There are 18 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 1990 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
HEATER CORE LEAKS. THIS PART HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 5 YEARS OF TIME. IT IS A CHEAPLY MADE PART AND PROBABLY THE MOST PROFITABLE FORD MAKES. LABOR IS 10 HOURS TO REPLACE THE PART. APPLIES TO ALL TAURUS'. *NLM
HEATER CORE FAILED CAUSING SMOKE. MJS
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW OF THE STATION WAGON SUDDENLY SHATTERED, ALTHOUGH NOTHING HAD HIT THE CAR. THE WINDOW LITERALLY EXPLODED INTO MANY TINY PIECES, WHICH SCATTERED ALL OVER THE CAR INSIDE. OUR BABY WAS IN THE BACK SEAT, BUT LUCKILY NO GLASS HIT HIM. THE WINDOW WAS ENTIRELY DESTROYED. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS SOME DEFECT WITH THE REAR WINDOW WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 55MPH, THE REAR WINDOW OF THE CAR SUDDENLY SHATTERED AND EXPLODED SMALL PIECES OF GLASS ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE REAR OF THE CAR, WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS IMPACT OR OBJECT HITTING THE CAR. A CHILD WAS IN THE REAR SEAT NEAR THE AREA OF THE SHATTERED GLASS, BUT LUCKILY WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THE GLASS SHATTERING, NOTHING HIT THE CAR TO BREAK THE GLASS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT OF SOME TYPE IN THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE MODULE WENT OUT. ALSO WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD BE FLASHING. *AK
WHEN YOU TURN THE WIPERS OFF, WITH THE IGNITION ON OR OFF, THEY STICK STRAIGHT UP INSTEAD OF DOWN UNDER HOOD. SEVERAL DEALERS TOLD ME THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. I BEG TO DIFFER IT BLOCKS VISION AND IS NO DOUBT A HAZZARD. SEVERAL TECHS DENIED EVER HEARING OF PROBLEM, SOME ADMITTED IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE SEEN FOUR OTHER CARS WITH WIPERS UP, THREE HAVE BEEN TAURUSES, SO I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM.I HAVE READ SEVERAL NEWS PAPER ARTICLES ON FORD AND GM WIPER PROBLEMS SO I FEEL A RECALL IS WARRANTED AND I SHOULD GET MY $168 BACK. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAS NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS YET?
SINCE MID 1997, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL REGULARLY. THEY USUALLY WORK, BUT OCCATIONALLY, THEY WILL STOP, OR SLOW DOWN TO AN UNUSABLE SPEED. SOMETIMES THIS CAN BE FIXED BY TURNING THEM OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. SOMETIMES THIS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I NOTIFIED FORD OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIVE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN STOP UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING IN STORMY WEATHER. THIS CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF VISIBILITY.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME APART AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED.
VEHICLES REAR MIRROR FELL OFF WINDSHIELD. *AK
WHEN CAR IS ON THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTILATION. TT
WINDSHEILD WIPER MOTOR/HARNESS/GOVENOR FAILED DURING COLD/WET WEATHER, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *SKD
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT RETURN TO RESTING POSITION. WOULD STOP IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD. HAVE NOT TURNED VEHICLE OFF. WOULD HAVE TO FORCE TO RESTING POSITION & THEN TURN VEHICLE OFF. HAS BEEN TO DEALER EACH TIME FOR PROBLEM. INFORMED BY MECHANIC WIPERS NOT WORTH EXPENSE OF REPAIRING. *AK
HEATER CONTROL STUCK IN DEFROSTER MODE.
WE READ IN THE PAPER THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE NHSTA. THE WIPERS MOTOR IN THIS VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE INTERMITENT WIPER DOES NOT WORK.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEMSELVES OFF IN THE UP POSITION. HAVE TO PUSH ON WIPERS WHILE TURNING THE WIPERS ON AND OFF TO GET THEM TO LIE DOWN IN THE PROPER POSITION.
PROBLEM OF GLARE FROM ONCOMING CARS AT NIGHT. PROBLEM MAINLY WITH SUVS AND PICKUPS AND OTHER HIGH FIXED LIGHTS. *AK
HEATER CORE MALFUNCTIONED 3 TIMES. *AK
I AM NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO MY COMMENT SO I WILL STATE THEM AGAIN. THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS CUT ON AND OFF WHILE IN OPERATION. YOU MUST CONTINUE TO TAP THE TURN SIGNAL OR TURN THE CONTROL TO KEEP THEM RUNNING. WHAT I FIND DISTURBING IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE TWO OTHER FORD TRUCKS A 1993 F-150 AND A 1991 FORD RANGER AND THEY BOTH DO THE SAME THING. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM MY DAD AND HE TELLS ME IT HAS ALWAYS DONE IT. THE OTHER TWO WHERE BOUGHT USED BUT HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT. IF YOU NEED THE VIN OF THE TAURUS OR F-150 I CAN GET THEM. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS INFORMATION
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026