- The problem
- 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 virgnia, and wisconsin. The rear lower subframe mount plate nut can experience stress corrosion cracking if subjected to long term exposure to road salts. This can result in fracture and loss of the structural integrity of the subframe mount attachment. Detachment of the body mounts at the rear corners of the subframe, which supports the engine and transmission, allows the rear corners of the subframe to drop.
- The risk
- If both rear corners drop, steering would become suddenly very difficult, affecting vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install subframe rear mount bolts, reinforcement plates, and plate nuts.
Vehicle safety record
1990 Ford Taurus Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1990 Ford Taurus have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 8 recalls, the latest in December 1998 for the frame and members.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Taurus year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 8
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1990 Ford Taurus recalls 8
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- The arc welds on the sway bar bracket, where it attaches to the strut reserve tube, did not fuse properly.
- The risk
- Over time, a portion of the bracket can tear away from the strut, falling into and puncturing the tire or causing damage to the wheel, which could result in an accident.
- The fix
- Monroe dealers will replace the strut free of charge.
- The problem
- 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 is that the tongue may be retained by the buckle, but it may not be latched sufficiently to provide occupant protection.
- The risk
- An insufficiently latched or unlatched safety beltincreases the risk of injury to seat occupants in the event of a sudden stop oraccident. If the safety belt buckle will not unlatch, it will not allow theoccupant to get out of the vehicle in an emergency situation.
- The fix
- Ford will replace the rigid mounted safety belt buckles with end release safety belt buckles designed to prevent latch problems.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- There is a danger of air deprivation, hyperthermia,and/or panic response to a child who has locked himself or herself into thecompartment, with the possibility of asphyxiation.
- The 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- Severely corroded rotors may fracture or separate nearthe inner edges of the brake discs resulting in reduced braking effectiveness,higher than normal pedal efforts, loud grinding noises, and moderate pulls whenthe brakes are applied. Reduced braking effectiveness may increase minimumstopping distances, possibly resulting in an accident.
- The fix
- Replace front brake rotors with full cast front brake rotors.
- The problem
- Threaded inflator components may have been damaged during assembly which may allow components to separate when inflator receives a signal to deploy the air bag.
- The risk
- Inflator component separation allows hot combustion gases to escape into the passenger compartment which could result in injuries to vehicle occupants.
- The fix
- Replace air bag modules containing potentially defective inflators.
- The problem
- Wheels may contain cracks that could propogate in raised portion of wheel center.
- The risk
- Under severe duty, this could result in eventualseparation of wheel rim from center with loss of control and possibly acollision.
- The fix
- REPLACE WHEELS WITH WHEELS OF A REVISED DESIGN.
- The problem
- An incorrect transistor may cause autolamp system light sensor module malfunction.
- The risk
- Headlamps could turn off while vehicle is being driven orremain on after vehicle is parked. Loss of headlights while driving at nightcould be hazardous to the driver and other trafific.
- The fix
- REPLACE LIGHT SENSOR MODULES.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1990 Ford Taurus yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Ford Taurus: every year compared
All Taurus years1990 Ford Taurus vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Ford Taurus | 0 | 8 | D | |
| 1990 Ford Aerostar | 197 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 1990 Ford Bronco | 57 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 1990 Ford Bronco II | 27 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 1990 Ford B700 | 1 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 1990 Ford Cargo | 1 | 0 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1990 Ford Taurus
Does the 1990 Ford Taurus have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 1990 Ford Taurus: frame and members (December 1998); shock ABSorber (November 1994); buckle assembly (August 1992); wheels (May 1992) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1990 Ford Taurus had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1990 Ford Taurus a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 33 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Ford Taurus year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 1990 Ford Taurus has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data