1997 Ford Thunderbird Suspension Problems

MY MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH MY AUTOMOBILE THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. ALL THE BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT END ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY. HE SAYS THE EXCESSIVE WEAR IS A RESULT OF THE DUST SEALS DISINTEGRATING ALLOWING DIRT AND WATER TO ENTER THE BALL JOINTS. HE INDICATED THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A RESULT OF THE USE OF INAPPROPRIATE OR DEFECTIVE MATERIALS FOR THE SEALS. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED. I WILL ASK THE MECHANIC TO KEEP THE OLD PARTS FOR ME. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172453

Incident

Nov 2, 2006

Mileage

96,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PERFORMING GENERAL MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED THE PLASTIC SEALS ON ALL FOUR UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AS WELL AS THE SEALS ON THE STABILIZER BAR WERE FRACTURED AND DETERIORATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10170731

Incident

Oct 13, 2006

Mileage

58,000 mi

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN! MY 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD IS NOT LISTED WHY? I HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE SMOG STUFF EVERY YEAR I PAY A LOT OF MONEY. WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE HOT OUTSIDE OVER 90 THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS SERVICE ENGINE, OR WHEN I GO UP A LONG HILL AND MY CAR OVERHEATS THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS SERVICE ENGINE AND IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT AN OXYGEN SENSOR OR OTHER SMOG RELATED ITEMS THAT ALWAYS COST $300 TO $650 I AM GOING B BROKE BEING ON A FIXED INCOME. FORD CAN'T FIX MY FRONT END VIBRATION I HAD ALL ALIGNMENTS DONE WHEEL BALANCING 4 TIMES NOTHING HELPS. MY STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES ALSO. PLEASE HELP! MANFRED GAUER . *JB

NHTSA ID

10130641

Incident

Jul 22, 2005

Mileage

33,573 mi

I BOUGHT MY 1997 THUNDERBIRD 4-15-2003 W/70000 MILES, AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS PAGE I CAN ONLY RELATE TO 2 OF THEM, THE VIBERATION IN THE TRANSMISSION ON UPSHIFT,AND THE FRONT END SHAKING ABOVE 50 MPH.BUT I'M SO GLAD. *AK I BOUGHT A 2 YR.EXTENTED WARRENTY,BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE I'M IN FOR SOME PROBLENS. I CAN BE CONTACTED AT [email protected]

NHTSA ID

10020735

Incident

May 10, 2003

Mileage

71,568 mi

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT SNAPPED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER. *AK THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN MOTION. THE REPAIR DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD EXPECT THIS AT 70K MILES. FORD HAD NOT RESPONDED TO THE CONSUMER. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10040248

Incident

Sep 10, 2003

Mileage

79,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS GOING 20MPH AND THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL BENT, AND BALL JOINT CAME APART, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

895663

Incident

Sep 2, 2001

FRONT BALL JOINT POPPED OUT OF SOCKET WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS REPLACED CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT TWICE, AND PROBLEM REOCCURRED.*AK THE FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED COMPLETLY AND THE REAR LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE. TENSION ARM BUSHING AND LOWER CONTROL ARM ON RIGHT SIDE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THE LEFT FRONT SWAYBAR FAILED. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID

875038

Incident

Nov 8, 2000

BOTH INCIDENTS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND TIME THIS PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. ON THE FIRST OCCASION I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE CAR COLLAPSED. FROM WHAT THE DEALER SAY FORD ENGINEERS LOOKED AT IT AND COULDN'T BELIEVE THE BALL JOUINT POPPED OUT OF THE SOCKET. AGAIN THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THEY HAD TO REPLACE IT WITHIN 10 MONTHS. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND LET ME KNOW IF I CAN TAKE FURTHER ACTION WITH REGARDS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. THANKS , TOM. *AK

NHTSA ID

736254

Incident

Jan 22, 2000

UNSAFE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION/STEERING SHAKES CONSISTANTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

733282

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

PE00 020;VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE,AND PULLED TO LEFT/ RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY. TOOKVEHICLE TO THE THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT TIRES WERE SEPARATED. SHE HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED AT HER EXPENSE. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE 205/70R15 FR710. *AK

