RoadVitals

1989 Ford Thunderbird Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Jan 15, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 124 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EnginePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jan 15, 2004

BOUGHT BRAND NEW IN 1989. FIRST EARLY PROBLEMS WITH CIGARETTE LIGHTER/ELECTRICAL/HEATING UP INSIDE DASH.- SERVICED 3-4 TIMES, UNDER WARRANTY. FREON LEAKS IN AIR CONDITIONER - REPAIRED TWICE. FUEL LINE REPLACED. STEERING COLUM JAM OF SOMESORT - NO KEY ACCESS. REPLACED 3 ALTERNATORS. CANNOT SHIFT TRANSMISSION INTO OVERDRIVE. REBUILT BY AAMCO. BLEW HEAD GASKET. RADIATOR COOLANT COMMING OUT FROM MUFFLER. GOT RID OF CAR AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID
10070904
Incident
Aug 15, 1995
Engine
Filed Sep 10, 2001

HEAD GASKETS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
563080
Engine
Filed Jan 16, 2001
Fire reported

20 MINUTES AFTER PARKING VEHICLE EXPLODED, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID
878204
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Engine
Filed Aug 24, 2000
1 injury reported

GASKET IN MIDDLE SECTION OF ENGINE WAS SO NARROW IT FAILED COMPLETELY. THE CAR OVER HEATED MANY TIMES AND NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND AT TIMES IT OVER HEATED. REPLACED MANY PARTS THERMASTAT, RADIATOR,CATILITIC CONVERTER TESTED. WHEN MID SECTION DISASSEMBLED THE GASKET WAS SHOWN TO ME AND IT WAS UNDOUTEDLY A POOR DESIGN. TOO NARROW TO HOLD ON ANY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
728864
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 2000

IF I CAN GET IT FIXED FREE LET ME KNOW.... I'LL BE HAPPY TO COOPERATE WITH ABOUT ANY ACTIONS TAKEN...

NHTSA ID
728472
Incident
Jul 4, 2000
Engine
Filed Jul 24, 2000

POSSIBLY HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. HEARD 3.8L HAD RECALL ON THEM AND SHOULD CONTACT YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID
725876
Incident
Jul 18, 2000
Engine
Filed May 9, 2000

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON FORD 3.8L V-6 ENGINE, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING AND CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST $1,500 TO $2,000. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE COVERING MANY YEARS AND DIFFERENT FORD MODEL CARS. FORD HAS EXTENDED EXISTING WARRANTIES FOR SOME MODELS BUT ONLY BACK TO YEAR 1994. PROBLEM IS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT HEAD GASKET THICKNESS AND CYLINDER HEAD BOLT TENSION. ALUMINUM HEADS EVENTUALLY WARP, AND ENGINE COOLANT IS DRAWN INTO ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS CAUSING MISFIRING, POTENTIAL BEARING DAMAGE, EXHAUST SYSTEM CONTAMINATION, OVERHEATING, CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS, CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. CARS AFFECTED INCLUDE WINDSTAR, MERCURY SABLE, MUSTANG, THUNDERBIRD, LINCOLN, TAURUS, FROM 1988 TO 1997. CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, WASH D.C., HAS WRITTEN TO FORD CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, DEMANDING THAT FORD COVER ALL SUCH FAILURES FOR THE PREVOUSLY STATED PERIOD. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DO SO. IN ADDITION TO ENGINE/EXHAUST DAMAGE, SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED CAN RESULT IN A REAR END COLLISION BY VEHICLES FOLLOWING, ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND/OR LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORD REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT REDESIGNED THE GASKET AND HEAD BOLTS, AND ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SPECIFYING THE USE OF THE NEW PARTS WHENEVER HEAD GASKET REPAIRS ARE MADE BY A FORD DEALER.

NHTSA ID
722428
Incident
Apr 8, 2000
EngineVisibility
Filed Jun 23, 1997

DEFECTIVE RESENT CLIP DOES NOT WORK FALLS FROM UNDERNEATH AND KILLS MOTOR RESENT EATS UP THE GLUE. RESULTING IN TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
813372
Incident
Jun 18, 1997
Engine
Filed May 28, 1997

RPM STAYS AT 1500 TO 2000, USUALLY OCCURS AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN/TURNED OFF/TURNED BACK ON.

NHTSA ID
517477
Engine
Filed Dec 16, 1996
Fire reported

AFTER RETURNING HOME, PARKED VEHICLE, VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING THEN WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED, PUT FLAMES OUT, SAID LOCATION OF FIRE IN ENGINE AREA, POLICE ARRIVED ON SCENE. *AK

NHTSA ID
806426
Incident
Nov 27, 1996
Engine
Filed Aug 9, 1996
Fire reported

CONSUMER PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

NHTSA ID
800715
Incident
Aug 7, 1996
Engine
Filed Apr 22, 1996
Fire reported

CAR WAS PARKED IN A BARN AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983285
Incident
Dec 11, 1995
Engine
Filed Apr 22, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983256
Incident
Apr 18, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Driver assistance26Brakes23Electrical22Seat belts17

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .