1998 Ford Taurus reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1998 Ford Taurus — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 680
- 1 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- 86 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 75 reported crashes · 89 injuries · 4 deaths · 17 fires
What owners report fails — 1998 Ford Taurus
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 86
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 47
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP 31
- SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS 31
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 28
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1998 Ford Taurus
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1998 Ford Taurus units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford Taurus reliable?
NHTSA has 680 consumer complaints on record for the 1998 Ford Taurus. The most-reported problem area is vehicle speed control (86 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1998 Ford Taurus units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Taurus?
Owners most often report problems with: vehicle speed control (86), power train:automatic transmission (47), service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (31), suspension:front:springs:coil springs (31). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1998 Ford Taurus?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.