Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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. 8 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A JERKING MOTION AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL QUICKLY AND SHIFT INTO PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000.
TOOK 1998 FORD TAURUS (DURATEC 3.0) IN FOR COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH AND TRANSMISSION FLUSH. WITH ONLY 54,000 MILES, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND A REAR STABILIZER BAR WAS BROKEN, AND A FRONT AXLE SEAL WAS LEAKING. THOSE ARE CLEARLY MATERIALS DEFECTS, AS WE TAKE EXPERT CARE OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS SINCE WE DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT. THE POOR QUALITY ROTORS THE FACTORY INSTALLS ON THESE CARS CONTRIBUTES TO WARPING, WHICH WOULD BE NOTICEABLE BY A PULSING WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK
WHILE PRESSING THE CRUISE-CONTROL "ON" BUTTON, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST FORWARD DRIVE POWER AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO REGISTERED "ZERO MPH" EVENTHOUGH I WAS PROCEEDING WITH FORWARD MOTION. AFTER I SAFELY GUIDED THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC FLOW I TRIED TO RE-ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION BUT COULD NOT. I PRESSED THE CRUISE CONTROL "OFF" BUTTON AND THEN TRIED TO REENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AT WHICH TIME IT DID ENGAGE. THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT POINT ENGAGED BUT DID NOT PERFORM IN A NORMAL OR SAFE PATTERN! IF THIS SITUATION OCCURED IN A MORE DYNAMIC TRAFFIC AREA I AM AFRAID OF WHAT THE POSSIBILITY FOR AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A (VSS) VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR. DUE TO THE LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS CONDITION. WHEN IT OCCURS, DRIVEABILITY IS SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.*AK
THERE IS SLIPPAGE ON DRIVESHAFT AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO SPEED UP. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *YH
ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER FAIL TO FUNCTION WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
SPEEDOMETER WOULD AGITATE WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO DETERMINE CORRECT SPEED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT HOLD SPEED WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN INCLINES, FLUCTUATION IS 15 TO 50 MILES MPH, TOO EXTREME. *MJS
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 .