FaultScore

1988 Ford Taurus seat problems

13 of the 462 complaints about the 1988 Ford Taurus are about the seats — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 199,134 miles.

F

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

5

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Seats 8 61.5%
Power Adjust 4 30.8%
Mid/Rear Assembly 1 7.7%

Seats across every Ford Taurus year

1987 14 35.0%
1988 13 32.5%
1993 13 32.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 199,134 miles Katy, TX Fire

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

SUBJECT VEHICLE: 1988 FORD TAURUS, VIN NO. [XXX] THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRED THAT RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED IN THE SERVICE DEPT. OF TEXAN FORD, INC., 20777 KATY FREEWAY, KATY, TX 77450, PHONE 281-579-9100. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE SERVICE TECH WORKING ON THE CAR. THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORT BRACE, ALLOWING DAMAGE BY SEAT CUSHION SPRING ENDS WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THE DEFECTIVE POWER SEAT CONTROL WIRING HARNESS WAS ACQUIRED BY THE OWNER AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTIES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPORTED NO LIABILITY FOR THE SEAT FIRE AND SAID THAT FORD HAD NOT LIABILITY FOR THE FIRE OR RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. REFER TO RECALL NUMBER 91V036000 ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY,THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MACK HAIK FORD, 10333 KATY FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 77024, PHONE 713-932-5065 FOR THE RECALL MAINTENANCE WORK. IT APPEARS THE RECALL WORK WAS NOT CARRIED OUT OR WAS CARRIED OUT INCORRECTLY AT THAT TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10000629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 199,134 miles Katy, TX Fire

SEATS

SUBJECT VEHICLE: 1988 FORD TAURUS, VIN NO. [XXX] THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRED THAT RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED IN THE SERVICE DEPT. OF TEXAN FORD, INC., 20777 KATY FREEWAY, KATY, TX 77450, PHONE 281-579-9100. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE SERVICE TECH WORKING ON THE CAR. THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORT BRACE, ALLOWING DAMAGE BY SEAT CUSHION SPRING ENDS WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THE DEFECTIVE POWER SEAT CONTROL WIRING HARNESS WAS ACQUIRED BY THE OWNER AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTIES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPORTED NO LIABILITY FOR THE SEAT FIRE AND SAID THAT FORD HAD NOT LIABILITY FOR THE FIRE OR RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. REFER TO RECALL NUMBER 91V036000 ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY,THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MACK HAIK FORD, 10333 KATY FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 77024, PHONE 713-932-5065 FOR THE RECALL MAINTENANCE WORK. IT APPEARS THE RECALL WORK WAS NOT CARRIED OUT OR WAS CARRIED OUT INCORRECTLY AT THAT TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10000629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Center HAR, NH

SEATS

DRIVER'S SEAT CLIP FOR THE FRONT ATTACHING BRACKET WAS MISSING CAUSING THE SEAT TO LURCH BACKWARD. MJS

NHTSA complaint #547199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Angeles, WA Fire

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

SPRINGS FROM THE REAR SEAT BROKE THROUGH THE CUSHION & ENTERED THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. HAD NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE CSS. HAD TURNED VEHICLE OFF & TOOK CHILD OUT OF SEAT. THE NEXT DAY, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD IT CHECKED. A FIRE HAD OCCURRED UNDER THE SEAT WHERE THE CSS WAS LOCATED.

NHTSA complaint #841625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Enfield, CT

SEATS

DRIVER'S SEAT BRACKET BOLTS BROKE OFF.

NHTSA complaint #534701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

River Ridge, NJ

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

FRONT POWER SEAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE LEFT BRACKET THAT HOLDS SEAT TO THE FLOOR OF VEHICLE BROKE AT WELD, ALLOWING FRONT OF SEAT TO RISE AND TILT BACKWARDS.

NHTSA complaint #812953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Longmont, CO

SEATS

FRONT SEAT RAIL BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #511470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Montgomery, AL

SEATS

DURING VEHICLE OPERATION THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE OFF THE FRAME.

NHTSA complaint #802681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LAS Vegas, NV

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

DRIVER'S POWER SEAT BRACKET BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #507711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brockton, MA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

DRIVERS POWER SEAT 60/40 BENCH HAS CRACKED AT ATTACHMENT. THIS ALLOWS OCCUPANT TO FALL BACKWARDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #981113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA Fire

SEATS

FRONT DRIVERS SEAT CAUGHT FIRE. WAS TOLD BY MANUFACTURER RECALL 91S28 PERFORMED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA complaint #965697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dorchester, MA

SEATS

SEAT BRACKET HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES, SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. TT

NHTSA complaint #959844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerque, NM Fire

SEATS

POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING SHORTED OUT, RESULTING IN A FIRE PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS, OWNER DISCONNECTED PASSENGERS SEAT DUE TO SMOKE/FIRE (91V-036).

NHTSA complaint #959272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1988 Ford Taurus problems

← Full 1988 Ford Taurus report