RoadVitals

1987 Ford Taurus Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints 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.
21
Latest Apr 26, 2000
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 255 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1987 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Seat beltsSteeringTransmission
Filed Apr 26, 2000

TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE. GAS HAND NOT WORKING. RACK AND PINION BROKE UP. SEAT BELTS FELL APART.

NHTSA ID
721985
Body & structureBrakesExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Apr 9, 1999

VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE SUBFRAME REAR PLATE NUT RECALL WORK PERFORMED, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER PICKED VEHICLE UP, RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE. (98V-323)

NHTSA ID
544962
Incident
Mar 26, 1999
Steering
Filed Mar 29, 1999

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN DOING FIVE MPH, RACK PINION STEERING BROKE, CAUSING THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK OUT, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID
836224
Incident
Mar 26, 1999
Steering
Filed Feb 16, 1999

DRIVING AT 5 MPH THE STEERING WENT OUT, AND CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE JUST STOPPED.*AK

NHTSA ID
834891
Incident
Feb 11, 1999
EngineSteering
Filed Feb 2, 1999
Crash reported

WHEN DRIVING IT FELT AS IF THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING, ALSO MOTOR VIBRATED. HAD TROUBLE STEERING AND DRIVING, AND REAR ENDED A TRUCK. FRONT END DAMAGE, MOTOR WAS TILTED AND STILL VIBRATED. RADIATOR EXPLODED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID
834372
Incident
Jul 23, 1997
Body & structureElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Oct 15, 1997

ENGINE FAILURE; ALSO REPLACED TRANSMISSION/STEERING RACK/ALTERNATOR/POWER LOCKS. *AK

NHTSA ID
513686
Incident
Dec 20, 1996
BrakesElectricalEngine+5 more
Filed Aug 21, 1997

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID
520656
Incident
Apr 1, 1994
BrakesElectricalEngine+4 more
Filed Jun 19, 1997

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID
518988
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+3 more
Filed Jun 2, 1997

BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID
517703
Body & structureSteering
Filed Nov 18, 1996

OWNER NOTES THAT STEERING BUSHINGS CAME APART, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING, OR TOTAL STEERING FAILURE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
805206
Incident
Nov 1, 1996
SteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 25, 1996

STEERING COLUMN LOCKS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *SD

NHTSA ID
506648
Incident
Jul 21, 1996
Steering
Filed Apr 26, 1996
Fire reported

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSED THE WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO BURN WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983600
Steering
Filed Feb 26, 1996

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE STEERING AND DASH BOARD ON THE DRIVER SIDE START TO SMOKE PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
979756
Incident
Feb 23, 1996
Steering
Filed Feb 22, 1996

POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO LEAK. *SD

NHTSA ID
501750
Incident
Dec 1, 1987
SteeringSuspension
Filed Oct 18, 1995

THE LEFT REAR END AND THE STEERING COLUMN ARE MAKING NOISE . TT

NHTSA ID
973535
BrakesSeat beltsSteering
Filed Jun 19, 1995
Crash reported4 injuries reported

THE STEERING , BRAKES, AND SEAT BELTS ALL FAILED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO OCCUPANTS. TT

NHTSA ID
967201
Incident
May 27, 1995
Steering
Filed May 18, 1995

REPLACED LEAKING STEERING RACK. *AK

NHTSA ID
486092
Incident
May 18, 1995
Steering
Filed May 15, 1995

POWER STEERING RACK FAILED, CAUSING PUMP TO FAIL AND FLUID TO LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. *SKD

NHTSA ID
486046
Incident
May 15, 1995
Steering
Filed Mar 6, 1995

FRONT RIGHT SIDE OUTER TIE ROD BROKE TAKING OUT POWER STEERING SYSTEM/RACK AND PINION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
961438
Incident
Sep 2, 1993
SteeringSuspension
Filed Feb 21, 1995

VEHICLE VIBRATES AT SPEEDS OF 60-75 MPH.

NHTSA ID
481298
Incident
Feb 21, 1995
EngineSteering
Filed Jan 17, 1995

TIE ROD SNAPPED IN HALF AND MOTOR MOUNT WENT BAD. TT

NHTSA ID
958745
Incident
Jan 12, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Electrical68Engine40Body & structure34Transmission29Seat belts23Fuel system22Brakes20Interior & seats16Driver assistance15Suspension11Visibility10

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .