The 1997 Ford Taurus is a wagon that came with a choice of 3.0L 6-cyl and 3.4L 8-cyl engines. At 29 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 | 5 configurations: Taurus, Taurus SHO, Taurus Wagon |
| Age | 29 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls covering the 1997 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. The text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the owner guides causing the headlamps to be improperly aimed.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with ax4s automatic transaxles. The low/intermediate servo cover can separate from the transaxle while the vehicle is being driven. If this occurs, transmission fluid will leak contacting the catalytic converter.
Risk: The catalytic converter temperature may be hot enough to ignite the transmission fluid and cause a vehicle fire.
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.
Owners have filed 770 complaints about the 1997 Ford Taurus with NHTSA. 64 reports involved a crash and 12 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 50 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 251 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1997 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
General (PCM) power train control module programming procedures. *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
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 1997 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 3 recalls for the 1997 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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