Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1991 Ford Taurus

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

5
Open recalls
649
NHTSA complaints
14
Defect investigations
71
Service bulletins

NCAP safety

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Consumer complaints

649 filed
43
Crashes
21
Fires
23
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Power TRAIN:AUTOMATIC Transmission
    216
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE
    80
  • STRUCTURE:FRAME AND Members
    51
  • STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD Assembly
    38
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
    26
  • AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
    23
  • AIR Bags
    22
  • Power TRAIN:MANUAL Transmission
    21

Recalls

5 campaigns
98V323000·STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1998-12-16

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGNIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT CAN EXPERIENCE STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IF SUBJECTED TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS. THIS CAN RESULT IN FRACTURE AND LOSS OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT ATTACHMENT. DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.

RiskIF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

FixDEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.

97V025000·VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1997-02-26

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WATER CAN ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT. IF ENOUGH WATER ACCUMULATES, IT COULD FREEZE WITHIN A LOW AREA OF THE CABLE ROUTING WHEN EXPOSED TO A LONG TERM COLD SOAK AT TEMPERATURES AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.

RiskDRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

FixDEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.

94E036000·SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER1994-11-25

THE ARC WELDS ON THE SWAY BAR BRACKET, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STRUT RESERVE TUBE, DID NOT FUSE PROPERLY.

RiskOVER 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.

FixMONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.

92V065000·WHEELS1992-05-11

CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE.

RiskTHERE IS A DANGER OF AIR DEPRIVATION, HYPERTHERMIA,AND/OR PANIC RESPONSE TO A CHILD WHO HAS LOCKED HIMSELF OR HERSELF INTO THECOMPARTMENT, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ASPHYXIATION.

FixREPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.

91V134000·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1991-08-06

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.

RiskSEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

FixREPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.

NHTSA investigations

14 actions
SQ98008·ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1998-05-04 → 1998-05-08

AUDIO SYSTEM FIRES

DP96014·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE 1996-11-14

DEFECTIVE AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR

EA96024·ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1996-09-30 → 1997-04-15

ENGINE COOLING FAN FIRES

Led to recall97V019000

PE96033·ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1996-05-02 → 1996-09-30

ENGINE COOLING FAN FIRES

Led to recall97V019000

DP95004·UNKNOWN OR OTHER1995-08-08 → 1995-08-30

ALLEGED DEFECTIVE TIE RODS

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