Engine
Filed Jan 17, 2002
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. TECHNICIAN STATED ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 8002376
1990 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.
11
Latest Jan 17, 2002
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.
8%
of 140 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0
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 1990 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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
Engine
Filed Dec 4, 2000
REPLACED DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 875968
- Incident
- Nov 11, 2000
Engine
Filed Nov 18, 2000
I DID NOT KNOW WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT THIS; I HAVE ANGERED A VIGILANTE GROUP. THE GROUP, WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE THE KLAN, ARE DRIVING THEIR OPEN BED PICKUP TRUCKS IN FRONT OF ME WITH OPEN CONTAINERS OF SOMETHING, I SUSPECT TO BE A CANCER CAUSING PESTICIDE. IT IS PLUGGING UP MY AIR FILTERS, WHICH I HAVE SAVED. I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY AND TEST THE AIR FILTERS TO DETERMINE THE AGENT THAT IS BEING USED TO ACCOST ME. IT WON'T COST YOU VERY MUCH AND IT COULD POINT OUT A PROBLEM THAT COULD SAVE MANY LIVES. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 736539
ElectricalEngine
Filed Oct 17, 2000
Fire reported
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY 4 DAYS. IT CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPT DISTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. INDICATION OF FIRE ORIGIN WAS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH FIXED WIRES. CONTACTED FORD. INDICATED RECALL WAS SENT OUT. BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SKIPPING & MISSING. TOOK TO SERVICE DEPT & INFORMED HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & WATER LEAKED INTO CYLINDER. NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THUNDERBIRD ABOUT HEAD GASKETS. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 873227
Engine
Filed Jun 16, 2000
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 724092
- Incident
- Jun 3, 2000
Engine
Filed May 3, 2000
3.8 V6 HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. LOSING WATER. FORD IS HAVING MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS. I AM TOLD BY DEALER FORD WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT HELP WITH REPAIR COST. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 722251
- Incident
- Apr 1, 2000
Engine
Filed Apr 16, 2000
CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. CRANKSHAFT SENSOR CAUSES SAFETY HAZZARD BY FAILNG AND STALLING CARE MAKING IT UNABLE TO RESTART WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. CAR MUST BE PULLED OR PUSHED OFF OF ROAD AND TOWED. THIS CAUSES DANGER TO PASSENGERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. ALSO RECALL 99S30 COVERS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER 1992 EVEN THOUGH VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 1989 HAD THE SAME FAULTY SWITCHES IN THEM.
- NHTSA ID
- 721545
Engine
Filed Jan 30, 2000
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW WATER PASS BLEW INTO #3 CYL CAUSING FAILURE OF GASKET. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 718059
- Incident
- Dec 12, 1999
EngineExterior lighting
Filed Jan 13, 2000
THE HEADLIGHT COVER JUST FELL OFF SOME WHERE. THE HEAD GASKETS -- WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE FORD STORE AND THEY FIXED THEM FOR US UNDER OUR WARRANTY BUT THEY ARE BLOW AGAIN LESS THAN 6 MONTHES LATER. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 717279
- Incident
- Oct 1, 1999
Engine
Filed Jul 31, 1997
BOLT THA THOLDS TOGETHER THE HARMONIC BALANCER DISCONNECTED DUE TO DESIGN. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 518334
- Incident
- Mar 13, 1997
BrakesHeating & air conditioningDriver assistance+3 more
Filed Jan 31, 1995
SUDDEN RACING OF THE ENGINE. DRIVER HAS TO RIDE THE BRAKES UNTIL HE SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE IGNITION OFF. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 959393
- Incident
- Jan 29, 1995
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
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .