Ford Thunderbird Complaints

2,355 consumer complaints on file.

#894766August 20, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS BURNED OUT. DEALER ADVISED THAT ENTIRE LIGHTING SYSTEM WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. DEFECT CAUSES BAD VISION AT NIGHT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750656August 17, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN PREMATURE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894532August 16, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH IS CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OUT IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750455August 14, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
MODUAL FIRST FAILED SEP 00. CAR LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AT 60 MPH. CAR WAS PARKED FROM SEP 00 TO 26 JULY 01 WHILE FORD GOT PART. NEW MODUEL WAS INSTALLED 26 JULY 01 AND FAILED 8 AUG 01 AGAIN AT 60 MPH WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. FORD DEALER IS NOW LOOKING FOR A NEW ONE. PART WAS LISTED AT $100.00 AT TIME OF SEP 00 FAILURE. MODUAL OBTAINED IN JUL 01 THAT FAILED IN AUG 01 COST $306.00
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894352August 14, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WHEN AT STOP LIGHT CONSUMER WOULD PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK DEALER STATED IGNITION SYSTEM HAD SHORTED OUT RESULTING IN SPARK PLUGS BEING BURNED, DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND SPARK PLUGS, CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE STILL PROBLEMS AND NOW THE ENGINE IS MISFIRING, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS, HOWEVER DEALER INFORMED THAT THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. FAN BELT REPLACED. FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750042August 8, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749964August 6, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
PLASTIC HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ARE CLOUDY. SOME FORM OF REACTION TO PROLONGED SUNLIGHT. I HAVE TRIED VARIOUS POLISHING COMPOUNDS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESULT. THE CLOUDINESS DRASTICALLY REDUCES LIGHT OUTPUT. ALL OF THE THUNDERBIRDS, AS WELL AS OTHER FORD CARS, OF THE SAME MODEL YEAR, OR OLDER, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM(S ) AS WELL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#893473August 6, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
PARKED VEHICLE UNDER SOME TREES AND WALKED AWAYAND SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD BOOM. FRIEND THOUGHT TIRE BLEWOUT. WENT TO CHECK, AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. FRIEND CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY PUT OUT FLAMES. FIRE INSPECTOR INDICATED CAUSE OF PROBLEM WAS BATTERY CABLE WHICH ALSO CAUSED ELECTRICAL WIRES ON DRIVER'S SIDE TO MELT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749876August 5, 2001
TIRES
FRONT RIGHT SLIPPED BELT AND ALL FOUR WORN OUT AT 20,000 ON A 50,000 TIRE.*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749693August 2, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
DASH HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED IN JUNE OF 2000 DUE TO RECALL BY FORD. APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR LATER REPLACEMENT SWITCH FAILED FOR SAME REASON ORIGINAL SWITCH WAS RECALLED FOR. BURNED CONTACTS WERE FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. SEEMS AS IF SWITCH USED FOR REPLACEMENT IS NO BETTER THAN ORIGINAL SWITCH RECALLED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749697August 2, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AAA DIAGNOSIC AND FOUND OUT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER WHO SAID I WAS NOT COVERED SINCE THE CAR HAS 103,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AS PER FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. IT HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. I HAVE ALL MAINTANENCE RECORDS SHOWING DILIGANT MAINTENENCE PRACTICES. THE HEADGASKET BLEW FROM DEFECT, YET FORD REFUSES TO COVER IT, FIRST STATING THE MILEAGE LIMIT AND THEN FURTHER STATING THAT, SINCE I WAS NOT THE ORGINIAL OWNER AND SINCE PRIOR REPAIR WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP I WOULD NOT BE COVERED ANYWAY. FURTHERMORE THEY STATED THAT IF I HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO REPLACE THE GASKETS, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE FIXED GASKETS THAT WERE NOT YET BLOWN. