1991 FORD THUNDERBIRD Recalls, Complaints & Safety

LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE ASSIST ON SUPER COUPE. PEDAL BECAME HARD TO PRESS. BOTH BRAKE AND ABS ANNUNCIATORS ILLUMINATING. TROUBLESHOOTING INDICATES BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH FAILING TO SIGNAL PUMP TO CHARGE SYSTEM OR ACCUMULATOR HAS FAILED. MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS SYSTEM ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND THUS 24 YEARS OLD.

CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. *TR

PLASTIC BUSHINGS IN BOTH ENDS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER TIE-ROD COMPONENT HAVE WORN. CAUSES WIPERS TO MOVE LESS, SKIP, AND LOSE ABILITY TO CLEAR ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. TIE-ROD MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM MOTOR END OR FROM WIPER END. CAR HAS LESS THAN 57000 MILES.*AK

DEFECTIVE HEADLAMP CIRCUIT BREAKER CAUSES HEADLIGHTS TO FLASH OFF AND ON REPEATEDLY. FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN CAR WAS 2 YEARS OLD, SECOND FAILURE IN THE LAST YEAR. CAR HAS LESS THAN 57,000 MILES. 1991 SUPERCOUPE MODEL HAS FOGLAMPS AS DO THE 1992 AND LATER THUNDERBIRD MODELS FOR WHICH A RECALL EXISTS.*AK

3.8L V6 ENGINE OVER-HEATED DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN #4 CYLINDER. BOTH HEADS WERE REWORKED AND GASKETS REPLACED. AFTER REPAIR ENGINE STARTED STALLING. IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS THEN REPLACED. NOW THERE IS A FLUCTUATION IN OIL PRESSURE. PRIOR TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE, POWER STEERING PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK

OVERHEATING AT FIRST THEN AFTER THE HEADGASKETS WERE REPLACED THE ROD BEARINGS FAILED WHICH ADDED ANOTHER 1200.00 TO THE 1645.00 OF THE FIRST REPAIR AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST REPAIR.

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 73,000 ON MY 1991 TBIRD WITH THE 3.8 V6. LOOKS LIKE FORD IS TRYING TO COVER THIS UP! *NLM

HEADLIGHT FAILURE INTERMITTENT OPERATION. TS

PART TO REPAIR NOT AVAILABLE. DT

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREEZE UP WHEN WIPERS ARE TURNED ON HIGH. THIS IS A SIMILAR DEFECT TO THE "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 91V076000" PROBLEM I CAN NOT USE THE MY CAR WIPERS ON HIGH IN THE RAIN. *AK

ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY AND NEEDS TO GO IN AGAIN BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET BLOWING OUT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEARS A LOUD BEEP COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. CAN'T ACTUALLY TELL WHERE BEEP IS COMING FROM. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

I AM IN A CLUB OF OVER 5,000 OWNERS OF IDENTICAL CARS AND FAILURES HAVE BEEN SEEN AS LOW AS 18,000 MILES TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AND NUMEROUS IN THE 60000 MILE RANGE ON WELL MAINTAINED CARS OF HEADGASKET FAILURE WHICH OFTEN CAUSES COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, IN MY CASE IT CAUSED TWO CONNECTING RODS TO FAIL, A CRANKSHAFT BEARING DUE TO OIL CONTAMINATION AND THE CRANKSHAFT AS A RESULT. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE ON MY VEHICLE, ONCE I WAS STRANDED ON A DANGEROUS DARK STRETCH OF I-95, ONCE IN THE RAIN AND AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF HEAT (HEADGASKET FAILURE SYMPTOM) I RAN A RED LIGHT AND PROCEDED THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE WAY STREET. *AK

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STRUCK. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WERE APPLIED. *AK *NM

IT LOOKS LIKE DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE INDEPENDANT REAR SUSPENSION THE REAR WHEELWELL WELDS AND FLOOR PAN APPEAR TO BE TEARING AWAY FROM THE CAR. *AK

THIS AUTO WAS A LATE BUILD THUNDERBIRD 5-91 IT HAS SOME 92 THUNDERBIRD SYSTEMS INCLUDING RECALLED FUEL LINES OF THE 1992 THUNDERBIRD. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER GETS A COOLANT-TYPE SMELL AND THEN BEGINS TO BLOW HOT AIR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, THE FIRST TIME BEING IN 1996. MOST OF THE TIME THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SOMETIMES, THEY REPLACE "O" RINGS, GASKETS, FREON, ETC. BUT IT STILL DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT WITH ANY WARNING OR PRIOR PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE, BUT MANUFACTURER IS NOT COVERING COST. *AK

ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING THROUGH OUT EXHAUST SYSTEM CAUSED BY BAD HEAD GASKETS. ENGINE OVERHEATED, BLEW A HEAD GASKET, AND LOST ANTIFREEZE IMMEDIATELY. FORD DEALER IS DENYING ANY PROBLEMS THEY MAY HAVE WITH THE GASKETS.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREEZE UP WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON HIGH. THIS IS A SIMILAR DEFECT TO THE "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 91V076000" PROBLEM. *AK

I WOULD LIKE FOR THESE PROBLEMS TO BE FIXED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD COME ON. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO SLOW/STOP VEHICLE, THERE IS NO RESISTANCE BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND IT GOES TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES; AT 15-20 MPH RANGE/ 20-30 MPH RANGE, AND AT 40-50 MPH RANGE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED THAT ON A PREVIOUS VEHICLE WITH SAME DEFECT OCCURRED. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON BRAKE SYSTEM AND FOUND NO DEFECTS, BUT REPLACED BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH REPAIRED DEFECT. CONSUMER HAS NOT DETERMINED WHETHER OR NOT HE WILL HAVE THIS DONE. *AK *SLC

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK NEW CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS INSTALLED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *YH

MAJOR FUEL LEAK WHEN FILLED. *AK

THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS REGION IN AR, THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN...FOUND A LITTLE $3 PIECE THAT BROKE ON THE PART THAT HOLDS THE LINKAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION TO THE THROTTLE... CAR KEPT GOING FASTER AND FASTER... BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND GO UP STEEP INCLINE... KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. HAD TO REPLACE THE PIECE THAT BROKE, THE TRANSMISSION, CAR STILL IDLED HIGH.. AND HAD TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART AS WELL. THE BRAKES ARE VERY SPONGY, THEY HAVE BEEN BLED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND THE MASTER CYLANDER REPLACED AND THEY STILL HAVE TO BE PRESSED DOWN 2-3 INCHES (VERY SOFT) BEFORE YOU FEEL ANY SORT OF BRAKAGE. THE CAR STILL DOES NOT RUN CORRECTLY. HAVE SPENT 650.00 + ON AIR CONDITIONER, AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. APPEARS TO BE A SHORT IN IT, BECAUSE WHEN CAR IS ACCELLERATED, IT WILL START COOLING AGAIN... ONE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, SO SOMETHING IS SHORTING IT OUT.

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT STOPPED WORKING, CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.*AK

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK IN A WIDE OPEN POSITION WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION AND REAPPLY PEDAL TO GET IT UNSTUCK. DEFECT DUE TO A PLASTIC BUSHING CONNECTED TO A THROTTLE VALVE CABLE BECAME DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING CABLE TO TO BECOME LODGED AGAINST THE ACCELERATOR.*AK

NO SUMMARY

3.8 V6S SINCE 1988 HAVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD COVER THIS PROBLEM WHEN VEHICLES HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 100,000 MILE RANGE) AND NOT JUST COVER THE 94-95 MODELS.

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AT NIGHT, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE. CONSUMER IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS DISCUSSED IN A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL CONCERNING HEADLAMP SWITCH. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. *AK THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE CONSUMER HAD ENCOUNTERED CLOSE CALLS DUE TO HEAD LIGHT FAILURES AND INDICATED THE CONDITON TO BE DANGEROUS. *YH

CONSUMER HAD TOWING COMPANY START VEHICLE. VEHCILE WAS BLOWING OUT WHITE SMOKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & FOUND THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBILE FOR REPAIR COSTS & NO RECALL WAS REGISTERED FOR PROBLEM.*AK

THE BUSHING KEEPS BREAKING ABOUT EVERY 9 MONTHS. WHEN IT DOES WITH OUT WARNING YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUTCH. IF YOU HAVE THE CLUTCH PUSHED IN AND CAR IN GEAR THE ROD CAN POP OUT ENGAGING CLUTCH AND MOVING CAR. IF YOU DON'T BRAKE QUICK ENOUGH AND PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL FAST ENOUGH IT WILL CAUSE A WRECK. *AK

