1993 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

ENGINE HEAD GASKETBLEWOUT, CAUSING AND ENGINE TO LEAK. NO DEALER WAS CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. PH. *AK

UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION DUE TO UNCOMMANDED FULL THROTTLE. // WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY DESPITE REMOVING ALL PRESSURE FROM THE GAS PEDAL. WITH HEAVY BRAKING CAR WAS STOPPED. AFTER STOPPING VEHICLE, I PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO 5000 RPM BEFORE BEING TURNED OFF WITH THE KEY. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE HAD DISCONNECTED FROM GAS PEDAL CONTROL CABLE. THROTTLE THEN MOVED TO & BECOME JAMMED AT HIGH POWER BY NEARBY TRANSMISSION LINKAGE (WHICH COMMANDED DOWNSHIFT AS THROTTLE DEMAND INCREASED). DISCREPANCY ORIGINATED WITH FAILURE OF PLASTIC THROTTLE LINKAGE BUSHING WHICH CONNECTS THE END OF THROTTLE CABLE TO ENGINE THROTTLE BODY. DIGITAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I PROMPTLY REPORTED INCIDENT TO SERVICE DEALER VERBALLY & VIA LETTER WITH PHOTOS - NO FOLLOWUP RESPONSE RECEIVED. PURCHASED ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT BUSHING (PART# E1FZ*7F330*A INS-TRANS THRO $2.12) WHICH HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN REDESIGNED AND MADE FROM METAL (PART# F3SZ*7H303*B KIT TRANS THRO $1.20). DEALER ADVISED THAT ORIGINAL BUSHING WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM. DEALER'S MECHANIC WAS FAMILIAR WITH FAILURE/REPLACEMENT OF SUBJECT PLASTIC BUSHING. I SUSPECT THIS FAILURE WILL BECOME MORE COMMON AS THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC BUSHINGS REACH SIMILAR AGE.

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OFF AND THE FOG LIGHT WILL STAY ON. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.TS

VERY LARGE BLINDING CLOUD OF SMOKE EXPELLED FROM EXAUST BLINDING DRIVERS FROM BEHIND AND IT MIGHT NOT BE HEALTHY TO BREATHE. DT

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 3.8 LITER V-6 ENGINE. FORD RECALLED THE '94 TBIRD WITH THE SAME ENGINE, BUT LEFT THE '93 OWNERS OUT IN THE COLD. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT CLAIMS THERE AREN'T ENOUGH FAILURES TO WARRANT A RECALL OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CAR OWNERS. I NOW HAVE A CAR THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE, AND THAT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE REPAIRED. I CAN'T SELL IT, AND I CAN'T TRADE IT IN. I WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY A FORD VEHICLE. DT

ENGINE WOULD OVERHEAT/RUN ROUGH, AND COOLANT WOULD GET INTO OIL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING AND SMOKING. MECHANIC SAYS IT DUE TO HEAD GASKETS.*JB

WHILE STOPPING VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. DEALERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE HEAD GASKET WAS DESIGNED TOO SMALL AND WAS DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNDRIVABLE. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPAIRING THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *YH

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED ON THIS VEHICLE WITH WHAT I CONSIDER VERY LOW MILEAGE, LESS THAN 43K MILES. FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON '94 AND '95 MODEL YEARS TO COVER THIS REPAIR. THIS CAR WAS NOT ABUSED AND HAD EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE OVER THE YEARS. THERE'S NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET OTHER THAN A DESIGN DEFECT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED.*AK