83 of the 946 complaints about the 1991 Ford Taurus are about the steering — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 148,000 miles.
83
Complaints
3
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING
A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK NEAR THE RACK RESULTED IN A FIRE, WHICH DESTROYED THE VEHICLE, AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10329836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING IS HARD TO STEER AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATES FASTER STEERING LOOSENS. FORD WAS NOT NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8009942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
RECALL 98V323/ SUBFRAME BOLT CORROSION. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER, TOOK IT TO DEALER, AND BOLTS WERE REPLACED.ON JUNE 15TH, MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT STEER VEHICLE/ LOST CONTROL. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #890938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING ON DASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTICED WIRING HARNESS HAD SHORT CIRCUITED, CAUSING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. ALSO, EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #879770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STEERING RACK WAS LOOSE AND FELL OFF. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS MODEL HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING RACKS.
NHTSA complaint #740036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE TIE ROD SNAPPED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, THE CAR TURNED INTO A CURB AND STOPPED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #558773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE TIE ROD SNAPPED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, THE CAR TURNED INTO A CURB AND STOPPED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #558773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
FRONT BRAKES AND BACK BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE FAILED, VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP. ROTORS/CALIPERS/ DRUMS SHOE PADS WERE DEFECTIVE. ALSO, RADIATOR/ OIL PAN, AND STEERING POWER ASSIST: HOSE: FLUID WERE LEAKING. AND DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THEM.
NHTSA complaint #878876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND SUDDENLY SOMETHING INSIDE OF STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, AND CAR WAS STUCK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. STEERING BELT BROKE AND A/C COMPRESSOR LOCKED UP THAT WAS WHY STEERING COLUMN WOULDN'T MOVE.
NHTSA complaint #878350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND SUDDENLY SOMETHING INSIDE OF STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, AND CAR WAS STUCK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. STEERING BELT BROKE AND A/C COMPRESSOR LOCKED UP THAT WAS WHY STEERING COLUMN WOULDN'T MOVE.
NHTSA complaint #878350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
CAR WAS PARKED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING HOSE THAT CAUSED SMOKE TO COME INTO THE CAR. CONSUMER CLIMBED UNDER THE CAR WHILE SOMEONE ELSE TURNED THE WHEEL AND A FLAMES SPARKED, CAUSING A FIRE. CAR WAS TOTALLED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #857713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH, INNER TIE ROD END FRACTURED AT THE ATTACHMENT POINT OF BALL JOINT TO TIE ROD, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND RUPTURE OF FUEL LINE RESULTING IN A MASSIVE FUEL LEAK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AND REPAIRED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #857158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TIE ROD END FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #550008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CONSUMER LOSES STEERING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT OR PARKING. STEERING WILL JUST LOCK. IF CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN AND MAY MAKE A 360 DEGREE BECAUSE CAR WILL NOT TURN, THIS COULD HURT SOMEONE.
NHTSA complaint #852473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
BRAKES WILL LOCK AT RANDOM (USUALLY WHEN HOT), POWER ASSIT BLEW OUT HIGH PRESSURE LINE CONNECTION
NHTSA complaint #714051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TIE RODS REPLACED TWO TIMES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. MJS
NHTSA complaint #513238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED DUE TO A POWER STEERING LEAK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #846709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
AT 53699 MILES, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT PULL, DEALER REMOVED AND OVERHAULED TRANSACLE AND REPLACED BOTH OUTER CV BOOTS, 3 MONTHS LATER MORE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND 4 MONTHS LATER FAILED AGAIN AFTER REPAIR. POPPING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING. STRUT BUSHINGS NOISY AND TIE RODS WERE REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #843754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
MY MOTOR MOUNTS, TIE RODS, AND CV BOOTS WENT BAD. THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND TIE RODS I FEEL WENT OUT WAY TO SOON FOR ANY CAR. THIS CAR WAS GIVEN TLC BEFORE I HAD IT B/C IT WAS MY GRANDMA'S. MY PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKS ARE WORKING IMPROPERLY. THEY ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO OPEN WITH FINGERS. YOU HAVE TO PULL THE DOOR HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE USUALLY TO GET IT.
NHTSA complaint #703778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
RECALL 93V106002. VEHICLE MADE A CLUNCKING SOUND, TURNING, STEERING LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #826782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FEEL LOOSE AND WOBBLE AT LOW SPEEDS.
NHTSA complaint #543436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES
FRONT RIGHT WHEEL STOPPED RESPONDING TO STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. COULD BE FATAL IF HAPPENS IN HIGHWAY BECAUSE ONLY ONE WHEEL WOULD RESPOND TO STEERING WHEEL. I'M ONLY DRIVER TO THIS CAR - PURCHASE NEW FROM SHEEHY'S FORD-ALL REPAIRS DONE ONLY AT DEALER- NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT NOR A TRAFFIC TICKET-NEVER DRIVE CAR FASTER THAN 65 M/H-CAR WAS AT DEALER 2 MONTHS BEFORE BECAUSE IT HAD LOST A MOTOR SUPPORTING NUT-SAME DEALER WHO FIXED THIS TIME=JERRY'S FORD.- THANK YOU- LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.
NHTSA complaint #702703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
I HAVE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND WHY ALL I HAVE HAD WITH MY VEHICLE WAS PROBLEMS TILL THIS DAY.
NHTSA complaint #702618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED THE STEERING WASN'T CENTERED, AND WHEN MAKING SHARP TURN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #831113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THE INNER TIE ROD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. ALSO, POKED A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS SEEN DEFECTIVE PART.
NHTSA complaint #830092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES
WINDSHIELD RESEALED/POWER WINDOW REPAIRED/MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH/TRANSMISSION/STEERING LINKAGE/ WATER PUMP/THERMOSTAT/FAN/ALTERNATOR AND AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #781025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
WHEN TURNING LEFT & ACCELERATING, STEERING LOCKS UP. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER & INFORMED LEFT SIDE MOUNTS HAD DROPPED & IN PIECES. RIGHT SIDE SHOWS SOME DETERIOATION. MECHANIC SAID RECALL WAS CANCELLED & WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REPAIR VEHICLE. (#93V106002)
NHTSA complaint #828411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH CONSUMER WENT TO MAKE A TURN, LOST ALL STEERING POWER. VEHICLE VEERED ACROSS THE MEDIAN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. CONSUMER HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES VERY HARD IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONSUMER CONTACT THE DEALER, THE DEALER SAID THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.
NHTSA complaint #827741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THE INBOARD END OF TIE ROD SEPARATED FOR THE STEERING RACK CAUSING TOTAL AND INSTANTANEOUS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #539849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN OUTER TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK UP. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.
NHTSA complaint #824100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.