1992 Ford Taurus Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,009 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1992 Ford Taurus, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 14 defect investigations. It scores 51/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports.
Below average
Where 1992 sits among all Taurus years
What owners report
“Engine cooling fan did not work, causing the engine to overheat and warp the head gasket.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Taurus
“The planetary gears in transmission have failed. Ford has manufactured a new gear to replace old one.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Taurus
“Brakes were grinding, had to have brake system replaced three times. Pads wear prematurely. Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Taurus
“Car stalls without warning. I noticed the problem was published stating the ignition system was faulty.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Taurus
“During recall repair consumer was not able to obtain the proper paper work, due to dealership problem. (98v-323) mjs”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Taurus
“Steering will not turn past a certain point making it difficult to drive on curved roads.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1992 Taurus
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 39 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 120,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 60,000 and 154,553 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH…
Fix: DEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.
THESE VEHICLES ARE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, IOWA, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA. THE VEHICLES INVOLVED ARE 1992-1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES WITH 3.0L ENGINES; 1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ WITH 2.3L…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.
THE ARC WELDS ON THE SWAY BAR BRACKET, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STRUT RESERVE TUBE, DID NOT FUSE PROPERLY.
Fix: MONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.
CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE.
Fix: REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.
MANUFACTURING ERRORS BY THE SUPPLIER OF THE LIFTGATE LATCH MECHANISM MAY CAUSE THE SECONDARY PORTION OF THE LIFTGATE LATCH NOT TO FUNCTION. IF THE LATCH IS NOT IN THE PRIMARY LATCH POSITION, THE LIFTGATE COULD OPEN WITHOUT OPERATOR ACTION.
Fix: REPLACE MALFUNCTIONING LIFTGATE LATCHES.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
CFAS SENT A FOLLOW-UP LETTER ON DECEMBER 12, 1996, TO CHANGE THE INTENT OF THE PETITION TO AIRBAG AGGRESSIVITY AND DEPLOYMENT VARIABILITY.NHTSA RECEIVED THE LETTER ON 12/12/96; ACCORDINGLY, THE PETITION DUE DAY WAS CHANGED TO APRIL 12, 1997.CFAS PETITIONED THE AGENCY TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION TO…
Led to recall campaign 98V094000.
Led to recall campaign 97V019000.
Led to recall campaign 98V009000.
Led to recall campaign 97V019000.
Led to recall campaign 93V106001.
Technical service bulletins
83 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1992 Ford Taurus. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1992 Taurus TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1992 Ford Taurus reliable?
The 1992 Ford Taurus drew 1,009 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 51/100, scored against the model's worst year (1993).
What are the most common 1992 Ford Taurus problems?
The top reported problems for the 1992 Ford Taurus are engine (261 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (115), and brakes & stability (102).
At what mileage do 1992 Ford Taurus problems show up?
Owners most often report 1992 Ford Taurus problems around 120,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 60,000 and 154,553 miles.
Does the 1992 Ford Taurus have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 1992 Ford Taurus. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.