Problems · by component
1998 Ford Taurus power train problems
73 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Taurus cite power train, 13% of all 570 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
73
13% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A JERKING MOTION AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL QUICKLY AND SHIFT INTO PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS SHO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON HAD CONSTANTLY BEEN GOING ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED NOR HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 135,000.”
“MY SON IS AWAY AT COLLEGE AND WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 FORD TAURUS SE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE CAR JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS SEEMS TO BE A TRANSMISSION DEFECT IN THE FORD TAURUS. WE HAVE BEEN THE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE SINCE BEING PURCHASED NEW OFF THE DEALER LOT. COST TO FIX THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS PROHIBITIVE AND MAKES NO FINANCIAL SENSE GIVEN THE CURRENT KBB VALUE. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECT THE DEFECT. NOW WE HAVE OUR CHILD STUCK AT COLLEGE 3 HOURS AWAY WITH A JUNK VEHICLE ALSO STUCK 3 HOURS AWAY WHILE STILL PAYING COSTLY INSURANCE ON IT. *TR”
“MY 1998 FORD TAURUS HAS 134,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR. WE HAVE HAD IT FOR 6 MONTHS. IT IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT KICKS ITSELF OUT OF DRIVE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS--I QUIT DRIVING IT BUT I CAME VERY, VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT BY A SEMI-TRUCK WHEN IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS VERY LUCKY!! I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS THINGS DONE TO IT BUT IT STILL CONTINUES TO DO THIS. I AM VERY ANGRY AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE!!! *NM”
“THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. 2 CODE READ INTERNAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION - FOURTH GEAR AND SOLENOID. CODE WAS CLEARED BUT CAME BACK A WEEK LATER. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO THE AMOUNT OF OVER $3200. BOUGHT 1998 FORD TAURUS USED IN 2001 WITH 52000 MILES - NOW 91400. JUST WANTED TO MAKE OTHER CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *NM”
Showing 6 of 73 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.