VehicleVerdict

1991 Ford Taurus transmission problems

The 1991 Ford Taurus has 280 transmission complaints filed with NHTSA — 30% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

280

Transmission complaints

30%

Share of year

4

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Transmission complaints by year

Taurus transmission complaints by model year418 complaints1981: 1 complaints1985: 1 complaints1986: 23 complaints1987: 29 complaints1988: 42 complaints1989: 57 complaints1990: 46 complaints1991: 280 complaints1992: 115 complaints1993: 183 complaints1994: 291 complaints1995: 418 complaints1996: 190 complaints1997: 228 complaints1998: 71 complaints1999: 98 complaints2000: 104 complaints2001: 61 complaints2002: 39 complaints2003: 319 complaints2004: 74 complaints2005: 124 complaints2006: 33 complaints2007: 18 complaints2008: 44 complaints2009: 5 complaints2010: 36 complaints2011: 18 complaints2012: 2 complaints2013: 44 complaints2014: 12 complaints2015: 17 complaints2016: 3 complaints2017: 1 complaints2018: 6 complaints
Taurus transmission complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“MY FORD TAURUS 1991 STATION WAGON LUNGED FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER BACKING UP, BRAKING, THEN STARTING TO GO FORWARD. IT WENT AGAINST A WALL, THE BRAKE DIDN'T WORK, THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS CRASHED, I HAD TO PUT IT INTO PARK TO STOP IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANY OTHER CAR SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAS…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · December 29, 2003 · crash

Common questions

How many transmission complaints does the 1991 Ford Taurus have?

NHTSA has 280 complaints about the 1991 Ford Taurus transmission — 30% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.