The 1990 Ford Taurus has 5 recalls, the most serious being cracked wheels that can split apart without warning, causing sudden loss of control; this defect appears across both police package and standard vehicles.
The front seatbelt buckles also have two related faults: a fastened buckle may refuse to release when the button is pressed, and in some cases the buckle may not fully latch at all, leaving the belt unable to restrain an occupant in a sudden stop or crash. There is also an emissions concern where carbon monoxide exhaust levels can exceed regulatory limits. On the electrical side, a faulty transistor in the automatic headlight system can cause the headlamps to shut off while driving at night or stay on after the vehicle is parked.