1991 Ford Thunderbird Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1991 Ford Thunderbird, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes1915.4%
- Seat belts1512.2%
- Engine1411.4%
- Electrical129.8%
- Fuel system118.9%
- Driver assistance108.1%
- Exterior lighting108.1%
- Visibility86.5%
- Heating & air conditioning64.9%
- Steering43.3%
- Suspension32.4%
- Interior & seats21.6%
- Body & structure21.6%
- Other / unspecified21.6%
- Powertrain (other)21.6%
- Transmission21.6%
- Airbags10.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE ASSIST ON SUPER COUPE. PEDAL BECAME HARD TO PRESS. BOTH BRAKE AND ABS ANNUNCIATORS ILLUMINATING. TROUBLESHOOTING INDICATES BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH FAILING TO SIGNAL PUMP TO CHARGE SYSTEM OR ACCUMULATOR HAS FAILED. MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS SYSTEM ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND THUS 24 YEARS OLD.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD COME ON. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO SLOW/STOP VEHICLE, THERE IS NO RESISTANCE BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND IT GOES TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES; AT 15-20 MPH RANGE/ 20-30 MPH RANGE, AND AT 40-50 MPH RANGE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED THAT ON A PREVIOUS VEHICLE WITH SAME DEFECT OCCURRED. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON BRAKE SYSTEM AND FOUND NO DEFECTS, BUT REPLACED BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH REPAIRED DEFECT. CONSUMER HAS NOT DETERMINED WHETHER OR NOT HE WILL HAVE THIS DONE. *AK *SLC
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT STOPPED WORKING, CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.*AK
THE FRONT SEAT BELTS(BOTH SHOULDER AND LAP) DO NOT LOCK AT ANY TIME. THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOSE. EVEN IF YOU JERK THEM, THEY DO NOT LOCK. WE JUST REPLACED THE DRIVER'S LAP BELT AND IT ALSO DOES NOT LOCK. FORD COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT THEY DO NOT RESPOND FOR THE PAST MONTH. WE ONLY WANT TO KNOW IF THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM ONLY LOCKS IN A "REAL" ACCIDENT AND THEY ARE MEANT TO BE LOOSE DURING NORMAL CONDITIONS. THANK YOU.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
3.8L V6 ENGINE OVER-HEATED DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN #4 CYLINDER. BOTH HEADS WERE REWORKED AND GASKETS REPLACED. AFTER REPAIR ENGINE STARTED STALLING. IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS THEN REPLACED. NOW THERE IS A FLUCTUATION IN OIL PRESSURE. PRIOR TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE, POWER STEERING PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK
OVERHEATING AT FIRST THEN AFTER THE HEADGASKETS WERE REPLACED THE ROD BEARINGS FAILED WHICH ADDED ANOTHER 1200.00 TO THE 1645.00 OF THE FIRST REPAIR AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST REPAIR.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLIGHTS COME ON/OFF. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING SHE SMELLED SMOKE. PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND THEY DISCONNECTED ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FAN MOTOR . FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS AUTO WAS A LATE BUILD THUNDERBIRD 5-91 IT HAS SOME 92 THUNDERBIRD SYSTEMS INCLUDING RECALLED FUEL LINES OF THE 1992 THUNDERBIRD. *AK
MAJOR FUEL LEAK WHEN FILLED. *AK
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. *TR
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STRUCK. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WERE APPLIED. *AK *NM
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
DEFECTIVE HEADLAMP CIRCUIT BREAKER CAUSES HEADLIGHTS TO FLASH OFF AND ON REPEATEDLY. FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN CAR WAS 2 YEARS OLD, SECOND FAILURE IN THE LAST YEAR. CAR HAS LESS THAN 57,000 MILES. 1991 SUPERCOUPE MODEL HAS FOGLAMPS AS DO THE 1992 AND LATER THUNDERBIRD MODELS FOR WHICH A RECALL EXISTS.*AK
HEADLIGHT FAILURE INTERMITTENT OPERATION. TS
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
PLASTIC BUSHINGS IN BOTH ENDS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER TIE-ROD COMPONENT HAVE WORN. CAUSES WIPERS TO MOVE LESS, SKIP, AND LOSE ABILITY TO CLEAR ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. TIE-ROD MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM MOTOR END OR FROM WIPER END. CAR HAS LESS THAN 57000 MILES.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREEZE UP WHEN WIPERS ARE TURNED ON HIGH. THIS IS A SIMILAR DEFECT TO THE "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 91V076000" PROBLEM I CAN NOT USE THE MY CAR WIPERS ON HIGH IN THE RAIN. *AK
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR CONDITIONER GETS A COOLANT-TYPE SMELL AND THEN BEGINS TO BLOW HOT AIR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, THE FIRST TIME BEING IN 1996. MOST OF THE TIME THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SOMETIMES, THEY REPLACE "O" RINGS, GASKETS, FREON, ETC. BUT IT STILL DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS BLOWING OUT HOT AIR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOUR TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
3.8L V6 ENGINE OVER-HEATED DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN #4 CYLINDER. BOTH HEADS WERE REWORKED AND GASKETS REPLACED. AFTER REPAIR ENGINE STARTED STALLING. IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS THEN REPLACED. NOW THERE IS A FLUCTUATION IN OIL PRESSURE. PRIOR TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE, POWER STEERING PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED.*AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED UP THE WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE TRAVELING, TOTALED, RECALL #95S28 RECEIVED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING HEARS A LOUD BEEP COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. CAN'T ACTUALLY TELL WHERE BEEP IS COMING FROM. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK
IT LOOKS LIKE DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE INDEPENDANT REAR SUSPENSION THE REAR WHEELWELL WELDS AND FLOOR PAN APPEAR TO BE TEARING AWAY FROM THE CAR. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS STUCK IN POSITION, CANNOT BE USED AT ALL.
VEHICLE FIRE UNDER/AROUND DASH AND STEERING COLUMN. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
HOOD RODS FAIL TO KEEP THE HOOD IN THE RAISED POSITION.
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR FLEW OPEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE WHEEL STUDS ARE TOO THIN AND THEY ARE BREAKING AND CAUSING THE WHEELS TO COME OFF WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE REAR AXLE BROKE WERE IT MEETS THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING AND THE TIRES CAME OFF. TT *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR AXLE BROKE WERE IT MEETS THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING AND THE TIRES CAME OFF. TT *JB
SPEEDOMETER STICKS. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION'S FIRST GEAR FAILED; THREE OUT OF FIVE TAKE-OFFS, VEHICLE STARTS IN SECOND GEAR. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
OWNER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT GOING 60MPH AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
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 .