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 1994 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 61 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 61, in the owner's own words
I WAS DRIVING AT A STEADY 60 MPH WHEN A SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY AND FOUND A BLOWN HEAD GASKET TO BE THE PROBLEM. CAR HAS 101,000 MILES. CONTRARY TO MANY OTHERS, THIS IS A 4.6 V8. *JB
I WAS AN ORIGINAL VICTIM OF FORD 3.8 HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I HAD THE WORK DONE PRIOR TO THE LETTER THEY SENT. I HAD GOTTEN REIMBURSED. MY CAR HAS APPROX 120.000 AND THE HEAD GASKETS HAVE GONE AGAIN. I AM TERMINALLY ILL AND HAVE A DAUGHTER GETTING READY FOR COLLEGE AND CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING FOR FORDS ORG. DEFECTS. *NM
ENGINE - MAKES A MOANING NOISE AND RAISES THE IDLE. AS A RESULT, THE CARE WANTS TO ACCELERATE, EVEN WITHOUT PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR. PAINT - PAINT OXIDIZED ON ALL SKYWARD FACING SURFACES. SPOTS OF RUST HAVE DEVELOPED. POWER LOCK - DRIVER'S SIDE POWER LOCK MAKES A NOISE, BUT DOES NOT MOVE THE LOCK TRANSMISSION - DOESN'T SHIFT WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO, AND WHEN IT DOES, IT IS VERY JERKY.
CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE JERKING FORWARD WHILE AT STOP LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY THREE CERTIFIED MECHANICS. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WORE OUT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *AK THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH IT'S POWER WINDOW'S, AIR CONDITIONER AND TRANSMISSION. *NLM
THE HEAD GASKET FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STALL OUT. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *NLM
THE VEHICLES HEAD GASKET FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM
ENGINE FAILURE AT 63000 MILES. FRONT SEAL FAILED, ALLOWING COOLANT INTO ENGINE. CAR WAS METICULOUSLY CARED FOR, AND DRIVEN CAREFULLY. *JB
CONSUMER EXPEREINCED PROBLEMS WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOING FROM COLD TO HOT INSTANTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE HEAD GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER FEELS FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *JG
HEAD GASKETS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM AT 66,000 MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR REPAIR THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR.*AK
HEAD GASKETS NEED REPLACED AND EVERYONE IS TELLING US THERE IS A RECALL, EXCEPT THE DEALERSHIP. IS THERE A RECALL OR ANY OTHER OWNER NOTIFICATION.*AK
EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON 8-YR-OLD CAR WITH 45,000 MILES (WARRANTY LIMITED TO 7YRS OR 100,000 MI). MAJOR DEFECT DESIGN FLAW ADMITTED BY FORD. NOW REFUSES TO COVER COSTS OF REPAIR.*AK.*JB
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILED. *AK
PREMATURE WEAR OF HEAD GASKETS. MANUFACTURER HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS; HOWEVER, CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATION. *AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR WHILE SITTING, SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE OF VEHICLE.*JB
HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN PREMATURE. *AK
I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AAA DIAGNOSIC AND FOUND OUT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER WHO SAID I WAS NOT COVERED SINCE THE CAR HAS 103,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AS PER FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. IT HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. I HAVE ALL MAINTANENCE RECORDS SHOWING DILIGANT MAINTENENCE PRACTICES. THE HEADGASKET BLEW FROM DEFECT, YET FORD REFUSES TO COVER IT, FIRST STATING THE MILEAGE LIMIT AND THEN FURTHER STATING THAT, SINCE I WAS NOT THE ORGINIAL OWNER AND SINCE PRIOR REPAIR WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP I WOULD NOT BE COVERED ANYWAY. FURTHERMORE THEY STATED THAT IF I HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO REPLACE THE GASKETS, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE FIXED GASKETS THAT WERE NOT YET BLOWN. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE ABOVE PHONE REPRESENTATIVE OR SERVICE MANAGER. THE REGIONAL MANAGER (TARA OLSEN) WAS SUPPOSED TO EXPLAIN THE COMPANY'S REASONING BEHIND THEIR REFUSAL AND DISCUSS MY CONCERNS WITH ME YET SHE HAS YET TO RETURN MY CALLS AND HER DIRECT NUMBER IS "NOT ACCESSABLE TO THE PUBLIC." THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO AT FORD HEADQUARTERS (DUNCAN ALDERSON) REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE BEYOND A BLANKET REFUSAL, AND INSTEAD OF BEING TRANSFERED TO HIGHER-UPS, I WAS TRANSFERED TO SECURITY. I WOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO SPLIT THE COST WITH FORD IF THEY WOULD HAVE DEALT WITH ME REASONABLY, BUT THEY REFUSED TO DISCUSS OR NEGOTIATE A FLAW THAT THEY HAVE ADMITTED IS THEIR FAULT. INSTEAD THEY INSIST ON SETTING ARBITRARY CUT-OFF TIMES THAT THEY CANNOT OR WILL NOT JUSTIFY AND THAT WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE MET BY MOST OF THE FORDS IN QUESTION. THEY WILL NOT SUPPLY STATISTICS ON THE PROJECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY OF NON-DEFECTIVE HEADGASKETS OR TRANSMISSIONS (ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM) NOR WILL THEY DOCUMENT IN WRITTING ANY OF THEIR PHONE REFUSALS TO HONOR THE RECALL. I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS AND NOW LOOK FOR REIMBURSEMENT.*AK
FORD KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM, AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 7 YEARS AND/OR 100,000 MILES. THEY "CLAIM" THEY SENT ME A NOTICE IN APRIL OF 2,000, AND I KNOW I NEVER RECEIVED IT! NOW, THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT'S OUTSIDE COVERAGE, AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. REQUESTING YOU INVESTIGATE OTHER CLAIMS ON THIS AND SINCE IT'S WIDESPREAD WITH THIS VEHICLE TYPE, CONSIDER RECALLING THE T-BIRD FOR THE FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *AK
3.8 LITER ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THE WARRANTY ENDED AND REPAIR WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COVERED. *SLC
HEAD GASKET FAILED. CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY. SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKETS BUT IT WAS ONLY UP TO 100000 MILES OR 7 YEARS WAS NOT COVERED ANY MORE. I DO BELEIVE THE PROBLEM HAD STARTED SOME TIME AGO AS THE MOTOR KEPT USEING ANTIFREEZE. I THOUGHT THE RADIATOR HAD A SLOW LEEK BUT NOW I REALIZE IT WAS PROBABLY PUSHING THE ANTIFREEZE OUT THE OVERFLOW WHEN THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING. SO BEING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKETS I DO FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE HELP ON AT LEAST SOME IF NOT ALL OF THE REPAIRS. *AK
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE PREMATURELY FAILED CAUSING REPLACEMENT: ROTORS, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND SENDING UNIT, THERMOSTAT & GASKET, INSTRUMENT PANEL, POWER STEERING PUMP, BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, PISTON, TRANSHAFT, FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, INTAKE MANIFOLD, SERPENTINE BELT AND NOW THE HEADGASKETS ARE BLOWN
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE HAD SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH OF HOOD. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A PRIVATE COMPANY. HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWEN OUT. *AK
ENGINE BLOWN DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE, HAD TO REPLACE THE PULLEY THAT BROKE OFF RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. *JB
AT 56000M HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED, AT 91000 HEAD GASKET OR INTAKE GASKET BLEW HAD TO BE REPLACED, UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE HAD RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS BUT WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT MY MODEL NOT INCLUDED IN THESE RECALLS.*AK
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 .