1997 Ford Taurus Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 214about this part
- Share
- 28%of 770 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 72,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 214 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1997 Ford Taurus, 28% of the 770 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 72,000 miles. 7 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The gear won't go into park. When its placed in park the vehicle continues to move. I had to call road side assistance because I didn't know what to do. No injuries were cause or the police weren't called. This is dangerous and its a recall for my vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10293117, filed 2009-11, 149,360 miles“L997 Ford Taurus wagon. 60k miles. Treated with kid gloves and had the fluid changed at 60k in the transmission. Within 200 miles the trans went out. If I hadn't noticed leakage it likely would have stopped with a dangerous circumstance happening as a result...I.e. Heavy traffic, pulling out into traffic, etc.”
NHTSA complaint #10088088, filed 2004-08, 60,000 miles“The steering wheel makes a noise when I turn right at times. I haven?t had it fixed yet. Sometimes my window on the drivers front won?t roll down. It hasn?t been fixed. The car wouldn?t go forward when you had to stop at a stop sign or light. The transmission has been fixed. The forward clutch piston had to be changed. I couldn?t drive it further as it wouldn?t go forward after I stopped.”
NHTSA complaint #10071138, filed 2004-01, 32,000 miles“I own a 97 Ford Taurus wagon, I purchased it used from a non Ford dealer in 2000 with 43,900 miles on it. In may 2001 I had to have a new transmission put in at 54,000. Miles. Now in august 2005 at 112,000 miles another transmission has to be put in. I definitely think there is some type of problem or defect with the transmissions if the car is not even 10 yrs old & is going on it's 3rd transmission. Ford did replacement of the previous transmission, told me it was a new one.”
NHTSA complaint #10131650, filed 2005-08, 112,000 miles“Yesterday evening me and my family stopped at a gas station and my girlfriend went into the big apple in canton, maine. She was in there for awhile and I had been sitting in the car with the engine running. I went in the store to see what was taking so long and while I was in there I heard the children screaming. All three of them were in the back seat and the car backed up by itself and I ran out of the store after it. It ran into a telephone pole and I immediately demanded to know who touched the car. Nobody had, the car was still in park. …”
NHTSA complaint #10275153, filed 2009-06, 193,120 milesRelated recalls
- 97V097000Jun 9, 1997Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with ax4s automatic transaxles. The low/intermediate servo cover can separate from the transaxle while the…Covers: Ford Taurus 1997, Windstar 1997–1998, Mercury Sable 1997
- 96V166000Sep 5, 1996The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. This would allow the vehicle to move…Covers: Ford Taurus 1996–1997, Mercury Sable 1996–1997, Ford Windstar 1996 +1 more
Related service bulletins
- 10014086Dec 13, 2004General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 7 | 13% |
| 2017 | 1 | 2% |
| 2016 | 3 | 3% |
| 2015 | 18 | 6% |
| 2014 | 12 | 5% |
| 2013 | 44 | 8% |
| 2012 | 2 | 3% |
| 2011 | 18 | 10% |
| 2010 | 36 | 18% |
| 2009 | 5 | 8% |
| 2008 | 44 | 25% |
| 2007 | 16 | 11% |
| 2006 | 32 | 10% |
| 2005 | 123 | 16% |
| 2004 | 72 | 19% |
| 2003 | 316 | 26% |
| 2002 | 39 | 3% |
| 2001 | 58 | 6% |
| 2000 | 99 | 8% |
| 1999 | 91 | 10% |
| 1998 | 69 | 13% |
| 1997 | 214 | 28% |
| 1996 | 182 | 22% |
| 1995 | 394 | 33% |
| 1994 | 269 | 29% |
| 1993 | 174 | 11% |
| 1992 | 105 | 15% |
| 1991 | 260 | 40% |
| 1990 | 42 | 11% |
| 1989 | 52 | 9% |
| 1988 | 37 | 11% |
| 1987 | 29 | 11% |
| 1986 | 19 | 19% |
Other parts of the 1997 Ford Taurus
145 complaintsBrakes
73 complaintsElectrical system
62 complaintsSteering
59 complaintsVehicle speed control
58 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
57 complaintsAir bags
42 complaintsFuel system
33 complaintsSuspension
28 complaintsBody and structure
25 complaintsEquipment
24 complaintsOther or unknown
24 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Ford Taurus
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology