RoadVitals

1996 Ford Thunderbird Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure 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.
10
Latest Mar 17, 2008
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.
4%
of 233 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.
0
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 vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 body or structure

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

Body & structure
Filed Mar 17, 2008

OPENING DOORS FROM THE INSIDE, LITTLE BY LITTLE, BOTH DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, HAD TO LEAVE WINDOW OR WINDOWS OPEN TO STICK HAND OUT TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. FAILURE OF THESE DOORS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AT SOME POINT IF BATTERY WOULD GIVE OUT WOULD LEAVE US LOCKED IN, BUT FORTUNATELY THAT DID NOT HAPPEN DUE TO US REMEMBERING TO LEAVE AT LEAST ONE WINDOW OPEN. AFTER SOME MINOR REPAIR, FOUND OUT PLASTIC PARTS WORE OUT AND ONLY ONE DOOR CAN BE UNLOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221392
Incident
Jul 10, 2007
Body & structureEngineVisibility
Filed Jul 14, 2007
1 injury reported

INTAKE (PLASTIC) CRACKS ;LEAVING FAMILY AND I STRANDED ON 30 MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY WITH NO HOUSES OR BUSINESS. TOWED TO STATION AND FIXED RECALLED INTAKE. TAXI COST HOME AND BACK 2 DAYS LATER TO RETRIEVE CAR SOON STARTED HAVING HEATER COIL LEAKS AND OVERHEATING;ANTIFREEZE CAUSING HEADACHES. ALMOST $1000.00 TO REPLACE 30 DOLLAR PART(DASH BOARD AND CONSOLE REMOVED AND AIR CONDITION UNIT DISCONNECTED AND RECHARGED) DEALER TOOK COST OF NEXT 2 REPLACEMENT HEATER COILS AND IT STILL NEEDS 4TH;NO HEAT;STILL LEAKS ANTIFREEZE INSIDE CAR. INTAKE MANIFOLD(PLASTIC) CRACKED AGAIN;OVERHEATED AND BURNT ME THIS TIME ALSO CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO CAR;VERY COSTLY WHICH I GUESS WE THE CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO BEAR. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE? *TR

NHTSA ID
10196345
Incident
Aug 31, 1998
Mileage
20,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Apr 11, 2006

COMPLIANT IS THAT THROUGH MY INSURANCE PROVIDER I WAS ALERTED TO TWO RECALLS THAT SHOULD BE AT LEAST LOOKED INTO ON MY AUTO. THE FIRST IS THE BLOWER ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL BEGAN TO WORK ERRATICALLY AND NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. MEANING THAT MY DEFROSTING DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE OTHER AND MORE SERIOUS IS THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH STICKS AT SMACKS AGAINST THE PEG AND DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY OR AT ALL, UNLESS THE LATCH IS MANUALLY LIFTED. BOTH OF THESE ARE RECALLS FOR OTHER T-BIRDS BUT SOMEHOW MINE SLIPPED THROUGH. VIN IS [XXX]. IF THESE ARE SUCH COMMON PROBLEMS WHY WEREN'T ALL THE T-BIRDS RECALLED? I AM LOOKING AT OVER 600.00 TO REPLACE THESE PARTS. WHICH IS IRRITATING WHEN FORD SHOULD BE FIXING IT'S KNOWN PROBLEMS. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 * JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10155041
Incident
Apr 4, 2006
Body & structure
Filed Apr 17, 2003

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HINGE MALFUNCTIONED WHICH MADE THE DOOR INOPERATIVE. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10016079
Incident
Feb 17, 2003
Mileage
123,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 7, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MANUAL DOOR LATCHES WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
8022434
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Sep 22, 1997

POWER WINDOWS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605148
Body & structure
Filed Sep 11, 1997

SUNVISOR HITS DRIVER IN HEAD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST.

NHTSA ID
604832
Body & structure
Filed Sep 9, 1997

DOOR HINGE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
606045
Incident
Jul 1, 1996
Body & structureBrakesExterior lighting+2 more
Filed Jan 23, 1997

DRIVE SHAFT VIBRATION.

NHTSA ID
514075
Incident
Nov 6, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Sep 12, 1996

ENGINE HOOD STRUTS ARE TOO WEAK TO KEEP HOOD IN OPEN POSITION/ HOOD CAME DOWN ON DRIVER'S BACK. *AK

NHTSA ID
508458
Incident
Aug 22, 1996

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 .