1993 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

ENGINE HEAD GASKET CRACKED, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON VARIOUS MODELS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED TWICE, AND OWNER WAS TOLD THAT HIS CAR WASN'T COVERED BECAUSE IT HAD A DIFFERENT COOLANT SYSTEM, AND BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T A LARGE ENOUGH AMOUNT OF STATISTICAL OCCURENCES REPORTED OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILING IN THIS MODEL FOR A RECALL. *AK *ML

RECALL WORK PERFORMED FOR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, PRIOR TO REPAIR THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE ANY FAILURES, AFTER REPAIR OF THE RECALL COMPONENT VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHTS DUE TO A FAULTY MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. *MJS

RECALL # 99V275000 FORD/HEADLIGHTS; DEALER WAS REFUSING TO NONOR RECALL NOTICE. CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL. DEALER INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE SHORTLY BEFORE THE HEAED GASKET BLEW AND ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN POORLY AND BLOW WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. THIS REPAIR WAS VERY COSTLY AND FORD HAS BEGUN TO COMPENSATE OWNERS OF OTHER FORD MODELS WITH THE EXACT SAME ENGINE, BUT NO THE FORD THUNDERBIRD.T. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL TRAFFIC THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP, CONSUMER HAD TO STOP 10 TIMES FOR WATER. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW SOON AFTER. OTHER FORD MODELS HAVE HAD THEIR ENGINES RECALLED, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINS THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE IS NOT EFFECTIVE, IT DOESN'T GIVE THE OWNER SUFFICIENT INFORMATION REGARDING THE LEVEL OF PRESSURE. *AK *ML

CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW BY FATHER IN 1993 AND PURCHASED BY ME (SON) IN 1999. ALL SERVICE TO VEHICLE HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY FORD DEALERS OR NATIONAL OIL CHANGE COMPANIES AT MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS. THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS VERY PREMATURE FOR THIS VEHICLE AND IS INDICITIVE OF A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS ENGINE TYPE. *AK

PLEASE ENCOURAGE FORD TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM ENGINE OR REIMBURSE COST OF REPAIRS!!! NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW 2X 1ST. TIME @ 67,000 MI, AND AGAIN @ 96,000 MI. JUNKED CAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, WITHIN 72000 MILES OF EACH OTHER. CONSUMER WANTS TO BE REIMBURSEDFOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON SOME MODELS FOR EARLY HEAD GASKET FAILURE,AT ABOUT 65,500 MILES, OUR CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE IN IT AS THE RECALLS AND WE HAD FAILURE AT 48,000 MILES, I HAVE CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY TO BE TOLD MINE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM, I HAVE WROTE A LETTER TO JIM O' CONNOR A FORD EXECUTIVE AND I HAVE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. WHEN I QUESTIONED WHY SHE WAS ANSWERING MY LETTER INSTEAD OF JIM SHE REPLIED THAT HE GETS THOUSANDS OF LETTERS DAILY AND DOES"NT HAVE THE TIME TO READ OR ANSWER THEM. ALL SHE TOLD ME BASICALLY WAS WHAT I HAD WRITTEN IN MY LETTER AND SHE COULD'NT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I WAS TOLD TO CALL 1-800-325-5621 WITH MY QUESTIONS, AND THAT MY LETTER WOULD BE FILED IN THEIR COMPUTER JUST IN CASE THEY LATER INCLUDED MY CAR IN THIS EXTENSION. I CALLED THE NUMBER ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT A DEALER HAD TO CALL THIS NUMBER FOR ME. SO I CALLED MY DEALER AND ASKED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 3.8L ENGINE IN MY CAR AND IN THE TAURUS OR WINDSTAR I WAS TOLD THAT THE DIFFERENCES WERE MINOR BUT THAT THE THUNDERBIRD HAD A SUPERIOR COOLING SYSTEM IN IT'S ENGINE. HE SUGGESTED THAT I COME IN AND FILL OUT A CUSTOMER REVIEW FORM AND THEY WOULD SUBMIT IT TO FORD AND THEY MAY HELP ME WITH THE BILL. MY MAJOR COMPLAINT IS THAT IF FORD IS RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND EARLY HEAD GASKET FAILURE, WHY ARE THEY ONLY RECOGNIZING CERTAIN MAKES AND YEAR'S . MY CAR MAY BE A 93 , THE CAR'S IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ARE 94'S AND 95'S BUT THEY HAVE ABOUT 65,000 MILES ON THEM WHEN THEY FAIL, MINE HAS MUCH LESS. I APPRECIATE ANY HELP AS I AM VERY AGGRAVATED WITH THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK