2002 Ford Thunderbird Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a left turn, the power steering suddenly failed and the steering wheel would not turn in either direction, before the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11542652

Incident

Sep 3, 2023

Mileage

70,000 mi

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to turn the steering wheel while using excessive force and veered to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that he restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle stalled after driving approximately 3-feet. The contact stated that he restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle stalled while driving. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11542638

Incident

Sep 3, 2023

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE CLUSTER LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT ON MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHEN THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED I REALLY DON'T KNOW SINCE THE CAR IS MAINLY A SHOW CAR AND WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT DUSK COMING BACK FROM A CAR SHOW THE CLUSTER LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON. WE PARKED THE CAR AND ONLY DROVE IT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THEN THE FUEL SYSTEM QUIT WORKING SO WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE HEADLIGHT FAILURE, TAILLIGHT FAILURE, TURN SIGNAL FAILURE, TILT STEERING WHEEL FAILURE, PARKING LIGHTS FAILURE, AND DRIVING LIGHTS FAILURE. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT YOU CANNOT TELL HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE RISK OF YOUR TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS GOING OUT. YOU CAN GOOGLE FORD THUNDERBIRD AND FIND INFORMATION WHERE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS CAR HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. I BELIEVE THIS CAR NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL SINCE THEY CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT OR REALLY ANYTIME. WHICH IS A RISK NOT ONLY TO ME BUT ANY OTHER VEHICLE AROUND ME. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER TO GET THE CAR LOOK AT AND FOR THEM TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A NETWORK PROBLEM AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO DIAGNOSE. HE SAID IT COULD TAKE HOURS TO DAYS TO FIGURE IT OUT CONSIDERING THE COMPUTER AND NETWORK SYSTEM ON THE CAR. THE SERVICE MAN ALSO TOLD ME THEY DID NOT LIKE TO WORK ON THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. HE ALSO STATED THAT WAS THE REASON FORD QUIT MAKING THIS VEHICLE. I HOPE YOU CAN SEE THE SAFETY ISSUES THIS VEHICLE CREATES. FROM SPEAKING WITH OTHER DEALERS FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE IS A WEBSITE ABOUT THE CLUSTER PROBLEMS IT IS : WWW.THUNDERBIRDSPECIALTIES.COM/2002-2005THUNDERBIRD-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-PROBLEMS/. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11244929

Incident

Oct 27, 2018

Mileage

18,775 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD EQUIPPED WITH A FIRESTONE TEMPA SPARE TIRE, SIZE: T185-60-R17 (NA). WHILE CLEANING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE SPARE TIRE THAT WAS STORED IN THE TRUNK WAS BLOWN OUT AND THE TIRE WIRES, RUBBER, AND CORDS WERE EXPOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO VISIT FIRESTONE TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRE WAS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS NO TIRE AVAILABLE TO REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2. *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11186764

Incident

Mar 13, 2019

Mileage

3,500 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON 09 -06 -2016 IN A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY DEPLOY & SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED AS A RESULT. SHE WAS ON INTERSTATE 95N NEAR MANNING, SC WHEN A SEMI TRUCK DID NOT SEE HER & CAME INTO HER LANE GRAZING THE CAR. SHE HAD TO GO OFF THE ROAD OR THE TRUCK WOULD HAVE CRUSHED HER. THE THUNDERBIRD ROLLED OVER & SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED.

NHTSA ID

11182303

Incident

Sep 6, 2016

Mileage

50 mi

MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND I WANT TO KNOW IF I HAVE A TAKATA AIRBAG. IF SO HOW TO I GET IT FIXED?

NHTSA ID

11144677

Incident

May 14, 2018

AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND FORD HAS NO REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. *JS

NHTSA ID

11097139

Incident

Apr 12, 2018

Mileage

56,000 mi

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AND OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO DEALER. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY AIR BAG THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED. FORD MOTOR CO. SAID SERVICE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND DEALER DID NOT REPAIR THE AIR BAG. I WAS ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH NO IDEA IF THE AIR BAG WOULD FUNCTION IN A CRASH. IS THE VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE AND SHOULD FORD MOTOR CO. HAVE DONE MORE TO ASSURE THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE?

NHTSA ID

11089780

Incident

Apr 20, 2018

Mileage

56,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. LOU FUSZ FORD IN CHESTERFIELD, MISSOURI WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 800.

NHTSA ID

11061933

Incident

Apr 1, 2003

Mileage

800 mi

1ST HAD TO HAVE 8 COILS REPLACED ,2002 NOT COVERED ON RECALL, BUT 2003 AND AFTER WERE. YESTERDAY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER A DIAGNOSIS, FOUND THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACED AND FUEL FILTER. THE COST WAS $1500.00. THERE WERE 4 OTHER T-BIRDS THERE PLUS MINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT NEXT? DO I NEED A TOW TRUCK TO FOLLOW ME ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11055850

Incident

Dec 20, 2017

Mileage

30,500 mi

STEREO CUTS ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME AND SOMETIMES THE CAR ALARM GOES OFF.

NHTSA ID

11005275

Incident

May 3, 2017

Mileage

98,200 mi

MY CAR WAS RUNNING AND I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO PUT GARAGE DOOR DOWN. I PUT VEHICLE IN PARKED WITH IT RUNNING AND DOOR SHUT AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE VEHICLE ALL THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AND CAR WAS RUNNING. VERY DANGEROUS I WAS UNABLE TO GET INTO VEHICLE ALL DOORS LOCKED WITH CAR RUNNING. I NEVER LOCKED THE DOOR WHEN I EXITED.

NHTSA ID

11005268

Incident

Jul 14, 2017

Mileage

98,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN IDLING ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE WHERE THE EMPLOYEE FOUND THAT CYLINDERS 3, 4, AND 7 WERE MISFIRING, AS WELL AS A RANDOM MISFIRE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE SPARK PLUG WELL AND OPENED THE COIL PACK. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL PACK WERE COVERED IN OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT LATER SPOKE TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD COME PICK UP THE VEHICLE IF THE CONTACT DECIDED TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

NHTSA ID

10984926

Incident

Apr 11, 2017

Mileage

31,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THE ALUMINUM ON THE WHEELS CORRODED AND LEAKED AIR. THE DEALER SANDED DOWN THE INNER WHEELS AND COATED THEM WITH A SOLUTION TO PREVENT RUST/CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,500. UPDATED 05/10/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID

10956591

Incident

Aug 7, 2015

Mileage

119,500 mi

TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A OIL CHANGE THE DEALER WROTE UP A LIST OF PROBLEMS NEED TO REPAIR ON THIS CAR .THIS CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE AND DRIVEN WEEKLY IT ONLY HAS 30,600 MILES ON IT. I THINK IT WILL COST ME 2500 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS CAR. I NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE WITH A CAR.

NHTSA ID

10895573

Incident

Jun 16, 2016

THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FOR SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, TEMP AND FUEL GAUGES FAIL TO TURN ON WITH HEADLIGHTS. THE DIMMER SWITCH IS FUNCTIONAL SINCE OTHER LIGHTS FOR ODOMETER, RADIO, A/C FUNCTION CORRECTLY. FUSES CHECK OUT. CANNOT VIEW SPEED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS MAKES DRIVING AT NIGHT DANGEROUS. FORD DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE CLUSTER FOR THE DASH MIGHT NEED TO BE CHANGED. HOWEVER, NONE ARE AVAILABLE ANYMORE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 8237 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10884413

Incident

Jul 10, 2016

Mileage

8,237 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AFTERWARDS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPERATE PAST APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. AFTER THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL ON PLUG WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT ALL EIGHT VEHICLE COIL ON PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVENTUALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10872774

Incident

Mar 31, 2016

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

NHTSA ID

10822589

Incident

Aug 27, 2015

Mileage

42,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON STATE ROUTE 179 MY VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH THAN STALLED COMPLETELY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED, IT WAS IN A CURVE AND I BARELY WAS ABLE TO KEEP FROM GOING OFF THE ROADWAY. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED.

NHTSA ID

10818532

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

12,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE ABNORMALLY WHILE THE MISFIRED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COULD NOT DESCRIBE THE FAILURE IN GREAT DETAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND COIL PACK FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10806222

Incident

Nov 23, 2008

Mileage

30,000 mi

I WENT TO PARK THE CAR AND THE CAR WENT RACING INTO THE SPOT AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE IT STOP. I THROUGH THE CAR INTO PARK AND EVEN THEN I WAS SURE IT WAS GOING TO STOP. IF I DIDN'T HAVE AN EMPTY PARKING LOT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THEN I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME WHICH I DIDN'T WANT TO DO, BECAUSE THIS WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. THEN DRIVING HOME AT THE STOP LIGHT I JUST PUT THE CAR IN PARK BECAUSE IT WAS STILL RACING AND I DIDN'T THINK PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WOULD HAVE KEPT IT IN A STOPPED POSITION. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO TAKE OFF IT ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL. NOT A COOD FEELING AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

10760777

Incident

Sep 1, 2015

Mileage

49,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUMBER 8 COIL AND SPARK PLUG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ID

10692070

Incident

Aug 7, 2014

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND MISFIRED, AND A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,200.

NHTSA ID

10631480

Incident

Sep 4, 2014

Mileage

10,200 mi

RE:2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD AT 43,237 MILES THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND MISFIRING.THE PASSENGER AREA IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FILL WITH EXHAUST FUMES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT DID NOT FLASH TO INDICATE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. UPON LETTING THE TOP DOWN THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY DRIVEN TO A NEARBY FORD DEALERSHIP. THE CYLINDER EIGHT COIL AND SPARK PLUG WERE REPLACED WHICH SEEMED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AT 45,280 MILES THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED AND THE CYLINDER SIX COIL AND SPARK PLUG WERE REPLACED. AT 47,459 MILES THE SAME THING OCCURRED YET AGAIN AND CYLINDER COILS TWO AND THREE WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS FOUR SPARK PLUGS. DESPITE THE COST INVOLVED IN THE NECESSARY REPAIR WORK AND THE FACT THAT ALL OF THE ABOVE INCIDENTS OCCURRED WELL WITHIN THE MILEAGE OF AN EXTENDED WARRANTY I MAINTAINED THROUGH FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THE COMPANY ADVISED THAT THE TIME LIMIT ON MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THE COMPANY IS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE REMAINING CYLINDER COILS AND SPARK PLUGS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AS A RESULT OF THE PASSENGER AREA FILLING WITH EXHAUST FUMES WHEN THE ENGINE BEGINS RUNNING ROUGH. I DO KNOW HOWEVER THAT WHEN AN ENGINE BEGINS MISFIRING, RAW GASOLINE POURS INTO THE COMBUSTION SYSTEM AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE, I ALSO KNOW THAT CARBON MONOXIDE IF NOT DETECTED QUICKLY CAN BE FATAL TO HUMAN BEINGS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE ABOVE INCIDENTS ARE NECESSARILY A WARRANTY ISSUE. THEY ARE HOWEVER A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC IN NATURE AND RELATED TO DESIGN PROBLEMS OF THE 3.9L V8 ENGINE UTILIZED IN THE 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. I RECOMMEND THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALL THE 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD AND REPLACE ALL COILS AND SPARK PLUGS WITH RELIABLE PARTS AS I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY A FORD SERVICE EMPLOYEE THAT THE REPLACEMENT COILS SOMETIMES FAIL AND MUST BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10610942

Incident

Apr 18, 2012

Mileage

43,237 mi

DRIVING 45 TO 50 MPH, ENGINE STARTS CUTTING OUT, RUNNING ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING WHICH REQUIRED THE COIL PACK TO BE REPLACED BY FORD. THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR FORD THUNDERBIRD. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND YET FORD HAS NOT REDESIGNED THE COIL PACK FOR THIS CAR AND THE COIL PACK CONTINUES TO FAIL TIME AND TIME AGAIN. I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT I WAS NOT ON SOME REMOTE HIGHWAY STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED OR TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHY THE 2002 THUNDERBIRD COIL, SPARK PLUGS AND CONNECTORS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OF THE 2003-5 IS BEYOND ME. FORD DID AN INJUSTICE TO 2002 OWNERS OF THE THUNDERBIRD BY NOT ACCEPTING THAT THEY HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE REMEDIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594453

Incident

May 26, 2014

Mileage

73,000 mi