Total Complaints
15 filings
FORD TAURUS (SHO) · model year
15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FORDTAURUS (SHO) carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 7 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 TAURUS (SHO) is engine and engine cooling:engine with 11 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4) and engine and engine cooling (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1997 TAURUS (SHO), and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
15 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 11 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 1 |
ACCELERATED AS NORMAL TO 30MPH, RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING UP TO AT LEAST 50MPH. FAILED TO STEER 90 DEGREES LEFT, RESULTING IN THE CAR JUMPING THE CURB. LOST CONTROL IN DAMP GRASS, AND RAN INTO A TREE. *TR
Mileage: 122,000
ACCELERATED AS NORMAL TO 30MPH, RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING UP TO AT LEAST 50MPH. FAILED TO STEER 90 DEGREES LEFT, RESULTING IN THE CAR JUMPING THE CURB. LOST CONTROL IN DAMP GRASS, AND RAN INTO A TREE. *TR
Mileage: 122,000
ACCELERATED AS NORMAL TO 30MPH, RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING UP TO AT LEAST 50MPH. FAILED TO STEER 90 DEGREES LEFT, RESULTING IN THE CAR JUMPING THE CURB. LOST CONTROL IN DAMP GRASS, AND RAN INTO A TREE. *TR
Mileage: 122,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD SHO TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN REVERSE WHEN THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND SHREDDED THE TIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A RECALL FOR THE 1998 TO 2001 FORD TAURUS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139000. UPDATED 02/02/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/05/10.*JB
Mileage: 139,000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO FORD (FMC) HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN WRITING THAT THE PROBLEM IS MANUFACTURER RELATED, WHICH STEMS FROM THE YAMAHA MANUFACTURED ENGINE USED IN SHO MODELS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ROUGH IDLE AFTER 20 MINS. ON THE ROAD, SHAKE AGGRESSIVELY, THEN SHUT-OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME IN UNPREDICTABILITY. AN AUTHORIZED FMC REPAIR CENTER (MLM) SPENT OVER 3-MOS, CONCURRENTLY, WORKING ON THE VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. SEE 03/01. THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED IN THIS MANNER FROM 11/00 (MM/YY) THROUGH 04/03, AT WHICH TIME I WAS LEFT WITH NO OTHER FISCALLY-VIABLE OPTION BUT TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO FMC- FMC WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY AND PLACE A 7YEAR "REPOSSESSION" STAIN ON WHAT USED TO BE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE. TIMELINE: BETWEEN 11/00 (MM/YY) AND 01/01, CONTINUED CALLS WERE PUT INTO FMC REGARDING MY "SHO" VEHICLE. THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AGGRESSIVELY, THEN SHUTDOWN IN MID-TRAVEL. 01/01: I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MLM. AFTER DESCRIBING THE ISSUE, I WAS TOLD
Mileage: 77,126
CAM SPROCKET FAILURE. THIS LEAD TO THE ENGINE STOPPING AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. *TR
Mileage: 54,000
REAR BRAKE LINE RUST THROUGH. *NM
Mileage: 110,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND WENT OUT IMMEDIATELY. THERE WAS ALSO SMOKE COMING FROM THE RADIATOR. UNDER THE HOOD, COOLANT WAS OBSERVED LEAKING AND THE TIMING CHAIN BRACKET WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WOULD START WHEN ATTEMPTS WHERE MADE, BUT THERE WAS A TICKING NOISE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO RESOLUTIONS. UPDATED 10/6/2006 - *NM
Mileage: 124,851
1. DRIVING AT CITY TRAFFIC SPEEDS (25-30 MPH) IN PHILADELPHIA. CAR LOST POWER AND STALLED. UPON RESTART WOULD IMMEDIATELY STALL WHEN IDLE. 2. WOULD NOT STAY RUNNING, TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP 3. INFORMED BY FORD DEALER THAT THE CAMSHAFTS WERE BENT AND I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE FOR $13,000.00. *NM
Mileage: 105,000
MY 1997 FORD TAURUS IN HOT WEATHER WILL INCREASE SPEED WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS CAUSING ME TO RIDE THE BRAKE.
