1996 Ford Taurus problems
Owners have filed 1,132 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Taurus. Transmission is the most reported problem area, at 15% of complaints. Next are engine (15%) and steering (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,132 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Transmission 15% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 82 and 18
- Injuries and deaths
- 73 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 98,000 miles 115 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 2 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 4 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 18 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 32 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 16 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 17 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 11 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 4 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 115 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 98,000 miles. For transmission specifically, the median reported mileage is about 95,000 miles (20 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 82 complaints mention a crash; 18 complaints mention a fire; 73 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 8th most-complained-about out of 29 model years of the Ford Taurus with enough data (633 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
With vehicle in park, it rolled backwards. The consumer was found fatally crushed beneath the front driver side rocker panel and tire. The vehicle rolled backwards despite the fact that the transmission indicator was in the park position. The police concluded that the consumer parked on a paved driveway on a uphill incline.
While driving 30-35 MPH vehicle crashed into a tree head on, caught on fire, causing injuries. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy.
While stopped in a line of traffic, my 96 ford taurus began to accelerate to appr. 40-50 m.p.h I left rubber, thankfully I did have my foot on the brake which helped to some degree. About three weeks earlier something similar had happened but at far less a speed appr. 5 MPH.
Defective freeze plugs in 1996 ford 3.0 vulcan engine in taurus sedan. On two different occasions freeze plugs corroded through letting hot engine coolant spill on to my hands causing burns. There was a recall issued but I was never notified as the car owner. Cost of repair vehicle was over $500 the engine transmission had to be removed and all freeze plugs were replaced. This cost should have been born by ford motor co. But was an out of pocket expense for me.
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.