Problems · by component
1996 Ford Taurus electrical system problems
58 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Taurus cite electrical system, 7% of all 868 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
58
7% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“96' FORD TAURUS HAS A LEAK IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THIS LEAK CAUSES EITHER A SHORT IN THE BLOWER MOTOR OR THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. BLOWER MOTOR WORKS SOMETIMES OR DOESN'T, USUALLY AFTER IT RAINS AND THE CORRESPONDING LEAK CAUSES A SHORT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS UP NORTH WHEN THE DEFROSTING OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A NECESSITY. *TR”
“1996 FORD TAURUS PROBLEMS WITH BACK GATE REPLACEMENT PANELS. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE CANNOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH A KEY IT MUST BE LOCKED BY HAND SHE BELIEVES THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR AJAR/RELAY. *KB THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE GROUND MOTOR AND THE SUSPECTED PROBLEM WAS MORE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE REAR TAILGATE WOULD NOT OPEN. *JB”
“WHEN IN GEAR MY 1996 TAURUS'S POWER WINDOWS AND RADIO WILL NOT OPERATE. THEY WILL OPERATE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. WHEN IN GEAR THE SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES ON. THE STEERING BECOMES TIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, ALMOST AS IF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. WHEN THE IGNITION MODULE DIED, THE OTHER PROBLEMS STOPPED FOR THE MOST PART. I NOTICE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.”
“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”
“I PURCHASED MY '96 FORD TAURUS WAGON IN '99. I HAD IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. THE LIGHT WAS CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THE SYSTEM WAS RESET. MONTHS LATER, THE LIGHT POPPED ON AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR (BY FORD MOTORS). 6 MONTHS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS ANOTHER SENSOR. MONTHS AFTER THAT WAS REPAIRED THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AGAIN AND UP UNTIL THIS DAY (12-17-05) I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/ INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AN OXYGEN SENSOR. I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTING WITH A JERK WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND TAKING OFF WITH A JERK--- AFTER 8 MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE CAR. ITS WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT AFTER THE REPAIR--THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THE SAME THING. THE PROBLEM STILL HUNTS ME. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GETS OUT OF CONTROL. MY DRIVER DOOR LOCK LATCH WILL POP UP AS IF THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION--LEAVING ME TO MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCK DOWN WHEN GETTING OUT THE CAR. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONTROL MOVES MALFUNCTIONS BY GOING FROM FAST TO SLOW AND FAST AGAIN WITH OUT ME CHANGING THE SPEED. I HAVE…”
Showing 6 of 58 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.