1986 FORD THUNDERBIRD

1 recalls — 32 complaints

87V139000 Sep 4, 1987
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
3,600,000 vehicles affected
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Jul 2, 2002
I HAVE THREE SEPARATE INCIDENCES. FIRST OCCURRING IN 1997 WHILE TAKING MY GRANDSON TO HIGH SCHOOL: WHILE COMPLETING THE TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT AT HIS SCHOOL, MY 1986 THUNDERBIRD SUDDENLY SURGED AS IF I HAD FULLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND NEITHER OF US WERE INJURED NOR WAS THERE ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE. INCEDENT#2- WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM SHOPPING, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LANE CLOSEST TO THE CURB ON A 4 LANE STREET WHEN SUDDENLY, AGAIN, MY CAR ACCELERATED AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHERE I JUST BARELY GLANCED OFF A SMALL STATIONERY POLL THAT WAS POSITIONED BASICALLY ON THE SIDEWALK. AGAIN, THANK GOD, NO ONE WAS HURT AND THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. FINAL INCEDENT #3: NOT SO LUCKY THIS TIME. I WAS GOING THROUGH THE MCDONALD'S DRIVE-THRU, AFTER PLACING MY ORDER, MY CAR SUDDENLY TAKES OFF AGAIN, VEERS RIGHT, AND MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE LITERALLY DRIVES UP ONE OF THE 5 VERY HEAVY-DUTY GUARD POLES SURROUNDING THE MAIN ELECTRICAL BOX THUS IMPAILING MY CAR AND SERIOUSLY BENDING THE POLE. IN RETROSPECT, I FEEL I WAS PRETTY BLESSED; NO ONE WAS EVER HURT...EXCEPT FOR ME, NOW, AFTER MORE THAN 45YEARS CLASSIFIED AS A "GOOD DRIVER" NOW IPAYING AN EXTRA$60.00 PER MONTH FOR MY AUTO INSURANCE FOR SOMETHING THAT I KNOW FOR SURE WAS NOT MY FAULT(PLUS THE FACT I HAD TO DISH OUT FOR A NEW CAR...AND ALL THIS COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A WORSE TIME.
Crash
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS Apr 20, 2001
TWO CRACKED BELTS REPLACED. NLM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY Apr 20, 2001
TFI MODULE, DISTRIBUTOR, STARTER AND DIRTY THROTTLE BODY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL WHEN THE KEY WAS RELEASED. NLM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION Apr 20, 2001
TFI MODULE, DISTRIBUTOR, STARTER AND DIRTY THROTTLE BODY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL WHEN THE KEY WAS RELEASED. NLM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE Apr 20, 2001
TFI MODULE, DISTRIBUTOR, STARTER AND DIRTY THROTTLE BODY CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL WHEN THE KEY WAS RELEASED. NLM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Apr 20, 2001
2 MOTOR MOUNTS BROKEN. NLM
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL Apr 20, 2001
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LEAK AT THE TRANSMISSION TAILSHAFT SEAL. NLM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE Apr 20, 2001
WHILE DRIVING FROM THE DEALERSHIP FROM HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLEW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP DUE TO AN OIL LEAK, THE VEHICLE REMAINED ON THE DEALERS LOT FROM JUNE-NOVEMBER 1997 WHILE A DECISION WAS BEING MADE ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. MLM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Jan 23, 2001
BOTH FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BROKEN INTO, THE TORQUE OF THE ENGINE HAS CAUSED IT TO ROTATE CAUSING THE FAN TO CUT INTO THE RADIATOR SHROUD. *SLC
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR Dec 13, 2000
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE Dec 13, 2000
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM Dec 13, 2000
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION Nov 6, 2000
WAS DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON. VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST MECHANIC. INFORMED THAT DISTRIBUTOR MODULE WAS DESIGNED TO FAIL & WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
TIRES Sep 18, 2000
THE TREADS HAVE COME OFF TWO OF MY TIRES IN THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE A THIRD TIRE WITH IT'S TREAD ALMOST COMING APART. BOTH TIMES WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY DOING 65. WILL THESE TIRES BE RECALLED. THE LAST TIME THE TREAD CAME OFF I SAVED THE TIRE AND TREAD. WE HAVE THREE KIDS AND WE DON'T FEEL SAVE DRIVING THEM IN THE CAR.( DOT NUMBER: W2HY TIRE SIZE: 215/70R/14 )
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE Sep 18, 2000
ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, EVERY MONTH, FOR THE LAST YEAR I WOULD GO OUT AND GET IN THE VEHICLE TO START IT UP. WHEN I TURNED ON THE IGNITION THE MOTOR WOULD CRANK AND CRANK BUT IT WOULD NEVER FIRE. I WOULD LET THE VEHICLE SET A FEW MINUTES THEN TRY AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULTS. IF I LET THE VEHICLE SIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY IT WOULD FINALLY START. THE VEHICLE AGAIN DUMP ME A PARKING LOT IN PORTMOUTHS, VA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO JOHN KOOL LINCOLN/MERCURY. THE VEHICLE STARTED FOR THEM THE NEXT DAY AND AGAIN AFTER MANY TRYS. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AT THIS TIME SO I CAME TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE THEN WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT FIRE. THE DEALER SERVICE TECH. THEN RAN A FEW MANUAL & EQUIP. TEST AND DETERMINED THE IGNITION MODULE AND DISTRIBUTOR STATOR ASSY. HAVE A INTERNAL SHORT. THE DEALER REPLACED THEM AND RE TESTED TO VERIFY OPERATION.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE Sep 14, 2000
ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, EVERY MONTH, FOR THE LAST YEAR I WOULD GO OUT AND GET IN THE VEHICLE TO START IT UP. WHEN I TURNED ON THE IGNITION THE MOTOR WOULD CRANK AND CRANK BUT IT WOULD NEVER FIRE. I WOULD LET THE VEHICLE SET A FEW MINUTES THEN TRY AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULTS. IF I LET THE VEHICLE SIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY IT WOULD FINALLY START. THE VEHICLE AGAIN DUMP ME A PARKING LOT IN PORTMOUTHS, VA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO JOHN KOOL LINCOLN/MERCURY. THE VEHICLE STARTED FOR THEM THE NEXT DAY AND AGAIN AFTER MANY TRYS. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AT THIS TIME SO I CAME TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE THEN WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT FIRE. THE DEALER SERVICE TECH. THEN RAN A FEW MANUAL & EQUIP. TEST AND DETERMINED THE IGNITION MODULE AND DISTRIBUTOR STATOR ASSY. HAVE A INTERNAL SHORT. THE DEALER REPLACED THEM AND RE TESTED TO VERIFY OPERATION.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM Sep 11, 2000
ENGINE REVS WITHOUT ACCELERATION.*ET
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY Feb 8, 2000
VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A CLAMP FOR FUEL LINE, WHICH THEN CAUSED LINE TO BECOME LOOSE AND IGNITE A FIRE, RESULTING IN FATALITY(DRIVER). *AK
Fire 1 deaths
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT Feb 17, 1999
THE SCISSOR JACK SCREW STRIPPED UPON JACKING UP THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER DISPOSED OFF. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE Oct 14, 1998
SEAT BELT FAILED TO SECURE PASSENGER DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURIES.
1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Sep 28, 1998
WHEN THE OWNER WARMS THE CAR, HE SHIFTS THE GEAR TO DRIVE AND THE CAR STALLS. HE STARTS THE CAR AGAIN, SHIFTS TO DRIVE AND THE CAR STALLS WHEN HE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DRIVER WAS IN AN CRASH BUT DID NOT DESCRIBE IT.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY Feb 26, 1998
RESTRAINT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK. OWNER WILL NOTIFY THE DEALER. *AK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Oct 7, 1997
DRIVING 50-55 MPH; DRIVER SMELLED SMOKE & PULLED OFF ROAD. TURNED VEHICLE OFF & EXITED. VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES. INSURANCE AGENT/INSPECTOR COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF FIRE. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
Fire
TIRES:TREAD/BELT Mar 25, 1997
TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE Dec 31, 1996
VEHICLE FIRE.
Fire
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL Sep 9, 1996
ENGINE RACES AT VERY HIGH RPM WHEN STARTED, DUE TO COMPUTER PROBLEMS.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH Aug 7, 1996
IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
Fire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH May 23, 1996
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, AUSED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO GO OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH May 9, 1996
PHONE EXT 4708; WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE STARTED SMOLDERING UNTIL FLAMES APPEARED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Fire
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY Apr 4, 1996
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASED, BUTTON INOPERATIVE. *TT
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY Jul 3, 1995
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKEN, WILL NOT LATCH. *AK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM May 25, 1995
EGR RELAY ASSEMBLY/EGR VAC CONTROL/EGR VALVE/EGR SENSOR REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE SURGING/BUCKING.