Problems · by component

1996 Ford Taurus visibility problems

50 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Taurus cite visibility, 6% of all 868 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
50
6% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD FROM AN UNKNOWN ENTRY SOURCE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE WAS COMMON. THE DEALER ADVISED HAVING THE MOLDING AND SEALANT FOR THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A COMPLAINT ON THE CONTACTS BEHALF AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE SINCE THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,456 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,426.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2011VisibilityODI 10398597
“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
“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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2005Power train, Electrical system, Visibility, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10145536
“WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OUR HEATER CORE AND ENDED UP REPLACING IT. WE CONTINUALLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR CALIPARS AND HAE REPLACED THEM TWICE AND REPAIRED THEM ONCE (THEY SEIZE). WE CURRENTLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PEELING PAINT ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR, AND WINDOW SEALS THAT WE HAVE NOT YET FIXED; ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THESE PROBLEMS? A BODY SHOP TECHNICIAN TOLD US THAT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN REPAINTED ONCE; WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Visibility, Unknown or otherODI 10071269
“I HAVE A 96 FORD TAURUS (VIN [XXX]) I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE HEATER CORE REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THIS CAR SINCE I HAVE HAD IT, THE MOST RECENT TIMES BEING 6 MONTHS APART. THIS IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR (LABOR IS 675.00) I CALLED FORD TO COMPLAIN AND WAS TOLD NO RECALLS AND NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS. I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER CORE AND A TSB HAD BEEN RELEASED ABOUT IT. I THINK FORD SHOULD HAVE TO REFUND ME THE MONEY I HAVE SPENT ON HAVING IT FIXED AND HAVE IT FIXED ACCORDING TO THE TSB ALSO! I HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND ALL OF THEM SEEM TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF TSB OUT ABOUT THEM, WHY IS FORD NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THESE KNOWN PROBLEMS?? *NLM *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 22, 2003VisibilityODI 10019134
“WHILE DRIVING ENGINE GASKETS BLEWOUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMBER SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. HAS HAD TO REPLACE HEATER CORE/ RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2002Engine and engine cooling, VisibilityODI 8017236

Showing 6 of 50 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.