1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD

295 complaints filed with NHTSA.

295
Complaints
18
Crashes
4
Fires
29
Injuries
1
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE20
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR19
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING12
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION11
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER10
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS10
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP8
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS8
TIRES:TREAD/BELT8
SUSPENSION:FRONT7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE7
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL7

Recent Complaints

20070714ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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 HEA

Mileage: 20,000

20070714STRUCTURE

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 HEA

Mileage: 20,000

20070714VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

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 HEA

Mileage: 20,000

20050421FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE ON A 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD V8. PART FAILURE WAS PRECEDED BY A "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" AND "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT. TURNS OUT THAT FORD HAD PUT OUT "SERVICE BULLETIN" IN 1999 AND FOLLOWED UP ON IT IN 2001 ON THIS ISSUE (97M91) YET THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ANY OWNERS. COST OF REPAIRS FOR THIS PART WILL BE AROUND $1,000 YET FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING WILLINGLY TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. FAILURE OF PART COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT CORRECTED. *MN

Mileage: 81,335

20041028CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. VEHICLE REVVED EVEN WHILE THE CONSUMER HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE, WENT THROUGH A GUARD RAIL, AND FINALLY STOPPED WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *TC

Mileage: 113,000

20040420EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

96 FORD THUNDERBIRD HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTINGSMOKING HEADLIGHTS OUT. KEVIN VANOY, ASTORG FORD PARKERSBURG, WV SAYS THIS IS COMMON. HE ORDERED PART SAID MECHANIC SEPARATED WIRES AND ORDERED PARTS. SAID NO MORE PROBLEMS DRIVE AWAY. LIGHTS STILL GO OUT MELTING WIRES. GLEN DETHY CARRIAGE FORD CLARKSVILLE, IN ORDERS PARKERSBURG TO SEND PARTS TO IN, BUT WILL CHARGE $100 EXTRA TO INSTALL, NEITHER DEALER WOULD RUN A HOT WIRE WITH A CABIN SWITH TO LET CUSTONMER SAFELY HAVE LIGHTS. BOTH DEALERS SENT CUS

Mileage: 69,999

20030117CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE COLLIDES WITH GARAGE DOOR. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

20001101FatalTIRES:TREAD/BELT

THE LEFT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE TREAD WAS TORN FROM THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAD STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY WHICH RESULTED IN A SEVERAL CAR COLLISION, DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS KILLED WHEN SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE TO TRY AND ALERT TRAFFIC. (ACCIDENT VICTIM WRITING IN) *MJS

20000803CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHILE DRIVING 30MPH & APPLYING THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A VEHICLE THAT STOPPED. HOWEVER, VEHICLE HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS, AND IT REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT DUE TO NO BRAKES. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED BRAKES WERE GONE. PIN IN THE BRAKES HAD BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO BE INOPERATIVE. *AK

20000803CrashEXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

WHILE DRIVING 30MPH & APPLYING THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A VEHICLE THAT STOPPED. HOWEVER, VEHICLE HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS, AND IT REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT DUE TO NO BRAKES. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED BRAKES WERE GONE. PIN IN THE BRAKES HAD BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO BE INOPERATIVE. *AK

20000714FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE THEN PARKED IT AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. A TECHNICIAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT FIRE STARTED BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL WIRING SHORTING OUT. *AK

19990804CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD AND MIRROR. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL BUSTED.CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK

19990804CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD AND MIRROR. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL BUSTED.CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK

19990316CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

CONSUMER WAS STANDING OUTSIDE PUMPING GAS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. AFTER A FEW SECONDS VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, CONSUMER RAN BEHIND CAR JUMPED INTO DRIVER'S SIDE AND BEGAN TRYING TO APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE ROLLED INTO A LIGHT POLE. *AK

19990304CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS HIT ON LEFT MIDDLE AND WAS BUMPED INTO SOMEONE ON THE RIGHT AT ABOUT 20MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT CAME LOOSE. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

19990304CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE WAS HIT ON LEFT MIDDLE AND WAS BUMPED INTO SOMEONE ON THE RIGHT AT ABOUT 20MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT CAME LOOSE. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

19980818STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

RACK AND PINION STEERING SHAFT/TIE ROD FAILED AFTER RIGHT FRONT TIRE GLANCED A STANDARD STREET CURB CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AS THE VEHICLE SKIDDED ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFICE BEFORE COLLIDING WITH OPPOSING TRAFFIC. OWNER HAD RODS TESTED, AND TESTS SHOW NUMEROUS IMPURITIES AND METALLIC FLAWS.

19980818STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

RACK AND PINION STEERING SHAFT/TIE ROD FAILED AFTER RIGHT FRONT TIRE GLANCED A STANDARD STREET CURB CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AS THE VEHICLE SKIDDED ACROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFICE BEFORE COLLIDING WITH OPPOSING TRAFFIC. OWNER HAD RODS TESTED, AND TESTS SHOW NUMEROUS IMPURITIES AND METALLIC FLAWS.

19980713STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION STREERING ROD/TIE ROD END BROKE WHEN WHEELS CRASHED INTO CURBS.

19980713STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

RACK AND PINION STREERING ROD/TIE ROD END BROKE WHEN WHEELS CRASHED INTO CURBS.