Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 1992 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 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.
The 25 most recent of 28, in the owner's own words
LEFT AND RIGHT OUTER AND INNER ROCKERS ROTTED. BAD DESIGN, NO VENTILATION BUILT IN TO DRY MOISTURE INSIDE ROCKER. THEREFORE THEY ROT TILL THERE IS NO MORE ROCKER, COSTING $700 PER SIDE TO HAVE A FORD BODY SHOP TO CUT OUT AND WELD IN NEW ROCKERS.*AK
PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE - REPAIR COST OF $970. *AK
HEAD GASKET- CAR BEGAN SKIPPING AND THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF EXHUAST. I DROVE IT HOME (3 MILES). I PULLED THE SPARK PLUGS AND FOUND THAT THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER PLUG CLEAN AND WET. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR AND CYLINDER. WHY WON'T FORD HELP? I HAVE YET TO BRING IT TO A GARAGE SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE HEAD OR BLOCK IS DAMAGED. I AM HOPING NOT! TRANSMISSION- AOD MODEL STARTING AT ABOUT 79,000 MILES IT BEGAN TO SHIFT FUNNY AND GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS TIME WENT ON. NOW SHIFTING ERATIC, WAS LOOKING INTO FIXING IT WHEN THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM CAME UP!!!!!*AK
THE DAY AFTER HAVING THE WATER PUMP REPLACED AFTER A FAILURE, THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE RAISED TO THE MAXIMUM THAT THE GAUGE CAN DISPLAY (NO SPECIFIC TEMP, JUST C-NORMAL-H). TOOK CAR BACK TO THE GARAGE WHERE THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AND THEY SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN AND REPAIR WOULD COST $1100. FOR A SECOND OPINION I LIMPED IT TO A PERSON WHO "SECIALIZES" IN SUPER COUPES AND HE CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS. HE SAID HE HAD SEEN MANY TBIRD SC'S COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND MILAGE DID NOT PLAY A PART IN THE DEFECT. HE REPORTED TO ME THAT THE MAIN MALFUNCTION WAS NOT ONLY A POOR QUALITY GASKET, BUT THAT THE HEADS WERE MACHINED TO TOO HIGH OF A TOLERANCE. THE HEADS WERE MACHINED, THE GASKETS REPLACED, ETC ETC, TO THE TUNE OF $1000.*AK
SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN ALL FORD THUNDERBIRD SC HEADGASKETS. FACTORY MILL IS INCORRECT AND NOT DONE VERY WELL. RECALL IS NECESSARY TO HAVE FORD FIX AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE 1994/95 MODELS. FORD SHOULD RECALL THE 1989-1993 SC, SAME DRIVETRAIN.*AK
FAILED HEADGASKETS WHILE VEHICLE WAS STRAPPED TO CHASSIS DYNOMOMETER. FAILURE HAPPENED AT 3000RPMS. HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSED THE TOP PLASTIC RADIATOR TANK TO EXPLODE WITH MANY WITNESSES. *AK
WHEN A SERVICE EMPLOYEE STARTED VEHICLE AND MOVED IT INTO GARAGE WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF VEHICLE. UPON EXAMINATION BY DEALERSHIP, ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, AND MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER PAID APPROXIMATELY $4175.00 TO HAVE THIS DEFECT REPAIRED. *AK *SLC
DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND ENGINE STOPPED. GOT OUT LOOK TO SEE THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. *AK
ENGINE MISSING. WATER IN CYLINDER. HEAD CRACKED/GASKET BLOWN. DEALER WILL DO NOTHING FOR THERE IS NO RECALL BUT STATES THIS ENGINE HAS A REPUTATION FOR CRACKING HEADS. STATES 94-95 MODELS RECALLED HEADS BUT NOT '92. DEALER UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT HEAD. STATES NEWLY DESIGNED HEAD WON'T BE RELEASED UNTIL MID SUMMER AND CANNOT GET THE PART TO FIX MY CAR. 3 REPAIR SHOPS REPEATED "THOSE ARE BAD TO CRACK HEADS" AND ARE UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENTS. PARTS STORES ARE UNABLE TO GET THIS HEAD. MANUFACTURER STATED WITH NO RECALL, THEY WILL DO NOTHING. STATED THEY HAVE NO ACCESS TO PARTS INFORMATION... THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I HAVE A BROKEN CAR AND NO WAY TO FIX IT.*AK
AFTER HAVING VEHICLE SERVICED IT STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALER . TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. *AK THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING INSPECTION MAINTENANCE. *YH
THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND WOULD NOT START AFTER IT HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. ONCE IT DID GET STARTED IT WAS BLOWING SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. . IT HAS NOT RAN SINCE THEN DUE TO THE INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER ON THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
HEAD GASKETS FAILED. YH
FORD MOTOR CO. HAS RECALLED MANY 3.8L V6 BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET. WHEN I CALLED THEM THEY WERE ONLY RECALLING FWD CARS. I CALLED THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS STEVENS FORD, PARK CITY FORD, AND MILLER FORD THEY ALL TOLD ME THEY WOULD USE THE SAME KIT ( BOLTS AND GASKETS) CALLED OUT IN THE RECALL. I THINK THAT FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THERE PRODUCT AND RECALL ALL 3.8L V6'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE LET ME KNOW? THANKS JOE. *AK
COOLANT IS PUT INTO OVERFLOW BOTTLE AND IS NOT PULLED BACK INTO ENGINE IN A TIMELY MANNER. ENGINE DEVELOPS AN AIR BUBBLE AND QUITS RUNNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE MADE A POPPING NOISE, THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF EXHAUST CAUSED BY A BLOWN OUT HAD GASKET. *AK
VEHICLE IN DEALER SHOP FOR RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR A WHILE AND FINALLY WENT. HEARD NUMEROUS REPORTS AND READ ARTICALS RANGING FROM A SHOW BY 'MOTOR TREND ' TO DEALER COMMENTS ON THE PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS IN 3.8L ENGINES. ALSO, KNOW NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH AN ENGINE LIKE MINE ,HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE "LIGHT BAR" INSIDE THE TAILLIGHTS ARE ANOTHER PROBLEM, YOU DON'T SEE A T-BIRD ON THE ROAD TODAY THAT DOESN'T HAVE AT LEAST PART OF THEIR TAIL LIGHTS BURNED OUT SO I KNOW ITS NOT JUST MINE AND THEY STARTED DOING THIS MANY MILES AGO! I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLES,SO I KNOW THIS IS NOT FROM ABUSE! LIKE I SAID WHEN DEALERS TELL YOU THEY'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN PARTS AND CAR SHOWS,MAGAZINES , AND CONSUMER REPORTS SAY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH AHEAD GASKET ON A CERTAIN ENGINE YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALONE! REPLACING A HEAD GASKET IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR , I THOUGHT I WOULD CHECK INTO THIS BEFORE FOOTING THE BILL MYSELF. PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU CAN IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS AS I'M NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR ...THANKS ,LYNN. *AK
FILLED VEHICLE WITH FUEL & DROVE HOME. PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE. NOTICED AN ODOR OF GASOLINE. CHECKED VEHICLE & DISCOVERED A LEAK UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & THE GASKETS WERE REPLACED, TWICE. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC WOULD NOT CHECK UNLESS A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS DONE. *AK
HEAD GASKET BLEW RESULTING IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHEN THE CYLINDERS FILLED WITH COOLANT FLUID. YH
NO SUMMARY
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL IN TRAFFIC.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .