1996 Ford Taurus SHO Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 1996 Ford Taurus SHO, and owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 1996 Ford Taurus SHO. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Ford Taurus SHO have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 88,596 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 8 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“96 taurus sho v8 3.4l camshaft failure. I have kept my car in perfect shape with tune up and all. It is in mint condition and has no rust. I have nice exhaust system put on by a mechanic and also a co”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 26, 2010 · Engine and engine cooling
“Engine failure as a result of camshaft gear spinning on cam. During normal driving engine stopped in roadway,requiring tow off roadway to repair shop for diagnosis. The auto is a 1996 ford taurus sho”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 20, 2008 · Engine and engine cooling
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Ford Taurus (Taurus SHO, Taurus Wagon). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15–18 / 24–26 |
| Fuel | Premium, Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars, Midsize-Large Station Wagons |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 3/3.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Ford Taurus SHO model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Taurus SHO model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 4 |
| 1991 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 1 |
| 1992 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 3 |
| 1993 Ford Taurus SHO | 2 | 14 |
| 1994 Ford Taurus SHO | 2 | 11 |
| 1995 Ford Taurus SHO | 2 | 9 |
| 1996 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 24 |
| 1997 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 30 |
| 1998 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 10 |
| 1999 Ford Taurus SHO | 0 | 21 |
Checking a specific 1996 Ford Taurus SHO
How do I know if my 1996 Ford Taurus SHO has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.