There are 20 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 1996 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE SCRATCHES ON THE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS WERE CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER'S VIEW. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
FORD TAURUS: HEAD LIGHTS FOGGED OVER. WE FEEL THERE IS A SEVERE DEFECT IN THE SEALS FOR THESE HEADLIGHTS.*AK
PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK (TIRESIZE: P20565R15)
CONSUMER STATED HEADLIGHT LENSES PRODUCED A THICK FILM. AS A RESULT, THE OF THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER BECOMES IMPAIRED. DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL PROCEDURE. *AK HEAD LIGHT LENS ARE NO LONGER CLEAR. *TC
ON PROBLEM ONE: I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL 1996 THROUGH 1999 FORD TAURUS WAGONS WITH DEFECTIVE CENTER MOUNTED STOP LIGHT. PROBLEM TWO: BOTH REAR OUTER SEAT BELTS STOPPED RETRACTING AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. *AK
CONSUMER STATES BACK UP LIGHTS NOT WORKING, AS WELL AS BRAKE LIGHT ON DASHBOARD NOT WORKING WHEN PARKING BRAKE IN USE. *JB
HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM - DUE TO OPAQUE PLASTIC COVER.
WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY BECAME HOT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
OUTER HEADLIGHT LENS YELLOWING,INTERIOR FILLING WITH MOISTURE
HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH OVERHEATED TWICE.
RIGHT REAR SHOULDER BELTS DOES NOT RETRACT, BELT REMAINS LOOSE, DOES NOT ADJUST TO OCCUPANT. REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP; ALSO, ROAD SIDE EMERGENCY FLASHING LIGHT DOES NOT WORK WHEN PRESSED SWITCH. *AK
THE HEADLIGHTS STAY ON WHEN EVERYTHING IS OFF, BRIGHT LIGHT INDICATOR STAYS ON. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE PREVIOUS TIME THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, EMERGENY BRAKE UNAFFECTIVE THIS TIME. IT APPEARS TO BE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS EVEN THOUGH THE BRIGHT LIGHT INDICATOR IS ON.
THE BULB IN THE TRUNK CAUGHT SOME CLOTHING ON FIRE. TT
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
THE HEADLIGHT COVERS ARE CLOUDY AND VERY LITTLE LIGHT SHINES THROUGH. YOU CAN HARDLY TELL THAT THE LIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THIRD STOP LIGHT CRACKED.
SEAL ON BOTH HEADLIGHT LENS HAVE FAILED RESULTING IN CLOUDY LENSES . LENS ARE NOT REMOVABLE REQUIREING REPLACING EACH UNIT AT A PRICE OF $214. PER UNIT. IN DISCUSSING WITH SERVICE PEOPLE AT FORD GARAGE THEY SAY THIS IS OCCURING QUITE FREQUENTLY. THIS IS RIDICULOUS HAVING TO REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT TO ENABLE CLEANING OF A HEADLIGHT LENS. THIS RESTRICTS THE VISIBILITY DUE TO DIMINISHED LUMENS AVAILABLE . THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY HAZARD.
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS. ALSO STATED THAT WHEN SHE WILL TURN ON HER LIGHTS ONLY THE DAY LIGHTS WILL GO ON. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD THE CONSUMER TO CONTACT US. TS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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