RoadVitals

1996 Ford Thunderbird Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
20
Latest Jul 14, 2007
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.
9%
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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 20 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 visibility

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

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
Visibility
Filed Feb 17, 2005

THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE BLOWER WAS INOPERATIVE. THE BLOWER FAILS TO TURN ON SOMETIMES AND IT STICKS ON HIGH AT ALL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10111718
Incident
Nov 2, 2004
Visibility
Filed Oct 12, 2004

CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE FAILED, AS A RESULT, DEFROSTER AND DEFOGGER FAILED, CAUSING IMPAIRED VISION. *BF THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS STATED IN RECALL 96V-007000, BUT IS NOT INCLUDE IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NM

NHTSA ID
10096558
Incident
Oct 1, 2004
Visibility
Filed Aug 30, 2004

THE CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE DEFROSTER AND DEFOGGER FAILED, CAUSING IMPAIRED VISION. RECALL 96V007000) WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10089966
Incident
Jul 15, 2004
Mileage
98,413 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 26, 2003

MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH CONTROLLING (FLASHER, WIPER, DIMMER/BRIGHT LIGHT AND WIDOW WIPERS) IS DEFECTIVE. MY 1995 COUGAR (SISTER TO A T-BIRD) ALSO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOT SURE WHAT YOU WANT FOR THEM. IF IT MEANS IS THE PART ORIGINAL. THE ANSWER IS YES. WHY ASK THIS UNDER VEHICLE? SHOULD IT BE UNDER EQUIPMENT? COULD YOU CHECK ON MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WITH MY 95 COUGAR AND SEE IF IT IS ANSWERED CORRECTLY? ALL PARTS WERE ORIGINAL ON THAT VEHICLE ALSO. *JB

NHTSA ID
10011089
Incident
Mar 1, 2003
Mileage
90,000 mi
Heating & air conditioningVisibility
Filed Sep 23, 1999

AIR CONDITIONER IS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES CONSUMER NOT TO BE ABLE TO READ THE TIME. ALSO, DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID
848544
Visibility
Filed Sep 17, 1999

WIPERS OCCASIONALLY FAIL TO OPERATE WHEN SET TO INTERMITTENT SETTINGS.

NHTSA ID
711525
Visibility
Filed Oct 28, 1998

SUNROOF GASKET HAS SPLIT AFTER ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS.

NHTSA ID
700169
Incident
Sep 26, 1998
BrakesVisibility
Filed Oct 15, 1997

BRAKE ROTORS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID
524902
Incident
Nov 7, 1996
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Sep 22, 1997

POWER WINDOWS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605148
Visibility
Filed Sep 9, 1997

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
606031
Powertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Sep 2, 1997

SPEEDOMETER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
605367
Incident
Aug 12, 1997
Visibility
Filed Apr 28, 1997

SUNROOF GUIDE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603260
Visibility
Filed Apr 24, 1997

HEATER/DEFROSTER CONTROL SWITCH FAILED, DRIVER COULD NOT SEE, HAD TO STOP VEHICLE IN MIDDLE OF STREET.

NHTSA ID
603233
Incident
Nov 1, 1995
Visibility
Filed Apr 10, 1997

POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603103
Incident
Jan 2, 1997
Visibility
Filed Feb 21, 1997

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
602595
Incident
Feb 1, 1996
BrakesPowertrain (other)Steering+1 more
Filed Dec 11, 1996

SPEEDOMETER HEAD REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
512541
Incident
Nov 20, 1996
Visibility
Filed Apr 10, 1996

HEATER FAILED. *SD

NHTSA ID
503134
Incident
Dec 27, 1995
Visibility
Filed Apr 10, 1996

REAR WINDSHIELD DISCOLORED, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *SD

NHTSA ID
503111
Incident
Dec 1, 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 .