1994 Ford Thunderbird complaints

NO SUMMARY

WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH & NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER PULLED INTO GAS STATION & HAD VEHICLE CHECKED. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE'S HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN OUT. ALSO THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED. *AK

THE TIRES CAME WITH THE THUNDERBIRD & ARE CRACKED ON THE INSIDE. THERE ARE HAIRLINE CRACKS ON THE OUTSIDE, AS WELL. THE CASING OF THE TIRES ARE BREAKING THE TIRES. DUE TO THE CRACKS, TIRES ARE 1/2 INCH FROM RIM. TAKING VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER. THE TIRES ARE LEE P21570R15 - PERFORMANCE RADIAL GT. IDLER PULLEY WENT OUT.

LOSS OF FORWARD DRIVE ON INTERSTATE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ABLE TO PULL ONTO SHOULDER CAR WENT INTO DRIVE BEFORE I STOPPED. PROBLEM CONTINUED TO DO THIS EVERY 40 OR 50 MILES . I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT TO BE REPAIRED. THIS HAS STARTED TO DO THIS AT SPEEDS OF 40-50 MPH AFTER ONLY DRIVING 10-12 MILES *AK

A PART WITHIN THE SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO RELEASE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

HEAD GASKETS BLEW, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE STREET AT 40-45 MPH, VEHICLE OVERHEATED. DROVE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *AK

SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. TOWED VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT INFORMED COSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK *ML

HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT 69000. REPLACED HEADS, GASKETS, INTAKE AND OUTTAKE THERMOSTAT, CAR STILL NOT RUNNING PROPERLY. BLEW GASKETS TWICE. AT PRESENT TIME IT IS BEING WORKED ON FOR THE SAME PROBLEM

LEAK DUE TO EITHER GASKET FAILURE OR CHANNELING DUE TO CORROSION OF ALUMINUM PARTS. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. TECHNICIAN SAID IT BLEW A HEAD GASKET. OTHER FORD MODELS ARE COVERED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE THUNDERBIRD IS NOT. *AK *ML

CAR WAS CHECKED AFTER FOUND TO BE RUNNING WARMER THAN USUAL. HEAD GASKETS AND CYLINDER HEAD WATER PORTS WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND REPLACEMENT WAS SUGGESTED. APPROXIMATLEY 1500 MILES AFTER THIS WORK WAS PERFORMED THE CAR DEVELOPED ADDITITIONAL ENGINE PROBLEMS INCLUDING EXCESIVLY WORN MAIN BEARINGS RESULTING IN A REPLACEMENT "SHORT BLOCK" BEING INSTALLED. SINCE THIS WORK HAS BEEN PERFORMED THE CAR HAS HAD OIL LEAKS AND TUNE-UP PROBLEMS.

DOOR HINGES FAILED. *MJS

THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LAMP HOUSING AND SOCKETS WERE DAMAGED BY HEAT GENERATED BY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC,IT COULD BE FIRE HAZARD. YH

MULTIPLE BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS, SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SENSOR REPLACEMENTS, WIRING SYSTEM REPAIRS, TWO ALTERNATORS AND FOUR BATTERIES REPLACED, AND WITH IN THE FIRST YEAR THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN MOTOR FAILED THREE TIMES.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DEVELOPED A SEVERE SHUTTER AT APPROX 45,000MILES.VARIOUS FORD SEVICE MANAGERS HAVE STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN ASKED IF THIS COULD BE A SAFETY PROBLEM IN CONTINUED USE, NO POSITIVE RESPONSE OTHER THAN IT IS MOST LIKELY THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND NO INFO ON SAFETY IS KNOWN. REPLACEMENT OR OVERHAUL IS ALWAYS AN OPTION, HOWEVER THE COST IS EXCESSIVE AND THE NEW UNIT COULD FAIL AGAIN. THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT FAILED, THE FLUID AND FILTER WAS REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES. *AK

TRANSMISSION EXPERINECES VIBRATION AND DIFFICULTY IN LOSS OF POWER DURING SHIFTING. MJS

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHUTTERS BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR. IN THE MORNING, WHEN WARMING IT UP, IT WILL NOT MOVE TO GO FOWARD OD BACKWARDS. *AK

HAVE HAD TWO TRANSMISSION IN LAST 4 MONTHS. MULTIPLE PROBLEMS, SHUTTERS, "ZIP" NOISES WHEN ACCELTERATE, RPM JUMPS WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE CAR TO FEEL LIKE IT IS IN NEUTRAL, NOW MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES OFF AND ON. LESSON HERE...NEVER BUY FORD!!!

