Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 75 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.
The 25 most recent of 75, in the owner's own words
MY SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. BRAKE LINES TO THE REAR OF THE CAR RUPTURED AND DRAINED SYSTEM OF BRAKE FLUID AND CAR HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. IT ROLLED INTO AN INTERSECTION AND THANKFULLY HE WASN'T HURT. APPARENTLY THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON WITH OLDER CARS. BOTH LINES BEING REPLACED. *TR
BRAKE LINE FAILURE. LOST BRAKES IN PARKING LOT. BRAKE LINE ROTTED THROUGH. REPAIRED BY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON FORD CARS. IF THIS DOESN'T REQUIRE A RECALL AND REPAIR I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT CRANKS, BUT THE IGNITION DOES NOT TURN OVER UNTIL SHE DEPRESSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT LEAST TEN TO TWELVE TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD START. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS AND BRAKE SWITCH INTERLOCK WERE THE CAUSES OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO STUCK IN PARK AND WILL NOT MOVE. IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, SHE HAS TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 05/05/09. *LJ
BRAKES FAILED GRADUALLY FAST..LOST PRESSURE IN PEDAL....DURING SNOW STORM...WITH KIDS IN CAR...BRAKES GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR...NO SERVICE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT , OR BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT ALL!!! BARELY GOT HOME THAT NIGHT,TOLD NOT TO DRIVE IT ,NOW WERE SNOWED IN SO NO ONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO SEE WHY THIS IS ... *TR
1996 FORD TAURUS LX BRAKE LINES HAVE DEVELOPED A RUST PROBLEM.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED NEARLY EVERY PART OF THE BRAKE LINE THAT WAS NOT RUBBER COATED HAD RUSTED THROUGH. *JB
STEERING WHEEL AND AUTOMOBILE WOBBLES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
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.
THIS CAR CONTINUALLY STALLS OUT , THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, THE ENGINE REPAIR LIGHT COMES ON, THE UNDERNEATH SUSPENSION SQUEEKS AND GROANS, THE BRAKES SQUEAK, THE WHEEL DOESN'T TURN WHEN THE CAR STALLS OUT. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN I AM TURNING A CORNER, THE CAR STALLS OUT AND THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. NOW THE COMPUTOR SYSTEMS ARE NOT WORKING THE AIR CONDITIONING. I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR TO GET THE RADIO AND THE AIR CONDITIONING TO START UP. THESE THINGS HAPPEN BUT NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.
TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING LEAK. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. CAM SENSOR, HEATER CORE, NEW HOSE FROM RESERVOIR AND UPPER RADIATOR HOSE, RADIATOR CAP, RADIATOR, WATER TUBE ASSEMBLY, THERMOSTAT, OIL PAN GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER FOUND 1995 MODEL HAS A RECALL RELATING TO THE SAME FAILURES. *TT THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE LINKED TO THE RECALL FORD SENT OUT IN REFERENCE TO THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS/ENGINE FAILURES AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE MONIES SPENT ON REPAIRS. *SCC
EXCESSIVE BRAKING & TRANSMISSION GEAR USE---BRAKES OVERHEATED CAUSING ROTOR GLAZE
VEHICLE STALLS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, DEALER HAS ADJUSTED PCM BUT THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THE BRAKES CAUSE VIBRATION WHEN STOPPING.*AK *NLM
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON, FOLLOWED BY SHAKING AND VIBRATION. ALSO INTERMITTENT STALLING WOULD OCCUR WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP, AND HAD SOME SEVERE REPAIRS DONE, PROBLEM CONCERNING ENGINE IS STILL OCCURRING, ALSO REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED, THE COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLE CONTAINED A LEAK. *SLC
TWO WEEKS AGO THE RIGHT REAR METAL BRAKE LINE BUSTED BECAUSE OF IT RUSTING THROUGH.THE LINE WAS REPLACED AND A SECOND METALIC LINE BUSTED BECAUSE OF THE SAME REASON. THIS LINE IS A MAIN LINE WHICH RUNS FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE REAR OF THE CAR . A THIRD LINE IS ALSO READY TO RUST THROUGH THAT LINE ALSO RUNS FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE REAR OF THE CAR.THE CAR HAS NO OTHER RUST JUST THE THREE BRAKE LINES .THEY ARE ONLY RUSTED IN A CERTAIN AREA NOT THE WHOLE LENGTH , AROUND TWO TO THREE FOOT FROM THE REAR. WHEN THE LINES BUSTED THERE WAS HARDLY ANY BRAKES JUST 1 FRONT BRAKE WORKED THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED THE CAR IS A 96 WITH 109000 MILES AND NO OTHER RUST
VEHICLE LOST BRAKING POWER WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HILL, CAUSING IT TO LOSE CONTROL AND HIT A GUARDRAIL. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK
THE BRAKE CALIPER LEAKED AND LOST BRAKE FLUID. I REFILLED AND NEVER LOST BRAKING. HAD CALIPER REPLACED. THIS WAS NOT DISCOVERED DURING ROUTINE REPLACEMENT OF REAR BRAKE PADS.*AK
WHEN TRAVELING 35MPH ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY HESITATED/ AND SHOOK AND AND VIBRATED. ALSO, BRAKES PULSATE, AND WANDERED OFF TO THE RIGHT. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED BRAKES TWICE WITHIN TWO WEEKS LATER. *AK
AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER WENT TO HIS INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AT THAT TIME CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO ABS BECAUSE THE DASH LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE ABS HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED, CURRENTLY THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A BUZZING NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED DURING THE DAY IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP THAT STATED THEY REPAIRED ABS AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THAT A WHEEL SENSOR WAS CHANGED AND THEY ARE NOT OFFERING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ABS SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A MINUTES.
ON PROBLEM ONE: I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL 1996 THROUGH 1999 FORD TAURUS WAGONS WITH DEFECTIVE CENTER MOUNTED STOP LIGHT. PROBLEM TWO: BOTH REAR OUTER SEAT BELTS STOPPED RETRACTING AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. *AK
CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *YD
BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, CONSUMER FEELS LIKE THEY ARE BOUNCING. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND ABS BRAKE LIGHT REMAIN ON WHEN VEHICLE IS IN USE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WITH MY HEADS AND TRANSMISSION SINCE I'VE GOTTEN THE CAR!
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .