1997 Ford Thunderbird complaints

DOOR HINGES FAILING BOTH DOORS. DEALER SAYS DOORS TOO HEAVY FOR HINGES BUT WILL NOT REPLACE/REPAIR.*AK

UNSAFE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION/STEERING SHAKES CONSISTANTLY. *AK

IDLE CONTROLLER CAUSE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO 20MPH ON ITS OWN WITHOUT DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR, HAVE TO PRESS BRAKE HARD TO KEEP VEHICLE STILL, HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE VEHICLE

THE TIRE EXPLODED AT 65MPH. WE REPLACED THE REMAINING TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 15MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, SHE TURNIED INTO DRIVEWAY WHEN VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW WHY AIRBAG DID NOT GO OFF. *AK

TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDE OF WALL @ 60 MPH. TREAD FLEW OF AND PUT 7 INCH HASH IN SIDE OF BUMPER ON THE PASSENGER DIE BUMPER WHEN REAR TIE BLEW( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )

NO SUMMARY

TIRE SEPARATION CAUSES EXTREME SHAKING OF THE VEHICLE AT 30 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD THE TIRE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 215/70/R15 )

PE00 020;VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE,AND PULLED TO LEFT/ RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY. TOOKVEHICLE TO THE THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT TIRES WERE SEPARATED. SHE HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED AT HER EXPENSE. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE 205/70R15 FR710. *AK

TREAD SEPARATED ON 2 TIRES AND BLEW OUT. FIRST TIRE WAS AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND LESS THEN 20000 MILES, 2ND TIRE WAS AT 50 MPH AND 30000 MILES. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES, IN FEAR OF MY SAFETY.( DOT NUMBER: W2M3 TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A NOISE FROM RIGHT REAR TIRE. THEN, WHEN GOING HOME FOUND OUT THAT TIRE HAD ALREADY SEPARATED, AND LEFT REAR TIRE WAS STARTING TO SEPARATE. THEY WERE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES, SIZE P275/70R15. *AK

3.8 LITER V6 FORD ENGINE HEAD GASKET DEFECT 1997. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHICH CAUSED POOR STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD STEERING WAS STIFF AND THEN LOOSENED UP NOTICEABLY. PROBLEM WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT HAND TURN. CAR WOULD HESITATE AFTER TURNING. WOULD HEAR A GRINDING OR POPPING NOISE WHILE MAKING TURNS. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK

TOLD BY LEITH FORD'S SERVICE MANAGER THAT PROBLEM WAS INTERNAL TO THE TRANSMISSION AND NOT CAUSED BY MISUSE, NEGLECT, ETC. *AK

THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SHOPPING PLAZA. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 - 15 MPH AND NEVER EVEN HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE. THE FRONT END MADE A LOAD POPING NOISE AND I THOUGHT THE TIRES WENT FLAT. BUT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED AND THE CAR FRAME RESTED ON THE TIRES. WEST HERR CLAIMS THEY HAD PEOPLE FROM FORD COME IN AND LOOK AT IT. THE BALL JOINT POPPED OUT OF THE SOCKET . IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE THRUWAY I WOULDN'T BE WRITING THIS LETTER TODAY, I WOULD BE DEAD. THEY REPLACED BOTH SIDES AT MY REQUEST. *AK

STEERING SHUDDERS, DEALER AND FORD ENGINEER CAN'T FIX AFTER 7 ATTEMPTS. FORD SHOULD BE SLAPPED FOR THIS. THEY HAVE STOPPED TRYING TO FIX IT AND WILL NOT REFUND MY MONEY FOR THIS PIECE OF IGNORANTLY DESIGNED JUNK. *AK

THE SHUDDER IN THE STEERING IS BAD WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHER SPEEDS AND CAUSES LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PRE-LOAD SPRING IN THE RACK AS PER FORD'S TSB DID NOT WORK TO CORRECT THE SHUDDERING.*ET

NO SUMMARY

RADIATOR BEGAN LEAKING COOLANT. CAR RUN HOT. PREVIOUSLY ENGINE MANIFOLD CRACKED. AT THAT TIME(OCTOBER 99), ENGINE RAN HOT AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. THEY REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AND THEN THE RADIATOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE ENGINE IS NOW RUNNING HARDER AND THE NOISE LEVEL IS HIGHER. I FEAR THAT WITH THE CAR OVERHEATING SO MANY TIMES PERMANENT DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE HEADS. THE CAR IS ALMOST OUT OF WARRANTY AND I FEAR I MAY GET STUCK WITH AN ENGINE REPAIR JOB AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

REPEATED REPLACEMENT OF FRONT DISK PADS AND ROTORS, AND FAILURE TO CHECK BACK BRAKES WHICH COST ME $361.00 TO HAVE REPAIRED. ALSO, CONSTANT LEAKS IN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM THAT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIX. *AK

RIGHT REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP, TEARING UP THE ROTOR. THE LEFT SIDE WAS ALSO EXCESSIVELY WORN AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO COMPENSATE FOR THE RIGHT SIDE. CAR HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE CALIPER AND ROTOR ON THE RIGHT REAR, AS WELL AS BOTH SET OF BRAKE PADS. THE LEFT ROTOR TURNED BECAUSE IT WAS WARPED, BUT STILL WITH IN TOLERANCE.

HAD TO REPLACE TIRES TWICE DUE TO THE CAR CAUSING A TIRE SEPARATION ON THE FRONT, RIGHT SIDE. I'VE AGAIN, REPLACED THE TIRES 5000 MILES AGO AND THEY ARE SEVERELY FEATHERED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS VISIBLE TO THE EYE. THE CAR IS WITH-IN THE ALIGNMENT SPECS BUT IT STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT - THE FASTER THE SPEED, THE HARDER THE PULL. HAVE HAD 4 OR MORE FRONT END BRAKE JOBS (ROTORS & PADS) IN UNDER 40,000 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT 40 MPH AND THE TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )

WHILE DRIVING HEAVY SMOKE BEGIN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR REGISTERED HOT AND STARTED TO MAKE CLICKING SOUND. IMMEDIATEDLY CRUISE OUT OF TRAFFIC. TOLD I HAD A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND ALL FLUIDS HAD SPILLED ON THE ENGINE. I AM CONCERNED SEVER DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE WHEN ALL IS BEING REPAIRED IS THE MANIFOLD. IN THE FUTURE I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO PAY FOE A NEW ENGINE WHEN A DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

THIS TBIRD IS A RARE BIRD THAT WAS ORDERED AND DELIVERED WITHOUT A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. TBIRDS HAVE 4 WHEEL INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION AND WHEN DRIVEN ON SLOPED STREETS WILL EASILY LIFT ONE DRIVE WHEEL HIGH ENOUGH TO LOSE TRACTION WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED INTO ANOTHER STREET OR DRIVEWAY THAT HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PLANE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS MAKING A U TURN ON A SLOPED STREET AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I STOPPED, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, STEPPED ON THE GAS AND PROMPTLY RAN INTO A LARGE BUSH ABOU 3' IN FRONT OF ME. I THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED SO I CALLED AAA. THE TOW DRIVER MOVED THE CAR A FEW FEET AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. I CALLED THE SAN DIEGO DEALER THAT DOES MY SERVICE AND THE EXPERIENCED SERVICE WRITER WAS SURPRISED - NEITHER OF US HAD EVER SEEN A TBIRD WITHOUT LIMITED SLIP SO WE ASSUMED LIMITED SLIP DIDN'T WORK IN REVERSE. THE NEXT TIME I WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY TO BACK UP AND TURN AROUND ON A HILLLY STREET AND I LOST TRACTION AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. BOTH TIMES I HEARD A WHINING NOISE THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE DRIVE WHEEL THAT WAS BARELY TOUCHING THE STREET SURFACE. SO I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED IT DID NOT HAVE A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. THEY COULDN'T GET OFF THEIR PREMISES FAST ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NOT SOLD ME THE CAR. FRIENDLY FORD HAS SIMPLY STONEWALLED ME. FORD MOTORS REPEATEDLY HAS STATED IT IS NOT A DEFECT AND THE DEALER ORDERED THE CAR WITHOUT THE LIMITED SLIP

MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER CRACKED AND LEAKS FLUID.

FRONT END VIBRATES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. DEALER CUT ROTORS THEN REPLACED ROTORS. PROBLEM RETURNED AGAIN.R

TAILGATE DOOR LATCH GOT STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DOOR TO SHUT.ALSO, ONCE IT WAS SHUT, DOOR LATCH BECAME STUCK AGAIN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL ANYTHING THAT WAS POWER ASSISTED BY THE ENGINE WOULD DIE OUT, INCLUDING THE ENGINE. DEALER SAID THE AIR SENSOR VALVE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *AK *ML

BRAKES GET VERY SOFT...SEVERE FRONT END SHAKE UPON BRAKING...SERVICED 5 TIMES IN 45K MILES...REPLACES PADS 2 TIMES...ROTORS WARPED...TURNED 3 TIMES...REPLACED ONE TIME...DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEED

BRAKE ROTORS WARPING, NEW REPLACEMENTS WARPING ALSO. STEERING BOX WAS REPAIRED BUT FRONT END STILL SHUDDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS BY DEALER TO CORRECT.

NO SUMMER LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

CAR WAS INVOLVED IN COLLISION AND WHEN BRAKES WHERE APPLIED ALL WHEELS LOCKED UP AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER DOING ABOUT 40 MPH BUT CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH ABS SYSTEM - THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN WORKED ON TWICE IN 2 YEARS BOTH BY FORD DEALERS. SHOULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED WITH ABS. ALSO NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE FRONT END THAT HAS SUFFERED DAMAGE (DON'T KNOW COST YET) FRONT BUMPER, HOOD, HEAD LIGHT, DRIVER SIDE FRONT QUARTER PANEL AND DRIVER DOOR ARE ALL DAMAGED. NOT ONLY DID THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOY, BUT AFTER ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH FLASHED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY, AND ALONG WITH THIS THE SHOULDER HARNESSES ON SEATS DID TIGHTEN, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD PEOPLE BACK TO WHERE ONE PASSENGER IN THE BACK HIT THEIR FACE ON THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT. LUCKILY THERE WERE NOT INJURIES. *AK

NO SUMMARY

PRIOR TO FAILURE, CAR PULL TO THE LEFT DURING BRAKING, AND STEERING DID NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER LEFT OR RIGHT TURN.

FIRESTONE FR 350 P21570R15 TIRES FAILED.

TURN SIGNAL AND TAIL LIGHT BULB FAILED.

TIRE BLOWOUT-(FIRESTONE P215/70R1597 TMTS FR680). *YC

BRAKE ROTOR AND CALIPER FAILED. MJS

PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LININGS AND ROTORS. MGM

VEHICLE PERFORMING SLUGGISHLY. NLM

FUSE THAT OPERATES THE ODOMETER WAS MISSING AT TIME OF DELIVERY, IT WAS REPLACED. *YC

DRIVER SIDE AIR VENTILATION IS NOT WORKING. YH

BACK WINDOW WATER LEAK. YH

HEAD LIGHT SWITCH SHORT, BLEW FUSE, CAUSING NO LIGHTS. YH

WINDOW ELECTRICAL MOTOR FAILED. YH

FRONT BRAKE PAD FAILED. YH

REAR END CARRIER BEARING IS NOISY. YH