1997 Ford Taurus vs 1997 Nissan Maxima
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Taurus | 1997 Nissan Maxima |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 770 | 102 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 251 | 75 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 64 | 7 |
| Fire reports | 12 | 16 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 19–21 | 21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 85,000 mi | 85,696 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Nissan Maxima |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 214 | 4 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 145 | 12 |
| Electrical System | 62 | 39 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 67 | 5 |
| Steering | 59 | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 58 | 3 |
| Visibility | 57 | 2 |
| Air Bags | 42 | 10 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 48 | 9 |
| Rust / corrosion | 33 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 20 | 0 |
| Overheating | 20 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 19 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 18 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 17 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 14 | 0 |
1997 Ford Taurus
1997 Nissan Maxima
Compare all Ford Taurus vs Nissan Maxima years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.