The 1993 Ford Taurus has 4 recalls, the most serious being front coil springs that can break and puncture a front tire, deflating it while driving and raising the risk of a crash.
Recalls 1 and 2 describe the same coil spring issue and are treated here as a single problem. The broken spring contacts the tire directly, and the resulting blowout can happen without warning. That recall applies specifically to vehicles originally sold or registered in a list of rust-belt and northeastern states, where road conditions are more likely to accelerate spring deterioration.
On the braking side, some of these vehicles may have been built with anti-lock brake controllers intended for rear-wheel-drive cars rather than the front-wheel-drive Taurus. With the wrong controller installed, the anti-lock system does not respond correctly to wheel speed data from the front axle, which can reduce braking effectiveness when the system activates. A driver pressing the brake pedal in a panic stop may find the car takes longer to slow down than expected.
There is also a lighting concern: the headlight switch contains a circuit breaker that can overheat and trip repeatedly. Each time it trips, the headlights cut out temporarily. Over time, the outages grow longer and happen more often, leaving the driver without headlights during nighttime or low-visibility driving.
At a glance
What can fail
Front coil springs can fracture due to corrosion combined with small cracks in the springs.
What the fix does
Both front springs will be replaced at no cost, even if only one spring is broken.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
Front coil springs can crack and break due to rust combined with small existing cracks in the springs.
What the fix does
A spring catcher bracket will be installed to prevent a broken spring from hitting a tire.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The headlight switch's circuit breaker can overheat and open, causing headlights to flash on and off. Repeated cycling can lead to longer and more frequent outages, potentially leaving you without headlights while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a new headlight switch with an improved circuit breaker design, and replace wiring components as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The anti-lock brake system controller installed is designed for rear-wheel drive vehicles, but this is a front-wheel drive vehicle. This mismatch can affect brake performance.
What the fix does
Replace the anti-lock brake system controller with one designed for front-wheel drive vehicles.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
