1993 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE PREMATURELY BLOWN OUT FOUR TIMES, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BLEW A HEAD GASKET AT A LITTLE OVER 90000 MILES. THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST BLINDING DRIVERS BEHIND AND ON EITHER SIDE. THE CAR ALSO STALLED SEVERAL TIMES BLOCKING TRAFFIC AT MAJOR INTERSECTIONS LEADING UP TO THE ENGINE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS COVERED FOR 1994 AND 1995 T-BIRDS UP TO 100000 MILES, BUT BECAUSE MINE IS A 1993, THEY ARE REFUSING TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION OF ANY KIND FOR WHY THE 1994 IS COVERED, YET THE 1993 IS NOT FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLOWN AT 72,000 MILES. THERE IS NO RECALL OR TSB ON THIS PROBLEM, YET IN CHECKING NHTSA COMPLAINT SECTION THERE APPEARS TO BE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. OF COURSE THESE ARE ONLY THOSE PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE TIME TO FILE A COMPLAINT. MY LOCAL DEALER, JORDAN FORD IN MISHAWAKA, IN, SAYS THAT HE WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO GIVE ME A NUMBER FOR FORD THAT I COULD CALL TO REGISTER MY COMPLAINT. *AK

TALKING WITH OTHER FORD OWNERS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR, YET FORD DOES NOT ACKNOWLEGDE OR ASSIST IN ANYWAY WITH THE THUNDERBIRD MODELS. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE CAR WOULDN'T HEAT UP AND IT WOULD DIE ON ME WHEN I WOULD GIVE IT GAS TO ACELERATE OR TAKE OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT. I ALMOST GOT HIT TWICE. THERE ALSO WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST.*AK

I CONTACTED YOU BACK IN MARCH BECAUSE OF MY THUNDERBIRD'S EARLY ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE,AND MY MANY LETTER'S AND PHONE CALLS TO FORD WHICH WENT UNANSWERED . I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SATISFACTION IN MY COMPLAINTS. IN FORD'S FIRST RECALL OF THEIR 3.8L HEAD GASKET FAILURE MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED THE REASON BEING THAT IT IS A REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE, THE CARS BEING RECALLED WERE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. I ARGUED THAT IT WAS THE SAME ENGINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHY COVER ONLY CERTAIN MODEL'S. NOW I HAVE READ THAT FORD IS AGAIN GOING TO EXTEND WARRANTIES AND COVER REPAIR BILLS FOR THIS PROBLEM IN THUNDERBIRDS AND COUGARS WHICH WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FIRST PROGRAM. THEY STATE THAT DUE TO MANY COMPLAINTS THEY WILL NOW COVER THIS ENGINE IN REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES. I AGAIN PHONED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FORD ONLY TO BE TOLD AGAIN THAT IT DID NOT INCLUDE MY THUNDERBIRD BECAUSE IT IS A 93. I ASKED WHEN MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY PUT IN SERVICE, AND WAS TOLD APRIL4,1993, WHEN MY HEAD GASKET FAILED IT WAS NOT EVEN SEVEN YEARS OLD WHICH IS THE AMOUNT OF YEARS THAT THEY ARE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE MILEAGE ON MY CAR WAS ALSO WAY BELOW THE AVERAGE MILES ON OTHER CARS THAT THIS HAPPENED TO. THE AVERAGE BEING 65,000. MY ORIGINAL QUESTION IS STILL THE SAME ISN'T THE PROBLEM A DEFECTIVE ENGINE, AND IT SHOULD'NT MATTER WHETHER IT'S A 93 OR 94. FORD IS STATING THAT THE ENGINE IS A PROBLEM, BUT WON'T STAND BEHIND IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME WITH THIS .*AK

I HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET, PROBLEMATIC OF MOST 3.8 LITRE REAR WHEEL DRIVE FORD PASSENGER CARS FROM 1988 TO 1996. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM WITH THE '94 THROUGH '96 3.8 LITRES, BUT THESE ARE THE SAME 3.8 LITRES IN THE EARLIER MODELS. I OWN A '93 THUNDERBIRD THAT JUST NEEDED THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED FOR $1000.00 . I SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS ADMITTED HAVING. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR, DUE TO THE FACT THAT FORD IS AND WAS AWARE OF THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKETS-TWICE. ONCE AT ABOUT 65000 MILES AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 120000 MILES. I BELIEVE IT'S DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT--IRON BLOCK/ALUMINUM HEADS--AND INCORRECT ASSEMBLY. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. IF NHTSA WOULD CHECK SERVICE RECORDS ON A NATIONAL BASIS THEN I THINK YOU'D FIND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF IDENTICAL FAILURES. MECHANICS AND SERVICE MANAGERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY LOVE TO SEE US COMING. OTHER T-BIRD OWNERS (AND OTHER FORD MOTOR CO. AUTOMOBILE OWNERS) HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T SOMETHING BEEN DONE?

I AM ON THE FOURTH ENGINE FAILURE OF THIS CAR, I FEEL IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE BUY-BACK THAT FORD IS HOLDING ON THE 95 WINDSTARS. *AK

TOOK CAR IN TO HAVE A RECALL ON A HEAD LAMP SWITCH FIXED. TOLD THEM CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A HESITATION WHEN TAKING OFF AFTER A COMPLETE STOP. THEY TOLD ME IT HAD TO HAVE THE IAC CENSOR REPLACED. HAD THAT DONE AT A COST OF 363.00. THEY ALSO PUT IN A NEW THERMOSTAT, SID ENGINE WASN'T GETTING HOT ENOUGH? 2 DAYS LATER CAR STILL HESITATED AND OVER HEATED. WAS TOLD HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAD THAT FIXED 900.00. THEY ALSO TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE THE TIMING COVER REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAS A POSSIBLE CRACK? TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP HAD THEM TAKE A LOOK, THEY SAID IT LOOKED FINE? *AK