Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
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).
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that he was riding in the vehicle as a passenger in the front seat when the vehicle was involved in a crash. The passenger's front seat belt buckle attaching stud failed and he was not properly restrained during the crash and sustained unknown injuries. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 98V198000 (seat belts: front: anchorage) that was issued in 1998 but he as unable to confirm if the vehicle was included in the recall. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000 and the current was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that all four seat belts in the vehicle malfunctioned and failed to retract, which left the occupants unsecured. The vehicle was taken to bayshore Ford of pennsyville (200 s. Broadway st, pennsyville, nj). The contact was informed that the manufacturer no longer produced parts for the vehicle and it could not be repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 139,000.
The drivers side seat belt snapped during the accident (air bags worked fine) 10" from bolt that secures belt to the floor. There was no damage to the car in this area that would have cut the belt. Belt looked normal. Driver 125#, 45mph crash,belt brakes? Luckily, after being bounced around inside she was in the back seat after the crash and was not ejected from the car.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the rear driver and passenger seat belts failed by not retracting and locking into place. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they advised her that the seat belts needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Rear middle seat belt strap on 1998 Ford Taurus sedan was not secured by minor occupant while exiting vehicle. Belt was outside vehicle when vehicle started moving and was run over by vehicle rear tires causing rear wheel to lock and skid on public street.
Vehicle was rearended while driving 30 MPH seatbelt did not restrain consumer, and she hit her head on steering wheel. Consumer suffered neck and arm injuries. Vehicle has not been examined by dealer yet.
While driving at 25/30 MPH vehicle was in a head on collision. Upon impact, driver's side nor passenger's side air bags deployed, and seat belt didn't retract. Driver sustained slight injuries.
Passanger seat restraint locks when a large person is in the seat. Everytime the belt reals in a bit it stays locked, resulting in a very tight and uncomfortable ride. Replacement of the seat belt some months ago resolved the issue for a while, however the problem has re-emerged, and the dealer refused to replace the unit again. It seems to be unsafe riding in a car with the shoulder belt so tight that movement is impossable. The dealer stated that due to my fat stature the seat belt is mal functioning, but when normal sized people are in the seat the restraint functions properly.
Car will accelerate on it's own after car is put into park, now it is doing it while you are driving, interior light will come on and not go out, radio turns on and off by it's self, electric seat only works half the time, goes back then will not go back up, car will increase in RPM's when you are in park and will continue to go up unless you turn off engine, starting to climb in RPM's when you are driving. Seat belt will not stay latched on passenger front seat.
I own a 1998 Ford Taurus wagon. The rear seatbelts do not work. I can not get them to pull out at all. For that matter, I can not buckle my child in. Both sides are affected. The center buckle doesn't have an extracting belt so that is the only usable seat belt in the rear. I have to do something about this because I have to transport children in car seats. The cover was removed in attempt to fix these and I am still unable to get them to work.
Related recalls
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manual seat tracks. The front seat belt buckle attaching stud May have been improperly heat treated. This heat treatment May have resulted in cracks developing in the stud.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle mounting bracket and stud assembly.
Seat Belt complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1998 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the seat belts of the 1998 Ford Taurus, 5% of the model year's 545 complaints. The component named most often is front › retractor (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Taurus seat belt problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 98V-198 (anchorage, Aug 25, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford Taurus seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to seat belts 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.