Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Taurus, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train214
- Engine and engine cooling145
- Service brakes, hydraulic67
- Electrical system62
- Steering59
- Vehicle speed control58
- Visibility57
- Air bags42
- Fuel system, gasoline28
- Suspension28
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 50 injuries and 4 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 10 1997 Taurus vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 7 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Ford Taurus failed the safety check 1.65% of the time — 3% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 92,241 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
15 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 40% arrived as used imports, 60% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 11.5–12.9 L/100 km (about 18–20 mpg US), CO₂ 265–297 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taurus · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.4 | 9.3 | 11.5 |
| Taurus # · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.2 | 9.3 | 11.9 |
| Taurus Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.2 | 9.6 | 12.1 |
| Taurus Wagon # · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 9.8 | 12.4 |
| Taurus # · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.4 | 9.8 | 12.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Ford Taurus.
| 1998050 26 Mar 1998 | Lights And Instruments THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING SYSTEM AND RETROREFLECTIVE DEVICES. THE HEADLIGHT AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES A… |
| 1997124 23 Jun 1997 | Powertrain NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE. THESE TRANSAXLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVERS THAT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXL… |
| 1996135 13 Sept 1996 | Powertrain THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH MAY CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EV… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1997 Ford Taurus: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637741 | SOME SHO VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A TICKING NOISE ORIGINATING FROM THE VALVE COVER AREA. *TT |
| 635968 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 3.0L 4V DURATEC ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1518, INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630408 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND/OR EGR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES 332, P0401, P1407 (LACKOF EGR FLOW). *TT |
| 630356 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A PARK PULLOUT CLUNK NOISE WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO ANOTHER GEAR POSITION. *TT |
| 630351 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A GROAN/BUZZ/VIBRATION WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN PARK. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 624854 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH 2-3 SHIFT AFTER INSTALLING A REMANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE. *YH |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 622665 | ON SOME VEHICLES, ENGINE OIL MAY CONTINUE TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE OIL PAN GASKET AREA AFTER AN ENGINE OIL PAN GASKET REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED. *TT |
| 622646 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT COOLING SYSTEM CONDITIONS SUCH CONTAMINATED / CORRODED COOLANT; LEAKING / DISCOLORED COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLES; VIBRATION FROM ENGINE; LEAKING HEATER CORE; COOLANT OVERFLOW; HIGH TEMPERATURE GAUGE READINGS, ETC. *TT |
| 620271 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF INTEGRATED CONTROL PANEL (ICP) ILLUMINATION. AUDIO AND CLIMATE CONTROLS CONTINUE TO OPERATE DURING THE ICP'S LOSS OF ILLUMINATION CONDITION. THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY A FAULTY INTERNAL RIBBON CABLE CONNECTION IN THE ICP. *TT |
| 619424 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE IN 2001 VEHICLES - SAE 5W-20 MOTOR OIL. *TT |
| 619333 | SOME VEHICLES EQUPPED WITH 3.0L 2V VULCAN OR 4V DURATEC ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN EXHAUST RUST-THRU, WELD FATIGUE CONDITION BETWEEN THE TWO TOEBOARD CATALYSTS WHERE A TIE-IN BRACKET IS WELDED TO THE FORMED INLET PIPE OF THE REAR BANK TOEBOARD CATALYST. *TT |
| 619266 | VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (PATS) MAY NOT START OR CRANK. *TT |
| 619150 | SERVICE ACTION 00E11, SUPPLEMENT #1 - UPDATE INFORMATION REGARDING ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM UPGRADE. *TT |
| 618578 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A SEPARATION BETWEEN LAYERS OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *JB |
| 618541 | A SEPARATION BETWEEN LAYERS OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.*JB |
| 617878 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLEX FUEL VECHICLE OIL AND FUEL RECOMMENDATIONS. *JB |
| 616828 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A POWER WINDOW THAT WILL NOT OPERATE DOWNWARD BECAUSE IT'S STUCK / BOUND TO THE WEATHERSHIP HEADER. *TT |
| 616814 | SERVICE ACTION BULLETIN REGARDING ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM UPGRADE. *TT |
| 615496 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INOPERATIVE POWER WINDOW CONCERNS. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)