RoadVitals

1997 Ford Thunderbird Fuel system Problems

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

Data refreshed

Fuel system 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.
13
Latest Oct 30, 2013
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.
8%
of 169 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.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Ford Thunderbird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 fuel system

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

Body & structureEngineFuel system+1 more
Filed Oct 30, 2013

I SMELL GAS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 AND ABOVE ON FREEWAY MOSTLY. ONCE IN A WHILE I CAN SMELL IT WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS OF 25 -30MPH. I USED TO THINK THAT I HAD SPILLED GAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING, BUT NOW A YEAR LATER, I STILL SMELL GAS AND I DO SMOKE IN MY CAR, BUT WHEN I SMELL THE GAS, I WILL PUT THE CIGARETTE OUT. IS THERE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, THAT CAN REPAIR IT. I HAVE PUT $4000.00 INTO RESTORING THE CAR AND I AND PUTTING ANOTHER $800.00 INTO IT NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 2013, TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BELTS AROUND THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $1800.00 AT AAMCO, AND PUT A $2200.00 PAINT JOB ON IT, BEFORE I KNEW OF THE GAS SMELL. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. AM I FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE WITH THIS CAR? *TR

NHTSA ID
10550111
Incident
Oct 1, 2012
Mileage
101,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Oct 10, 2011

IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST I SMELT GAS WHEN I DROVE. AND THE SMELL HAS BECOME STRONGER AND STRONGER. TODAY (10/10/2011) I WENT TO A VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE LEAKING IS ON THE TOP OF FUEL TANK AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED IN THE SHOP. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS VERY DANGEROUS LEAK. PLEASE CLICK THE LINK: HTTP://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T872_DS478881. THIS CAR MUST BE RECALLED FOR FUEL LEAKING. *KB

NHTSA ID
10429371
Incident
Aug 10, 2011
Mileage
69,400 mi
Fuel system
Filed Nov 30, 2003

A LEAKING FUEL LINE ON MY 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD, (V6 ENGINE), WITH 113000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALER WHO SUGGESTED REPLACING COMPLETELY BOTH FUEL LINES, BECAUSE THERE SEEMED TO BE CORROSION, SO THAT WAS DONE AT A COST TO ME OF $548. AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS, ALTHOUGH I BOUGHT THE CAR USED A FEW YEARS AGO. LUCKILY I NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE, AND THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED BY AAA TO THE FORD DEALER. SO NO FIRE OCCURRED. THE CAR BEING JUST 6 YEARS OLD, I AM SURPRISED THAT THERE WOULD BE A LEAKING FUEL LINE. APPARENTLY CORROSION RESULTED IN THE FUEL LINE LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE CAR NEAR THE GAS TANK. *AK

NHTSA ID
10048871
Incident
Nov 24, 2003
Mileage
113,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 9, 2003

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING FUEL LINE PROBLEMS. THE FUEL LINE THAT COMES OUT OF THE GAS TANK AND RUBS AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE LEAKS GAS UNDER THE VEHICLE GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ENGINE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REMOVING THE WHOLE FUEL LINE SYSTEM AND REPLACING IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10038509
Incident
Jan 21, 2003
Mileage
103,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed May 27, 2003

FUEL FILTER LEAKS GAS DUE TO CORROSION FROM ROAD SALTS. FILTER LASTS ONLY 1-2 YEARS. *TT

NHTSA ID
10020553
Incident
Feb 5, 2003
Mileage
89,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Nov 1, 2002

VEHICLE IS EQUIP WITH A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. WHILE DRIVING THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAK COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE. WHICH COULD OF RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. MR

NHTSA ID
8022064
Incident
Oct 23, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Oct 25, 2002

WHILE IN SHOP FOR UNRELATED REPAIR, MECHANIC NOTICED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING COOLANT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID
8021605
Incident
Oct 25, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Oct 23, 2002

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A PRETTY STRONG GAS SMELL ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

NHTSA ID
8021421
Fuel system
Filed Apr 21, 2002

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE WITH COOLANT LEAK TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT.. CAR WAS SUBJECT TO A FORD SERVICE BULLETIN RECALL IN 1998 FOR INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACEMENT TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURE. UNFORTUNEATELY, THE REPLACEMENT INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AT THE SAME GLUED SEAM THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE RECALL BY FORD.*AK

NHTSA ID
760998
Incident
Apr 13, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Mar 17, 2002

ACCORDING TO HOLMAN FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN, THE FORD THUNDERBIRD INTAKE MANIFOLD WILL CRACK AT THE SEAM NEXT TO ENGINE TOP, CAUSING A COOLING FLUID LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ID
759468
Incident
Mar 16, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Feb 26, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
758670
Incident
Feb 15, 2002
BrakesDriver assistanceFuel system+1 more
Filed Nov 14, 2001

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
Fuel systemTransmission
Filed Feb 26, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY, CLIMBING UP A HILL AND GOING UP A MOUNTAIN, AND WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A GASOLINE STATION, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD IN ENGINE WAS MADE FROM PLASTIC AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. INTAKE MANIFOLD SPLIT OPEN. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
881423
Incident
Feb 17, 2001

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .