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1996 Ford Taurus SHOProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 24 owner complaints about the 1996 Ford Taurus SHO, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints243 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage94kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 26, 2010. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1996 Ford Taurus SHO has problems

24 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling201
Power train20
Tires10
Air bags11
Visibility10
Electrical system10
Latches/locks/linkages10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

1996 Ford Taurus SHO recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Best & worst years

1996 vs. every other Taurus SHO year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Taurus SHO median. How we score

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Taurus SHO owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

96 TAURUS SHO V8 3.4L CAMSHAFT FAILURE. I HAVE KEPT MY CAR IN PERFECT SHAPE WITH TUNE UP AND ALL. IT IS IN MINT CONDITION AND HAS NO RUST. I HAVE NICE EXHAUST SYSTEM PUT ON BY A MECHANIC AND ALSO A COLD AIR INTAKE PUT ON AND A NEW TRANS IN JULY NOW WITH ONLY 3000 MILES ON IT.. I HEARD TICKING FROM…
Complaint 10362481 · Oct 26, 2010 · 107,000 miles
ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF CAMSHAFT GEAR SPINNING ON CAM. DURING NORMAL DRIVING ENGINE STOPPED IN ROADWAY,REQUIRING TOW OFF ROADWAY TO REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE AUTO IS A 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO 3.4 V8.AFTER STUDYING THIS PROBLEM I FIND THIS CAM FAILURE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO MANY AND COULD BE…
Complaint 10239116 · Aug 20, 2008 · 111,949 miles
I HAVE A1996 FORD TAURUS SHO V-8,IT JUST TURNED 80,000 MILES AND HAS HAD ALL REGULAR SERVICE AND NOW THE CAMSHAFT GEAR HAS FAILED ON THE CAMSHAFT AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE!I WORK AT A FORD DEALER AND SEE THIS ENGINE FAILURE OFTEN. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS COMMON ON THE V-8 SHO ENGINE AROUND 75,000-85,000…
Complaint 10228062 · May 17, 2008 · 80,127 miles

Own a 1996 Taurus SHO?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.