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1990 Ford Taurus Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 1990 Ford Taurus, and owners have filed 381 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
381
owner complaints to NHTSA
29 / 23
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–21
MPG combined (EPA)

6 safety recalls for the 1990 Ford Taurus

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Frame and members (structure)

    NHTSA 98V323000 Reported 2,697,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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 hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west…

    Remedy: Dealers will install subframe rear mount bolts, reinforcement plates, and plate nuts.

  2. Buckle assembly (seat belts)

    NHTSA 92V113000 Reported 565,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The rigid mounted safety belt buckles are defective in three ways. First, a fastened safety belt buckle will not unlatch when the release button is depressed. This results from interference between the buckle ejector finger and the buckle tongue window. The second defect is the safety belt buckle may not latch. The third possible defect…

    Remedy: Ford will replace the rigid mounted safety belt buckles with end release safety belt buckles designed to prevent latch problems.

  3. Wheels

    NHTSA 92V065000 Reported 654,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    Remedy: Replace the self-latching assembly currently used in the rear storage compartment with a latch assembly that can only be closed with a key.

  4. Rotor (service brakes)

    NHTSA 91V134000 Reported 325,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Front disc brake rotors of the subject vehicles may experience severe corrosion if operated in areas where calcium chloride and sodium chloride are used extensively.

    Remedy: Replace front brake rotors with full cast front brake rotors.

  5. Hubcap/cover (wheels)

    NHTSA 90V159000 Reported 1,212 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Wheels may contain cracks that could propogate in raised portion of wheel center.

    Remedy: Replace wheels with wheels of a revised design.

  6. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 89V171000 Reported 2,900 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    An incorrect transistor may cause autolamp system light sensor module malfunction.

    Remedy: Replace light sensor modules.

381 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1990 Ford Taurus have filed 381 complaints with NHTSA; 29 describe a crash and 23 describe a fire. Reports cite 26 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 117,029 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 75 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“How do i get ford motor company to honor genuine NHTSA recalls on a 1990 ford taurus wagon??? It currently has complaint # NHTSA 90e043001; NHTSA 98v323000; NHTSA 93v106002; NHTSA 91v34000. I cannot g”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 14, 2009 · Structure

“Tl*the contact owns a 1990 ford taurus. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise underneath the vehicle. Suddenly, the steering wheel locked up. The driver experienced extrem”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 22, 2009 · Structure

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1990 Ford Taurus (Taurus SHO, Taurus Wagon, Taurus Wagon V6 A/C). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–21 mpg
City / Highway16–18 / 23–26
FuelPremium, Regular
EPA classMidsize Cars, Midsize-Large Station Wagons
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.5/3/3.8 L
TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd; Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Ford Taurus model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Taurus model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1977 Ford Taurus02
1981 Ford Taurus02
1983 Ford Taurus01
1984 Ford Taurus04
1985 Ford Taurus02
1986 Ford Taurus8101
1987 Ford Taurus8255
1988 Ford Taurus5333
1989 Ford Taurus5562
1990 Ford Taurus6381
1991 Ford Taurus4649
1992 Ford Taurus5681
1993 Ford Taurus61,557
1994 Ford Taurus4923
1995 Ford Taurus51,205
1996 Ford Taurus6825
1997 Ford Taurus3770
1998 Ford Taurus2545
1999 Ford Taurus5874
2000 Ford Taurus81,195
2001 Ford Taurus91,037
2002 Ford Taurus31,426
2003 Ford Taurus31,223
2004 Ford Taurus1375
2005 Ford Taurus0774
2006 Ford Taurus2318
2007 Ford Taurus0149
2008 Ford Taurus1175
2009 Ford Taurus064
2010 Ford Taurus3204
2011 Ford Taurus4187
2012 Ford Taurus579
2013 Ford Taurus9584
2014 Ford Taurus5229
2015 Ford Taurus6277
2016 Ford Taurus481
2017 Ford Taurus444
2018 Ford Taurus450
2019 Ford Taurus216

Checking a specific 1990 Ford Taurus

How do I know if my 1990 Ford Taurus 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 1990 Ford Taurus; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

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 (for example 89V171000).

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

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.