1994 FORD TAURUS — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 910 complaints · 5 recalls
Most-reported system: POWER TRAIN (234 complaints · 25.7%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 50
  • Fires 22
  • Injuries 42
  • Deaths 3
Compare with 1993 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution POWER TRAIN appears in 234 of 910 owner complaints (25.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. POWER TRAIN: 234 complaints, 25.7% of reports POWER TRAIN 234 · 25.7% · 2 crash reports ENGINE: 230 complaints, 25.3% of reports ENGINE 230 · 25.3% · 1 crash reports 4 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 64 complaints, 7.0% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 64 · 7.0% · 11 fire reports STRUCTURE: 54 complaints, 5.9% of reports STRUCTURE 54 · 5.9% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 46 complaints, 5.0% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 46 · 5.0% · 4 crash reports 4 fire reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING: 42 complaints, 4.6% of reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING 42 · 4.6% FUEL SYSTEM: 40 complaints, 4.4% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 40 · 4.4% · 1 fire reports AIR BAGS: 37 complaints, 4.1% of reports AIR BAGS 37 · 4.1% · 32 crash reports SUSPENSION: 36 complaints, 4.0% of reports SUSPENSION 36 · 4.0% · 1 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 663 complaints, 72.9% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 663 · 72.9% · 40 crash reports 18 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
POWER TRAIN 234 25.7% 2 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 230 25.3% 1 crashes · 4 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 64 7.0% 0 crashes · 11 fires
STRUCTURE 54 5.9% 2 crashes · 1 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 46 5.0% 4 crashes · 4 fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 42 4.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 40 4.4% 0 crashes · 1 fires
AIR BAGS 37 4.1% 32 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 36 4.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 663 72.9% 40 crashes · 18 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Nov 1994. 1995-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 1995-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 1995-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 1995-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 1996-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 1996-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 1996-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 1996-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 1997-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 1997-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 1997-Q3: 26 owner reports 26 1997-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 1998-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 1998-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 1998-Q3: 44 owner reports 44 1998-Q4: 42 owner reports 42 1999-Q1: 52 owner reports 52 1999-Q2: 60 owner reports 60 1999-Q3: 66 owner reports 66 1999-Q4: 44 owner reports 44 2000-Q1: 42 owner reports 42 2000-Q2: 40 owner reports 40 2000-Q3: 33 owner reports 33 2000-Q4: 47 owner reports 47 2001-Q1: 38 owner reports 38 2001-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 2001-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2001-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2002-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2002-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2002-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2002-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2003-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2003-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2003-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2004-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2004-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Nov 1994 Jan 2018 Recall campaign 94E036000 ◆ Recall campaign 94E036000 Recall campaign 97V019000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V019000 Recall campaign 97V025000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V025000 Recall campaign 98V009000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V009000 Recall campaign 98V323000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V323000 Investigation PE96033 ● Investigation PE96033 Investigation EA96019 ● Investigation EA96019 Investigation EA96024 ● Investigation EA96024 Investigation RQ99017 ● Investigation RQ99017
  • Campaign 97V019000 was reported 609 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 98V009000 was reported 849 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 98V323000 was reported 1,416 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 11
1995-Q2 Owner reports 12
1995-Q3 Owner reports 9
1995-Q4 Owner reports 12
1996-Q1 Owner reports 9
1996-Q2 Owner reports 10
1996-Q3 Owner reports 7
1996-Q4 Owner reports 14
1997-Q1 Owner reports 10
1997-Q2 Owner reports 15
1997-Q3 Owner reports 26
1997-Q4 Owner reports 22
1998-Q1 Owner reports 23
1998-Q2 Owner reports 21
1998-Q3 Owner reports 44
1998-Q4 Owner reports 42
1999-Q1 Owner reports 52
1999-Q2 Owner reports 60
1999-Q3 Owner reports 66
1999-Q4 Owner reports 44
2000-Q1 Owner reports 42
2000-Q2 Owner reports 40
2000-Q3 Owner reports 33
2000-Q4 Owner reports 47
2001-Q1 Owner reports 38
2001-Q2 Owner reports 26
2001-Q3 Owner reports 17
2001-Q4 Owner reports 14
2002-Q1 Owner reports 16
2002-Q2 Owner reports 13
2002-Q3 Owner reports 15
2002-Q4 Owner reports 8
2003-Q1 Owner reports 11
2003-Q2 Owner reports 8
2003-Q3 Owner reports 7
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q1 Owner reports 11
2004-Q2 Owner reports 1
2004-Q3 Owner reports 9
2004-Q4 Owner reports 4
2005-Q1 Owner reports 1
2005-Q2 Owner reports 2
2005-Q3 Owner reports 3
2005-Q4 Owner reports 5
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 2
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q1 Owner reports 2
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 94E036000
Recall campaign 1 97V019000
Recall campaign 1 97V025000
Recall campaign 1 98V009000
Recall campaign 1 98V323000
Defect investigation 1 PE96033
Defect investigation 1 EA96019
Defect investigation 1 EA96024
Defect investigation 1 RQ99017
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (5)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 94E036000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    OVER TIME, A PORTION OF THE BRACKET CAN TEAR AWAY FROM THE STRUT, FALLING INTO AND PUNCTURING THE TIRE OR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    MONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V019000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V025000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98V009000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT INCORPORATES A CRICUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND WIRING, IF NEEDED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98V323000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 910 complaints · page 1 of 37

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources