17 of the 680 complaints about the 1998 Ford Taurus are about the glass, mirrors and wipers — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 55,000 miles.
17
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER WAS NOT WORKING IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000. UPDATED 10/30/14
NHTSA complaint #10638637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE. CONSUMER HAD THE HEATER CORE REPLACED. HOWEVER, HEATER CORE KEPT BECOMING DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE HEATER CORE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10115623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1998 TAURUS SE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM NOV 2001.CUTTER FORD OF AIEA THE AGENT FOR FORD MADE THREE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR PROBLEM SPANING A YEAR AND A HALF. FOR THE TIME BEING PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED. HOWEVER FREEZE PLUG HAS MALFUCTIONED TWICE NOW AND I AM CURRENTLY GETTING IT REPAIRED. FUEL INJECTORS MALFUCTIONED AND WHERE REPAIRED APRIL 2003. I HAVE RECORDS OF CAR'S PROBLEMS DATING BACK TO 2000
NHTSA complaint #10070490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WHASHER PUMP SEEM'S TO HAVE SHORTED OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND CAUSED A SHORT IN WIRNG WITCH RESULTED IN A UNDER THE HOOD FIRE! ALL I DID WAS TURN ON WASHER PUMP TO CLEAN WINSHIELD AND NOTHING HAPPEN SOON AFTER I SMELLED WIRES BURNING!SOON AFTER I SEEN FIRE SHOOTING FROM UNDER CAR AND THEN IT BLAZED OUT OF HOOD BETWEEN THE COWL AND FIREWALL! THE CAR STOPED RUNNING I PULLED OFF THE SIED OF I-70 1 MILE MARKER AND THEN CALLED 911......
NHTSA complaint #10052304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
I BOUGHT MY 1998 FORD TAURUS THIS PAST SPRING OF 2003, AND NOW THAT WINTER HAS ARRIVED, I FIND THAT I HAVE NO HEAT OR DEFROSTER. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MY BLEND DOOR, AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A RECALL ITEM. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM, AND THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $900 TO GET IT FIXED. HOW IS THIS NOT A SAFTEY ISSUE, AND HOW ARE THEY GETTING AWAY WITH NOT PAYING FOR IT? SOMEONE SIGNED OFF ON THIS CHEAP PART THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY FAILED REPEATEDLY ON THESE VEHICLES. THEY NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. VISIBILITY IS A SAFTEY ISSUE, AND THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THIS ITEM. THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CHOOSE NOT TO RECALL SOMETHING BECAUSE IT WILL COST THEM TOO MUCH MONEY TO FIX. THEY SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY WENT CHEAP IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10049483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER ABRUPTLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING LAST WINTER. SINCE THEN THE COOLING SYSTEM HAS BEEN FLUSHED 6 TIMES. EACH TIME IT WILL WORK FOR A WEEK AND THEN IT STOPPED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BLEND DOOR MOTOR, CHARGED $230 FOR IT AND IT DID NOTHING. IT WAS GIVEN A "CHEMICAL FLUSH" FOR $125 WHICH DID NOTHING. THEN THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD NEED THE HEATER CORE AND BLEND DOOR REPLACED. I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THE OTHER WORK AT ALL. APPARENTLY THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE TAURUS FROM 96 ON. I FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET COMPLAINING ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING AND WAS TOLD THAT THE NHTSA HAD ADVISED FORD IN 96 OR 97 THAT THEY SHOULD PROBABLY RECALL THE CARS FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH CAUSES THE DEFROSTER TO NOT WORK AND THEREFORE MAKES IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT ALL IN THE WINTER. APPARENTLY FORD DID A " CUSTOMER SATISFACTION" RECALL WHICH EXPIRED IN 99 BUT WAS NEVER DONE ON MY CAR (I BOUGHT IT USED IN 2000). I CALLED FORD TO ASK WHY THIS WASN'T A RECALL SINCE FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND IT EFFECTS ALL TAURUSES FROM 96-99 AT LEAST. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WASN'T A SAFETY ISSUE SO IT WOULDN'T BE A RECALL. I SUBMITTED THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE YOU CANNOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE WINTER AND SINCE WHEN OURS STOPPED WORKING WE WERE ON I-70 BETWEEN ST. LOUIS AND KANSAS CITY DURING A SNOWSTORM AND HAD TO STOP BECAUSE WE COULDN'T SEE. THIS IS A $1300 REPAIR THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
NHTSA complaint #10042934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
ROTOR SERVICE ON FRONT END OF VEHICLE ONCE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TIRES SHAKING, CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS WHEN TURNING, AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN REAR END WHEN BRAKING. THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER MAKE A BUZZING NOISE, THE BRAKES PULSATE. THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE AND ROTORS FAILED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE MAKES A BUZZING NOISE WHEN START. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO BATTERY FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #8014309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
REAR WINDOW COME DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHEN VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER WILL FILL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8009830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING HEATER MALFUNCTIONED AND BLEW OUT COLD AIR. WHILE CONTINUING TO DRIVE HEAT REMAINS COLD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8003630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO FORD CHANGING DESIGN, TRYING TO GET PART. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #879234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD IS PEPPERED WITH SMALL HOLES. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #549881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STOPPED FOR SIGN, AND WHILE CROSSING OVER, GOING WEST, THE HOOD BENT, WINDSHIELD BROKE AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL BROKE FROM THE FRAME ,AND THE CONSUMER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD, AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #852633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOWS LOCK UP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #841136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AT 9:00PM AND PLUGGED IN HEATER BLOCK, USING AN EXTENTION CORD DUE TO LOW TEMPARTURES TO KEEP OIL WARM OVER NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS USED AS A RENTAL CAR AT AIRPORT. CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 1998 AT DEALERSHIP-ROEN FORD-715-425-6122--660 N. MAIN ST. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO KNOWN CAUSE FOR FIRE, BUT WILL GIVE CONSUMER REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. CONSUMER PLUGGED IN ENGINE BLOCK EMERSION HEATER APPROX. 9PM, 8AM THE NEXT MORNING VEHICLE'S FRONT HAD COMPLETELY MELTED, AND THE GARAGE WAS SMOKE FILLED.
NHTSA complaint #835517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE HATCHBACK WINDOW BURSTED. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #826850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
HEATER SYSTEM FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #542913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE REFLECTION OFF THE DASHBOARD REFLECTS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. .
NHTSA complaint #822632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.