1986 Ford Thunderbird Owner Complaints

I HAVE THREE SEPARATE INCIDENCES. FIRST OCCURRING IN 1997 WHILE TAKING MY GRANDSON TO HIGH SCHOOL: WHILE COMPLETING THE TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT AT HIS SCHOOL, MY 1986 THUNDERBIRD SUDDENLY SURGED AS IF I HAD FULLY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND NEITHER OF US WERE INJURED NOR WAS THERE ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE. INCEDENT#2- WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM SHOPPING, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LANE CLOSEST TO THE CURB ON A 4 LANE STREET WHEN SUDDENLY, AGAIN, MY CAR ACCELERATED AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHERE I JUST BARELY GLANCED OFF A SMALL STATIONERY POLL THAT WAS POSITIONED BASICALLY ON THE SIDEWALK. AGAIN, THANK GOD, NO ONE WAS HURT AND THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. FINAL INCEDENT #3: NOT SO LUCKY THIS TIME. I WAS GOING THROUGH THE MCDONALD'S DRIVE-THRU, AFTER PLACING MY ORDER, MY CAR SUDDENLY TAKES OFF AGAIN, VEERS RIGHT, AND MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE LITERALLY DRIVES UP ONE OF THE 5 VERY HEAVY-DUTY GUARD POLES SURROUNDING THE MAIN ELECTRICAL BOX THUS IMPAILING MY CAR AND SERIOUSLY BENDING THE POLE. IN RETROSPECT, I FEEL I WAS PRETTY BLESSED; NO ONE WAS EVER HURT...EXCEPT FOR ME, NOW, AFTER MORE THAN 45YEARS CLASSIFIED AS A "GOOD DRIVER" NOW IPAYING AN EXTRA$60.00 PER MONTH FOR MY AUTO INSURANCE FOR SOMETHING THAT I KNOW FOR SURE WAS NOT MY FAULT(PLUS THE FACT I HAD TO DISH OUT FOR A NEW CAR...AND ALL THIS COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A WORSE TIME.

NHTSA ID

763620

Incident

Aug 4, 2001

WHILE DRIVING FROM THE DEALERSHIP FROM HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLEW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP DUE TO AN OIL LEAK, THE VEHICLE REMAINED ON THE DEALERS LOT FROM JUNE-NOVEMBER 1997 WHILE A DECISION WAS BEING MADE ABOUT WHO WAS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. MLM

NHTSA ID

560327

BOTH FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BROKEN INTO, THE TORQUE OF THE ENGINE HAS CAUSED IT TO ROTATE CAUSING THE FAN TO CUT INTO THE RADIATOR SHROUD. *SLC

NHTSA ID

558123

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

737731

Incident

Mar 1, 1995

WAS DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON. VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST MECHANIC. INFORMED THAT DISTRIBUTOR MODULE WAS DESIGNED TO FAIL & WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

874474

Incident

Sep 12, 2000

THE TREADS HAVE COME OFF TWO OF MY TIRES IN THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE A THIRD TIRE WITH IT'S TREAD ALMOST COMING APART. BOTH TIMES WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY DOING 65. WILL THESE TIRES BE RECALLED. THE LAST TIME THE TREAD CAME OFF I SAVED THE TIRE AND TREAD. WE HAVE THREE KIDS AND WE DON'T FEEL SAVE DRIVING THEM IN THE CAR.( DOT NUMBER: W2HY TIRE SIZE: 215/70R/14 )

NHTSA ID

731376

Incident

Aug 12, 2000

ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH, EVERY MONTH, FOR THE LAST YEAR I WOULD GO OUT AND GET IN THE VEHICLE TO START IT UP. WHEN I TURNED ON THE IGNITION THE MOTOR WOULD CRANK AND CRANK BUT IT WOULD NEVER FIRE. I WOULD LET THE VEHICLE SET A FEW MINUTES THEN TRY AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULTS. IF I LET THE VEHICLE SIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY IT WOULD FINALLY START. THE VEHICLE AGAIN DUMP ME A PARKING LOT IN PORTMOUTHS, VA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO JOHN KOOL LINCOLN/MERCURY. THE VEHICLE STARTED FOR THEM THE NEXT DAY AND AGAIN AFTER MANY TRYS. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AT THIS TIME SO I CAME TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE THEN WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT FIRE. THE DEALER SERVICE TECH. THEN RAN A FEW MANUAL & EQUIP. TEST AND DETERMINED THE IGNITION MODULE AND DISTRIBUTOR STATOR ASSY. HAVE A INTERNAL SHORT. THE DEALER REPLACED THEM AND RE TESTED TO VERIFY OPERATION.

NHTSA ID

730350

Incident

Aug 24, 2000

VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A CLAMP FOR FUEL LINE, WHICH THEN CAUSED LINE TO BECOME LOOSE AND IGNITE A FIRE, RESULTING IN FATALITY(DRIVER). *AK

NHTSA ID

856543

Incident

Dec 15, 1999

ENGINE REVS WITHOUT ACCELERATION.*ET

NHTSA ID

782860

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

WHEN THE OWNER WARMS THE CAR, HE SHIFTS THE GEAR TO DRIVE AND THE CAR STALLS. HE STARTS THE CAR AGAIN, SHIFTS TO DRIVE AND THE CAR STALLS WHEN HE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DRIVER WAS IN AN CRASH BUT DID NOT DESCRIBE IT.

NHTSA ID

541767

SEAT BELT FAILED TO SECURE PASSENGER DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA ID

539879

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

THE SCISSOR JACK SCREW STRIPPED UPON JACKING UP THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER DISPOSED OFF. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

826814

Incident

May 1, 1998

RESTRAINT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK. OWNER WILL NOTIFY THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

821701

Incident

Feb 26, 1998

DRIVING 50-55 MPH; DRIVER SMELLED SMOKE & PULLED OFF ROAD. TURNED VEHICLE OFF & EXITED. VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES. INSURANCE AGENT/INSPECTOR COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF FIRE. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID

818289

Incident

Sep 20, 1997

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)

NHTSA ID

602449

Incident

Sep 3, 1996

VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

512077

Incident

Oct 13, 1996

ENGINE RACES AT VERY HIGH RPM WHEN STARTED, DUE TO COMPUTER PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

507553

Incident

Oct 1, 1986

IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

NHTSA ID

983457

Incident

Apr 10, 1996

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, AUSED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO GO OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

984798

Incident

May 19, 1996

PHONE EXT 4708; WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE STARTED SMOLDERING UNTIL FLAMES APPEARED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

984269

SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASED, BUTTON INOPERATIVE. *TT

NHTSA ID

501696

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKEN, WILL NOT LATCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

968132

EGR RELAY ASSEMBLY/EGR VAC CONTROL/EGR VALVE/EGR SENSOR REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE SURGING/BUCKING.

NHTSA ID

481484

Incident

Dec 12, 1994