Ford Thunderbird Complaints

2,355 consumer complaints on file.

#711452September 16, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THIS IS MOST DEFINATELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? LAST FAILURE WAS AT A RATE OF OVER 60MPH AROUND A CURVE WITH NO AMBIENT LIGHTING ON THE ROADWAY. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO VISIBILITY AFTER THE INCIDENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#847797September 15, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCLERATED WHICH MIGHT HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AND WOULD NOT DECELRATE; DRIVER COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. SPEED REACH 90 MPH BEFORE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SHUT VEHICLE DOWN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#847712September 14, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES SHAKE AND MAKE THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR MOVE . *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711348September 14, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS: W/O ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER SUDDENLY THERE APPEARED WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST PIPE, TEMP. GAUAGE WENT UP, CAR HAD NOT BEEN USING ANY OIL AND/OR ANTI-FREEZE WHICH IS A HEADS UP TO SUCH A PROBLEM OCCURING. ALL MAINTENANCE HAD ALWAYS BEEN KEPT UP ON A REGULAR BASIS ON VEHICLE. TOLD AT TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED THAT THE NEXT THING THAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE THE ENGINE WOULD GO. THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPT. JUST LIKE MECHANIC SAID, THE ENGINE WENT THERE AGAIN, W/O ANY NOTICE. IT THROUGH A ROD. WAS TOLD THAT TO SAVE PROBLEMS/TIME, SHOULD ACTUALLY JUST GO AHEAD AND REPLACE BOTH WHEN DOING THE OTHER BECUASE IT WOULD HAPPEN. TOLD FORD MOTOR AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A 3 YR. RANGE ON THIS MOTOR & HEAD GASKETS. THEY HAVE SENSE IMPROVED PROBLEM BUT THAT DOES NOTHING TO HELP OUT THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT THOSE YEARS. PUT OUT THE MONEY OR PART IT OUT! FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE KEPT UP OUR VEHICLES, WE HAVE NO CHOICE. FORD MOTOR KNOWINGLY AWARE OF THIS SHOULD HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION IN ORDER TO DISCUSS BUT KNOW WHAT THEY'LL HAVE TO SAY..."OUT OF WARRANTY"...YOU'RE STUCK!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#847548September 13, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHEN DRIVER RELEASES FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, VEHICLE KEEPS INCREASING IN SPEED FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 SECONDS. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#609599September 8, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER CRACKED AND LEAKS FLUID.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#846993September 7, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
AFTER PUTTING GAS INTO THE VEHICLE A STRONG SMELL OF GAS LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. DEALER CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711004September 6, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DEALER BUT THEY CONTINUED TO WARP AND FINALLY MY WARRENTY AND MY PATIENCE ENDED. YOU CAN ONLY LOSE SO MUCH TIME FROM WORK TO REPAIR A CAR. IN ITS FIRST FOUR MONTHS THE DEALER HAD THE CAR AS MUCH AS I DID.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710920September 4, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WITHOUT WARNING, HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 75,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO FORD RECOMMENDED SERVICE SCHEDULE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN 1989-1995 FORD 3.8L V6 ENGINES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#548288August 31, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
TRANSMISSION HESITATION STARTED AT 1,671 MILES, FINAL REPAIR AT 26,069 OF THE FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710718August 30, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710626August 28, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#782860August 27, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ENGINE REVS WITHOUT ACCELERATION.*ET
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#845963August 26, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD EXPLOSION WAS HEARD . NOTICED VEHICLE ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE. REASON FOR FIRE WAS UNDETERRMINED. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710522August 25, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME TO LET A CAR IN OUR LANE. WE WERE GOING AROUND 15 MPH. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, I JUST KEPT ON GOING AND HIT THE TRUCK IN THE REAR. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT AND WENT OVER TO THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK TO MAKE SURE HE WAS OK. HE TOLD ME HE WAS FINE,AT WHICH POINT I TOLD HIM THE DAMAGE DONE WAS TO MY CAR AND HIS TRUCK WAS FINE. HE SAID FINE AND WENT ON HIS WAY. I GOT BACK IN MY CAR AND FOUND MY BRAKE PEDDLE HAD BROKEN OFF THE ARM AND WAS ON THE FLOOR. THE METAL PART OF PEDDLE SNAPPED RIGHT OFF THE BRAKE ARM.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710414August 24, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
BRAKE ROTORS WARP UNNESSESSARILY EARLY IN LIFE, FORD REPLACES PER TSB BUT NO RECALL. -- TAILLAMPS FAIL AFTER TRUNK TRAUMA (IE CLOSING IT) OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. FORD FIXES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES. -- THE MN12'S 4R70W TRANSMISSION IS NOTED FOR TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER AND NUMEROUS SHIFT PROBLEMS THAT ARE ADDRESSED IN TSB'S BUT THE NUMBER OF TSB'S AND FAILURES OF THE AODE/4R70W TRANSMISSION WARRANTS A RECALL ON THE CONTROL ASSEMBLY (VALVE BODY). TRANNY IS PRONE TO FAIL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710442August 24, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THE ROTORS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS HAVE WARPED SIGNIFICANTLY CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ROTORS ARE TURNED WHEN DETERMINED BY A SERVICE CENTER. PADS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE FRONT ROTORS USALLY WARP BEYOND USAGE FIRST, THEN REAR FOLLOWS SHORTLY AFTER THE FRONT ROTOR REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, AS WE ALL USE THE CAR. I FEAR THAT THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT IF THE ROTORS WARP PREMATURELY AGAIN IN A CRITICAL SITUATION. THE AVERAGE MILES ON THE ROTORS BEFORE REPLACEMENT IS 10K MILES. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES AGO, AND AGAIN THE ROTORS ARE WARPING CAUSING POOR BRAKING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710464August 24, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THIS FAILURE WAS FRONT AND REAR DISK BRAKES VIBRATING,,SCAPING NOISE IN FRONT LEFT BRAKE, AND LONG STOPPING DISTANCE, DEALER SOLUTION WAS TO TURN ALL FOUR ROTORS,, CAR IS IN SHOP AGAIN NOW FOR SAME PROBLEM,, THE SOLUTION AGAIN IS TO TURN ROTORS AGAIN,I AM TRING TO GET THEM TO REPLACE ROTORS,BUT THEY WILL NOT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710412August 23, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LAMP LOCATED ON THE TRUNK HAS EXPERIENCED SOME SORT OF INTERNAL SEPARATION THAT CANNOT BE FIXED WITHOUT REPLACEMENT. THE SYMPTOM IS THAT THE TAILIGHT IS DIMMER AND NOT AS BRIGHT AS THE ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THIS CONDITION IS SPECIFIC TO THE LATE 90'S THUNDERBIRDS WITH NEON TAILLAMPS, AND I HAVE SEEN IT OCCUR ON EITHER SIDE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD REGARDING THE MATTER, AND THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FIXING MY PROBLEM WITHOUT ME SHELLING OUT SOME MONEY FOR A NEW ASSEMBLY. CLEARLY, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#548064August 20, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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