Most common 1999 Ford Taurus problems
Share of the 874 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 →
1999 Ford Taurus recalls (5)
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the…
Remedy: Dealers will install protective spring shields. In addition, Ford is extending the warranty coverage of the front coil springs in all other states, for fracture only, up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles,…
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The seat belt retractor May have a pin shaft in the switchable elr/alr mechanism that is incorrectly formed. In some circumstances, the switching mechanism could become nonfunctional, preventing the seat belt webbing from being extracted from the retractor.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lap and shoulder belt assemblies. Assemblies with julian date codes of 200 through 223 are suspect and will be replaced.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Cooling unit and lines
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equpped with the "california" emissions package. An incorrect transmission oil cooler line was installed. The line contacts the anti-lock braking system module support bracket and over time, can wear and develop a leak.
Remedy: Dealers will install the appropriate transmission oil cooler line.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A dash insulator retainer clip was not fully assembled to the accelerator cable dash fitting. The clip can disengage from the accelerator cable and fall into the accelerator pedal arm pivot area.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles to ensure proper installation of the accelerator cable clip, and re-install if needed.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1999 Ford Taurus:
Front suspension coil spring fracture
Odi possesses 130 vehicle owners questionnaires (voq) alleging front suspension coil spring failure in the subject (model year 1999-2000) vehicles.an additional 11 voqs concerning my 2001 vehicles have been found, bringing the total to 141.more than 75% of these reports allege that the broken spring damaged or punctured the adjacent tire.all of these reports originated in the salt belt states located in the…
Front suspension coil spring fracture
A total of 161 front suspension spring failures are known to odi and Ford from all sources, 59 of these leading to tire damage.these failures are concentrated in the corrosion states, where 253,814 subject vehicles were sold.warranty and consumer complaint data show that the subject fleet experienced a spring fracture rate of 0.009% at 30,000 miles and 0.03% at 60,000 miles.these rates are very low when compared to…
What 1999 Ford Taurus owners say
Suspension all 180 →
My son is 22 yrs old he bought this 1999 Ford Taurus from a used car dealer in March 2013,him and his girlfriend was driving down the highway when all of a sudden,the car jerked to the left really hard he could not control it no steering control,needless to say he went down a ditch thru a yard and hit this ladys parked car in her drive way totaling it,and hit the side of her house,his girl friend was critically injured having to be airlifted,this accident resulted in a serious injury and serious property damage,his girl friends seat belt failed to lock causing her to go forward the airbags did deploy but because seat belt failed to lock her head ended up hitting windshield when she got jerked forward.,,,after accident had the car looked at by a mechanic,the sub frame had rusted out and broken and the lower control arm had snapped causing the car to jerk to the left and causing this …
While driving on pa turnpike on feb 6, 2004, the driver side control arm broke causing loss of control to the vehicle, resulting in damage to the frame and resulting in the vehicle being deemed a "total loss".
Speed control & acceleration all 109 →
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the service engine soon light illuminated on the instrument panel. A mechanic replaced the oxygen sensor; however, the light still illuminated. The contact was informed that there was a misfire on the #6 cylinder. In addition, there was a lot of smoke when the vehicle was started. He took the vehicle to a mechanic and they stated that the possible cause of the failure was antifreeze entering the motor. The mechanic also suggested that there was a potential issue with the head gasket, which would cost between $1,500-$2,500 to repair. Also, the vehicle would not decelerate if the contact removed her foot from the accelerator pedal; therefore, he would have to apply the brakes instead. The mechanic informed him that the vehicle would coast due to the cruise control. …
May 2016 I was driving my car and it felt like the transmission was slipping and the speedometer was all out of whack, the RPM's were going higher as I stepped on the gas pedal. I had the transmission replaced, the car has had more problems and was broke down for almost the remainder of the year. Dec. 2016 had a new starter, power steering pulley, and serpentine belt replaced. Car ran great for 3 days then the speedometer wasn't working and felt like the transmission is slipping or completely going out. I can't afford to repair this car I just finished paying off the $900 transmission job, plus I am still paying on the car! I am a single mother on disability with no money for repairs or another car. Please help.
Brakes all 107 →
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford Taurus. On May 29, 2008, the brake pedal extended to the floor when it was depressed. Brake fluid was leaking and burned the pavement in the contact's driveway. The vehicle was towed to an auto garage. The cause of the failure was determined to be brake line corrosion. The garage repaired the front and rear brake lines. The manufacturer is aware of the defect; however, they will not assist with the $285.12 repair cost. The failure mileage was 31,529 and current mileage is 31,869. Updated 7/3/08 the corrosion was caused by water being trapped by a plastic guide that held the brake lines to the underside of the vehicle. Updated
While driving the car at a low speed, deer ran out in front of me and I brake to stop and at that time the car surged and accelerated at a high speed which caused me to lose control of the car and hit a tree head on. I pressed the brakes as hard as I could and the speed would not decelerate. I suffered a large head injury that required 54 staples to close the wound. I spent over a week in the hospital, including an icu stay. This car is dangerous and is causing injuries and possible deaths.
1999 Ford Taurus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
| 3.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Ford Taurus a good car?
Based on 874 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 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 1999 Ford Taurus?
The suspension — 180 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › coil springs. Next are the speed control & acceleration (109) and brakes (107).
How many recalls does the 1999 Ford Taurus have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1999 Ford Taurus, the most recent from July 15, 2004 (coil springs). 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 1999 Ford Taurus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 27% 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.