1999 Ford Taurus: problems, recalls and reliability
7 recalls and 874 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is suspension (19% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Apr 2009
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 874 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The headlights have had condensation inside for several months. With torrential rains two weeks ago, the passenger side headlight took on an inch and a half of water inside the cover, and the driver side had increased condensation to obscure the whole cover. The car is commonly parked outside my apartment (urban area) when not in use. Dates are approximate, and I've put the car in the aaa shop to get the headlights replaced (big expense, as the car's old enough to vote!)”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Nov 2020
“I would say 7 times out of 10 while driving in my car the driver side seat belt randomly pops unbuckled or if I reach for something it unbuckles. It is a little scary to be honest. Sometimes when I break the slightest pressure cause it to fail”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jul 2019
“Was driving and all of a sudden the speedometer started jumping around, when I stepped on the gas the rpm's reved up high. I stopped at the stop sign and the car accelerated by itself into the intersection I came close to hitting another car! I have had the vehicle speed sensor replaced twice already and the transmission replaced . As I was driving it home the car hesitated in the intersection then jerked you can feel the pulsing of the car as it accelerates and deaccelerates. It is a safety hazzard”Owner report · Power Train · Nov 2017
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact's friend owns a 1999 ford taurus. While driving various speeds, the contact's friend heard knocking noises coming from the engine compartment. The contact was unaware if there were any warning indicators illuminated. The contact's friend took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, but the failure continued. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 187,000.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2017
“The car has had yransmission rebuilt last year and im still making paymemts on the car. Then 4months ago I had the speed sensor replaced ran good until day before yesterday when it starting acting the same way it was before I got it fixed so I jmow its the speed sensor again how many times do I have to fix this crap before it gets recalled or before spmeone gets into an accident or dies”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jul 2017
“My ac unit blew out and stopped working this summer, now that it is rainy season there is a puddle of water on the floor of my front passenger seat. Other people have had this issue call ref number: 03v087000. Complaint number: 10184014. I am not sure what they have done but it rains in washington state and my car is going to stink. The ac unit just up and stopped working, and the puddle of water only shows up when it is raining. I am unclear if this puddle gets bigger why driving but I would assume that as long as there is rain falling on the vehicle, that it is getting into the car. *tr”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Oct 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford taurus. The contact stated that the rear row seat belts on the passenger and driver side failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,000.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Mar 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford taurus. The contact stated that the day time running headlights remained illuminated after the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2015
“Passenger seatbelt will not retract out of holder to be put on passenger. Drivers seatbelt staying out, not retracting back in as to work properly.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Aug 2015
“I just bought a 1999 ford taurus and found the coil spring front driver side out of place checking on recalls saying this is an issue for this car im guessing this issue was supposed to have been repaired then why is it out of place again in saying I do not know if any of the other recalls might have been successfully repaired can I still have this repaired under recalls and any other issues. *tr”Owner report · Suspension · Apr 2015
When filing, owners marked a crash in 61 of these complaints and injuries in 69 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 7 campaigns
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. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT MALFUNCTION OF THE MECHANISM COULD PREVENT THE BELT FROM BEING SWITCHED INTO THE ALR MODE. THE ELR MECHANISM IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION.
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.
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.
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.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
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 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS COULD FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION ASSOCIATED WITH SALT USED ON THE ROADWAYS DURING THE WINTER. A FRACTURED SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE.
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, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. IF THE VEHICLE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 150,000 MILES, THIS COVERAGE WILL LAST UNTIL JULY 31, 2005. IF EITHER FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. AN INTERIM NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS ON AUGUST 2, 2004. PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE 2000-2001 MY VEHICLES AND OWNERS WERE SENT A LETTER ON JANUARY 10, 2005, ADVISING THEM TO BRING IN THEIR VEHICLES FOR REPAIR PARTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE 1999 MY VEHICLES BY THE END OF FEBRUARY 2005 AND OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE NOTIFIED THEN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
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.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1999 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Taurus by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Ford Taurus reliable?
NHTSA has 874 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns on record for the 1999 Ford Taurus. The most complained-about area is suspension (19% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1999 Ford Taurus problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 70,000 miles or less.
Does the 1999 Ford Taurus have open recalls?
7 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning seat belts:front:anchorage. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.