1996 Ford Taurus Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

62Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints

7.5%Of all 825 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION135 · 16.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE70 · 8.5%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE62 · 7.5%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM61 · 7.4%

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM35 · 4.2%

Share of the 825 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1996 Ford Taurus overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH VEHICLE STALLS; ALSO, STALLS WHILE TURNING. DEALERSHIP NOTES POSSIBLE ENGINE VALVE COVER FAILURE. OWNER NOTES THAT WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS…”NHTSA complaint 814722 — filed 07/21/1997

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1996 Ford Taurus have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 1996 Ford Taurus: 62 of 825 complaints on file (7.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1996 Ford Taurus have in total?

825 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 69 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, 69 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.