1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

THE CONNECTOR THAT THE BULBS PLUG INTO FOR THE THRID BRAKE LIGHT ON THE BACK DASH IS ALL MELTED AND BROWN ON BOTH SIDES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

TSB 97M91, REPLACED ALREADY 11/14/98, LEFT MYSELF AND DAUGHTER STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF DESERT. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO COVER COSTS OF LOSS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

PULLED UP TO A GAS STATION PUMP AND ALMOST CAMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. REAR WHEELS WERE SPINNING WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE FROM REVVING, CONSUMER PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND PUMPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONTACTEDTHE DEALER, AND DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE IS A LEMON. ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL AND MAKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE CRANKSHAFT INSIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO THE TIRES HAD TO BE CHANGED EVERY THREE MONTHS BECAUSE TREADS ON TIRES WORE OUT. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON, DEALER REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. RETURNED TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR GAS MILEAGE DOWN 10-20%, LOW IDLE AND STALLS, POOR DRIVEABILITY - FORD AND DEALER STATE CAR IS NORMAL - ALL DATA FROM PURCHASE DATE AVAILABLE - CLEARLY SHOWS NEGATIVE CHANGE AT TIME OF PART REPLACEMENT

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 65- 70 MPH VEHICLE WILL SHAKE AND VIBRATE . DRIVER CAN FEEL IT IN STEERING AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALER CANNOT FIX DEFECT, AND CLAIMS THAT IS HOW VEHICLE IS DESIGNED. *AK

BOTH CYLINDER HEADS AND INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED CAUSING COOLANT LIGHT TO COME ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. NLM

OIL IN MY ENGINE POURED OUT AND ENGINE LOCKED UP WOULD NOT KEEP OIL IN IT. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES TWICE I ONE YEAR BECAUSE OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE THEN FINALLY IT GOT SO BAD HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS ON FRONT END, MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE FOR THE OUTSIDE JUST HAPPEN TO START GOING CRAZY ONE DAY AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A TRIP TO THE BEACH AND HAS BEEN IN CORRECT EVER SINCE. AND BY THE WAY I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAS BEEN MORE TROUBLE THAN A JOY. *AK

IN 1998 I STARTED HAVING CAR PROBLEMS, A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT FLUID WAS GETTING PAST THE HEAD GASKET. IN JANUARY OF 1999 I HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED BY HERITAGE FORD. I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER THAT SAID THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE 3.8L MOTORS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. & HERITAGE FORD & WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY CAR WASN'T ON THEIR LIST THEY CAN'T HELP ME. THEY HAVE ALREADY ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE SAME MOTOR WE HAD & I FEEL THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE US ALSO,NOT BECAUSE OF THE MODEL OF OUR CAR BUT THE KIND OF MOTOR THEY SOLD US. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE THEY INSTALLED THE NEW MOTOR, & HAVE HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK AT LEAST 5 TIMES & OF COURSE PAY A BILL EACH TIME, THE CAR STILL SPITS & SPUTTERS IN HOT WEATHER. CAN YOU HELP US??? *AK

COOLANT LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER STILL HAS VEHICLE, REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE, DEALER IS HELPING TO COVER SOME OF COST. *ML