Ford Thunderbird Complaints

2,355 consumer complaints on file.

#719956March 11, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLES DO NOT JUST BLOW HEAGASKETS. HOW CAN FORD PUT A RECALL OUT FOR ONLY SOME OF THEIR 3.8L V-6 ENGINES AND NOT THE OTHERS? HOW CAN THEY IGNORE THIS PROBLEM? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. STATEMENT OF INQUIRY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719940March 10, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON SOME MODELS FOR EARLY HEAD GASKET FAILURE,AT ABOUT 65,500 MILES, OUR CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE IN IT AS THE RECALLS AND WE HAD FAILURE AT 48,000 MILES, I HAVE CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY TO BE TOLD MINE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM, I HAVE WROTE A LETTER TO JIM O' CONNOR A FORD EXECUTIVE AND I HAVE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. WHEN I QUESTIONED WHY SHE WAS ANSWERING MY LETTER INSTEAD OF JIM SHE REPLIED THAT HE GETS THOUSANDS OF LETTERS DAILY AND DOES"NT HAVE THE TIME TO READ OR ANSWER THEM. ALL SHE TOLD ME BASICALLY WAS WHAT I HAD WRITTEN IN MY LETTER AND SHE COULD'NT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I WAS TOLD TO CALL 1-800-325-5621 WITH MY QUESTIONS, AND THAT MY LETTER WOULD BE FILED IN THEIR COMPUTER JUST IN CASE THEY LATER INCLUDED MY CAR IN THIS EXTENSION. I CALLED THE NUMBER ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT A DEALER HAD TO CALL THIS NUMBER FOR ME. SO I CALLED MY DEALER AND ASKED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 3.8L ENGINE IN MY CAR AND IN THE TAURUS OR WINDSTAR I WAS TOLD THAT THE DIFFERENCES WERE MINOR BUT THAT THE THUNDERBIRD HAD A SUPERIOR COOLING SYSTEM IN IT'S ENGINE. HE SUGGESTED THAT I COME IN AND FILL OUT A CUSTOMER REVIEW FORM AND THEY WOULD SUBMIT IT TO FORD AND THEY MAY HELP ME WITH THE BILL. MY MAJOR COMPLAINT IS THAT IF FORD IS RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND EARLY HEAD GASKET FAILURE, WHY ARE THEY ONLY RECOGNIZING CERTAIN MAKES AND YEAR'S . MY CAR MAY BE A 93 , THE CAR'S IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE 94'S AND 95'S BUT THEY HAVE ABOUT 65,000 MILES ON THEM WHEN THEY FAIL, MINE HAS MUCH LESS. I APPRECIATE ANY HELP AS I AM VERY AGGRAVATED WITH THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719908March 9, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT 69000. REPLACED HEADS, GASKETS, INTAKE AND OUTTAKE THERMOSTAT, CAR STILL NOT RUNNING PROPERLY. BLEW GASKETS TWICE. AT PRESENT TIME IT IS BEING WORKED ON FOR THE SAME PROBLEM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719846March 8, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
FAILED HEAD GASKET CAUSED ME TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS AFTER 6 YEAR/100K EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. SINCE FORD IS ALREADY RECALLING THIS ENGINE FROM OTHER CARS OF THE SAME ERA, IT IS LIKELY MY ENGINE HAD THE SAME DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719856March 8, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE3.8'S WISH I HAVE KNOWN SOONER. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719799March 7, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
LEAK DUE TO EITHER GASKET FAILURE OR CHANNELING DUE TO CORROSION OF ALUMINUM PARTS. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#784541March 6, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
THE BRAKE ROTORS IN TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO HAVE BAD VIBRATION AND SHAKING ON BRAKING, DUE TO POSSIBLE DESIGN DEFECT (THUNDERBIRDS). *ET
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857819March 2, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. TECHNICIAN SAID IT BLEW A HEAD GASKET. OTHER FORD MODELS ARE COVERED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE THUNDERBIRD IS NOT. *AK *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857821March 2, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT APPLY FULLY. THEN VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL DOWN AN ENBANKMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO MALFUNCTIONED MASTER CYLINDER. *AK *ML
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#551186March 2, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
WHEEL BEARING FAILED. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719487March 1, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
BIG PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE SAME ONE RECALLED IN OUTHER FORDS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857604February 28, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
CONSUMER DROVE CAR AND BRAKES WERE NOT GOOD. WHEN DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MILES CAR WOULD SHIMMY BADLY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857565February 25, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER STILL HAS VEHICLE, REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE, DEALER IS HELPING TO COVER SOME OF COST. *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857581February 25, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
RECALL 99V275 000/HEADLIGHTS: HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY WOULD GO OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS WHICH WAS PROCEEDED BY BLINKING OR FLICKERING. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF VISIBILITY. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857402February 23, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT, RENDERING THE ENGINE INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857327February 22, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. CALLED DEALER. DEALER STATED ENGINE GAS VALVE COVER BLEW OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURHTER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550997February 17, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT (96V-071) PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, RESULTING IN FIRE. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856938February 15, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
RECALL # 99V275000 FORD/HEADLIGHTS; AFTER RECALL WAS PERFORMED OWNER WAS DRIVING AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. AFTER CHARGING $55.00, DEALER STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THIS PROBLEM HAD TO DO WITH THE WIRING AS WELL. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856866February 14, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE IN DEALER SHOP FOR RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718651February 12, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOLD BY LEITH FORD'S SERVICE MANAGER THAT PROBLEM WAS INTERNAL TO THE TRANSMISSION AND NOT CAUSED BY MISUSE, NEGLECT, ETC. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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