Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 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 37, in the owner's own words
WHILE DRIVING20 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A LOUD STREAKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK INJURIES. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE VIBRATES. REPLACED PARTS 3 TIMES, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A SIGHT INCLINE POSTION, ABS MOTOR ENGAGED, CAUSING FRONT BRAKESTO GRABS AND NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE HOME, AND THE ABS MOTOR REMAINED ON AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED,AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST, BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERWD UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
MASTER CYLINDER "BRAKE FLUID RESERVIOR" DEVELOPED LEAK DUE TO CONTACT (RUBBING) AGAINST WIRING HARNESS FOR ENGINE COMPARTMENT LIGHT. FORD SHOULD BE NOTIFIED TO INSPECT ALL BRAKE FLUID RESERVIORS FOR SIGNS OF WEAR THROUGH DUE TO CONTACT WITH ENGINE COMPARTMENT HOOD LIGHT. *AK
AS TO HEAD GASKETS, HAVE HAD TWO SETS OF FAILURES, AT APPROX. 100K APART . . . . AS TO BRAKES, HAVE HAD MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS OF ROTORS DUE TO CHRONIC WARPING . . . . AS TO TRANSMISSION, HAVE HAD TO HAVE PURCHASE LIFETIME WARRANTY TRANSMISSION FROM AAMCO DUE TO FAILURES IN 2-3 & 3-4 SHIFTS. *AK
PIRELLI TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 55000 MILES AND ARE WORN AFTER 40000 MILES. *SLC
THIS 93 THUNDERBIRD HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS . LEAKS IN BODY (WHEN NEW 12MI) DOOR HINGES , SEATBELTS, SEAT COVERS RIP OUT, FOG LAMPS AND SWITCH RECALL, CAN'T KEEP BREAKS AND ROTORS ON FRONT, WINDSHILD WIPERS BROKE (WHEN NEW) HAD TO HAVE NEW TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED , AT ABOUT 40.000 MI. THE STRUTS WERE BAD FROM THE FIRST DAY NEVER COULD GET THEM FIXED. (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
CAR HAS HAD UPPER ENGINE REBUILT, CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING, COMPUTER READ NO DATE WHEN TESTED. CAR MAKES GROWLING SOUND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED, DIFERENTIAL FLUID HAS BEEN REPLACED AS SUGGESTED BY MANUFACTURER.
THIRD BRAKE LIGHT GOT SO HOT THAT IT MELTED THE LENS COVER AND HOUSING SOCKET, ALMOST RESULTING IN A FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED .*AK BULBS ENLARGED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT ALSO. *YH
COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE SHORTLY BEFORE THE HEAED GASKET BLEW AND ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN POORLY AND BLOW WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. THIS REPAIR WAS VERY COSTLY AND FORD HAS BEGUN TO COMPENSATE OWNERS OF OTHER FORD MODELS WITH THE EXACT SAME ENGINE, BUT NO THE FORD THUNDERBIRD.T. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF TO ABOUT 70 TO 80 MPH . CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WAS HARD, AND DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. *AK
HEAD GASKETS: W/O ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER SUDDENLY THERE APPEARED WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST PIPE, TEMP. GAUAGE WENT UP, CAR HAD NOT BEEN USING ANY OIL AND/OR ANTI-FREEZE WHICH IS A HEADS UP TO SUCH A PROBLEM OCCURING. ALL MAINTENANCE HAD ALWAYS BEEN KEPT UP ON A REGULAR BASIS ON VEHICLE. TOLD AT TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED THAT THE NEXT THING THAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE THE ENGINE WOULD GO. THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPT. JUST LIKE MECHANIC SAID, THE ENGINE WENT THERE AGAIN, W/O ANY NOTICE. IT THROUGH A ROD. WAS TOLD THAT TO SAVE PROBLEMS/TIME, SHOULD ACTUALLY JUST GO AHEAD AND REPLACE BOTH WHEN DOING THE OTHER BECUASE IT WOULD HAPPEN. TOLD FORD MOTOR AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A 3 YR. RANGE ON THIS MOTOR & HEAD GASKETS. THEY HAVE SENSE IMPROVED PROBLEM BUT THAT DOES NOTHING TO HELP OUT THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT THOSE YEARS. PUT OUT THE MONEY OR PART IT OUT! FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE KEPT UP OUR VEHICLES, WE HAVE NO CHOICE. FORD MOTOR KNOWINGLY AWARE OF THIS SHOULD HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION IN ORDER TO DISCUSS BUT KNOW WHAT THEY'LL HAVE TO SAY..."OUT OF WARRANTY"...YOU'RE STUCK!
IN ALL CASES, THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL FLASH OFF AND ON AFTER BEING ON FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WILL BURN OUT REPEATEDLY. THE PARK LIGHTS AND INDICATOR LIGHTS WILL FAIL REPEATEDLY. THE RADIO WILL FAIL ALL AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THESE ELECTRICAL/LIGHT FAILURES HAPPEN MORE OFTEN BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN I TURN THE GROUND LIGHTS ON.
POWER MOONROOF MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN OPENING OR CLOSING.
HEAD GASKET FAILED. IN ADDITION, BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN APPLIED.
HEATER CLIMATE CONTROL FAILED
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. ALSO UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CONSUMER NOTICED THE FRONT END SHAKES, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NOISY REAR ABS BRAKES. ALSO REPLACED LEAKING POWER STEERING PUMP AND NOISY ALTERNATOR. *AK
REAR HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LAMP OVERHEATED, CAUSING WIRING HARNESS/ PLASTIC HOUSING TO MELT.
WHILE DRIVING WITH NORMAL BRAKING, EXPEIENCED GRINDING NOISE AND STEERING WHEEL SHIMMYING, A MONTH PRIOR, DLR REPLACED ROTORS, STEERING WHEEL STILL VIBRATES WHEN BRAKING. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A GRINDING BRAKE NOISE. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS ON A STEEP INCLINE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION. *SD
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE. *AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARP UNDER NORMAL USAGE, CAUSING VIBRATION. *DSH
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
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