1998 Ford Taurus vs 1998 Volkswagen Passat
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 | 1998 Ford Taurus | 1998 Volkswagen Passat |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 545 | 331 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 191 | 116 |
| Investigations | 0 | 6 |
| Crash reports | 61 | 6 |
| Fire reports | 14 | 4 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 18–20 | 19–37 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 88,500 mi | 80,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Taurus | Volkswagen Passat |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 59 | 90 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 74 | 70 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 111 | 3 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 62 | 39 |
| Steering | 40 | 52 |
| Power Train | 69 | 16 |
| Electrical System | 34 | 28 |
| Air Bags | 39 | 8 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 19 | 12 |
| Hesitation / surging | 19 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 19 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 16 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 13 | 6 |
| Clunking / rattling | 6 | 5 |
| Steering problems | 5 | 6 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 5 |
1998 Ford Taurus
1998 Volkswagen Passat
Compare all Ford Taurus vs Volkswagen Passat 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.