1994 Ford Thunderbird

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  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.

• 12/27/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

• 12/27/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS: BRAKES BRAKE UNEVENLY; VIBRATION/SHIMMING WHEN APPLIED; PULLS TO RIGHT; UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. TT

• 12/27/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  FRONT BRAKES CHATTER, BECAUSE THE ROTORS CONTINUALLY WARP. *DSH

• 12/26/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  6TH CYLINDER NOT FIRING, LOSING OIL, VIBRATING SEVERELY WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER 40 MPH. *AK

• 12/26/2000· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION IN THESE THUNDERBIRD IS TERRIBLE THE PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM HAS ALREADY HAD IT FIXED AND I HAVE TOO. IT IS STARTING TO ACT UP AGAIN FOR EXAMPLE I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND MY CAR WILL SLIP GEAR AND WILL CAUSE ME TOO TEMPORY LOSE CONTROL. I FEEL AS THOUGH THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER DRIVERS. *AK

• 12/24/1999· POWER TRAIN

  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

• 12/22/1999· POWER TRAIN

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

• 12/21/2000· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  CAR WOULD RUN AT 60-70 MILES PER HOUR WITHOUT PRESSING THROTTLE PEDAL. CAR WOULD RUN AWAY DUE DUE TO UNCOMMANDED THROTTLE.

• 12/19/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  NOISY BRAKES DUE TO WARPED ROTORS. *AK

• 12/18/1994· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  OIL PRESSURE GAUGE FAILED. *SKD

• 12/07/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WARPED ROTORS. *SKD

• 12/06/2004· SEAT BELTSCrash

  MY SON AND HIS GIRL FRIEND HAD A WRECK IN MY WIFE'S CAR, REARENDING ANOTHER CAR WHILE WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS, BUT THE BELTS DIDN'T LOCK, ALLOWING THEM TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. SEATBELTS WILL NOT LOCK AND HOLD WHEN THROWN FORWARD IN CRASH.*AK

• 12/06/1994· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE KNOCKS WHEN COLD STARTED.

• 12/04/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION VIBRATES WHEN GOING INTO OVERDRIVE, DUE TO TORQUE CONVERTOR FAILURE.

• 12/03/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  CAR WILL DOWNSHIFT AND ACCELERATE UNDER ALL CONDITIONS.I.E. FROM A START OR WHILE AT A CONSTANT SPEED IT WILL DOWNSHIFT AND ACCELERATE.

• 12/03/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  FRONT AND REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. *AK

• 12/02/2016· AIR BAGS

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND BLINKED A "13" CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING WAS FAULTY. THE PART (PART NUMBER: F4SZ14A664A) WAS DISCONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

• 12/02/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED CAUSING SHUDDERING AND VIBRATION.

• 12/02/1997· POWER TRAIN

  DELAY IN SHIFTING MECHANISM DUE TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION.

• 11/29/2003· POWER TRAIN

  I NOTICED IMMEDIATLY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED THAT WAS 11/98 IT TOOK SEVERAL CALLS TO THE DEALER AND A COARSE OF A YEAR FOR THEM TO FINALLY FIX IT. SECOND TIME I BROUGHT IN TO SHOP REPLACED WHOLE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS 12/99. NOW IN 6/03 THE TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO SLIP AGAIN. ALSO HAD RECALL LETTER ABOUT HEAD GASKETS, FORD REFUSED TO WORK WITH ME ON REPLACEMENTS, HAD TO BE REPLACED OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. PRIVATE DEALER LIED ABOUT CONDITION OF VEHICLE, IT HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHEN I BOUGHT IT. FORD MADE NO ATTEMPS TO HELP RESOLVE PROBLEMS. *AK

• 11/26/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

• 11/23/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  HEAD GASKET FAILED. *AK

• 11/21/2000· SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC BUTTONS THAT LOCK & UNLOCK GEARS TO SHIFT BROKE OFF WHILE IN USE. BUTTONS FAIL TO STAY IN PLACE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHERE MECHANIC REPAIRED BUTTONS WITH 1995 VEHICLE DUE TO BREAKAGE OF PLASTIC BUTTONS. ALSO, VEHICLE WOULD SHIMMY WHEN ACCELERATING. *AK

• 11/21/1994· SEAT BELTS

  LEFT/RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT RESTRAINTS FAILED. *SKD

• 11/20/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  PREMATURE WEAR OF HEAD GASKETS. MANUFACTURER HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS; HOWEVER, CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION. *AK

• 11/19/1998· POWER TRAIN

  A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, IT SHIFTS FROM 3RD GEAR INTO OVER DRIVE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 11/19/1994· SUSPENSION

  REAR SWAY BAR STRUT BROKE. *SKD

• 11/17/1995· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED, ELECTRICAL SHORT. TT *JB

• 11/17/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. TT

• 11/17/1994· EQUIPMENT

  AIR CONDITIONER EMITS ODOR. *SKD

• 11/15/2005· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  I WAS DRIVING AT A STEADY 60 MPH WHEN A SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY AND FOUND A BLOWN HEAD GASKET TO BE THE PROBLEM. CAR HAS 101,000 MILES. CONTRARY TO MANY OTHERS, THIS IS A 4.6 V8. *JB

• 11/14/1994· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  STARTER WIRING FAILURE. *AK

• 11/14/1994· SEATS

  SCREWS FELL OUT OF SEATS. *SKD

• 11/09/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE EEC WIRING (TWO HARNESSES FOR THE TRANSMISSION) FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO WATER AND SNOW SPLASHING UP ONTO THE WIRING CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF CORROSION. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WILL BE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL PARTS. NO OTHER MEASURES ARE SUGGESTED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. THE WIRING IN QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY SHIELDED IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE EXPOSURE THAT CAUSED THE CORROSION.

• 11/08/1994· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FAILED 3 TIMES. *AK

• 11/07/1994· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE SENSOR LIGHT FAILED. *SKD

• 11/04/1996· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION VIBRATES GOING INTO OVERDRIVE.

• 11/03/1994· STRUCTURE

  KEY STICKS IN TRUCK LOCK.

• 11/02/2001· TIRES

  REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1994, FORD, THUNDERBIED; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT 69,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P215/70R15, DOT# UNAVAILABLE. AFTER REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE A SEVERE BOUNCE WHEN DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT RIGHT REAR, RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR STEEL BELT BROKE AND REPLACED. AT 89000 MILES RIGHT FRONT STARTED THUMPING FROM BROKEN STEEL BELT. *YH

• 11/01/1998· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT WITH THE FORD THUNDERBIRD. LUCKILY, I DID NOT INCUR ANY BODILY HARM, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR PERSONAL INJURY IS SIGNIFICANT. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1998 THE COMPUTER ON MY THUNDERBIRD FAILED. EVERYTHING ON MY CAR IS CONTROLLED BY THIS SINGLE PART TO SOME DEGREE. THE THUNDERBIRD HAS ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION, WHICH DEPENDS SOLELY ON THE COMPUTER TO REGULATE THE GAS FLOW. INSTEAD OF SHUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN WHEN THE COMPUTER FAILED, THE COMPUTER ACTUALLY ALLOWED AND UNREGULATED FLOW OF GASOLINE INTO THE ENGINE. THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE TWO SIGNIFICANT SITUATIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE HUMAN INJURY. FIRST, THE EXCESS GAS IN THE ENGINE COULD CAUSE A FIRE, OR EVEN WORSE, AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE. SECOND, THE EXCESS GAS MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AGAINST THE DRIVER'S WILL AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY, THIS FLAW IS ALSO VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. THE EXCESS GAS IN THE ENGINE CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. WHILE THE COMPUTER COST 'ONLY' $550 TO REPLACE, THE BILL TO REPAIR THE ENGINE DAMAGE WAS OVER $2000. MY CAR HAS HIGH MILEAGE FOR A 1994 VEHICLE, SO THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE FIRST COMPLAINTS FILED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROMPTLY ADDRESSED BY FORD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND MAKE CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM.

• 10/30/1996· POWER TRAIN

  REPLACED TRANSMISSION/OVERDRIVE. *AK

• 10/28/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER EXPEREINCED PROBLEMS WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOING FROM COLD TO HOT INSTANTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER FEELS FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *JG

• 10/28/1994· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  DASHBOARD REFLECTS IN WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *SKD

• 10/27/1998· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  97S84; FUEL LINE RUBS AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN, FORD CONTACTED AND NO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE AFTER THE RECALL. *AK

• 10/26/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHILE PARKED APPLIED BRAKES TO SWITCH INTO REVERSE, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE WITH DRIVER'S FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. OWNER HAD TO APPLY EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP. DEALER WAS REPLACING MASTER CYLINDER DUE TO BOLTS BREAKING.*AK

• 10/25/1998· POWER TRAIN

  TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO SHUDDER AT SHIFT POINTS INTO THIRD & OVERDRIVE WITH NORMAL ACCELERATION, UPON AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION THE ENGINE TURNS TO 4,500 RPM BEFORE SHIFTING IN TO SECOND. *ET

• 10/25/1995· SEAT BELTSCrash

  UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROX. 30MPH, DRIVER'S SHOULDER/LAP BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. TT

• 10/24/1995· POWER TRAIN

  OVERDRIVE BUTTON FAULTY.

• 10/23/1998· POWER TRAIN

  TORQUE CONNVERTER ON THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT PREMATURELY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE VERY HARD WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 35MPH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK