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1994 Ford TaurusProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 923 owner complaints about the 1994 Ford Taurus, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

32
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.2× the Taurus median · #7 of 34 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints923104 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage77kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 1, 2018. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1994 Ford Taurus has problems

923 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 cooling2898
Power train2693
Electrical system8114
Structure646
Vehicle speed control6113
Service brakes, hydraulic529
Exterior lighting500
Fuel system, gasoline482
Suspension441
17 other systems15841

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

4 recalls

1994 Ford Taurus recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Structure: frame and members

Recall 98V-323 · Dec 16, 1998 · 2,697,000 vehicles

Risk. IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Headlights: switch

Recall 98V-009 · Jan 21, 1998 · 506,000 vehicles

Risk. LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 97V-025 · Feb 26, 1997 · 212,700 vehicles

Risk. DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Cooling system: fan

Recall 97V-019 · Feb 25, 1997 · 75,200 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

12 owners mentioned a cost

$1,700median

Middle half: $869 – $3,675

Power train

8 owners mentioned a cost

$1,902median

Middle half: $1,461 – $2,550

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1994 vs. every other Taurus 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 median. How we score

'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1994 Ford Taurus safety ratings

1994 Ford Taurus 4-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1994 Ford Taurus, and the recalls they led to.

  1. HEADLIGHT FAILUREEA96019 · closed Jan 26, 1998
    Led to recall 98V-009
  2. ENGINE COOLING FAN FIRESEA96024 · closed Apr 15, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-019
  3. ENGINE COOLING FAN FIRESPE96033 · closed Sep 30, 1996
    Led to recall 97V-019
  4. FRONT SUSPENSION SPRINGRQ99017 · closed Feb 16, 2000
    Led to recall 98V-094
In owners' words

What Taurus owners report

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUBFRAME ON THE VEHICLE DROPPED. THE CONTACT LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT AN AUTO SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME DROPPED. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $1,000. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID…
Complaint 10221438 · Mar 17, 2008 · 103,000 miles
DT: THE CONTACT STATED FORD HAD A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. THERE WAS A LIMITATION ON THIS RECALL, SEVEN YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED ON OCTOBER 19, 2005 HE NOTICED WATER COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE LEAKED COOLANT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A…
Complaint 10140459 · Oct 21, 2005
DT: THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE DYING. THE ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, AND THE NEW ENGINE ALSO BLEW OUT AT 97,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING A FLUCTUATION IN TEMPERATURE. THEN, FORD WAS CONTACTED, AND FORD SAID THEY COULD NOT…
Complaint 10126672 · Jun 27, 2005 · 9,524 miles

Own a 1994 Taurus?

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