There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 1991 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING FORWARD AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 69,000.
THE TRANS-AXLE RECALL WAS NEVER REPAIRED EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED 3 TIMES FOR OTHER RECALLS, THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE RECALLS SINCE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. NLM *JB
MY 1991 FORD TAURUS WAGON HAS ALWAYS HAD MAJOR TRANSAXLE PROBLEMS! ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION PAN BOLTS LOOSSENED ON THEIR OWN. THIS HAS CAUSED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE, AND NOW THE WAGON RUNS MISSERABLY! THOUGH WE TIGHTENED UP THE BOLTS (FOR THE THIRD TIME) ENOUGH DAMAGE OCCURED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND NOW THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I PUT A NEW ONE IN WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN, AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO I AM AQUAINTED WITH WILL KNOW MY LITTLE FORD ORDEAL AS WELL (I'LL MAKE IT A POINT THAT THEY KNOW). HOW COULD A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN MAKING CARS FOR SO LONG GO SO DAMM ASTRAY? SOME ONE TOLD ME THAT FORD SPELLED IN REVERSE STANDS FOR: "DRIVER RETURNS ON FOOT."...DROF *LA
WHILE DRIVING GEARS JUMP. THERE IS RECALL 96V166000. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD OF OTHER FORD VEHICLES WITH DESIGN DEFECTS. *TC
MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT EVEN AFTER DRIVING MY CAR WITH THE UP MOST CARE...AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS COMPLAINED OF THIS...THE TAURUS IS INFAMOUS FOR THERE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. *JB
TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE GOING UP HILLS. ONCE WHILE GOING UP A HILL, TRANSMISSION WENT INTO REVERSE, AND VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS, NEARLY HITTING ANOTHER CAR. *AK *JB
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE VEHICLE SHIFTED ERRATICALLY. ON OCCASIONS IT WOULD SLAM INTO SECOND GEAR OR NOT AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HESITATED FROM A STOP AND WOULD JUMP INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE DRIVING WHILE DRIVING UPHILL THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE FORD SERVICEMAN WAS AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TS *NLM
RECALL ON SUBFRAME WAS DONE IN FEBRUARY 1999, AT THIS TIME SUBFRAME IS DETACHING FROM THE BODY ON DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT FRONT MOTOR MOUNT WAS REPLACED TWICE. ALSO FRONT PASSENGERS CV AXLE WAS REPLACED TWICE. *YH
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 50MPH THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT CAUSING A NEAR ACCIDENT.
WHILE DRIVING 50MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *SCC
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSON FAILED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. VEHICLE WOULD RESTART, BUT WOULDN'T MOVE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION THAT FAILED IS A REPALCEMENT TRANSMISSION, INSTALLED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP, 3 YEARS AND LESS THAN 12,000 MILES AGO. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING FOR US SINCE THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS TO US THAT FORD IS WELL AWARE THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE JUNK.
TRANSMISSION FAILED. GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM TRANSMISSION WHEN COASTING. DIAGNOSED AS PLANETARY GEAR FAILURE BY DEALER AFTER INSTALLING NEW OIL DISTRIBUTION TUBES PER FORD TSB (02/08/2001). DEALER UNWILLING TO DISCUSS REPAIR UNDER "OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM". DEALER WILL NOT CONTACT ZONE MANAGER. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION STARTED JUMPING INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN STARTED DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
I WAS ABOUT 75 MILES FROM HOME TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 87 @65 MPH.I HAD PASSED A SEMI. AND PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE. THE TAURUS SHUDDERED AND SHOOK AND IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO 45 MPH. I PUT ON THE 4WAY FLASHERS AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED AAA AND HAD TO BE FLAT-BEDDED OFF THE INTERSTATE BACK TO MY HOME. THE FORD MOTOR CO. 'S PROBLEMS WITH THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IN THE AXOD-E TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED BEGINNING IN YHE 1986 MODEL YEAR. BUT THE 1991 SEEMS TO FAIL THE MOST . USUALLY IN THE 60-80K RANGE. JUST MY LUCK, I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 76K ON IT AND ONLY GOT 6000 MILES OUT OF IT. THE TRANSMISSION WILL COST BETWEEN $900-$1200 TO REPLACE. FORD DID HAVE AN ONP ADDRESSING THESE FAILURES AND DID ,IN THE PAST,REIMBURSE FOR CORRECTING THEM.*AK
CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED MAY OF 1999, AND ON 9TH OF AUGUST VEHICLE STARTED TO MISS. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY GONE. *AK
TRANSMISSION AT A STOP RUMBLES CAR TREMENDOUSLY AND CAUSES ENGINE TO RACE THEN AS GAS IS APPLIED , CAR SLIPS THEN TAKES OFF, THEN COMES OUT OF GEAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM .PLEASE INFORM ME IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS CARS TRAMISSION.ON THE LIST OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR, THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WENT TO PULL UP TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP IT POPS OUT OF GEAR TO NEUTRAL. HAVE TO REVERSE THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO PUT IT BACK IN GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT THE PISTON IS BAD IN THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026