RoadVitals

1998 Ford Taurus Sho Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jan 27, 2011
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Dec 4, 2000

What this page shows

Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Ford Taurus Sho. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–10 of 10

Transmission
Filed Jan 27, 2011

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.

NHTSA ID
10379323
Incident
Jan 27, 2011
Mileage
135,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 7, 2007

I OWN A 1998 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON. THE REAR SEAT BELTS LAP AND BOTH SHOULDERS HAVE GOTTEN JAMMED IN THE SIDE COMPARTMENTS TWICE AND WERE UNUSABLE. I HAD IT REAPAIRED ONCE AT NO COST AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. BOTH REAR DOOR PANELS ARE COMING APART ALSO. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR WHERE DOOR STARTED TO SEPARATE. I BROUGHT THE ISSUE UP TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FOR $300.00 AND UP EACH SEATBELT. I EXPLAINED IT WAS A SAFTEY ISSUE AND THEY SIMPLY SAID IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY AND RECEIVED THE SAME RESPONSE. I HAPPENED TO COME ACROSS YOUR WEBSITE AND DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME GET THIS REPAIR DONE. I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR AT THIS TIME AND I CAN NOT TRANSPORT MORE THEN 1 PERSON IN THE REAR SEAT, ONLY IN THE MIDDLE. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID
10192702
Incident
Jun 1, 2002
Body & structureBrakesEngine+2 more
Filed Sep 7, 2005
Crash reported

BRAKE LINE CORROSION AND SEPARATION CAUSING FAILURE OF THE BRAKES. RESULTING IN ALSO FRONT SWAY AND LINK BAR DAMAGE. NO BRAKES. FRONT SWAY BARS BREAK WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED A CERTAIN DEGREE. FRONT MIDDLE OF HOOD ON ALL TAURUS SEEM TO LOSE THE PAINT DO TO ROCK OR DEBRIS BEING ABLE TO BOUNCE ON THE BUMPER AND HIT CENTER. I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 50 TAURUS'S MISSING PAINT IN THE SAME AREA. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT REMAINS ON AFTER FOUR TRIPS TO A CERTIFIED FORD DEALER. WATER HOLDING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL CRACK UNDER EXTREME OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT.*JB

NHTSA ID
10135744
Incident
Aug 28, 2005
Suspension
Filed Jan 6, 2005

MY 1998 FORD TAURUS EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM EXACTLY AS THE RECALL STATES FOR THE 1999 FORD TAURUS RE: THE SPRING COIL BREAKING AND PUNCTURING THE TIRE. THIS RESULTED IN A FLAT TIRE, COIL, SPRING, AND MOUNT REPAIR, AS WELL AS A TOW AND RENTAL CAR. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE IT HAPPEN IN MY DRIVEWAY INSTEAD OF ON THE INTERSTATE POSSIBLY RESULTING IN DEATH OF MY CHILD AND SELF. IT CAUSED AND IMMEDIATE BLOW OUT OF MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. I AM VERY ANGRY THAT I HAVE BEEN WATCHING FOR REPORTS ON POSSIBLE INVESTIGATIONS ON THE YEAR AND PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND NONE!!!! AMAZING THAT IT HAPPENS IN 1999 MAKES, BUT NOT 1998. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS MATTER AS I KNOW IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER 1998S. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ANTICIPATED COOPERATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
10105839
Incident
Jun 9, 2004
Engine
Filed Dec 1, 2004

NO FAILURE, THE CAR IS A 1998 FORD TAURUS SHO. THE OWNER PREVIOUS OF ME SPENT $13000 REPLACING THE ENGINE DUE TO A CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILURE IN AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT THE NHTSA IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS. I HAVE MANY SOURCES FROM A CAR CLUB WITH OVER 400 DOCUMENTED CAMSHAFT FAILURES IN THESE CARS. THAT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE NUMBER THAT HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THIS PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY SOMETHING CAN BE DONE SOON ABOUT THIS PROBLEM INSTEAD OF PEOPLE WHO WORK EVERYDAY AND THEIR ENGINE BLOWS UP AND THEY HAVE TO DISH OUT 15000 DOLLARS WHICH FORD DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEARCH THE WEB FOR FORD TAURUS V8 SHO CAMSHAFT FAILURES AND YOU WILL HAVE A VERY LONG LIST.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100833
Incident
Mar 4, 2003
Mileage
80,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 13, 2003

POSSIBLE CAM FAILURE RESULTING IN TOTAL ENGINE LOST IF NOT FOR ALL FOUR CAMSHAFTS WELDED THIS DAY FOR THE COST OF $600. *LA

NHTSA ID
10041692
Incident
May 23, 2003
Mileage
49,980 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 20, 2003

CAM SPROCKET FAILURE ON FORD TAURUS V8 SHO. *JB

NHTSA ID
10010782
Incident
Jan 20, 2003
Mileage
85,757 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 13, 2003

THERE WERE TWO COPIES OF CONSUMERS REPORT (BOUND IN FOLDERS). RESPONDED TO REPORT OF DEFECTIVE ENGINE CAMSHAFTS IN 1998 FORD TAURUS SHO VEHICLES. SENT A VOQ TO THE CONSUMER FOR FUTURE USE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
568316
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 4, 2000

SPEEDOMETER SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *AK

NHTSA ID
875904
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 4, 2000

SPEEDOMETER SHUTS DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
875903
Incident
Nov 28, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .