1993 Ford Thunderbird complaints

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE GONE BAD, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC 6 MONTHS AGO THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

HEADLIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF FOR VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. ALSO HAS OCCURRED WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS & FOG LAMPS ON, BUT ALSO OCCURRRED WITH THEM OFF. *AK

A PLASTIC BUSHING BROKE AND ALLOWED A CABLE TO COME OFF THAT CONTROLED THE TRANSMISSIONS ABILITY TO SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. WHEN THE CABLE IS OFF, NO PRESSURE SIGNAL IS KNOWN AT THE TRANSMISSION. SO PRESSURES ARE TOO LOW AND DIRECT CLUTCH WILL BURN UP. THIS PROBLEM WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL 93B17 THAT WAS ISSUED IN 6/93. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 12/93 AND THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED PER THE RECALL, NOR WAS I INFORMED OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLES VIN # WAS NOT SHOWN AS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL PERTAINED TO THIS PARTICULAR CAR. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE CAR HAS A '92 TRANSMISSION WHICH IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION VS. ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN MOST '93 THUNDERBIRDS. THE MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS USED THE PLASTIC BUSHING SUJBECT IN THE RECALL. THUS IT IS MY ASSUMPTION THAT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE "FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS" ON THE RECALL. I AM NOW TRYING TO GET FORD TO REIMBURSE ME OF MY EXPENSES FOR REPAIRS, BUT THEY ARE NOT COOPERATING. CAN YOU HELP? *AK

MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM HE SEES ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH T-BIRDS AND COUGARS. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DO THE REPAIR, I HAD MY REGULAR MECHANIC DO IT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE 94 AND 95 3.8 V6 ENGINES WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE 93, WHICH IS THE SAME ENGINE!

LIGHT BULB SOCKETS IN THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IN REAR WINDOW MELT, DEALER CONTACTED AND ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT REMEDY. THE SOCKETS ARE PLASTIC THAT MELT WITH HEAT. *AK

WHEN DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS DON'T WORK. ALSO, WHEN LOCKING THE SEAT BELTS, ONCE CONSUMER HITS THE BRAKES, THE SEAT BELT WON'T STAY LOCKED. CONSUMER CLAIMS THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

HIGH MOUNTED REAR STOP LIGHT IS MELTING FROM HEAT OF BULB. ENTIRE ENCASEMENT HAS TURNED BLACK. THE BULB SOCKET & ATTACHMENT HAS MELTED DOWN. ENTIRE REAR STOP LIGHT HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

VEHICLE RUNNING ROUGH. PULLED OVER AFTER NOTICING WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE. WATER WAS GONE FROM OVERFLOW. RADIATOR DRY. TOLD WAS BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

THE REAR MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET AND SOCKET AND HOLDER IS MELTING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

HEADLAMPS ARE DISCOLORED DUE TO MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION DECREASING THE HEADLAMP EFFECTIVENESS AND NIGHT VISION, FOG LAMP SWITCH MELTED. NLM

HEAD GASKET/ HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILURES.

HEADLIGHTS AR MADE OF PLEXIGLASS MATERIAL AND ARE YELLOWING SEVERELY, DECREASING HEADLIGHT EFFECTIVENESS. AFTER THREE YEARS FOG LAMP SWITCH FAILED TO ENERGIZE FOG LAMPS. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE FOG LAMP SWITCH WAS LITERALLY MELTED FROM THE HEAT TO WHICH IT WAS EXPOSED UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE. REPLACE FOG LAMP SWITCH.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT FOR NO REASON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACED. NOW THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED.

HEADLIGHTS FAIL.

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILED CAUSING LIGHTS TO FLICKER, CONSUMER COMPLAINS BECAUSE THUNDERBIRDS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. (QCAW)

RACK AND PINION FAILURE.

A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS THEY BEGIN TO FLICKER. THE LONGER THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, THE PERIOD THEY STAY OFF IS LONGER. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

THE DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENS, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO ON AND OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE SOFT BRASS HINGES THAT HOLD THE DOOR COULD NOT HOLD WEIGHT OF DOOR, CAUSING THE DOOR TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER WILL REPLACE HINGES. DRIVER SIDE ALSO HAD TO BE BE REPLACED 5 MONTHS PRIOR. *AK

RUNAWAY ENGINE/SUDDEN ACCELERATION.

15 MINUTES DRIVING AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS FLASH ON/OFF BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW BEAMS. ALSO FOG LIGHTS DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. WHEN APPLIED, LOOKS LIKE A POLICE CAR WITH LIGHTS FLASHING.

THE HEADLIGHTS BLINK ON & OFF WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS GO OFF COMPLETELY. THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON 4/29/98. THE SWITCH WAS ALSO REPLACED IN JAN OF 96 FOR THE SAME PROLBEM. NO PROBLEM EXISTS AT THIS TIME. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR BROKE ALLOWING COOLANT TO ESCAPE.

THE HEADLAMPS TURN THEMSELVES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING, DUE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM FAILURE.

ELECTRICAL HARNESS CONNECTOR BURNED CAUSING LOSS OF LIGHTING.

HIGH-MOUNT TAIL LIGHT BURNT OUT. TRUNK LIGHT BURNT OUT. SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNING ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. IN ADDITION, BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN APPLIED.

HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED 3 TIMES.

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT LATCH RELEASE BUTTON STUCK AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. *AK

AFTER DRIVING FOR 1/2 HOUR WITH LIGHTS ON, HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER. HIGH BEAMS OR FOG LIGHTS COULD NOT BE USED. SPEED WOULD NOT MATTER. TOOK TO SHOP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF DUE TO LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE. DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING. *AK

WHEN USING THE FOG LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS TOGETHER, THE HEADLIGHTS BLINK ON AND OFF. (2) SWITCH HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE LAST ONE REPLACED (3) MONTHS AGO. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

HEATER CLIMATE CONTROL FAILED

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL SWITCH OVERHEATS WHEN THE FOG LAMPS ARE TURNED ON. SMOKE WAS VISIBLE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.

HEATER COILS LEAKED FLUID ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR.

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#97V159000) AND CALLED DEALER. WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THEY HAD NO PARTS.

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#97V159000). TOOK TO DEALER AFTER CALLING FOR APPOINTMENT. AFTER REPAIRS, PICKED UP VEHICLE. OWNER NOT SATISFIED. THE FUMES ARE GONE, BUT GASOLINE STILL ENTERS THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE LIGHTS BLINK OFF FOR ABOUT 3 TO 4 SECONDS AND THEN COME BACK ON. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND REPLACED IT. *AK

SEAT BELTS FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING SWITCHED ON HI-BEAM AND HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, CREATING PROBLEM ON DARK STREETS. CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. *AK

BOTH HEADLAMPS HAVE TURNED YELLOW AND FOGGY, DRIVER CANNOT SEAT AT NIGHT. *AK

FUEL LEAKS OUT OF TANK WHEN FULL .

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. ALSO UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CONSUMER NOTICED THE FRONT END SHAKES, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE TAKING KEY OUT OF IGNITION VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN.OWNER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK

MOTORIZED SEATS DO NOT WORK WHEN DOOR ON DRIVER'SPASSENGER 'S SIDES IS OPENED OR CLOSED. DEALER INFORMED. WILL NOT REPAIR DUE TO MISSING WARRANTY BY 5 DAYS. SAID OWNER IS LIABLE. *AK