Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 09E012000 · 2009 · reported 04/07/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
1997 Ford Taurus Problems & Recalls
Built from official NHTSA complaint and recall data · data through 07/14/2026
High complaint levelIts most-reported problem — Power Train:automatic Transmission — runs 2.6× the fleet median for that category across the 2391 model-years tracked on this site.
770Complaints
5Recalls
64Crashes
12Fires
50Injured
4Deaths
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint & recall data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Is this problem acknowledged?
The most-reported problem — Power Train:automatic Transmission (22.2% of complaints) — is covered by 2 NHTSA recall campaigns.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints here are 2.6× the median for that category across the 2391 model-years tracked on this site.
1 of the 6 most-reported categories on this page are backed by a recall or open investigation; the other 5 rest on owner reports alone.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train:automatic Transmission | 171 · 22.2% | Recalled | Recall 97V097000 · Recall 96V166000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine | 46 · 6% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline | 44 · 5.7% | No official action | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 43 · 5.6% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System | 39 · 5.1% | No official action | — |
| Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System | 28 · 3.6% | No official action | — |
Recalled = an NHTSA safety recall covers this category, so a free repair exists. Under investigation = NHTSA has an open probe but no recall yet. Investigation closed = NHTSA examined it and closed the probe — this is not a defect finding; where a closed probe led to a recall we name the campaign. Not available = recall or investigation data could not be confirmed for this vehicle — it is not a “no”. Categories are matched by NHTSA's top-level component. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Percentages are the share of the 770 complaints citing each component; one complaint can cite several components. “Unspecified / other” is NHTSA’s own catch-all category — we show it rather than hide it.
Recalls — 5 campaigns
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E026000 · 2006 · reported 03/23/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting:headlights
NHTSA campaign 98V028000 · 1998 · reported 02/10/1998
IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONFUSED BY THE AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS TO BE IMPROPERLY AIMED. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Power Train:automatic Transmission
NHTSA campaign 97V097000 · 1997 · reported 06/09/1997
THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TEMPERATURE MAY BE HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
NHTSA campaign 96V166000 · 1996 · reported 09/05/1996
UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Park it Park outside Specimen badges — shown on a recall card only when NHTSA sets the flag. None of the campaigns above carries either flag. Always check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
“AUTOMTIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR, AND IT IS DIFFICUILT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. WHENEVER VEHICLE COME TO A STOP IT IS DELAYED BEFORE…”NHTSA complaint 841783 — filed 07/07/1999 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
“TRANSMISSION SLIPS. DEALER UNABLE TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM.”NHTSA complaint 707209 — filed 06/04/1999 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
“JUST STARTED TO PROCEED THROUGH INTERSECTION WHEN CAR SHIFTED FROM LOW GEAR AND ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. DEALER I TOOK IT TO…”NHTSA complaint 706035 — filed 04/27/1999 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Complaint trend by year filed
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford Taurus?
Power train:automatic transmission issues are the most-reported category, cited in 171 of 770 NHTSA complaints (22.2%), followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (46), engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (44), vehicle speed control (43). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 1997 Ford Taurus have?
770 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Of those, 64 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, and 50 reported injuries. 4 deaths were reported.
Does the 1997 Ford Taurus have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA safety recall campaigns, including campaign 09E012000. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has NHTSA acted on the 1997 Ford Taurus's reported problems?
1 of the 6 most-reported complaint categories on this page is backed by an NHTSA safety recall or open investigation; the rest are unverified owner reports. A recall means a free repair is available at authorized dealers.
Is a complaint proof of a defect?
No. Complaints are reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints, and a complaint is not proof that a defect exists.
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.