NHTSA ID

868939

Incident

Jun 5, 2000

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHICH CAUSED POOR STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

862244

THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SHOPPING PLAZA. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 - 15 MPH AND NEVER EVEN HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE. THE FRONT END MADE A LOAD POPING NOISE AND I THOUGHT THE TIRES WENT FLAT. BUT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED AND THE CAR FRAME RESTED ON THE TIRES. WEST HERR CLAIMS THEY HAD PEOPLE FROM FORD COME IN AND LOOK AT IT. THE BALL JOINT POPPED OUT OF THE SOCKET . IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE THRUWAY I WOULDN'T BE WRITING THIS LETTER TODAY, I WOULD BE DEAD. THEY REPLACED BOTH SIDES AT MY REQUEST. *AK

NHTSA ID

718036

Incident

Jan 22, 2000

STEERING SHUDDERS, DEALER AND FORD ENGINEER CAN'T FIX AFTER 7 ATTEMPTS. FORD SHOULD BE SLAPPED FOR THIS. THEY HAVE STOPPED TRYING TO FIX IT AND WILL NOT REFUND MY MONEY FOR THIS PIECE OF IGNORANTLY DESIGNED JUNK. *AK

NHTSA ID

715057

Incident

Oct 10, 1999

THIS TBIRD IS A RARE BIRD THAT WAS ORDERED AND DELIVERED WITHOUT A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. TBIRDS HAVE 4 WHEEL INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION AND WHEN DRIVEN ON SLOPED STREETS WILL EASILY LIFT ONE DRIVE WHEEL HIGH ENOUGH TO LOSE TRACTION WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED INTO ANOTHER STREET OR DRIVEWAY THAT HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PLANE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS MAKING A U TURN ON A SLOPED STREET AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I STOPPED, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, STEPPED ON THE GAS AND PROMPTLY RAN INTO A LARGE BUSH ABOU 3' IN FRONT OF ME. I THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED SO I CALLED AAA. THE TOW DRIVER MOVED THE CAR A FEW FEET AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. I CALLED THE SAN DIEGO DEALER THAT DOES MY SERVICE AND THE EXPERIENCED SERVICE WRITER WAS SURPRISED - NEITHER OF US HAD EVER SEEN A TBIRD WITHOUT LIMITED SLIP SO WE ASSUMED LIMITED SLIP DIDN'T WORK IN REVERSE. THE NEXT TIME I WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY TO BACK UP AND TURN AROUND ON A HILLLY STREET AND I LOST TRACTION AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. BOTH TIMES I HEARD A WHINING NOISE THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE DRIVE WHEEL THAT WAS BARELY TOUCHING THE STREET SURFACE. SO I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED IT DID NOT HAVE A LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. THEY COULDN'T GET OFF THEIR PREMISES FAST ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NOT SOLD ME THE CAR. FRIENDLY FORD HAS SIMPLY STONEWALLED ME. FORD MOTORS REPEATEDLY HAS STATED IT IS NOT A DEFECT AND THE DEALER ORDERED THE CAR WITHOUT THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL AND I SHOULD LOOK TO HIM FOR SATISFACTION. THE FACTORY PERSON DID INDICATE THAT A TBIRD WITHOUT THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL WAS VERY RARE. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY KNOWN AT FORD SINCE THIS PLATFORM WAS USED FOR SO MANY YEARS. BOTH TIMES THE CAR MOVED SEVERAL FEET AFTER LOSING TRACTION AND DID NOT REGAIN TRACTION UNTIL THE SURFACE PLANES CHANGED.

NHTSA ID

711590

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

REAR TIRE LOSES CONTACT WITH ROAD SURFACE WHEN PARKING CAR IN CERTAIN AREAS, ALSO WILL ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY IF WHEEL IS OFF ROAD AND MAKES CONTACT W/CURB.

NHTSA ID

781076

Incident

Aug 25, 1997

DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN RAIN, THE REAR END FISHTAILS UNLESS WEIGHT IS PLACED INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

538696

FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES, HAS BEEN LOOKED OVER BY DEALER AND HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

811072