AI Damage1997 Ford Taurus SHO: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Ford Taurus SHO filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 77% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 3% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 23 complaints (77% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
Tl 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.
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.
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.
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.
My 1997 ford taurus in hot weather will increase speed when I let off the gas causing me to ride the brake.
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.
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.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Taurus SHO has 12 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford Taurus SHO?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (23%), engine failure or replacement (10%), loss of power / limp mode (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Ford Taurus SHO?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Ford Taurus SHO from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.