Page 3 of 3 · complaints 101–140 of 140

1990 Ford Thunderbird complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1990 record →

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jul 18, 1996CA

SMOKE FROM STEERING COLUMN.

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Jul 11, 1996MD

SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON DRIVERS SIDE IS BROKEN, FAILING TO KEEP BELTS LATCHED. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed May 2, 1996PA

ABS: FOR 3RD TIME WITHIN 4 YEARS, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON; BRAKES COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE; PRESSED HARD, MAY STOP WITHIN 100 YARDS. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Apr 29, 1996FL

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH AND A PIECE OF THE PLASTIC FELL INTO THE FEMALE PORTION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Apr 24, 1996NC

WHILE PARKED ABOUT 15 MINUTES, NEIGHBOR NOTICED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, SMOKE WAS EVERYWHERE, OPENED HOOD, UNDERHOOD ENGULFED WITH FLAMES; NO WARNING. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 23, 1996AZ

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSED BY THE IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Apr 22, 1996CA

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURN OFF AND CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE OUT. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 19, 1996PA

VEHICLE CAUGHT 0N FIRE CAUSED BY THE IGNITION SWITCH.PLEASE DECRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Apr 19, 1996OH

THERE IS A STRONG BURNING SMELL WHILE VEHICLE IS PARKED, OWNER BELIEVES ITS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 19, 1996IN

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 19, 1996OH

DROVE AND PARKED, AND PARKED, COMPARTMENT FIRE NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

Tires
Filed Apr 12, 1996ID

TIRE HAD PREMATURE BLOWOUT.

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Apr 9, 1996FL

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND WHEN STARTING, UNDER DASH COMPARTMENT FIREBROKE OUT, ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 1, 1996NJ

TRANSMISSION FAILED 5 TIMES. *SD

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 26, 1996FL

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO SLIPPING. *SD

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Abs Warning Light
Filed Feb 8, 1996CA

ANTI-LOCK WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Jan 24, 1996IL

SEATBELT BUCKLE FELL APART UPON UNFASTENING. *SD

Seat Belts
Filed Jan 5, 1996MI

DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT GEARS STRIPPED/SEAT BELT WON'T MOVE BACK TO NORMAL POSITION/STAYS ONLY IN B POSITION. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Dec 28, 1995CA

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE, THE SHOULDER STOPPED AT THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Nov 30, 1995CT

THE ABS SYSTEM WENT OUT. WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED THE PEDAL WAS HARD AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 27, 1995NJ

THE CAR WILL SURGE AND GO UP TO SPEEDS OF 80MPH AND WILL NOT STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Oct 31, 1995CA

THE FRONT SEATBELTS DO NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE BUCKLE STICKS AND WILL NOT LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON STICKS IN THE RELEASE POSITION, THIS OCCURS WITH BOTH AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERSIDE SEAT BELTS.*JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Oct 11, 1995TX

ELECTRICAL SHORT UNDER THE DASH FIRE, WIRING HARNESS , VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF 40 MIN. TT THE CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT STARTED THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE WAS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE AUTHOMATIC SEAT BELT HARNESS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE MALFUNCTIONED. *YH

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Oct 11, 1995PA

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEAD LIGHT FLASHS AND GO OFF . TT

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Sep 7, 1995ME

SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT WORK ON PASSENGER SIDE. TT

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Sep 6, 1995TX

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Sep 5, 1995WY

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILS TO COMPLETELY CYCLE STOPPING/HANGING WITH MOTOR OF SEAT BELT STILL RUNNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Aug 14, 1995OH

ABS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING WHILE IN PARKING LOT ABS SYSTEM WENT COMPLETELY OUT. TT

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 11, 1995CA

AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE DURING FRONTAL COLLISION; REARENDED ANOTHER SLOWLY MOVING VEHICLE; FRONT END WENT UNDER BUMPER. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 5, 1995CA

THREE MAJOR TIMES THE ABS SYSTEM WENT OUT COMPLETELY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/RegulatorFire
Filed Jun 22, 1995TX

VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE SHORT IN ALTERNATOR. RESULTING IN VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 20, 1995OK

BOTH FRONT LAP BELTS RELEASE BUTTON STICKS; DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT SLIDE BACKWARD ON TRACK AS INTENDED. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 9, 1995AR

MOTORIZED SHOULDER PASSIVE RESTRAINT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD, IN THE EVENT THAT YOU ARE IMPACTED OR MAKE A SUDDEN MOVE YOU MAY BE STRUCK BY PASS. RSTRAINT. TT

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Jun 2, 1995MI

THE DRIVERS DOOR WHEN OPENED DROPS ABOUT 1/2 INCH DUE TO HINGES NOT BEING STURDY ENOUGH FOR WEIGHT OF DOOR AND MAD EIT HARD TO CLOSE PROPERLY. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed May 23, 1995NE

PLASTIC GAS TANK IS COMING APART AT THE SEAMS FORD OFFERS NO HELP. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist
Filed May 22, 1995OH

POWER BRAKE MOTOR FAILED DUE TO SHORTING OUT, CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL. *SKD

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash1 injured
Filed May 15, 1995NY

AUTO-TRANS: WHILE COMING OUT OF GARAGE WITH FOOT ON BRAKES TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO HIGH SPEED;HIT TWO PARKED CARS;NO WARNING. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Mar 21, 1995CA

HAVE HAD THREE SETS OF BRAKES IN THE LAST 4 YEARS BRAKES STILL GRAB AND SLIP. TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jan 31, 1995FL

SUDDEN RACING OF THE ENGINE. DRIVER HAS TO RIDE THE BRAKES UNTIL HE SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE IGNITION OFF. TT

Steering › Rack and Pinion › Rack
Filed Jan 27, 1995TX

BINDING OF THE SHORT RACK CAUSING STEERING TO LOCK OFF. TT

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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