Most common 1996 Ford Taurus problems
Share of the 825 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Taurus complaints by model year
Best Taurus years: 2019, 2017, 2016. Years to avoid: 2005, 2013, 2002, 1995, 2000. Compare all years →
1996 Ford Taurus recalls (6)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install the correct fuel tank.
Power train › Automatic transmission
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.
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 train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park pawl abutment bracket.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel pressure regulator. Those regulators produced during the suspect time period will be replaced.
Power train › Automatic transmission
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.
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Brake fluid low warning › Lamp
The brake system fluid level indicator lamp switch can malfunction. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake system fluid level indicator lamp switches.
What 1996 Ford Taurus owners say
Engine & cooling all 216 →
In May of 2000 iwas driving my vehicle on md 695 when engine light came on I then lost power my car shut off and I was forced to pull over my car was stalled out I then had it towed to towson Ford in towson md they told me it was my cooling system after telling a few friends of my ordeal one told me of a recall for the cooling system on the 96 Taurus I then contacted the Ford motor co in mich. Where I was treated very rudly over the phone I called several times to speak to a supervisor iwas told several diffrent times that one would contact me it wasnt until I refused to hang up the phone until I spoke to a supervisor that I talked to someone after all the trouble I went through they told me Ford was not going to honor my request for financial help with my repairs after having repairs done myself my car continued to have problems it started to leak cooling fluid and overheat I imediatly …
My 17-year-old son was driving to edinburg, texas on a pretty busy street, when out of the blue the engine started to fail. He nearly got killed. Thank god that didn't happen. The car cracked the head, and is in need of major repair. This has happened three times since the car was bought. About a month before the last incident, I noticed that the coolant water was a brown, almost muddy color and texture. I figured it was just left over damage from the engine repairs it had received. After doing a lot of research I found that Ford had a customer satisfaction notice program for a "brown coolant recall." I never got the notice and my warranty expired a long time ago. This is clearly a full out ''recall.'' I would like for the NHTSA to get Ford to pay for the damages that they have caused. Many people all over the internet have had the same problem. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 182 →
The transmission range selector (also called park/neutral start switch) shorts internally and causes the variably assisted steering to malfunction (stop assisting entirely). Date of incident May not be exact. While turning right at low speed into an alley power steering failed momentarily causing front wheel to jump the opposite curb onto the sidewalk and damage wheel cover. TSB # 96255 May describe problem, but I'm not sure. Ford dealership pulled up a report on this for me. Report states that the transmission range selector May short internally and cause the power steering assist to be reduced (eliminated), power windows to fail, and stereo to temporarily fail. This problem is intermittent and sporadic, but since the steering is adversely affected this problem constitutes a clear safety hazard. …
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle slipped out of park and almost rolled backwards into a ditch. The vehicle hit a culvert causing damage to the suspension. The driver and infant passenger were not injured. The manufacturer determined the vehicle was not included in NHTSA recall #96V176000 regarding the power train:automatic transmission, due to the VIN.
Steering all 101 →
The transmission range selector (also called park/neutral start switch) shorts internally and causes the variably assisted steering to malfunction (stop assisting entirely). Date of incident May not be exact. While turning right at low speed into an alley power steering failed momentarily causing front wheel to jump the opposite curb onto the sidewalk and damage wheel cover. TSB # 96255 May describe problem, but I'm not sure. Ford dealership pulled up a report on this for me. Report states that the transmission range selector May short internally and cause the power steering assist to be reduced (eliminated), power windows to fail, and stereo to temporarily fail. This problem is intermittent and sporadic, but since the steering is adversely affected this problem constitutes a clear safety hazard. …
I had an accident due to my car cutting off. I was turning when there was water on the street. I made a right hand turn and the right side went through the water. My car made some high pitch noise and the lights on the dashboard all lit up and the car shut off. I had no control over my car and ran off the road in a ditch. I didn't get hurt. My front bumper was damaged. I am very scared driving this car when it rains or water is on the street. This is clearly a safety hazzard. I told jerry's Ford about the problem a few months ago. Jerry's Ford said they couldn't duplicate the problem. I even contacted the Ford dispute board and told them about the numerous times the car had cut off, they told me that when it happens again, take it directly to the dealership. Please look into this safety hazzard before someone else has an accident or dies.
1996 Ford Taurus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Ford Taurus a good car?
Based on 825 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 Taurus rates avoid: 3.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Taurus at the same age. It is one of the Taurus years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Ford Taurus?
The engine & cooling — 216 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (182) and steering (101).
How many recalls does the 1996 Ford Taurus have?
There are 6 recalls for the 1996 Ford Taurus, the most recent from March 25, 1998 (tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Taurus?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2017 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2013, 2002, 1995 and 2000. See the full Ford Taurus years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford Taurus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 95,000 miles; 8% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.