1991 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS REGION IN AR, THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN...FOUND A LITTLE $3 PIECE THAT BROKE ON THE PART THAT HOLDS THE LINKAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION TO THE THROTTLE... CAR KEPT GOING FASTER AND FASTER... BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND GO UP STEEP INCLINE... KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. HAD TO REPLACE THE PIECE THAT BROKE, THE TRANSMISSION, CAR STILL IDLED HIGH.. AND HAD TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART AS WELL. THE BRAKES ARE VERY SPONGY, THEY HAVE BEEN BLED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND THE MASTER CYLANDER REPLACED AND THEY STILL HAVE TO BE PRESSED DOWN 2-3 INCHES (VERY SOFT) BEFORE YOU FEEL ANY SORT OF BRAKAGE. THE CAR STILL DOES NOT RUN CORRECTLY. HAVE SPENT 650.00 + ON AIR CONDITIONER, AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. APPEARS TO BE A SHORT IN IT, BECAUSE WHEN CAR IS ACCELLERATED, IT WILL START COOLING AGAIN... ONE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, SO SOMETHING IS SHORTING IT OUT.

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK IN A WIDE OPEN POSITION WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION AND REAPPLY PEDAL TO GET IT UNSTUCK. DEFECT DUE TO A PLASTIC BUSHING CONNECTED TO A THROTTLE VALVE CABLE BECAME DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING CABLE TO TO BECOME LODGED AGAINST THE ACCELERATOR.*AK

3.8 V6S SINCE 1988 HAVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD COVER THIS PROBLEM WHEN VEHICLES HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 100,000 MILE RANGE) AND NOT JUST COVER THE 94-95 MODELS.

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AT NIGHT, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE. CONSUMER IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS DISCUSSED IN A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL CONCERNING HEADLAMP SWITCH. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. *AK THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE CONSUMER HAD ENCOUNTERED CLOSE CALLS DUE TO HEAD LIGHT FAILURES AND INDICATED THE CONDITON TO BE DANGEROUS. *YH

CONSUMER HAD TOWING COMPANY START VEHICLE. VEHCILE WAS BLOWING OUT WHITE SMOKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & FOUND THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBILE FOR REPAIR COSTS & NO RECALL WAS REGISTERED FOR PROBLEM.*AK

THE BUSHING KEEPS BREAKING ABOUT EVERY 9 MONTHS. WHEN IT DOES WITH OUT WARNING YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUTCH. IF YOU HAVE THE CLUTCH PUSHED IN AND CAR IN GEAR THE ROD CAN POP OUT ENGAGING CLUTCH AND MOVING CAR. IF YOU DON'T BRAKE QUICK ENOUGH AND PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL FAST ENOUGH IT WILL CAUSE A WRECK. *AK

HEAD GASKET PREMATURE FAILURE. BAY FORD REPLACED HEAD GASKET 2 1/2 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS WELL MAINTAINED USED VEHICLE FOR OVER BLUE BOOK PRICE. THE DEALER FAILED TO TELL US WHAT WE NOW KNOW TO BE TRUE - ALL FORDS WITH 3.8L ENGINES WITH THE ALUMINUM HEADS ARE SUFFERING FROM THIS PROBLEM, OFTEN LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE AND LARGE BILLS WHICH FORD IS NOT RECOGNIZING WITH THEIR VERY LIMITED EXTENDED WARRANTY. OUR ENGINE SUFFERED MAJOR LOWER END FAILURE WHILE ON A TRIP, ONLY 4 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES AFTER GASKET REPLACEMENT, WITH 80,000 MILES ON ENGINE. FIVE STAR FORD IN ABERDEEN WASHINGTON RECOMMENDED LONG BLOCK REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $4000. WYNN'S WARRANTY SCREAMED AFTER PAYING BILL OF $1800 FOR HEAD GASKET MONTHS BEFORE. BAY FORD WON'T RECOGNIZE LIABILTY - POINTS TO NO LEMON LAW - AREN'T THEY THE LUCKY ONES - AND WE ARE ALREADY OUT $120 FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE ON HEAD GASKET REPAIR, $175 FOR LOANER CAR WHICH FIVE STAR KINDLY GAVE US AFTER BAY FORD WHO SOLD US THIS WONDER CAR WOULDN'T, PLUS $180 FOR PULLING ENGINE TO BEGIN REPAIR. THIS PLUS NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, AGGRAVATION, DESTROYED VACATION PLANS, BEING STRANDED ON SIDE OF ROAD WITH 3 YOUNG GIRLS WHO MISSED HOCKEY GAME, AND NOW 3 WEEKS WITHOUT CAR. NOW BAY FORD WANTS CAR TOWED BACK 100 MILES AND TO POSSIBLY PUT A USED ENGINE IN AT WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE MORE COST TO US, ALTHOUGH THEY AND WYNN'S HAVE AGREED TO 'HELP' US OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY FORD IS NOT STANDING BEHIND SUCH A GLARING MANUFACTURERS DEFECT? WHAT HAPPENED TO "QUALITY IS JOB #1?" I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS, AND MECHANICS TELL ME THE THUNDERBIRD 3.8 IS SUFFERING SAME HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AS THE OTHER COVERED MODELS. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN AND I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE I KNOW HEARS OF THIS IF FORD DOESN'T STEP FORWARD AND REMEDY THEIR MISTAKE AND STAND BY THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, DOESN'T EXIST IN AMERICA ANYMORE? I WOULD LIKE THIS MADE RIGHT ASAP! *AK

HEADLIGHTS COME ON/OFF. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

AFTER 20-30 MINUTES OF HAVING HEADLIGHTS TURNED ON, THEY WILL BEGIN TO BLINK, TURN ON AND OFF, CAUSING POOR VISIBLITY. CONSUMER FEELS IT IS THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL #99V275000. BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

$2250.00 REPAIR BILL ON KNOWN PRODUCT PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK