1998 Ford Taurus vs 1998 Nissan Maxima
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1998 Ford Taurus | 1998 Nissan Maxima |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 545 | 113 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 191 | 74 |
| Investigations | 0 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 61 | 13 |
| Fire reports | 14 | 12 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 18–20 | 21 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 88,500 mi | 110,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Nissan Maxima |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 111 | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 74 | 10 |
| Power Train | 69 | 6 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 62 | 5 |
| Suspension | 59 | 6 |
| Air Bags | 39 | 24 |
| Electrical System | 34 | 24 |
| Steering | 40 | 4 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 19 | 10 |
| Hesitation / surging | 19 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 19 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 16 | 6 |
| Brake problems | 13 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 6 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 5 | 0 |
| Airbag warning light | 0 | 7 |
1998 Ford Taurus
1998 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.