IllustrationHEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING CAR TO OVERHEAT AND BLOWING WATER THROUGH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING OF OVERHEATING WHATSOEVER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, NO PROBLEMS INCURRED UP TO THIS POINT. THIS INCIDENT LEFT DRIVER STRANDED AS VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILIZED.
1993 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: 14 of 423 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 171 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 119 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports7 fire reports6 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
171 reportsSTEAM COMES OUT OF ALL AIR VENTS AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF RUNNING, ALONG WITH A BAD SMELL; WATER COMES OUT ONTO PASSENGER FLOOR; ENGINE GETS VERY HOT AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES; COOLANT CONSTANTLY LEAKS. DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. *AK
SEAT BELT LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT, UNABLE TO BE FIXED. MJS
HEAD GASKETS: W/O ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER SUDDENLY THERE APPEARED WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST PIPE, TEMP. GAUAGE WENT UP, CAR HAD NOT BEEN USING ANY OIL AND/OR ANTI-FREEZE WHICH IS A HEADS UP TO SUCH A PROBLEM OCCURING. ALL MAINTENANCE HAD ALWAYS BEEN KEPT UP ON A REGULAR BASIS ON VEHICLE. TOLD AT TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPE…
Read full complaint
HEAD GASKETS: W/O ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER SUDDENLY THERE APPEARED WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST PIPE, TEMP. GAUAGE WENT UP, CAR HAD NOT BEEN USING ANY OIL AND/OR ANTI-FREEZE WHICH IS A HEADS UP TO SUCH A PROBLEM OCCURING. ALL MAINTENANCE HAD ALWAYS BEEN KEPT UP ON A REGULAR BASIS ON VEHICLE. TOLD AT TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED THAT THE NEXT THING THAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE THE ENGINE WOULD GO. THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPT. JUST LIKE MECHANIC SAID, THE ENGINE WENT THERE AGAIN, W/O ANY NOTICE. IT THROUGH A ROD. WAS TOLD THAT TO SAVE PROBLEMS/TIME, SHOULD ACTUALLY JUST GO AHEAD AND REPLACE BOTH WHEN DOING THE OTHER BECUASE IT WOULD HAPPEN. TOLD FORD MOTOR AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A 3 YR. RANGE ON THIS MOTOR & HEAD GASKETS. THEY HAVE SENSE IMPROVED PROBLEM BUT THAT DOES NOTHING TO HELP OUT THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT THOSE YEARS. PUT OUT THE MONEY OR PART IT OUT! FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE KEPT UP OUR VEHICLES, WE HAVE NO CHOICE. FORD MOTOR KNOWINGLY AWARE OF THIS SHOULD HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION IN ORDER TO DISCUSS BUT KNOW WHAT THEY'LL HAVE TO SAY..."OUT OF WARRANTY"...YOU'RE STUCK!
WITHOUT WARNING, HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 75,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO FORD RECOMMENDED SERVICE SCHEDULE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN 1989-1995 FORD 3.8L V6 ENGINES.
THE CAR OVERHEATS AND RUNS POORLY, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. I HAD IT CHECKED FOR HYDRO CARBONS AT A GARAGE WHICH IT HAS, INDICATING A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I WAS TOLD THAT THE LOCAL MERCURY DEALER WAS FLOODED WITH 3.8L BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIER WILL BE A RECALL.
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 45MH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE. *AK
TEMPERATURE NEEDLE RUNS HIGH ON THE CAR, AND BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MECHANIC SAID THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE GONE BAD, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC 6 MONTHS AGO THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *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
3EA99005 · 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