1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD Complaints

WHEN DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING THE HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHESYSTEM STOPPED WORKING IN MOTION FAILURE OF THE CLOCK SPRING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED AN ABNORMALLY STRONG COOLANT ODOR. THE CONTACT THEN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE ANTIFREEZE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED. THE INTACT MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO SPILL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED THE FAN BLOWER STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN THE HEAT OR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED. THE FUNCTIONS WOULD ALSO OPERATE ERRATICALLY CAUSING THE FAN BLOWER TO GO FROM HIGH TO LOW ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V007000 (EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER) WAS RELATED BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 123,100.

OPENING DOORS FROM THE INSIDE, LITTLE BY LITTLE, BOTH DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, HAD TO LEAVE WINDOW OR WINDOWS OPEN TO STICK HAND OUT TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. FAILURE OF THESE DOORS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AT SOME POINT IF BATTERY WOULD GIVE OUT WOULD LEAVE US LOCKED IN, BUT FORTUNATELY THAT DID NOT HAPPEN DUE TO US REMEMBERING TO LEAVE AT LEAST ONE WINDOW OPEN. AFTER SOME MINOR REPAIR, FOUND OUT PLASTIC PARTS WORE OUT AND ONLY ONE DOOR CAN BE UNLOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE. *TR

DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD. FORD REPLACED ONCE, FREE OF CHARGE @ 48,523 MILES. CRACKED AGAIN @ APPX. 95,700 MILES. FORD REFUSED TO REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE. REPLACED ONE DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD WITH ONE THAT WAS JUST AS DEFECTIVE. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON THIS MANIFOLD, IT WAS SO BAD. *JB

INTAKE (PLASTIC) CRACKS ;LEAVING FAMILY AND I STRANDED ON 30 MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY WITH NO HOUSES OR BUSINESS. TOWED TO STATION AND FIXED RECALLED INTAKE. TAXI COST HOME AND BACK 2 DAYS LATER TO RETRIEVE CAR SOON STARTED HAVING HEATER COIL LEAKS AND OVERHEATING;ANTIFREEZE CAUSING HEADACHES. ALMOST $1000.00 TO REPLACE 30 DOLLAR PART(DASH BOARD AND CONSOLE REMOVED AND AIR CONDITION UNIT DISCONNECTED AND RECHARGED) DEALER TOOK COST OF NEXT 2 REPLACEMENT HEATER COILS AND IT STILL NEEDS 4TH;NO HEAT;STILL LEAKS ANTIFREEZE INSIDE CAR. INTAKE MANIFOLD(PLASTIC) CRACKED AGAIN;OVERHEATED AND BURNT ME THIS TIME ALSO CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO CAR;VERY COSTLY WHICH I GUESS WE THE CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO BEAR. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE? *TR

TL* - THE CONTACT WANTED TO HAVE REPAIR DONE TO 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD, HOWEVER SERVICE BULLETIN #97M91, DATED JAN 19, 1998 (NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 605621) EXPIRED AND FORD CHARGED FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS 80000. THE CONTACT SAID THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CONTACT WROTE TO FORD. THE REFUSED TO HONOR THE SERVICE BULLETIN. *AK UPDATED 2/6/2007 - *NM

DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CAR ONLY HAS 84,450 MILES ON IT! COST WAS $1002.02 TO REPAIR. WHY IS THE CONSUMER BEING CHARGED FOR THIS COSTLY REPAIR WHEN THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART FROM THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY?*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE A LEAK WAS FOUND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE. THE LINE WAS CORRODED TWO INCHES FROM EITHER SIDE OF A CLIP HOLDING THE BRAKE LINE. NO OTHER CORROSION WAS FOUND ON THE REMAINING BRAKE LINES.

COMPLIANT IS THAT THROUGH MY INSURANCE PROVIDER I WAS ALERTED TO TWO RECALLS THAT SHOULD BE AT LEAST LOOKED INTO ON MY AUTO. THE FIRST IS THE BLOWER ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL BEGAN TO WORK ERRATICALLY AND NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. MEANING THAT MY DEFROSTING DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE OTHER AND MORE SERIOUS IS THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH STICKS AT SMACKS AGAINST THE PEG AND DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY OR AT ALL, UNLESS THE LATCH IS MANUALLY LIFTED. BOTH OF THESE ARE RECALLS FOR OTHER T-BIRDS BUT SOMEHOW MINE SLIPPED THROUGH. VIN IS [XXX]. IF THESE ARE SUCH COMMON PROBLEMS WHY WEREN'T ALL THE T-BIRDS RECALLED? I AM LOOKING AT OVER 600.00 TO REPLACE THESE PARTS. WHICH IS IRRITATING WHEN FORD SHOULD BE FIXING IT'S KNOWN PROBLEMS. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 * JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)