RoadVitals

1995 Ford Thunderbird Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
14
Latest Jun 6, 2016
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.
5%
of 261 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.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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 electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 6, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BATTERY AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10872844
Incident
May 6, 2016
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Apr 18, 2009
Fire reported1 injury reported

DRIVER'S SIDE ELECTRIC SEAT BURST INTO FLAME. DRIVER(OWNER) SUSTAINED SEVERE BURNS THAT CHARACTERIZE AS LIFE THREATENING, AND REQUIRED ADMISSION TO THE BURN CENTER AT UNC HOSPITAL. PT WAS NOT SMOKING AND CAN NOT IDENTIFY ANY REASON WHY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE IN HIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10265951
Incident
Apr 18, 2009
Electrical
Filed Jun 20, 2005
Fire reported

FORD 1995 THUNDERBIRD CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS PARKED EARLY IN THE MORNING. NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION. *AK THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED FROM THE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE POWER ANTENNA MOTOR HAD NOT WORKED PROPERLY FOR YEARS. TEN DAYS LATER BEFORE THE FIRE, THE POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED AND THE FUSE WAS REPLACED. THE DOOR LOCK POWER FUNCTION WAS RESTORED AND THE FUSE WAS REPLACED. THE FUSE WAS BEING CHECKED FOR BEING TOO HOT TO TOUCH. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10122223
Incident
Apr 30, 2005
Mileage
107,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+8 more
Filed Mar 5, 2002

ON TWO OCCASIONS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK ENGINE ROARS, CONSUMER WOULD TAP THE ACCELERATOR AND WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, FEELS AS IF VEHICLE IS PUT IN NEUTRAL. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT SWITCH ASSEMBLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPLACE 2 O2 SENSORS AND MAF SENSOR. VEHICLE PULLS TO RIGHT. WHEEL ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. PRFORMED FRONT DISC/ REAR DRUM BRAKE SERVICE. REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AFTER BRAKE JOB DUE TO PULSATION. STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT TIMES, VEHICLE WILL NOT SHUTT OFF. RIGHT DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE. DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE. CUSTOMER STATES FLUID LEAK AT REAR END. RIGHT AXLE SEAL REPLACED. PASSENGER HEAD REST RATTLES OVER BUMPS. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. CONSUMER STATES NOISE FROM SEAT WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING THERE, DEALER STATES THIS IS NORMAL. SEAT TRACK COVERS MISING ONE LAYING IN THE REAR FLOOR. SEAT TRACK COVER REINSTALLED. CONSUMER STATS THERE IS A PINGING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION. DEALER SUGGESTED HIGHER FUEL OCTANE. CUSTOMER STATES BRAKE PEDAL SEEMS LOW. BRAKES OK. FRONT END SHIMMIES AT 50 TO 60 MPH. 4 TIRES BALANCED. DOME LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON WHEN DRIVER OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE PULLED UP. TEMPERATURE AND SPEEDOMOTER LIGHT BURNED WAS INOPERATIVE. DEALER REPLACED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BULBS. COOLANT LEAK UNDER CAR AND WARNING LIGHT IS ON. DEALER FOUND NO LEAKS AND COOLANT LEVEL LOW. CONSUMER STATES MOTOR WILL ROAR AND SHIFT INTO GEAR. DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP BURNT OUT. HEADLAMP REPLACED. TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN NOT IN OVERDRIVE. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION OIL PAN AND GASKET. *TT

NHTSA ID
8004997
Incident
Oct 15, 1995
Electrical
Filed Jan 2, 2002

AFTER STARTING MY CAR AT 5:30 AM TO PROCEED TO WORK THE KEY FELT A BIT STRANGE AFTER I STARTED THE CAR. UPON DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY I DREW MY ATTENTION BACK TO THE KEY AND FELT THAT IT WAS SPINNING FREELY, AND COULD BE REMOVED, AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, ( THE START POSITION APPEARED TO WORK OK). I HAD NO WAY I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF. A TECHNITIAN ON THE 800 PHONE LINE TO FORD SUGGESTED I HIT THE FUEL SHUT OFF IN THE TRUNK ONCE I REACHED MY LOCATION. THIS WOULD SIMULATE A CRASH AND SHUT OFF THE FUEL. I ELECTED TO PULL A LARGE FUSE AND DETACH THE BATTERY. THE CAR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE ($283) TO REPLACE AN $11 ACTUATOR PIN IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT INTERFACED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. I T WAS PROBABLY WRONG ON MY PART AS I LOOK BACK AT CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE BROKEN PIN COULD HAVE POSSIBLY LODGED ITSELF AND PREVENTED ME FROM STEERING THE CAR. MY CONCERN NOW IS ONE OF SAFETY AND WHAT A PERSON NOT TOO FAMILAR WITH AUTOMOBLIES MIGHT DO IN THIS SITUATION. FORD SHOULD CONSIDER THE DESIGN AND MAKE CORRECTIONS TO PREVENT THIS SORT OF OCCURRENCE.*AK

NHTSA ID
756337
Incident
Dec 19, 2001
Electrical
Filed Sep 8, 2001

ON SECOND IGNITION FAILIURE ACTUATOR ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO FAULTY. *AK

NHTSA ID
751901
Incident
Apr 25, 2001
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 14, 2001

VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WHEN AT STOP LIGHT CONSUMER WOULD PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK DEALER STATED IGNITION SYSTEM HAD SHORTED OUT RESULTING IN SPARK PLUGS BEING BURNED, DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND SPARK PLUGS, CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE STILL PROBLEMS AND NOW THE ENGINE IS MISFIRING, CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS, HOWEVER DEALER INFORMED THAT THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. FAN BELT REPLACED. FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
894352
Incident
Jun 30, 2001
Electrical
Filed Aug 11, 1999
Fire reported

VEHICLE WA S PARKED IN PARKING LOT. SUBSEQUENTLY, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
844897
Incident
Jul 21, 1999
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Feb 19, 1998

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER THE CONNECTION TO THE STARTER CAME APART. FLUID LEAKED FROM THE TRANSMISSION AFTER THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
530852
ElectricalEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jan 21, 1998

POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED.

NHTSA ID
528626
Electrical
Filed Jul 12, 1996

WHEN DRIVING CAR SOMETIMES STALLS, DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
986821
Electrical
Filed May 28, 1996

THE CAR CONTINUES TO CUT OFF WHENEVER IN USE. *AK

NHTSA ID
984879
Electrical
Filed Apr 10, 1996
Fire reported

VEHICLE PARKED, RUBBER SMELL AND SMOKE ENTERED INTERIOR. VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE IGNITION. *AK

NHTSA ID
982586
Incident
Apr 17, 1995
Electrical
Filed Sep 26, 1995

ALTERNATOR FAILED, CAUSING OVERHEATING. *TT

NHTSA ID
601293
Incident
Apr 10, 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

Data on this page last refreshed .