Total Complaints
6 filings
FORD SHO (TAURUS) · model year
1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS)
6 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998FORDSHO (TAURUS) carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1998 SHO (TAURUS) is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and seat belts (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1998 SHO (TAURUS), and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130506SERVICE BRAKES
I PUT OVER $800 IN TO MY CAR ON THE ALIGNMENT, TIRES, OIL, AND BALL JOINTS. IT JUMPS GEARS, WHEN STOPPING IT SHAKES REALLY BAD, I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES, NOW THEY TELL ME THERE IS A BUSTED BOLT ON THE FRAME...... THE AUTO SHOP DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT THE BOLT UNTIL I PAID $600+ $ ON THE BALL JOINS, ALIGNMENT, AND OIL CHANGE......... I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING IN TO THIS CAR...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, THE SHAKING IS VERY BAD, SO BAD ITS LIKE THE CAR DON'T WANNA STOP....... *TR
20130506STEERING
I PUT OVER $800 IN TO MY CAR ON THE ALIGNMENT, TIRES, OIL, AND BALL JOINTS. IT JUMPS GEARS, WHEN STOPPING IT SHAKES REALLY BAD, I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES, NOW THEY TELL ME THERE IS A BUSTED BOLT ON THE FRAME...... THE AUTO SHOP DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT THE BOLT UNTIL I PAID $600+ $ ON THE BALL JOINS, ALIGNMENT, AND OIL CHANGE......... I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING IN TO THIS CAR...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, THE SHAKING IS VERY BAD, SO BAD ITS LIKE THE CAR DON'T WANNA STOP....... *TR
20130506ENGINE
I PUT OVER $800 IN TO MY CAR ON THE ALIGNMENT, TIRES, OIL, AND BALL JOINTS. IT JUMPS GEARS, WHEN STOPPING IT SHAKES REALLY BAD, I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES, NOW THEY TELL ME THERE IS A BUSTED BOLT ON THE FRAME...... THE AUTO SHOP DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT THE BOLT UNTIL I PAID $600+ $ ON THE BALL JOINS, ALIGNMENT, AND OIL CHANGE......... I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING IN TO THIS CAR...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, THE SHAKING IS VERY BAD, SO BAD ITS LIKE THE CAR DON'T WANNA STOP....... *TR
20130213SEAT BELTS
I OWN A FORD TAURUS SW, THE SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK ARE UNABLE TO WORK. THEY WILL NOT UNLOCK SO THEY CANNOT BE USED. THE ONLY BELT AVAILABLE IS THE MIDDLE LAP BELT. I TRIED ALL THE MANUAL HAS TO OFFER. *TR
Mileage: 125,000
20050928POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO CHANGE, THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO STAY COMPLETELY ENGAGED. WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE RPM GOES WAY UP AND VERY LITTLE MOVE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES WHILE SITTING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC LEAVING ME VULNERABLE TO BE STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE TRANSMISSION DOES EVENTUALLY COMPLETELY ENGAGE. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED, BUT THAT FAILED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I KNOW A FEW OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME TYPE OF CAR AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. WHEN I CONSULTED AN AUTO MECHANIC, HE AND OTHER MECHANICS HAD INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE, AND DON'T KNOW WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. *NM
Mileage: 68,000
20030815ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CAMSHAFT FAILURES IN 1996-1999 FORD TAURUS SHOS.*AK
Compare 1998FORDSHO (TAURUS) to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS) have?▼
The 1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS) has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS)?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS) is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS) safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1998 FORD SHO (TAURUS); no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.