The 1996 Ford Taurus has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 561,600 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 1,132 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 97-17-9 FROM AUGUST 1997 THROUGH DECEMBER 1997. THESE VEHICLES WERE INADVERTENLY EQUIPPED WITH AN 18-GALLON FUEL TANK RATHER THAN THE 16-GALLON AS SPECIFIED. THE 18-GALLON TANK HAS A SECOND VALVE LOCATION WHERE A SHIPPING PLUG…
Consequence
IF THIS SHIPPING PLUG IS DISPLACED, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT FUEL TANK.
POWER TRAIN96V1760001996-09-18340,000 affected
Defect
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARK PAWL SHAFT MAY NOT BE FREE TO ROTATE AS INTENDED. IF THE PARK PAWL SHAFT DOES NOT ROTATE, IT WOULD PREVENT THE PARK PAWL FROM ENGAGING THE PARK GEAR WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROTATION AND THOSE SHAFTS WITH RESTRICTED ROTATION WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHORTER SHAFT THAT WILL NOT RESTRICT ROTATION.
POWER TRAIN96V1660001996-09-0540,000 affected
Defect
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Consequence
UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LOCATED ON THE FUEL RAIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS A VACUUM DIAPHRAGM THAT WAS DAMAGED DURING MANUFACTURE OF THE REGULATOR.
Consequence
IF THE DIAPHRAGM TEARS OR RUPTURES, LIQUID FUEL COULD ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM THROUGH THE VACUUM LINE RESULTING IN EITHER RELEASE OF FUEL FROM THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY OR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. FUEL RELEASE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THOSE REGULATORS PRODUCED DURING THE SUSPECT TIME PERIOD WILL BE REPLACED.
POWER TRAIN96V0860001996-05-14100,000 affected
Defect
THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED WHEN THE ROLL PIN THAT RETAINS IT WAS INSTALLED DURING TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. IF THE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED, THE ROLL PIN MAY NOT HAVE LINED UP WITH THE GROOVE IN THE SHAFT AND HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AT ASSEMBLY. ALSO, A BURR COULD HAVE BEEN RAISED ON THE SHAFT.
Consequence
THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PARK PAWL OCCASIONALLY NOT ENGAGING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROLL PIN. IF THE ROLL PIN IS DAMAGED, BOTH THE ROLL PIN AND THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, OWNERS WILL BE REMINDED TO FULLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE, IN ADDITION TO PLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC96V0160001996-01-2576,500 affected
Defect
THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCH CAN MALFUNCTION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS."
Consequence
CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF THE SWITCH MALFUNTIONS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP WILL EITHER REMAIN ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY OR FAIL TO LIGHT AS INTENDED WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL FALLS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. IN EITHER CASE, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE WARNED OF A LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CONDITION.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCHES.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
135
3crashes1injuries1deaths
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
70
3crashes4fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
62
1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
61
1crashes3injuries
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
35
4crashes
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
31
9crashes14injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
29
26crashes1fires35injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
28
3crashes
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
27
2fires
SUSPENSION:FRONT
24
2crashes
Total complaints1,132
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I recently brought the car for 4,00 and some change a bout a year ago two days after I brought it the check engine light came on and every now and then while driving it would cut off I took the car back to the place I brought it from and told them they told me to bring it back in I would have to…”
“I recently brought the car for 4,00 and some change a bout a year ago two days after I brought it the check engine light came on and every now and then while driving it would cut off I took the car back to the place I brought it from and told them they told me to bring it back in I would have to…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. The contact stated that while driving at 15 mph, there was a loud noise coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the motor carriage had corroded and stated that the vehicle…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 1 mph, the vehicle accelerated violently and crashed into a pole without any warning. The contact sustained chest and head injuries and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The vehicle was not taken to the…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle was involved in a crash and the seat belt failed to retract. The contact, who was seating in the front passenger seat, hit her head on the windshield. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and…”
“The motor cradle in my mother-in-law's 1996 taurus rusted through and broke as she was making a turn. This caused the motor to partially drop making steering almost impossible. I did some research and found that there was a recall for this problem for the 1995 taurus in dec. Of 1998. My question…”
“The motor cradle in my mother-in-law's 1996 taurus rusted through and broke as she was making a turn. This caused the motor to partially drop making steering almost impossible. I did some research and found that there was a recall for this problem for the 1995 taurus in dec. Of 1998. My question…”
“My son was driving the vehicle when the brakes completely failed. Brake lines to the rear of the car ruptured and drained system of brake fluid and car had no brakes at all. It rolled into an intersection and thankfully he wasn't hurt. Apparently this is fairly common with older cars. Both lines…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Ford Taurus as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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