1989 Ford Thunderbird

IN OUR LOCAL PAPER ON 8/31/2000, THERE WAS A STORY ABOUT THE ALAMEDA COUNTY (CALF) SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE'S PRELIMINARY DECISION CONCERNING A POSSSIBLE RECALL OF OF FORD VEHICLES IN THE MODEL YEARS 1983-1995 CONCERING THE THICK FILM IGNITION (TFI) MODULE BEING PLACED ON THE DISTRIBUTOR NEAR THE ENGINE BLOCK WHERE IT OVERHEATS AND CASUES THE CAR TO STALL. CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY UPDATES AS TO WHERE THIS SITUATION IS CURRENTLY AND WILL I BE NOTIFIED IN CASE OF A RECALL BY FORD. I SAW THIS STORY AFTER I SPENT OVER $700.00 GETTING MY FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP MODULE REPLACED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO THOUGHT THAT WOULD STOP THE STALLING. IT DIDN'T. ONCE MY CAR CAR REACHES A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, IT STALLS. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. KEN KELLY

GASKET IN MIDDLE SECTION OF ENGINE WAS SO NARROW IT FAILED COMPLETELY. THE CAR OVER HEATED MANY TIMES AND NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND AT TIMES IT OVER HEATED. REPLACED MANY PARTS THERMASTAT, RADIATOR,CATILITIC CONVERTER TESTED. WHEN MID SECTION DISASSEMBLED THE GASKET WAS SHOWN TO ME AND IT WAS UNDOUTEDLY A POOR DESIGN. TOO NARROW TO HOLD ON ANY VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 40 - 80 MPH IN ABOUT 2 SECONDS. APPLYING BRAKES SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN. AS SOON AS FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKE, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. EVEN WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, THREW VEHICLE IN PARK, AND TURNED OFF IGNITION TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TWO MILES AWAY. VEHICLE WILL BE CHECKED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON FORD 3.8L V-6 ENGINE, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING AND CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST $1,500 TO $2,000. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE COVERING MANY YEARS AND DIFFERENT FORD MODEL CARS. FORD HAS EXTENDED EXISTING WARRANTIES FOR SOME MODELS BUT ONLY BACK TO YEAR 1994. PROBLEM IS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT HEAD GASKET THICKNESS AND CYLINDER HEAD BOLT TENSION. ALUMINUM HEADS EVENTUALLY WARP, AND ENGINE COOLANT IS DRAWN INTO ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS CAUSING MISFIRING, POTENTIAL BEARING DAMAGE, EXHAUST SYSTEM CONTAMINATION, OVERHEATING, CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS, CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. CARS AFFECTED INCLUDE WINDSTAR, MERCURY SABLE, MUSTANG, THUNDERBIRD, LINCOLN, TAURUS, FROM 1988 TO 1997. CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, WASH D.C., HAS WRITTEN TO FORD CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, DEMANDING THAT FORD COVER ALL SUCH FAILURES FOR THE PREVOUSLY STATED PERIOD. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DO SO. IN ADDITION TO ENGINE/EXHAUST DAMAGE, SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED CAN RESULT IN A REAR END COLLISION BY VEHICLES FOLLOWING, ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND/OR LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORD REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT REDESIGNED THE GASKET AND HEAD BOLTS, AND ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SPECIFYING THE USE OF THE NEW PARTS WHENEVER HEAD GASKET REPAIRS ARE MADE BY A FORD DEALER.