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP, CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS. IF PUT IN PARK EVERYTHING GOES BACK WORKING AS NORMAL. TOOK TO SHOP AND THEY SAY IT'S THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR AND THAT SEVERAL 96 TAURUS' THEY HAVE WORKED ON HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM....I AM WONDERING WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL PART IF THAT IS THE CASE...SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG! *NM”
Service brakes, hydraulic
66 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“MY SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. BRAKE LINES TO THE REAR OF THE CAR RUPTURED AND DRAINED SYSTEM OF BRAKE FLUID AND CAR HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. IT ROLLED INTO AN INTERSECTION AND THANKFULLY HE WASN'T HURT. APPARENTLY THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH OLDER CARS. BOTH LINES BEING REPLACED. *TR”
Electrical system
58 reports2 crashes5 fires
“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 WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS AND BRAKE SWITCH INTERLOCK WERE THE CAUSES OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO STUCK IN PARK AND WILL NOT MOVE. IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, SHE HAS TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 05/05/09. *LJ”
Suspension
55 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING NOISE. HE THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER AXLE WAS CORRODED, SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE LISTED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, FRONT SEATS, STEERING CONTROL ARMS, DASHBOARD, AND TRANSAXLE WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE SUB FRAME. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 202,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 195,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.