Exterior lightingOther / unspecifiedSeat belts
Filed Jul 19, 2012
THE CAR HAS A RECALL ON LIGHTS SEAT BUCKLE AND STUD. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10466557
- Incident
- Jul 18, 2012
- Mileage
- 140,655 mi
1998 Ford Taurus Exterior lighting Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Exterior lighting 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.
14
Latest Jul 19, 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.
3%
of 545 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.
0
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 headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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 exterior lighting
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Exterior lighting
Filed May 26, 2005
BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE CLOUDED, DISCOLORED AND HAVE MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE. THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SEALED UNIT. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.*AK *SB
- NHTSA ID
- 10119813
- Incident
- Dec 1, 2004
- Mileage
- 167,959 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 16, 2003
TURN SIGNALS WOULD ONLY WORK AT TIMES. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD START TO BLINK/ILLUMINATE. THEN, STOP BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETE, AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT BLINK AT ALL. THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY LATE 1990 FORDS. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10043065
- Incident
- Oct 14, 2003
Interior & seatsExterior lightingTransmission
Filed Feb 6, 2003
GEAR SHIFTER DOES NOT LINE UP CORRECTLY WHEN IN ANY GEAR. AJAR DOOR LIGHT AND INSIDE DOME LIGHT STAY ON AND THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR EACH PASSANGER GETS SHOCKED IF YOU TOUCH ONE ANOTHER OR THE DOORS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASES.
- NHTSA ID
- 10005388
- Incident
- Dec 1, 2002
- Mileage
- 103,000 mi
ElectricalInterior & seatsExterior lighting
Filed Apr 5, 2002
DOME AND DOOR LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON. *AK DEALER REPLACED DRIVER DOOR SWITCH. BUT PROBLEM REOCCURED IN ADDITION TO THE WARNING BELL CHIMING WHEN KEYS ARE IN IGNITION WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *TT
- NHTSA ID
- 8006947
- Incident
- Mar 16, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 5, 2001
VEHICLE RETURNED DRIECTLY AFTER PURCHASE FOR NON-FUNCTIONAL TAIL LIGHT WHICH WAS REPLACED. CONDENSATION WAS PRESENT IN TAIL LIGHT. BULB ALONE WAS CHANGED. LIGHT FAILED AGAIN IN JUNE OF 2001. DEALER INSPECTED CAR AND FIXED LIGHT BY CHANGING LENS. UPON DELIVERY OF CAR TAIL LIGHT STILL DID NOT WORK EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE RECEIVED NEW NYS INSPECTION STICKER. CAR KEPT ADDITIONAL DAYS. AT THIS POINT ONLY LENS WAS CHANGED, BULB HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED, BUT CAR PASSED INSPECTION. CHARGE WAS 224.70 FOR A NEW LENS WITHOUT REPAIR BEING COMPLETED. DEALER REP STATED THAT SILICONE CAULK COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO STOP LEAK AND NEW LENS WAS NOT NECESSARY. METRO FORD THEN CLEANED A "CORRODED LIGHT SOCKET" FOR NO CHARGE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE LENS CHANGE AND NOT PRICE GOUGED CONSUMER. ALSO HOW CAN CAR PASS INSPECTION W/O TAIL LIGHTS. THIS IS A VIOLATION OF NYS INSPECTION LAW AT LEAST. THIS CAR HAD BEEN DELIVERED AS REPAIRED AND IF WE HAD NOT CHECKED TO SEE WE WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS CORROSION PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO FORD, IS COMMON, THEREFORE SHOULDN'T THE PROBLEM BE CONSIDERED AS A RECALL FIX AND NOT BLOWN OFF AS AN ANNOYANCE. PLEASE ADVISE D WILKES. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 747872
- Incident
- May 15, 1999
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 3, 2001
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 1998 FORD TAURUS ARE EXTREMELY INSUFFICIENT REGARDING THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ILLUMINATION. THIS IS A RESULT OF POOR HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR DESIGN. OTHER TAURUS OWNERS I HAVE TALKED WITH EXPRESSED THE SAME GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS. I'VE DRIVEN A 2000 FORD FOCUS, WHICH DID NOT EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEM. MY PREVIOUS CAR, A 1996 FORD CONTOUR, HAD EXCELLENT HEADLIGHTS. THE LIGHTS ON THE TAURUS ARE EASILY "OVER DRIVEN" AT ANY SPEED OVER 35 M.P.H. AT NIGHT. THIS RESULTS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE TAURUS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM? I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD OFFER AN IMPROVED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT FOR DEALER RETROFIT TO CORRECT THIS VERY HAZARDOUS SAFETY DEFICIT.
- NHTSA ID
- 741876
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 18, 2000
CAR CAME EQUIPED WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FROM FACTORY. AT THIS TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF UNLESS I DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT EFFECTED THE BACK LIGHTS IN ANY WAY. THEY ARE CONTROLLED WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH, BUT NOT THE HEAD LIGHTS. PLEASE ADVISE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 736525
- Incident
- Oct 15, 2000
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system+3 more
Filed Jun 19, 2000
HEAD LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON DUE TO SWITCH ASSEMBLY FAILURE. YH
- NHTSA ID
- 550355
- Incident
- Mar 6, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed May 5, 2000
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 722309
- Incident
- Feb 15, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 13, 1998
THE HEADLIGHTS DON'T GIVE ENOUGH VISIBILITY ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS AN OBJECT IN THE CORNER OF THE LENSES THAT KEEPS THE LIGHT FROM SPREADING OUT. *SLC
- NHTSA ID
- 826650
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jun 17, 1998
BRAKES FAILED.
- NHTSA ID
- 536913
- Incident
- May 27, 1998
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 2, 1998
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS BURNED CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO REMAIN ON WHEN THE SWITCH WAS OFF.
- NHTSA ID
- 530806
- Incident
- Jan 1, 1998
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 2, 1998
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS BURNED CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO REMAIN ON WHEN THE SWITCH WAS OFF.
- NHTSA ID
- 530448
- Incident
- Jan 1, 1998
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
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .