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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling235
  2. Power train177
  3. Steering95
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic66
  5. Electrical system58
  6. Suspension55
  7. Visibility50
  8. Air bags46
  9. Vehicle speed control42
  10. Structure34
  11. Tires32
  12. Seat belts25
  13. Exterior lighting24
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19953
199673
1997115
199881
1999117
2000131
2001117
200259
200351
200442
200524
200611
20076
200817
20095
20107
20114
20122
20131
20140
20151
20161

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.

03 —Owner reports

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10366660

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2010Power trainODI 10336994

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2007Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Visibility, Seat belts, EquipmentODI 10183922

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10419301

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2009Service brakes, hydraulic, Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10256081

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2011SuspensionODI 10375425
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.