RoadVitals

1988 Ford Taurus Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
16
Latest Mar 13, 2012
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.
5%
of 333 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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1988 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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 driver-assistance

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

Driver assistance
Filed Mar 13, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK . THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE RPMS DID NOT RETURN TO IDLE. THE CONTACT SAW THAT THE CABLE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS OUT OF PLACE AND THE CONTACT RE-ATTACHED THE CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/06/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A TACHOMETER. UPDATED 04/13/12

NHTSA ID
10451497
Incident
Oct 18, 2011
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 8, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE ENGINE IS FIRST STARTED, EITHER HOT OR COLD, THE REVOLUTIONS ARE HIGH AND A WAIT IS REQUIRED TO AVOID HARSH SHIFTS (ALSO WASTES FUEL). SOMETIMES THE REVOLUTIONS NEVER SETTLE DOWN TO AN IDLE SPEED AND BRAKING IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM GOING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. WHEN STOPPED THE ENGINE WILL SURGE WITHOUT WARNING AND THE BRAKE MUST BE DEPRESSED AT ALL TIMES AS NOT TO LOSE CONTROL. DEALER HAS DIAGNOSED 3 TIMES. HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TT

NHTSA ID
567040
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine+1 more
Filed Jul 8, 1999

I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS DOCUMENTING ALL FAILURES AND I SEE FROM NUMEROUS WEBSITES THAT OTHER TAURUS CUSTOMERS ARE FURIOUS AT MANY PROBLEMS OF THIS CAR. ADVERTISING BY FORD SEEMS ALMOST FRAUDULENT AND BASED ON NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REPORTED TO THEM I BELIEVE THIS CONSTITUTES DELIBERATE FRAUD. THOSE OF US WHO HAVE INTEGRITY HAVEN'T PASSED OUR LEMON CARS ON TO OTHER POOR IGNORANT SOULS BUT THE ENTIRE OWNERSHIP PERIOD OF THIS FORD TAURUS HAS CAUSED ME TO SUFFER SEVERE DEPRESSION AND STRESS AND HAS CAUSED INJURY ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS. I'M AT THE POINT OF JUST DONATING THE CAR TO CHARITY FOR PARTS BUT I INTEND TO BECOME VOCIFEROUSLY INVOLVED IN LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD. NO WONDER THE TAURUS IS NO LONGER THE BEST SELLING CAR IN AMERICA. BUT I THINK IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET FORD FOR THIS. THEIR BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID
708365
Incident
Aug 30, 1996
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed May 6, 1999

DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TFI IGNITION CABLE WHICH BURNED THE COIL, THE VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED THE R&R DRIVE BELTS/SPEED CONTROLCABLE, AND PERFORMED VEHICLE TUNE UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
837551
Incident
Mar 30, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 14, 1999

WAS DRVING HOME & NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PICKING UP SPEED. APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL & STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO WARNING FOR LACK OF SPEED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT EVEN SHIFT. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. *AK

NHTSA ID
836702
Incident
Jun 11, 1995
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Feb 18, 1999

WHILE DRIVING GAS PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, NEARLY CAUSING A COLLISION. VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUT IN NEUTRAL TO STOP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO ENGINE OIL PUMP PREMATURELY WEARS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
834999
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 16, 1999

WHEN DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AND PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL, CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DISENGAGE,WILL RETURN TO SET SPEED OR HIGHER UNTIL BRAKES ARE APPLIED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
834840
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 28, 1998

VEHICLE SURGES WHEN IDLING, DRIVER MUST KEEP BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUES. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)

NHTSA ID
544136
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 10, 1998

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE HAD UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
820755
Incident
Jan 20, 1998
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 4, 1998
Crash reported

CONSUMER WAS TURNING WHEN RPMS WENT HIGH, SUDDENDLY VEHICLE STARTED TO PICK UP SPEED,CONSUMER WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, AND BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR, NO BRAKES, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO RUN INTO A MOTEL. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. MECHANIC CLAIMS PROPORTIONAL VALVE GOT STUCK, CAUSING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
820576
Incident
Oct 3, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 19, 1996

THE THROTTLE STUCK AND WOULD NOT RELEASE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY BURNED OUT AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
980895
Incident
Feb 16, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 10, 1995

ON THREE DIFFERENT OCASSIONS IN 91', 93', AND 95' THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. TT

NHTSA ID
963492
Incident
Apr 8, 1995
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine+2 more
Filed Mar 28, 1995

RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS ANTI-FREEZE.

NHTSA ID
482760
Incident
Dec 13, 1994
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Mar 17, 1995

CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT DISENGAGE. TT

NHTSA ID
962174
Incident
Mar 12, 1994
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 28, 1995
Crash reported

VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED AND THEN WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLABLE SPIN, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ID
960789
Incident
Feb 5, 1995
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 24, 1995

WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
959081
Incident
Jan 20, 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

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .