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.
- 1977
- 1981
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
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.
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Frame and members (structure)
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.
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Buckle assembly (seat belts)
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.
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Wheels
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.
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Rotor (service brakes)
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.
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Hubcap/cover (wheels)
Wheels may contain cracks that could propogate in raised portion of wheel center.
Remedy: Replace wheels with wheels of a revised design.
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Switch (exterior lighting)
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.
| Combined | 18–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16–18 / 23–26 |
| Fuel | Premium, Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars, Midsize-Large Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2.5/3/3.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 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 year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 Ford Taurus | 0 | 2 |
| 1981 Ford Taurus | 0 | 2 |
| 1983 Ford Taurus | 0 | 1 |
| 1984 Ford Taurus | 0 | 4 |
| 1985 Ford Taurus | 0 | 2 |
| 1986 Ford Taurus | 8 | 101 |
| 1987 Ford Taurus | 8 | 255 |
| 1988 Ford Taurus | 5 | 333 |
| 1989 Ford Taurus | 5 | 562 |
| 1990 Ford Taurus | 6 | 381 |
| 1991 Ford Taurus | 4 | 649 |
| 1992 Ford Taurus | 5 | 681 |
| 1993 Ford Taurus | 6 | 1,557 |
| 1994 Ford Taurus | 4 | 923 |
| 1995 Ford Taurus | 5 | 1,205 |
| 1996 Ford Taurus | 6 | 825 |
| 1997 Ford Taurus | 3 | 770 |
| 1998 Ford Taurus | 2 | 545 |
| 1999 Ford Taurus | 5 | 874 |
| 2000 Ford Taurus | 8 | 1,195 |
| 2001 Ford Taurus | 9 | 1,037 |
| 2002 Ford Taurus | 3 | 1,426 |
| 2003 Ford Taurus | 3 | 1,223 |
| 2004 Ford Taurus | 1 | 375 |
| 2005 Ford Taurus | 0 | 774 |
| 2006 Ford Taurus | 2 | 318 |
| 2007 Ford Taurus | 0 | 149 |
| 2008 Ford Taurus | 1 | 175 |
| 2009 Ford Taurus | 0 | 64 |
| 2010 Ford Taurus | 3 | 204 |
| 2011 Ford Taurus | 4 | 187 |
| 2012 Ford Taurus | 5 | 79 |
| 2013 Ford Taurus | 9 | 584 |
| 2014 Ford Taurus | 5 | 229 |
| 2015 Ford Taurus | 6 | 277 |
| 2016 Ford Taurus | 4 | 81 |
| 2017 Ford Taurus | 4 | 44 |
| 2018 Ford Taurus | 4 | 50 |
| 2019 Ford Taurus | 2 | 16 |
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
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
- Expedition9,359 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.