U.S. public vehicle records

1990 Ford TAURUS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

192 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1990 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 11 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Frame And Members is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 192 complaints (10.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	23	12.0%
Transmission and shifting	18	9.4%
Braking behavior	18	9.4%
Engine operation	15	7.8%
Electrical and battery issues	3	1.6%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure:Frame And Members

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Air Bags:Frontal

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Structure:Frame And Members	20
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	19
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	15
Vehicle Speed Control	13
Air Bags	12
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	12
Air Bags:Frontal	10
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	10

Structure:Frame And Members: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 19; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 15; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Air Bags: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 12; Air Bags:Frontal: 10; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 181 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

1995: 57; 1996: 40; 2000: 40; 2001: 15; 2002: 18; 2003: 8; 2004: 6; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 3

Pattern summary

Structure:Frame And Members leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10020348 · 2003-05-22 (May 22, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020348 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044978 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE COMPONENTS FELL ONTO THE STEERING MECHANISM, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO STEER. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10044978 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10043494 · 2003-10-24 (October 24, 2003)

I HAVE A 1990 TAURUS LX WAGON THAT HAS ONE OF THE FAULTY AXOD TRANSMISSIONS. LAST YEAR THIS TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND I REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. AFTER RESENT RESEARCH,IT APPEARS MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND ONLY A FEW HAVE RECEIVED ANY RESTITUTION FROM FORD (1993-95 TUARUS/SABLE OWNERS). *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 136,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043494 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071100 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

WHEN THE PAINT BEGAN TO PEEL, I CHOSE NOT TO REPAINT THE VEHICLE DUE TO COST. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, I CHOSE NOT TO REPAIR IT DUE TO THE COST TO REPAIR. WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, I CHOSE NOT TO REPAIR DUE TO THE COST TO REPAIR. IF I GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED, I INTEND TO HAVE THE AIRBAG FIXED AS WELL.

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071100 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044494 · 2003-10-22 (October 22, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ABS LIGHT STAYED ON AT ALL TIMES. HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS NOT EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044494 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10094301 · 2004-09-24 (September 24, 2004)

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE VALVE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 240,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10094301 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 488012 · 1995-09-15 (September 15, 1995)

TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. *SD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 488012 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 490522 · 1995-12-05 (December 5, 1995)

VEHICLE STALLS ON HOT DAYS WHEN CLIMBING AT HIGH ALTITUDES. *DSH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 490522 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10237338 · 2008-08-07 (August 7, 2008)

I HAD A LOOSE IGNITION ON MY 1990 FORD TAURUS IN WHICH I COULD REMOVE MY KEY WHILE IT WAS STILL RUNNING I HAD THIS CHANGED WHILE I WAS HAVING OTHER WORK DONE ON THE CAR AND LESS THEN A WEEK LATER I HAD A VERY EXPENSIVE PAPERWEIGHT BECAUSE AFTER THEY PLACED A NEW IGNITION INTO MY CAR IT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT BURNING OUT ALL THE WIRING AND DESTROYING THE WIRES CONNECTED TO MY BATTERY. I TOWED THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER AND I HAD TO LAY OUT EVEN MORE MONEY FOR THEM TO TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. THERE HAVE NEVER …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10237338 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 894602 · 2001-08-17 (August 17, 2001)

VEHICLE STALLS ON HIGHWAY AND WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP. ENGINE CHECK AND BATTERY LIGHTS COME ON AS A WARNING SIGNS. VEHICLE LOSES ALL STEERING AND BRAKES WHEN IT STALLS. MANUFACTURER IS DOING NOTHING AT THIS TIME TO REMEDY SITUATION. *AK CONSUMER STATES BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION, HOWEVER BOTH THE BATTERY AND ENGINE LIGHTS STILL ILLUMINATE, CONSUMER HAS SPENT OVER 1000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS, AND VEHICLE STILL IS NOT REMEDIED. *SLC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 894602 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 735355 · 2000-10-28 (October 28, 2000)

ON NOVEMBER 20, 1998, I HAD WORK DONE ON MY CAR AT SHEEHY FORD COSTING $1100. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR DIED WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. KEN REED AT SHEEHY FORD SAID IT WOULD COST $3000 4000 TO REPAIR AN ENGINE BEARING PROBLEM. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD SPENT $4000 FOR CAR REPAIRS IN 1998-ON 2/23 WATERPUMP REPLACEMENT, INSPECTION OF FUEL SYSTEM HOSES AND TUBES, ON 3/18 FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, 6/12 NEW PFE SENSOR, 8/13 REPLACEMENT ALTERNATOR AND REGULATOR,COOLING FAN AND FUSIBLE LINK , 8/14 REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND INTERGRATED CONTROL MODULE, 11/…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 735355 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 862931 · 2000-06-02 (June 2, 2000)

WHEN DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF/DIE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING DUE TO FUEL PUMP NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 862931 at NHTSA ↗