RecallRepo

1989 Ford Taurus Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1989 Ford Taurus has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 4,519,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 762 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the seat belts. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

STRUCTURE 98V323000 1998-12-16 2,697,000 affected
Defect

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,…

Consequence

IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.

SEAT BELTS 92V113000 1992-08-17 565,000 affected
Defect

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…

Consequence

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.

Remedy

FORD WILL REPLACE THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES WITH END RELEASE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES DESIGNED TO PREVENT LATCH PROBLEMS.

WHEELS 92V065000 1992-05-11 654,000 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

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.

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.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 91V134000 1991-08-06 325,000 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

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…

Remedy

REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.

SEATS 91V036000 1991-03-04 278,000 affected
Defect

THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING IS ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORT BRACE, ALLOWING DAMAGE BY SEAT CUSHION SPRING ENDS WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED.

Consequence

POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION MAY BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR THAT COULD RESULT IN A FIREIN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL.

Remedy

REVISE ROUTING OF POWER SEAT WIRING TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM SEAT CUSHION SPRING CONTACT.

Complaints by component

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
108
1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
55
1crashes25fires
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
50
3injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
48
2fires
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
39
2crashes1fires2injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
38
1crashes19fires1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
25
2fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
18
6crashes5injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
13
1crashes
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
12
Total complaints762

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“The ball end broke off the tie rod.”

SUSPENSION · reported 2016-10-13

“Tl* the contact owns a 1989 ford taurus. The contact stated that as he attempted to secure the seatbelt, the entire seatbelt became detached from the anchorage cable. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 215,000.”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2010-07-01

“Tl*the contact owns a 1989 ford taurus. While driving at approximately 65 mph with the cruise control engaged, he noticed that when he tried to pass another vehicle, he was unable to deactivate the cruise control using the brake pedal. He attempted to slow down using the brakes but had to…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2010-04-22

“Tl*the contact owns a 1989 ford taurus. While driving approximately 30 to 35 mph on normal road conditions, the driver accidently stepped on the accelerator pedal while applying pressure to the brake pedal and unexpectedly, there was an increase in acceleration. The vehicle failed to slow down and…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2008-06-10

“This was on a 1989 ford taurus l . After rear brake repairs the brake line from the proportioning valve to the right rear brake hose sprung a leak and all braking was lost. Due to the age of the vehicle this brake line likely broke due to years of corrosion from road salts and other sources during…”

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS · reported 2007-07-17

“Sunday at 11:45 am, I left my house to go to work at wal-mart. At about 4:30 pm, a customer at wal-mart came in the store and told us that a car was on fire. Fire department was called. I went outside to see who car it was. It was mine. It caught on fire in the dash. The whole dash is gone. The…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH · reported 2006-07-16

“While driving my 1989 ford taurus sedan at approximately 35 mph on wednesday february 2, 2005 at approximately 6:30 pm I experienced an apparent blowout of the right front tire. In the dark, my 13 year old son and I changed the tire putting on the temporary spare and we drove directly to the local…”

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS · reported 2005-02-02

“While driving my 1989 ford taurus, there was a loud bang, and the car became almost impossible to steer. Fortunately, I was not near any other cars, and only 1 block from home, so with brute force I was able to drive the car back to my driveway. Inspection found that both rear corners of the sub…”

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS · reported 2004-10-07

Defect investigations

Investigation DP95004 Opened 1995-08-08 · closed 1995-08-30

ALLEGED DEFECTIVE TIE RODS

ALLEGED DEFECTIVE TIE RODS

Investigation EA90042 Opened 1990-08-31 · closed 1991-12-31

THROTTLE STICKING

There is no summary currently available

Investigation EA90045 Opened 1990-09-28 · closed 1991-09-12

BRAKE DISC HUB SEPARATIONS

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Investigation EA90045 Opened 1990-09-28 · closed 1991-09-12

BRAKE DISC HUB SEPARATIONS

===

Investigation EA91011 Opened 1990-12-18 · closed 1992-08-13

SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE

There is no summary currently available

Investigation EA91042 Opened 1991-10-28 · closed 1992-05-21

STORAGE COMPAR SUFFOCATION

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Investigation EA92040 Opened 1992-11-30 · closed 1993-06-30

SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAIL

There is no summary currently available

Investigation EA92040 Opened 1992-11-30 · closed 1993-06-30

SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAIL

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE90066 Opened 1990-03-27 · closed 1990-08-31

THROTTLE STICKING

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE90071 Opened 1990-04-02 · closed 1990-06-28

BRAKE DISC HUB FAILURE

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE91108 Opened 1991-08-01 · closed 1991-10-28

STORAGE COMPAR SUFFOCATION

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE91128 Opened 1991-09-17 · closed 1992-01-27

FIRES IN IGNITION SWITCH

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE92014 Opened 1992-02-04 · closed 1992-06-25

ENGINE MOUNT FAILURE

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE92044 Opened 1992-04-27 · closed 1992-08-31

POWER STEERING LEAKS/FIRES

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE92056 Opened 1992-07-01 · closed 1992-11-30

SUB-FRM/UNIBODY ABSOR.FAIL

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE93058 Opened 1993-06-15 · closed 1994-02-16

BROKEN TIE RODS

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE93065 Opened 1993-07-15 · closed 1993-11-30

UNDERBODY FUEL LINE FAILS

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE93099 Opened 1993-11-30 · closed 1994-03-28

STEERING LCK-UP/IMPEDIMENT

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE93100 Opened 1993-12-02 · closed 1994-06-30

POLYCAST ROAD WHEEL CRACKS

There is no summary currently available

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1989 Ford Taurus as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.