Ford Thunderbird Complaints

2,355 consumer complaints on file.

#712957October 7, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING FROM 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. ALSO SLUGGISH/SHUDDERS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#849914October 5, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING A FIRE IGNITED AT THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICL., WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM A SHORTIN THE HEADLAMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#849675October 1, 1999
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER'S SEAT WILL SHIFT OR MOVE BACK AND FORTH WHEN ACCELERATING, TURNING A CURB OR BRAKING, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#849585September 30, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS:SWITCH
REAR RUNNING LIGHTS THAT GO ACROSS THE BACK OF THE CAR DO NOT LIGHT UP. WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN OR SNOW THE BACK OF THE CAR IS NOT VISABLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#712596September 30, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, STEERING
HAD TO REPLACE TIRES TWICE DUE TO THE CAR CAUSING A TIRE SEPARATION ON THE FRONT, RIGHT SIDE. I'VE AGAIN, REPLACED THE TIRES 5000 MILES AGO AND THEY ARE SEVERELY FEATHERED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS VISIBLE TO THE EYE. THE CAR IS WITH-IN THE ALIGNMENT SPECS BUT IT STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT - THE FASTER THE SPEED, THE HARDER THE PULL. HAVE HAD 4 OR MORE FRONT END BRAKE JOBS (ROTORS & PADS) IN UNDER 40,000 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT 40 MPH AND THE TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848857September 28, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AND HITTING BUMPS CONSUMER NOTICED SOMETHING HITTING UNDER THE CAR AFTER INSPECTING ,CONSUMER FOUND THAT IT WAS THE GAS TANK HANGING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#712352September 28, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING HEAVY SMOKE BEGIN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR REGISTERED HOT AND STARTED TO MAKE CLICKING SOUND. IMMEDIATEDLY CRUISE OUT OF TRAFFIC. TOLD I HAD A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND ALL FLUIDS HAD SPILLED ON THE ENGINE. I AM CONCERNED SEVER DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE WHEN ALL IS BEING REPAIRED IS THE MANIFOLD. IN THE FUTURE I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO PAY FOE A NEW ENGINE WHEN A DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#712209September 27, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHEN SWITCHING FROM BRIGHT TO DIM LIGHTS THE LIGHTS GO COMPLETELY OUT. COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BUT WAS FORTUNATE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#712029September 24, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AFTER TAKING CAR TO DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR STALLING, THE RESET THE IDLE SO HIGH THAT WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE OR DRIVING IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD ACCELERATE BY IT SELF. I ALSO HAD A LAWYER CONTACT FORD AND NEVER RECEIVED REPLIES. I TRADED THE CAR IN AND RECEIVED ALMOST NOTHING FOR IT BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS ALMOST BLOWN BECAUSE OF THE IDLE BEING SET SO HIGH. I ALSO RENTED A CAR IN CA THAT WAS A 85 THUNDERBIRD THAT STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN 10/85.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#548739September 23, 1999
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SEAT BELT LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT, UNABLE TO BE FIXED. MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848544September 23, 1999
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
AIR CONDITIONER IS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES CONSUMER NOT TO BE ABLE TO READ THE TIME. ALSO, DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#548644September 22, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING GEAR CHANGING PROBLEMS. MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848355September 22, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT A/C WENT WARM, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED CLIMBING. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. DEALER STATED THAT ENGINE COOLANT FAN WENT BAD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, FUSES MELTED INTO THE DISRIBUTION BOX. VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711829September 22, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WILL DOWN SHIFT FOR NO REASON BETWEEN 50 & 70 MILES PER HOUR. SOME TIME IT WILL KEEP SHIFTING UP AND DOWN THEN GO BACK TO NORMAL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848235September 21, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT ON THERE OWN. *YC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848169September 21, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT COVER IS PLASTIC WHICH HAS TURNED A YELLOWISH COLOR, AND HAS CAUSED HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME DIM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711580September 19, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711590September 19, 1999
SUSPENSION
THIS TBIRD IS A RARE BIRD THAT WAS ORDERED AND DELIVERED WITHOUT A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. TBIRDS HAVE 4 WHEEL INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION AND WHEN DRIVEN ON SLOPED STREETS WILL EASILY LIFT ONE DRIVE WHEEL HIGH ENOUGH TO LOSE TRACTION WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED INTO ANOTHER STREET OR DRIVEWAY THAT HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PLANE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS MAKING A U TURN ON A SLOPED STREET AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I STOPPED, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, STEPPED ON THE GAS AND PROMPTLY RAN INTO A LARGE BUSH ABOU 3' IN FRONT OF ME. I THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED SO I CALLED AAA. THE TOW DRIVER MOVED THE CAR A FEW FEET AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. I CALLED THE SAN DIEGO DEALER THAT DOES MY SERVICE AND THE EXPERIENCED SERVICE WRITER WAS SURPRISED - NEITHER OF US HAD EVER SEEN A TBIRD WITHOUT LIMITED SLIP SO WE ASSUMED LIMITED SLIP DIDN'T WORK IN REVERSE. THE NEXT TIME I WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY TO BACK UP AND TURN AROUND ON A HILLLY STREET AND I LOST TRACTION AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. BOTH TIMES I HEARD A WHINING NOISE THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE DRIVE WHEEL THAT WAS BARELY TOUCHING THE STREET SURFACE. SO I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED IT DID NOT HAVE A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. THEY COULDN'T GET OFF THEIR PREMISES FAST ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NOT SOLD ME THE CAR. FRIENDLY FORD HAS SIMPLY STONEWALLED ME. FORD MOTORS REPEATEDLY HAS STATED IT IS NOT A DEFECT AND THE DEALER ORDERED THE CAR WITHOUT THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL AND I SHOULD LOOK TO HIM FOR SATISFACTION. THE FACTORY PERSON DID INDICATE THAT A TBIRD WITHOUT THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL WAS VERY RARE. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY KNOWN AT FORD SINCE THIS PLATFORM WAS USED FOR SO MANY YEARS. BOTH TIMES THE CAR MOVED SEVERAL FEET AFTER LOSING TRACTION AND DID NOT REGAIN TRACTION UNTIL THE SURFACE PLANES CHANGED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711525September 17, 1999
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WIPERS OCCASIONALLY FAIL TO OPERATE WHEN SET TO INTERMITTENT SETTINGS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#847862September 16, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF TO ABOUT 70 TO 80 MPH . CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WAS HARD, AND DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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