Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
After driving about a mile, the air conditioning stopped and black smoke came out of the hood. Stopped the car and thought of opening the hood but saw flames. Three adults and two children (5 and 2 yrs old) got out of the car. Called police and fire service. By the time they arrive, the car was in flames. The engine and front row seats were totally burnt. The car was a total loss. There was no way to determine the reason for the (mysterious) fire. This happened in miami, florida.
No heat. Took our 1998 Ford Taurus 6cyl.,3.0l,182fi vehicle to dealer with complaint of no heat. I am told from the Ford service advisor that there is rust in the coolant system caused by a metal allergy reaction from the water pump impeller blade and the antifreeze coolant in the system which cause rust the inside of the engine, freeze plugs, heater core, thermostat and eventually cause the engine to overheat/breakdown due to lack of water/coolant circulation. Ford answer: replace water pump with upgraded water pump, flush system with anti-rust chemicals, replace freeze plugs, replace heater core, hoses, thermostat and refill with anti-freeze coolant at a cost of @ $1700.00. This vehicle has had regular maintenance on it since I've own it 10/1999, ie. Oil changes @5000K mi., coolant flush @1/yr., brakes & tires check/service @5000K mi. …
Heat/vibration of engine caused plastic vacuum elbow to break. This caused loss of vacuum to brake booster and loss of brakes. Customer ran into brick wall. We are vehicle investigators/engineers for insurance companies. Normal vibration and heat caused this failure. I would recommend some kind of strain relief or a superior material for this important part. This elbow connects main manifold vacuum to a vacuum manifold mounter on left side firewall. This manifold feeds the vacuum systems for the vehicle and the power brake booster (Bosch unit). Resultaing in loss of manifold vacuum caused the engine management system to surge and idle poorly. There were no broken or fatigued engine mounts to cause unwarranted stress on this plastic elbow. It appears that plastic elbow is made from pvc. …
This is the scariest thing I have ever seen while driving my teenage son's vehicle. His vehicle would not decrease in speed. While taking off from a stop, without touching the pedal, the vehicle accelerated on its own. I have never seen a vehicle accelerate without hitting the gas pedal. This is a serious safety concern especially since its a teenagers vehicle. I see that newer tauruses had a recall for the exact same issue. Many were reporting the vehicle accelerating on its own, this is exactly what my son's did tonight. Also, when I placed his vehicle in park, the vehicle revved up to 4000 RPM's like someone was hitting the gas. I had to shut the car off before it blew the engine. It was nerve racking. This is likely to cause a serious injury of death to my child.
Smoke began coming out of vents when air conditioning was turned on. If I turned it off and waited a few minutes, the air conditioning would work again. This happened every time I tried to use the air conditioning. In September, when I tried using the heater, it did not work. I changed the thermostat and had engine cooling system flushed. However this still did not resolve my problem. I contacted my local Ford dealership,. They informed me that this a common problem with the 98 Taurus. The engine coolant Ford makes you use clogs the system and turns the coolant into sludge. The only thing you can do is to replace the heater core. They also stated that on average I will have to replace the heater core every other year. This is unacceptable.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 25 MPH on normal road conditions, the driver heard a gushing noise outside of the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and oil was observed leaking from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was contributed to the engine oil pan gasket. The oil pan gasket was replaced at that time. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on two separate occasions for identical failures. Currently, the vehicle is in the process of being repaired. The failure mileage was between 42,000-44,000 and current mileage was 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the brakes failed completely and the check engine warning indicator illuminated continuously. The failure had recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the vehicle needed a rear proportioning valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 138,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and turning it off, it would not start again. The failure occurred intermittently. No warning lights illuminated on the instrumental panel. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they informed her that they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.
When turning right at a street corner in the rain the power steering will momentarily fail. The drive belt will make a slight squeal when it re-engages. It appears that there is inadequage splash shielding inside the right hand wheel well such that water is thrown up on the drive belt and crankshaft pully by the cocked wheel. The drive belt is relatively new but the problem also occurred with the OEM belt.
1998 Taurus se has had problems with cooling system nov 2001.cutter Ford of aiea the agent for Ford made three attempts to repair problem spaning a year and a half. For the time being problem has been solved. However freeze plug has malfuctioned twice now and I am currently getting it repaired. Fuel injectors malfuctioned and where repaired April 2003. I have records of car's problems dating back to 2000
Engine complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1998 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1998 Ford Taurus, 12% of the model year's 545 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Taurus engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1998 Ford Taurus, though it has 2 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 1998 Ford Taurus engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 4 fires and 10 injuries to engine & cooling 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.