AI Damage1999 Ford Taurus SHO: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Ford Taurus SHO filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 52% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 19% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 5% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 5% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 11 complaints (52% of all).
- Suspension: 4 complaints (19% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
Driving down the street in which I live going 30 mph, I depressed the brake pedal to turn into my driveway. My 11 year old was in the back seat. Suddenly the car began to accelerate after I tapped the brake pedal to turn into my driveway.
Driving my car down the street in which I live with child in back seat. I tapped the brake to pull into my driveway and car began to accelerate from 30 mph to 60 mph in seconds. My intention was to pull into my driveway but car took off like a rocket and accelerated into a heavy truck route going through a stop sign.
1999 ford taurus rear strut springs broken. Both rear strut springs have broke on the car. I was told this can cause tire failure if spring punctures tire. I did not know of the problem until had the car evaluated by service station.
Blower motor failed due to faulty design. Countless other fords with this problem reported online also.
While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle began to decelerate and black smoke rose from the engine. As the contact attempted to stop the vehicle, the exterior brake lights failed and nearly caused the vehicle to be rear ended. Before he reached the freeway, the contact noticed fluid leaking from the vehicle.
The "abs" light on my car (1999 ford taurus sho )came on. I brought the car to the dealer, sun state ford, and was told I needed a replacement abs module (part#f8dz2c219da). I was further told that the part was obsolete and unavailable.
The power steering on my car is completely shot. We've replace the pump and examined the hose/lines with no success. I'm am only able to steer my car with much effort. Turning or swerving quickly to avoid an accident would be nearly impossible.
Experienced a camshaft related engine failure at 70 mph in the left lane of a major interstate. Vehicle had to take emergency action to cross 3 lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder while the engine was off and no power assist was available to brakes or steering.
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 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Taurus SHO has 12 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 21, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Ford Taurus SHO?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, suspension, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (19%), engine failure or replacement (14%), knocking, grinding or other noise (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.