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE ABOVE PHONE REPRESENTATIVE OR SERVICE MANAGER. THE REGIONAL MANAGER (TARA OLSEN) WAS SUPPOSED TO EXPLAIN THE COMPANY'S REASONING BEHIND THEIR REFUSAL AND DISCUSS MY CONCERNS WITH ME YET SHE HAS YET TO RETURN MY CALLS AND HER DIRECT NUMBER IS "NOT ACCESSABLE TO THE PUBLIC." THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO AT FORD HEADQUARTERS (DUNCAN ALDERSON) REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE BEYOND A BLANKET REFUSAL, AND INSTEAD OF BEING TRANSFERED TO HIGHER-UPS, I WAS TRANSFERED TO SECURITY. I WOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO SPLIT THE COST WITH FORD IF THEY WOULD HAVE DEALT WITH ME REASONABLY, BUT THEY REFUSED TO DISCUSS OR NEGOTIATE A FLAW THAT THEY HAVE ADMITTED IS THEIR FAULT. INSTEAD THEY INSIST ON SETTING ARBITRARY CUT-OFF TIMES THAT THEY CANNOT OR WILL NOT JUSTIFY AND THAT WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE MET BY MOST OF THE FORDS IN QUESTION. THEY WILL NOT SUPPLY STATISTICS ON THE PROJECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY OF NON-DEFECTIVE HEADGASKETS OR TRANSMISSIONS (ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM) NOR WILL THEY DOCUMENT IN WRITTING ANY OF THEIR PHONE REFUSALS TO HONOR THE RECALL. I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS AND NOW LOOK FOR REIMBURSEMENT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#562275July 31, 2001
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ON TURNPIKE, THE HOOD FLEW UP, STRIKING AND SHATTERING THE SUN ROOF GLASS, THE POLICE OFFICER INSPECTED THE HOOD LATCH AND IT APPEARED TO BE OLD, WHICH POSSIBLY MALFUNTIONED, CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT #10-90-356)*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#748790July 20, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ENGINE PINGING AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHTCONSTANTLY REAPPEARS. SOURCE OF PROBLEM IS MAF SENSOR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892996July 17, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION FAILS TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND ENGINE CONTINUES TO RUN. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748587July 17, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
LENS ASSEMBLY FOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS HAS DETERIORATED, TURNING CLOUDLY YELLOW, THIS HAS RESTRICTED THE LIGHT FROM THE LOW BEAM PER NIGHT DRIVING, WHICH IS A SERIOUS LOSS OF VISIBILITY . MY DEALER WILL NOT PASS THE CAR UPON INSPECTION DUE TO THE LOSS OF LIGHT . THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY UNITS NEED TO BE REPLACED AT ONCE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748423July 13, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS FAILED ON 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD 3.8 LITER, V6 ENGINE. CAR UNDER 5 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. FORD WOULD NOT COVER FULL COST OF REPAIR EVEN THOUGH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SAME ENGINE/SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER MODELS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748247July 10, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BAD HEAD GASKET BLOWING WHITE SMOKE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892261July 9, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT LENS IS FADING AND TURING YELLOW CAUSING HEADLIGHTS NOT TO SHINE PROPERLY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#748170July 9, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PARKED CAR AND HEARD WATERY NOISE - ANTIFREEZE WAS COMING OUT OF TAILPIPE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#747949July 6, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE CRUISE CONTROL CAME ON WITHOUT WARNING AT 5 MPH ON WET STREET, AS IT WAS RAINING, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS CHANGING FROM ONE INSURANCE COMPANY TO ANOTHER AND WAS NOT COVERED, DEALORSHIP FORD ADMITTED THEY HAD HEARD THIS HAPPENS SOMETIMES BUT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE I WAS OUT OF LUCK. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NOTED THAT THIS DESIGN, APPARENTLY IN USE SINCE 77, HAS THIS QUIRK, BUT I CANNOT USE MY CAR NOW BECAUSE FORD REFUSED TO FIX THE OTHER PERSONS CAR WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THIER PRODUCT!
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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