IllustrationWHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS WILL JUST GO OUT. CONSUMER HAD A RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHTS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , AND THEY REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND SOME OTHER WIRES. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK
1992 Ford Thunderbird
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Thunderbird years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 6 of 184 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports11 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
184 reportsDRIVER AND PASSENGER RESTRAINTS DO NOT RETRACT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
RECALL HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT EXAMINE 4-PRONG CONNECTOR TO MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH (HEADLAMPS). CONNECTOR CASING COMPLETELY BURNED THROUGH; 1/2 INCH OUTER EDGE, 3/16 INCH INNER EDGE, WITH SIGNS OF BURNING AND MELTING MULTI-FUNCTION CASING INNER AND OUTER NEXT TO SWITCH ASSEMBLY IGNITION CAUSING INSUFFICIENT OPERATION OF HEADLIGHTS. …
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RECALL HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT EXAMINE 4-PRONG CONNECTOR TO MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH (HEADLAMPS). CONNECTOR CASING COMPLETELY BURNED THROUGH; 1/2 INCH OUTER EDGE, 3/16 INCH INNER EDGE, WITH SIGNS OF BURNING AND MELTING MULTI-FUNCTION CASING INNER AND OUTER NEXT TO SWITCH ASSEMBLY IGNITION CAUSING INSUFFICIENT OPERATION OF HEADLIGHTS. FOG LAMPS USED AT ALL TIMES DURING OPERATION OF HEADLAMPS. POSSIBILITY OF FIRE?! HEADLIGHTS FLICKER/SHUTOFF WITH OPERATION OF FOG LAMPS BUT RETURN TO NORMAL ONCE FOG LAMPS SHUTDOWN, EVEN WITH DAMAGE TO CONNECTOR. DEALERSHIP SERVICE ASSUMED MULTI-FUNCTION DEFECTIVE BUT WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH HEADLAMP SWITCH. DEALER DID NOT NOTIFY OWNER OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND DO NOT SEE THIS AS A "SAFETY ISSUE" NOR ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY SINCE NOT COVERED IN ORIGINAL RECALL AND VEHICLE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. (VIA FIRST CLASS MAIL: PICTURES) *AK
THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND WOULD NOT START AFTER IT HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. ONCE IT DID GET STARTED IT WAS BLOWING SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. . IT HAS NOT RAN SINCE THEN DUE TO THE INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER ON THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICK. THEN, WILL GO OUT COMPLETELY. RECALL ISSUED FOR THE 93 MODEL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT NOT 92. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *AK *ML
NHTSA RECALL 96V071000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 95S28/ IGNITION SYSTEM FAILURE. HAD RECALL DONE ON MAY 26,1999, AND REMEDY FAILED. OWNER REPLACED THE PART HIMSELF, IGNITION SWITCH WAS FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE MOUNTING HARWARE. CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY SHOWED NO CONCERN. *AK *ML
VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS. ALSO, HEADLIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO FLICKER ON AND OFF, AFFECTING DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 99V275000 ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SA…
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VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS. ALSO, HEADLIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO FLICKER ON AND OFF, AFFECTING DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 99V275000 ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *AK *ML
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND ABS SENSOR LIGHT COMING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY AND INTERMITTENTLY, AND INDICATING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
Official recalls
399V275000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Oct 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS, IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHTS MAY GO OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS AND WHICH MAY BE PRECEDED BY FLICKERING OR BLINKING AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER'S COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN, AND INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, IF NEEDED.
97V159000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WEST VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINES CAUSES THE NYLON FUEL LINE JUMPER TO CHAFE AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN. THIS WEAR CAN CAUSE A PIN HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTS IN DAMPNESS AND FUEL ODOR, AND IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PLASTIC CONVOLUTE COVERING AROUND THE FUEL LINES. IF THE LINES SHOW A LEAK, THE LINES WILL BE REPLACED FIRST.
96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
5EA99005 · Headlight Switch
Opened Jan 20, 1999 · Closed Dec 14, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH AN INTERNAL, BIMETAL CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT CAN OPEN DUE TO OVERHEATING DURING HEADLING OPERATION.
RQ98015 · Headlight Circuit Breaker
Opened Sep 29, 1998 · Closed Jan 22, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH AN ITERNAL, BIMETAL CIRCUIT BREALER THAT MAY OPEN DUE TO OVERHEATING DURING HEADLIGHT OPERATION
RQ97011 · Fuel Line Jumper
Opened Sep 25, 1997 · Closed Nov 16, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE ALLEGED FUEL LINE FAILURES OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL GEOGRAPHIC REGION AND IF THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED NATIONALLY
EA95030 · Rear Fuel Line Interference
Opened Oct 31, 1995 · Closed Sep 30, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
THE REAR FUEL TUBE BUNDLE MAY ABRADE AND FAIL IN THE VICINITY OF THE FUEL TANK.
PE93075 · Thrttl Vlv Linkage Bushing
Opened Aug 30, 1993 · Closed Dec 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available