THERE WAS A CHAIN LIKE TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I AS A TECHNICIAN OBSERVED IT TO BE A CAMSHAFT GETTING READY TO FAIL, WHEN IT FAILED MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING LUCKILY ON A SIDE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE HAD LOST ALL POWER AND MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER, NOW THE 1997 SHO JUST SITS B/C I CAN NOT AFFORD THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS! ESPECIALLY WITH A BABY ON THE WAY. *JB
I OWN A 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO. THE FIRST SIGN OF PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN I KEPT HEARING A TICKNG SOUND IN THE ENGINE. I TOOK IT IN TO A FORD DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A MIS- FIRING CYLINDER. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE DEALER FIX IT SO I FOUND A MECHANIC WILLING TO WORK ON THIS TYPE OF CAR. I HAD THE TWO MIS-FIRING CYLINDERS REPLACED. THE TICKING IN THE ENGINE STILL WENT ON. BEFORE ANYTHING COULD BE DONE THE CAR ACTED LIKE THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN. FINDING A MECHANIC THAT HAS ACTUALLY WORKED ON THESE TYPES OF CARS IS HARD TO FIND, INLCUDING A FORD DEALER MECHANIC. I HAD A FORD MECHANIC THAT NOW WORKS OUT OF HIS OWN GARAGE LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A BROKEN CAMSHAFT 4 BAD VALVES AND BENT PISTONS. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 86,000 MILES ON IT. THE MECHANIC FEELS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO DONE RESEARCH INTO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. TO DATE THERE ARE 550 VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A FR
Mileage: 86,000
THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON HAS BEEN ON FOR FEW MONTHS. CAR SEEMS TO RUN OK BUT CAN NOT GET CAR INSPECTED BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK THE CAR TO AUTO ZONE THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND SAID THERE WHERE TWO CODES THAT CAME UP AS A FAILURE. I READ ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL IN DEC. 2001 ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM UPGRADE. *JB
Mileage: 120,533
THERE IS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 FORD TAURES. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR MY POWER WINDOWS & NOW MY DASH LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS & THE SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULBS GO ARE BURNED. MOTOR CAUGHT SLIGHT FIRE BUT CAN'T FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
THERE IS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 FORD TAURES. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR MY POWER WINDOWS & NOW MY DASH LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS & THE SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULBS GO ARE BURNED. MOTOR CAUGHT SLIGHT FIRE BUT CAN'T FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
THERE IS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 FORD TAURES. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR MY POWER WINDOWS & NOW MY DASH LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS & THE SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULBS GO ARE BURNED. MOTOR CAUGHT SLIGHT FIRE BUT CAN'T FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
THERE IS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 FORD TAURES. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR MY POWER WINDOWS & NOW MY DASH LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS & THE SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULBS GO ARE BURNED. MOTOR CAUGHT SLIGHT FIRE BUT CAN'T FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
THERE IS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 FORD TAURES. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR MY POWER WINDOWS & NOW MY DASH LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS & THE SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULBS GO ARE BURNED. MOTOR CAUGHT SLIGHT FIRE BUT CAN'T FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
THERE IS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 FORD TAURES. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR MY POWER WINDOWS & NOW MY DASH LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. I WAS LOOKING AT THE LIGHTS & THE SOCKET IN WHICH THE BULBS GO ARE BURNED. MOTOR CAUGHT SLIGHT FIRE BUT CAN'T FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.*AK
MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE . IT WAS PARKED AT 8 P.M ON SAT 2/05/04 AND AT AROUND 4 A.M 0N 2-06-05 I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND MY CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FIRE THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT AND WORKED ITS WAY TOWARDS THE BACK. *JB
Mileage: 96,000
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Timing Belt Failure
Underbody shields detachment
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.