The 1996 Ford Taurus is a wagon that came with a choice of 3.0L 6-cyl and 3.4L 8-cyl engines. At 30 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Midsize Cars, Midsize-Large Station Wagons |
|---|---|
| Engines | 3.0L 6-cyl, 3.4L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline, Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 15–18 city / 24–26 highway / 18–21 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,200–$4,550 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 423–494 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 6 configurations: Taurus, Taurus SHO, Taurus Wagon |
| Age | 30 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls covering the 1996 Ford Taurus. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles previously serviced under Ford service bulletin 97-17-9 from august 1997 through december 1997. These vehicles were inadvertenly equipped with an 18-gallon fuel tank rather than the 16-gallon as specified. The 18-gallon tank has a second valve location where a shipping plug should be…
Risk: If this shipping plug is displaced, fuel leakage can result. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could potentially result in a fire.
The automatic transmission park pawl shaft may not be free to rotate as intended. If the park pawl shaft does not rotate, it would prevent the park pawl from engaging the park gear when the shift lever is in the park position.
Risk: This condition could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral with the shift lever in the park position.
The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. This would allow the vehicle to move even though the gear shift indicator shows that the vehicle is in park.
Risk: Unintended and unexpected vehicle movement can result in personal injury and property damage.
The fuel pressure regulator located on the fuel rail in the engine compartment has a vacuum diaphragm that was damaged during manufacture of the regulator.
Risk: If the diaphragm tears or ruptures, liquid fuel could enter the intake manifold plenum through the vacuum line resulting in either release of fuel from the air cleaner assembly or the exhaust system. Fuel release in the presence of an ignit
The park pawl shaft was improperly positioned when the roll pin that retains it was installed during transmission assembly. If the shaft was not properly positioned, the roll pin may not have lined up with the groove in the shaft and have been crushed at assembly. Also, a burr could have been raised on the shaft.
Risk: This could result in the park pawl occasionally not engaging when the transmission selector lever is placed in the park position. This could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral if the vehicle operator does not apply the parking b
The brake system fluid level indicator lamp switch can malfunction. This does not comply with fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems."
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: if the switch malfuntions, the brake system warning lamp will either remain illuminated continuously or fail to light as intended when the fluid level falls to a certain level. In either case, the vehicle oper
Owners have filed 825 complaints about the 1996 Ford Taurus with NHTSA. 69 reports involved a crash and 12 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 69 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 281 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1996 Ford Taurus. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt
Surge, idle roll, rough idle only when the engine cooling fans are operating. *tt
Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. To include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-1
Groan/buzz/vibration when the gear selector is in park with the vehicle parked on an incline. *tt this bulletin updates previous bulletin 17358, dated 11/01/2003 to inclu
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1996 Tauruss that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 1996 Ford Taurus; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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