1997 Ford Thunderbird Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

“TREAD SEPARATED ON 2 TIRES AND BLEW OUT. FIRST TIRE WAS AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND LESS THEN 20000 MILES, 2ND TIRE WAS AT 50 MPH AND 30000 MILES. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES, IN FEAR OF MY SAFETY.( DOT NUMBER: W2M3 TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )”

“LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED. HAD NOTICED AN UNUSAL SOUND BEGINNING THE PREVIOUS DAY, BUT COULDN'T DETERMINE WHAT IT WAS. THE NOISE DISSAPEARED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FAILED TIRE WAS CHANGED, WHICH WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE A DEFECT MORE LIKELY THAN A ROAD HAZARD”

“THE FIRESTONE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER IS BEING DENIED RECALL (00T-005). *MJS”

“NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE BRAKING EFFECTS CAUSED BY WARPED ROTORS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THEM AT NO COST, HOWEVER 12 MONTHS LATER ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN, CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING WARPED ROTOR PROBLEMS. *JG”

“BRAKES GET VERY SOFT...SEVERE FRONT END SHAKE UPON BRAKING...SERVICED 5 TIMES IN 45K MILES...REPLACES PADS 2 TIMES...ROTORS WARPED...TURNED 3 TIMES...REPLACED ONE TIME...DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEED”

“FRONT END VIBRATES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. DEALER CUT ROTORS THEN REPLACED ROTORS. PROBLEM RETURNED AGAIN.R”

“CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING FUEL LINE PROBLEMS. THE FUEL LINE THAT COMES OUT OF THE GAS TANK AND RUBS AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE LEAKS GAS UNDER THE VEHICLE GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ENGINE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE”

“FUEL FILTER LEAKS GAS DUE TO CORROSION FROM ROAD SALTS. FILTER LASTS ONLY 1-2 YEARS. *TT”

“A LEAKING FUEL LINE ON MY 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD, (V6 ENGINE), WITH 113000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALER WHO SUGGESTED REPLACING COMPLETELY BOTH FUEL LINES, BECAUSE THERE SEEMED TO BE CORROSION, SO THAT WAS DONE AT A COST TO ME OF $548. AS FAR AS I KNOW”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEEDLE SHIFTED TO THE HOT INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE”

“ENGINE DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK DUE TO A SPLIT IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. RECALL 97M91 WHICH IS ONLY GOOD FOR 7 YEARS FROM THE START OF THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY WAS UP 2 DAYS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. FOMOCO AND DEALER WOULDN'T COVER, TO BAD FOR ME. RECALL DOESN'T COVER REPLACEMENT”

“I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1997 FORD THUNDER BIRD WITH THE 4.6 ENGINE. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED . I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THIS IS A RECALLED PART ON SOME CARS BUT IT SEEMS MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE ORIGINAL REPAIR PART IS NOT AVAILABLE ANY LONG DO TO THE”

“WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER. *AK THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN MOTION. THE REPAIR DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD EXPECT THIS AT 70K”

“BOTH INCIDENTS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND TIME THIS PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. ON THE FIRST OCCASION I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE CAR COLLAPSED. FROM WHAT THE DEALER SAY FORD ENGINEERS LOOKED AT IT AND COULDN'T BELIEVE”

“THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SHOPPING PLAZA. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 - 15 MPH AND NEVER EVEN HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE. THE FRONT END MADE A LOAD POPING NOISE AND I THOUGHT THE TIRES WENT FLAT. BUT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED AND THE CAR FRAME RESTED ON”

“DRIVER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING VEHICLE AND HAD COME TO A STOP IN THE PARKING SPOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CURB, AND CRASHED INTO A METAL BENCH.*AK”

“IDLE CONTROLLER CAUSE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO 20MPH ON ITS OWN WITHOUT DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR, HAVE TO PRESS BRAKE HARD TO KEEP VEHICLE STILL, HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE VEHICLE”

“WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO FORCE VEHICLE IN PARK AND AVOID A CRASH. DEALER UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. *AK *ML”

“VEHICLE T-BONED ANOTHER AT 45-50 MPH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. NO INJURIES, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 7000.00. THIS WAS THE SECOND ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NLM”

“CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 15MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, SHE TURNIED INTO DRIVEWAY WHEN VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW WHY AIRBAG DID NOT GO OFF. *AK”

“CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR WHILE DRIVING, AND THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT CRASHED INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER. VEHICLE FLIPPED INTO A DITCH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY”