1997 Ford Thunderbird Brakes Problems

1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE VIN# NOT LISTED ON DEFECTIVE BRAKE PADS/ROTORS RECALL NOTICE. *SMD

NHTSA ID

10898835

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED A YEAR AGO WA SINVOLVED IN 2 REAR END COLLISIONS WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH. THIS HAPPENED WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT IT WAS NOT LOOKED AT, THEY INSTEAD TRIED TO SELL CONSUMER ANOTHER VEHICLE. PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AT CONSUMER'S OWN EXPENSE AT ANOTHER MECHANIC. DEALERSHIP STATED THEY KNEW THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTED. . THE MANUFACTURER TOLD HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED,IT WOULD DRAG BETWEEN GEARS. IN THE LAST YEAR, NOTICED SURGING. HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO STOP, AND ANOTHER TIMEHAD TO PUT ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKEON. THERE WERE NO POLICE REPORTS TAKEN, THERE WASNO DAMAGE OR INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10131043

Incident

Oct 31, 1997

WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES GOT STIFF. WHEN MAKING A TURN, THE TIE RODS SNAPPED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHICH FOUND A CRACK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MASTER CYLINDER ALONG WITH OTHER PARTS WERE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH

NHTSA ID

10050106

Mileage

60,000 mi

FIRST PROBLEM: CAR DOOR INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN WHEN THE DOORS OR TIGHTLY SHUT. SECOND PROBLEM: LEFT TURNING SIGNAL LIGHT BLINKS VERY FAST AND THE RIGHT SIGNAL LIGHT BLINKS REGULARLY. THIRD PROBLEM: PASSENGER SELT BELT KEEPS GETTING STUCK EVEN AFTER PRESSING THE RED BUTTON TO RELEASE. FOURTH PROBLEM: THE SQUEAKING AND SHAKING VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING A SPEED OF 50 OR MORE MPH AND YOU BEGIN PRESSING THE BRAKES IS WHEN THE SOUNDS AND THE VIBRATIONS BEGINS. FIFTH PROBLEM: THE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD IT CHECK TO THE FORD PLACE THEY STATED IT WAS A DEFECT IN A BOX THE SITS ON TOP OF THE ENGINE ( I WANT TO SAY IT HOLDS THE COMPUTER CHIP) IS GOING BAD. AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME I DID NOT ASK THEM TO DO A RECALL LIST FOR ME. I REALLY NEED ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE ME ON THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

766218

NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE BRAKING EFFECTS CAUSED BY WARPED ROTORS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THEM AT NO COST, HOWEVER 12 MONTHS LATER ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN, CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING WARPED ROTOR PROBLEMS. *JG

NHTSA ID

564201

THEY REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AND THEN THE RADIATOR MALFUNCTIONED, 18.000 MILES LATER THE HEATER CORE FAILED, WAS REPLACED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS SINCE AUG 4 TIMES. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE AND THE DEALER IS TRYING TO FIX IT EACH TIME AT LEAKS.THE BRAKES/ROTORS HAVE BEEN A CRONIC PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED 3 TIMES AND FINALLY REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

757325

Incident

Jan 12, 2000

ABS BRAKE LIGHT GO ON AND OFF WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING A FLASHING OF THE LIGHTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

754973

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

1. PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE - COVERED BY GENERAL RECALL 97M91, ALTHOUGH SIMILAR PLASTIC ENGINEERING IS APPLIED TO BOTH VALVE COVERS BUT IS NOT IS NOT COVERED BY RECALL. THE FORD SERVICE REP INFORMED ME THAT THE HEATER CORE WILL BLOW SOON TOO. 2. THE BRAKES/ROTORS HAVE BEEN A CHRONIC PROBLEM - THIS IS MY 2ND THUNDERBIRD - BOTH CARS HAD THE SAME TYPE PROBLEMS. I HAVE REPLACED ROTORS, BRAKE PADS REPEATEDLY WITHOUT SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS SEVERE FRONT END VIBRATION WHICH IS MAKES THE CAR UNENJOYABLE AND DANGEROUS. I HAVE CHANGED TIRE SIZES AND BRANDS 4 TIMES. THE CONSUMER REPORTS RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE ON THIS CAR CAUSES ME TO BE AFRAID OF IT. 3. THE CRUISE CONTROL DEFECT WAS ALSO DANGEROUTS, BUT IT WAS REPAIRED SATISFACTORY.*AK

NHTSA ID

754545

Incident

Feb 21, 2000

REPEATED REPLACEMENT OF FRONT DISK PADS AND ROTORS, AND FAILURE TO CHECK BACK BRAKES WHICH COST ME $361.00 TO HAVE REPAIRED. ALSO, CONSTANT LEAKS IN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM THAT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIX. *AK

NHTSA ID

713630

Incident

Dec 10, 1997

RIGHT REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP, TEARING UP THE ROTOR. THE LEFT SIDE WAS ALSO EXCESSIVELY WORN AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO COMPENSATE FOR THE RIGHT SIDE. CAR HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE CALIPER AND ROTOR ON THE RIGHT REAR, AS WELL AS BOTH SET OF BRAKE PADS. THE LEFT ROTOR TURNED BECAUSE IT WAS WARPED, BUT STILL WITH IN TOLERANCE.

NHTSA ID

713026

Incident

Oct 5, 1999

HAD TO REPLACE TIRES TWICE DUE TO THE CAR CAUSING A TIRE SEPARATION ON THE FRONT, RIGHT SIDE. I'VE AGAIN, REPLACED THE TIRES 5000 MILES AGO AND THEY ARE SEVERELY FEATHERED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS VISIBLE TO THE EYE. THE CAR IS WITH-IN THE ALIGNMENT SPECS BUT IT STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT - THE FASTER THE SPEED, THE HARDER THE PULL. HAVE HAD 4 OR MORE FRONT END BRAKE JOBS (ROTORS & PADS) IN UNDER 40,000 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT 40 MPH AND THE TIRES HAVE BEEN BALANCED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )

NHTSA ID

712596

Incident

Jun 1, 1997

MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER CRACKED AND LEAKS FLUID.

NHTSA ID

609599

FRONT END VIBRATES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. DEALER CUT ROTORS THEN REPLACED ROTORS. PROBLEM RETURNED AGAIN.R

NHTSA ID

710193

Incident

Sep 8, 1998

BRAKES GET VERY SOFT...SEVERE FRONT END SHAKE UPON BRAKING...SERVICED 5 TIMES IN 45K MILES...REPLACES PADS 2 TIMES...ROTORS WARPED...TURNED 3 TIMES...REPLACED ONE TIME...DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEED

NHTSA ID

706847

BRAKE ROTORS WARPING, NEW REPLACEMENTS WARPING ALSO. STEERING BOX WAS REPAIRED BUT FRONT END STILL SHUDDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS BY DEALER TO CORRECT.

NHTSA ID

706172

Incident

Oct 15, 1997

CAR WAS INVOLVED IN COLLISION AND WHEN BRAKES WHERE APPLIED ALL WHEELS LOCKED UP AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER DOING ABOUT 40 MPH BUT CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH ABS SYSTEM - THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN WORKED ON TWICE IN 2 YEARS BOTH BY FORD DEALERS. SHOULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED WITH ABS. ALSO NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE FRONT END THAT HAS SUFFERED DAMAGE (DON'T KNOW COST YET) FRONT BUMPER, HOOD, HEAD LIGHT, DRIVER SIDE FRONT QUARTER PANEL AND DRIVER DOOR ARE ALL DAMAGED. NOT ONLY DID THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOY, BUT AFTER ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH FLASHED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY, AND ALONG WITH THIS THE SHOULDER HARNESSES ON SEATS DID TIGHTEN, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD PEOPLE BACK TO WHERE ONE PASSENGER IN THE BACK HIT THEIR FACE ON THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT. LUCKILY THERE WERE NOT INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

705724

Incident

Apr 16, 1999

FRONT BRAKE PAD FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

608657

Incident

Oct 30, 1997

PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LININGS AND ROTORS. MGM

NHTSA ID

607852

BRAKE ROTOR AND CALIPER FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID

606874

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. ALSO, UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES AND COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES REAL BADLY AND JERKS/LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID

834028

Incident

Dec 12, 1998

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE FRONT BRAKE SHOES AND PADS, CONSUMER ALSO STATE WHEN TRAVELING THERE IS A BURNING SMELL DUE TO THE RAKE OVERHEATING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE BRAKES.

NHTSA ID

818350

Incident

Oct 1, 1996

TRANSMISSION LEAK.

NHTSA ID

520018

Incident

Jun 10, 1997