2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE CRACKED AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED SOON. IT IS NOT RIGHT THAT FORD WILL NOT COVER THIS AFTER THE WARRANTY. MY CAR IS A 2002 THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN IN 2003 SO IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO IT IS NOT LIKE WE TYPICALLY DRIVE THESE AS AN EVERYDAY CAR. MINE HAS ONLY 13,000 MILES. *NM

THE HEADLIGHT BRACKETS ON THE 2002 THUNDERBIRD CRACK AT THE REAR, WHERE THE HEADLIGHT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME WITH A BOLT. ALSO CRACKS IN THE ENTIRE REAR BODY OF THE HEADLIGHT... DESIGN WAS CHANGED IN 2003, FORD WILL ONLY REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY, AFTER WARRANTY FORD WILL NOT REPLACE OR ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM... THERE ARE OVER 280 MESSAGES AT WWW.THUNDERBIRDNEST.COM RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. *JB

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGUARDING A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. I AM THE ORIGIANL OWNER, AND HAVE HAD THE CAR IN A FORD REPAIR SHOP 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ENGINE THROTTLE STICKS, USUALLY WHEN THE THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE LAST INCIDENT RESULTED IN THE CAR RUNNING THROUGH THE KITCHEN OF MY HOUSE. FORD CAN NOT FIND ANY REASON FOR THIS REOCCURING PROBLEM

WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD ABOUT TWO CAR LENGTHS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BACK TIRES SPIN AND THERE WAS A SMELL OF RUBBER. *JB THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *NM

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES ABRUPTLY THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB *NM

MY WIFE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF OUR 2002 THUNDERBIRD WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A COMPLETE STOP IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CAR "ROLLED" ACROSS THE ONCOMING LANE AND SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THIS FAILURE IS IDENTICAL TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES DESRIBED IN ODI ID NUMBER: 10014291 DATED MARCH 3, 2003. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE SOFT CONVERTIBLE LOCK MECHANISM BROKE. *AK THE TOP FLEW UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE FREEWAY. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO GRAB THE LOCKING MECHANISM WHEN IT BROKE. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. CONSUMER TOWED VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING APPROX 40 MPH. SLOWED TO STOP FOR AN ANIMAL IN THE ROAD AND ENGINE FAILED. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED W/O PROBLEM. HAD THIS OCCURED IN A BUSY INTERSECTION, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND NOTIFY FORD. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST COMPLAING YOU HAV RECIEVED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. *AK

TWICE MY 2002 THUNDERBIRD'S ENGINE HAS STOPPED WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. BOTH TIMES, IT OCCURRED AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN A 55 MPH ZONE. WHEN IT QUIT, I WAS UNABLE TO STEER OR CONTROL THE VEHICLE IN ANY WAY. I HAD TO PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTART IT BEFORE I COULD LEAVE THE ONCOMING LANE. FORD HAS AN UNPUBLISHED OASIS SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE 16581 WHICH STATES: "2000-2002 LINCOLN LS & 2002 THUNDERBIRD - INTERMITTENT ENGINE QUIT ON DECEL/STOPS/TURNS. SOME 2000-2002 LINCOLN LS & 2002 THUNDERBIRD VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT ENGINE QUIT CONDITION. THE ENGINE QUIT MAY OCCUR ON DECELERATION, LOW SPEED/PARKING LOT MANEUVERS OR AGGRESSIVE BRAKING. THE CONDITION MAY NOT BE EASILY DUPLICATED, TYPICALLY NO DTCS WILL BE PRESENT AND THE ENGINE WILL START NORMALLY AFTER THE EVENT. THIS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING THE QUICK SERVICE FIX PROCESS. UNTIL ROOT CAUSE IS DETERMINED, PLEASE FOLLOW NORMAL PC/ED MANUAL DIAGNOSTICS AND SUBMIT EDSR'S." MY VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP AND HAS BEEN FOR WELL OVER A MONTH. I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO REPLACE IT UNDER OREGON'S LEMON LAW. I HAVE JUST STARTED THIS PROCESS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUT COME WILL BE. BUT I AM WORRIED THE CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. HAD THERE BEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN I WAS MAKING THIS TURN IN A 55 MPH ZONE, I VERY WELL MIGHT BE BEEN EXTREMELY INJURED OR DEAD, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHALKED UP TO SOMEONE TURNING LEFT UNSAFELY. OBVIOUSLY, FORD IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT, BUT OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEIR ENGINE MAY SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS HAS POTENTIAL FOR EXTREMELY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. *JB