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY BETWEEN FIRST AND THIRD GEARS WHICH MAY RESULTIN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

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

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.

TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT ON THERE OWN. *YC

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES SHAKE AND MAKE THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR MOVE . *AK

WHEN DRIVER RELEASES FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, VEHICLE KEEPS INCREASING IN SPEED FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 SECONDS. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARP UNNESSESSARILY EARLY IN LIFE, FORD REPLACES PER TSB BUT NO RECALL. -- TAILLAMPS FAIL AFTER TRUNK TRAUMA (IE CLOSING IT) OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. FORD FIXES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES. -- THE MN12'S 4R70W TRANSMISSION IS NOTED FOR TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER AND NUMEROUS SHIFT PROBLEMS THAT ARE ADDRESSED IN TSB'S BUT THE NUMBER OF TSB'S AND FAILURES OF THE AODE/4R70W TRANSMISSION WARRANTS A RECALL ON THE CONTROL ASSEMBLY (VALVE BODY). TRANNY IS PRONE TO FAIL.

THE ROTORS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS HAVE WARPED SIGNIFICANTLY CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ROTORS ARE TURNED WHEN DETERMINED BY A SERVICE CENTER. PADS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE FRONT ROTORS USALLY WARP BEYOND USAGE FIRST, THEN REAR FOLLOWS SHORTLY AFTER THE FRONT ROTOR REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, AS WE ALL USE THE CAR. I FEAR THAT THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT IF THE ROTORS WARP PREMATURELY AGAIN IN A CRITICAL SITUATION. THE AVERAGE MILES ON THE ROTORS BEFORE REPLACEMENT IS 10K MILES. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES AGO, AND AGAIN THE ROTORS ARE WARPING CAUSING POOR BRAKING.

6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION FAILED, WAS REBUILT. IN 1998 HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS, PADS AND CALIBERS REPLACED. ALSO, IN 1998, HEAD GASKETS BLEW, HAD TO REPLACE. IN 1999, PCV AND PCP VALVE REPLACE, OIL SENSOR, DASHBOARD GUAGE MODULE REPLACED. NOW IN AUGUST OF 1999, TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AGAIN. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

THIS CAR HAS BEEN A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT, WHATS MORE AFTER MY 7TH FORD PRODUCT, AND EVERY ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN THIS CAR AS NEW, IT IS STILL GIVING ME DEFAULT PROBLEMS IE: WINDOW MOTOR AT 33000 MILES....CAR IS GARAGED!!!( DOT NUMBER: )

FIRST COMPLAINED TO DEALER THAT TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD ON 11/04/1994 @ 10378 MILES: DEALER RESPONDED NO PROBLEM FOUND. NEXT VISIT TO DEALER ON 09/20/1995 COMPLAINT VIBRATION IN DRIVELINE AT UPSHIFTS - DEALER RESPONDED NO PROBLEM FOUND. CONTINUED TO TAKE CARD IN TO DEALER COMPLAINING OF INTERMITTENT PROBLEM - ENGINE REVS (TACHOMETER INCREASES) AND VEHICLE NOT MOVING FORWARD. DEALER SAID CONTINUALLY THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FINALLY CAR GOT TO POINT WHERE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING AT NEARLY EVERY SPEED EVERY DAY. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT AMERICAN TRANSMISSIONS, ROYAL OAK, MI. PROBLEM STILL NOT SOLVED. AFTER SEVERAL RETURN VISITS, PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE FAULTY ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE, FORD PART NO. F3LP-7F293-BA, WHICH ESSENTIALLY PUT TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IN DRIVE. THIS FAILURE IS WHAT I TRIED TO RESOLVE UNSUCCESSFULLY WITH FORD DEALER FOR APPROX. 5 YEARS. PROBLEM WAS THE SAME EACH TIME, AND WAS FINALLY IDENTIFIED AND REPAIRED BY SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE FORD SERVICE NETWORK. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS "COASTING" UNTIL THE TRANS "CAUGHT".

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT JUST ABOUT ANY SPEED THE CAR STARTS TO SHUDDER. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS MY TORQUE CONVERTER IN MY TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED IT AT 39,000 MILES AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED 3 OR MORE A WEEK BECAUSE THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT BUILT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE SIZE MOTOR BUILT IN THE CAR. NOW AT 60,000 THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CANNOT REPLACE IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT LASTED MORE THAN 12,00 MILES AND IT WOULD COST ME BETWEEN $700 TO$1,000 DOLLARS. PLEASE HELP I DONT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY RIGHT NOW.

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION , UPON IMPACT, THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED, RIPPING THE DASHBOARD APART AND BROKE THE SUNROOF. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WE PURCHASED A USED 1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD, FROM A DEALER, WITH 49,000 MILES ON IT AND WE ARE WONDERING IF THERE WERE EVER ANY RECALL OR REPAIR CAMPAIGNS ON THAT YEAR AND MODEL? PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY AND WHAT THEY ENTAIL. WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM THAT THE DEALER WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF. SEVERAL THINGS WILL HAPPEN. 1. ONE SITUATION IS AT ENGINE START-UP THE ANTI-LOCK LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT, AS IT SHOULD. 2. ANOTHER SITUATION IS THAT THE LIGHT GOES OUT THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO, THEN WHILE DRIVING AN ODD NOISE COMES FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AT THAT TIME THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. 3. THE OTHER SITUATION IS THAT THE LIGHT GOES OUT, BUT WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE NOISE HAPPENS, THE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE BRAKES GRAB. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT, IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS AS IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *AK

THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED 2X SINCE THE BEGINNING TO JULY 1998. THE WHEN YOU FILL THE TANK IT IS AS IF SOMEONE HAS TURNED ON A FAUCED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND GASOLINE JUST POURS OUT. GASOLINE FUMES ARE ALWAYS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE BEEN TO 3 MECHANICS AND ALL HAVE CLAIMED THAT IT IS FAULTY FUEL PUMP BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LEAK GASOLINE. THE PROBLEM STARTED BEFORE THE 60,000 WARRANTY RAN OUT BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE WE WERE ON VACTION AT THE TIME. AS SOON AS WE RETURNED WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED IT WASN'T COVERED BECAUSE WE WERE 1100 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING GASOLINE AND FUMES ARE ALWAYS PRESENT . ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED SINCE WE ARE AT A LOSS AS TO WHO TO TURN TO. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX BUT $1200 LATER WE STILL HAVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, TRANSMISSION WILL DOWN SHIFT, ENGINE WILL ACCELERATE & RPMS GO UP, USUALLY AFTER ENGINE IS WARMED, 10-15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. *AK

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS TO NEUTRAL AT ANY SPEED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD JUMP INTO NEUTRAL UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER, BUT DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 55-65 MPH, PRESSED BRAKES HARD, AND SEATBACK AND SEAT BELTS WENT TO THE DASH WITH THE PASSENGER, ALLOWING HER UPPER BODY TO HIT THE DASH. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH TO 70 MPH, VEHICLE WILL DOWNSHIFT, TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP, AND VEHICLE LOSES POWER. POWER WILL COME BACK ON, AND THEN THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE. *AK

TRANMISSION GRINDS AND SLIPS IN AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE AND LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. TRANMISSION WAS FIXED ONCE BEFORE BY DEALER. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED NOW.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 20 MPH AND REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT LOW IMPACT, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. INSURANCE COMPANY FEELS AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED DUE THE LOW AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AND SPEED. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS OUT OF OVERDRIVE AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 40-60 MPH . CAR LOSES ALL POWER AND ACTS LIKE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS YOU CAN PUSH SOMETIMES ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO FEEL LIKE IT SLIPS AND THE TACH RPMS GO TO ALMOST 6000 RPM BEFORE THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. CAR HAS HAD THE MAIN COMPUTER REPLACED TWICE, AND THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY HAS BEEN REPLACED AT THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP PER THEIR ADVICE BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. .........PLEASE TRY TO ADVISE ME OF A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A FRIEND THAT HAS THE SAME MODEL OF CAR AND THE SAME YEAR WHO IS EXPERIENCING THE SAM SORT OF PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE O-RING FAILED,DUE TO A CRACK IN THE SENDER PUMP, RESULTING IN LEAKAGE.

TRANSMISSION GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THE THIRD TIME AT OWNER'S EXPENNSE. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN 1, 2, 3, AND 4 GEAR. *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE JUST TOUCHED, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO FLOOR BY THEMSELVES THEREBY STOPPING ON A DIME, CONTENTS AND PEOPLE BEING THROWN FORWARD. WE HAVE HAD FORD DEALER CHECK AND THEY "THINK" IT MAY BE MASTER CYLINDER OR VACUUM PROBLEM ,BUT CAN'T REPRODUCE PROBLEM, THEREBY CAN'T FIX. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS BUT INCONSISTENT PROBLEM! *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE RPMS GO HIGHER AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RACE FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. ALSO, ONE DAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCLEERATED WHILE THE FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES, AND DROVE INTO A WALL, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK