Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
About 30 seconds after the car had been parked and the engine turned off, the front left tire exploded. The tire had a damaged area on the inside sidewall. The damaged area was approximately 5 inches long and was centered on the sidewall in a circumferential orientation. The tire was replaced at the dealer where it had been purchased.
Spare tire exploded while in side compartment. Two years ago the spare tire exploded. The consumer replaced it with a used spare because he was unable to locate a new spare. The used spare was placed in the spare tire compartment where it later blewout. The consumer has the tire in his possession.
Vehicle tires were dry rotted. The tires only had 30000 miles on them. The consumer replaced the tires. The consumer had new struts installed along with having the tires rotated. The technician informed the consumer that the tires were dry rotted.
Firestone ft70c tire. P205/65r15 dot#el9ldab389. This tire had complete tread separation. Consumer was driving on freeway about 75 MPH and felt vibration. When tread separated it came apart, and the rubber that separated from the tire damaged the sideview mirror.
Defective valve stem on yoko avid trz-item # yh03720655t bought at merchant's tire. The valve stem cracked at the base causing the tire to go flat. The tire bead was ruined by the time I pulled over.
On 6/13/2006 I purchased a set of four new p205-65r-15 wynstar tires from a local tire store and had them installed. In less than 3 months, the right rear tire blew out with less than 3000 miles on it. The vehicle was traveling at 35-40 MPH, in the rain. The temperature was in the upper 50's f. I put the spare on and returned the tire to the retailer on 9/5/06 for warranty. The tire was replaced with a new one of the same brand. On 5-23-2007 the right rear tire went flat again, brought it back to the retailer for repair, they tried to patch it, but it did not work, so they put a tube in it. A tube should not be necessary in a new tire. It is compensating for some type of manufacturing defect. Now on 7-5-2007, another tire is flat, there is obviously something wrong with these tires. …
When I bought this car it had a spare tire on it, which had a hole in it that I was not informed of. The electrical things inside the car do not work, such as the windows, A/C and radio buttons. The A/C and radio cut on and off by themselves. The windsheid wipers are somehow connected to the starter so everytime I start the car thw wipers come on and stay on for about 10 seconds. Also, I had the car diagnosed by a mechanic and he says that this car has been sitting under water.
Consumer states the rear axle inside dualtire deflated due to the valve stem rupturing. The vehicle was at the dealer being serviced. The consumer also states the problem is due to the wrong size valve stem on the tire for the vehicle's weight capcity and tire proessure. The make, model and year has been recalled (01-v-046-000 manfanturer id#01s05). The dealer is aware. Plkase provide more information.
1996 Ford Taurus, driver felt vehicle shake, pulled to the right berm and right tire fell off the vehicle. According to the police report, there were five broken tire spokes along with a scraped brake rotor from contact with the roadway. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0385-91) updated 09/13/10
My 1996 Ford car came with general ameri g4s p20565r15 tires. By now three of the four have failed due to belt/tread separation. Mileage was between 40000 and 50000 miles. Remaining tread on highest mileage tire was .207". They have never ran underinfated or over loaded. The serial # is acur442515.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 1996 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 1996 Ford Taurus, 4% of the model year's 825 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Ford Taurus wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 1996 Ford Taurus, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford Taurus wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.