HEAD GASKET PREMATURE FAILURE. BAY FORD REPLACED HEAD GASKET 2 1/2 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS WELL MAINTAINED USED VEHICLE FOR OVER BLUE BOOK PRICE. THE DEALER FAILED TO TELL US WHAT WE NOW KNOW TO BE TRUE - ALL FORDS WITH 3.8L ENGINES WITH THE ALUMINUM HEADS ARE SUFFERING FROM THIS PROBLEM, OFTEN LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE AND LARGE BILLS WHICH FORD IS NOT RECOGNIZING WITH THEIR VERY LIMITED EXTENDED WARRANTY. OUR ENGINE SUFFERED MAJOR LOWER END FAILURE WHILE ON A TRIP, ONLY 4 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES AFTER GASKET REPLACEMENT, WITH 80,000 MILES ON ENGINE. FIVE STAR FORD IN ABERDEEN WASHINGTON RECOMMENDED LONG BLOCK REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $4000. WYNN'S WARRANTY SCREAMED AFTER PAYING BILL OF $1800 FOR HEAD GASKET MONTHS BEFORE. BAY FORD WON'T RECOGNIZE LIABILTY - POINTS TO NO LEMON LAW - AREN'T THEY THE LUCKY ONES - AND WE ARE ALREADY OUT $120 FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE ON HEAD GASKET REPAIR, $175 FOR LOANER CAR WHICH FIVE STAR KINDLY GAVE US AFTER BAY FORD WHO SOLD US THIS WONDER CAR WOULDN'T, PLUS $180 FOR PULLING ENGINE TO BEGIN REPAIR. THIS PLUS NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, AGGRAVATION, DESTROYED VACATION PLANS, BEING STRANDED ON SIDE OF ROAD WITH 3 YOUNG GIRLS WHO MISSED HOCKEY GAME, AND NOW 3 WEEKS WITHOUT CAR. NOW BAY FORD WANTS CAR TOWED BACK 100 MILES AND TO POSSIBLY PUT A USED ENGINE IN AT WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE MORE COST TO US, ALTHOUGH THEY AND WYNN'S HAVE AGREED TO 'HELP' US OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY FORD IS NOT STANDING BEHIND SUCH A GLARING MANUFACTURERS DEFECT? WHAT HAPPENED TO "QUALITY IS JOB #1?" I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS, AND MECHANICS TELL ME THE THUNDERBIRD 3.8 IS SUFFERING SAME HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AS THE OTHER COVERED MODELS. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN AND I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE I KNOW HEARS OF THIS IF FORD DOESN'T STEP FORWARD AND REMEDY THEIR MISTAKE AND STAND BY THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, DOESN'T EXIST IN AMERICA ANYMORE? I WOULD LIKE THIS MADE RIGHT ASAP! *AK

HEADLIGHTS COME ON/OFF. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

AFTER 20-30 MINUTES OF HAVING HEADLIGHTS TURNED ON, THEY WILL BEGIN TO BLINK, TURN ON AND OFF, CAUSING POOR VISIBLITY. CONSUMER FEELS IT IS THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL #99V275000. BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

$2250.00 REPAIR BILL ON KNOWN PRODUCT PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED DUE TO POOR DESIGN RESULTING IN OVERHEATING. NLM

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

NO SUMMARY

Crash

ON 3 OCCASIONS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WITHIN 44,000 MILES WHEN MAKING NORMAL OR SUDDEN STOPS. PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

THE FRONT SEAT BELTS(BOTH SHOULDER AND LAP) DO NOT LOCK AT ANY TIME. THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOSE. EVEN IF YOU JERK THEM, THEY DO NOT LOCK. WE JUST REPLACED THE DRIVER'S LAP BELT AND IT ALSO DOES NOT LOCK. FORD COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT THEY DO NOT RESPOND FOR THE PAST MONTH. WE ONLY WANT TO KNOW IF THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM ONLY LOCKS IN A "REAL" ACCIDENT AND THEY ARE MEANT TO BE LOOSE DURING NORMAL CONDITIONS. THANK YOU.

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS BLOWING OUT HOT AIR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOUR TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY AIRCONDITONER DID NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. I TOOK THE CAR BACK MANY TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE HAD TO PUT 3 NEW AIRCONDITIONERS IN THIS CAR AND IT STILL DOES NOT COOL LIKE IT SHOULD. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS.

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING SHE SMELLED SMOKE. PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND THEY DISCONNECTED ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FAN MOTOR . FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK

Fire

WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 70MPH WHEN ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT 50K (1ST TIME). SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AT 70K. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING WHEN THE ANTI-FREEZE DROWNS THE ENGINE & IT STALLS OUT. THIS ALSO CAUSES THE ENGINE TO BACKFIRE. *AK

SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE. WHENEVER THE DOOR IS OPENED, SEAT BELT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT. BUT IT'S STUCK HALF WAY. THE RETRACTOR MOTOR HAS MALFUNCTIONED & THE BELT FAILED TO WORK. *AK