IllustrationI'VE NOTICED NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME SPECIFIC PROBLEM THAT I HAD AND AM CURIOUS WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO ABOUT? ARE YOU WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET HUT? I SUGGEST YOU RECALL FAULTY PARTS ON A VEHICLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A BIG PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
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
What owners actually said
423 reportsUPON STARTING, WHITE CLOUD OF SMOKE EMITTED FROM EXHAUST, ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH, ENGINE TEMP. GAUGE ROSE QUICKLY. TEST REVEALED BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK
WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED BACK IN EARLY 2000, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT IS NOW COVERED. THIS VEHICLES ENGINE WAS FORDS MISTAKE, THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND IT. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 57,446 MILES 3.8L ENGINE ENGULFED IS WHITE SMOKE. BETWEEN 57.446 MILE AND 58,346 ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, E.E. MIRROR SWITCH, DOOR LOCKS, ODOMETER, TRIPOMETER, WINDOW SWITHCHES. THIRD TIME FOR DOOR LOCKS. ALL FORD MOTOR SAYS IS THEY WILL DOCUMENT THE COMPLAINT.
BLOWN HEAD GASKET, ENGINE SPEWED WHITE SMOKE VIA TAILPIPE. ENGINE WON'T FIRE NOR START.*AK
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO GASKETS, REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES AS WELL AS FUEL LINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS MALFUNCTION IN THE POWER MIRRORS AND THE POWER LOCKS, ILLUMINATION CONTROLS AS WELL AS MOTOR IN DRIVERS SIDE DOOR<POWER DOOR>, SEATBELTS WILL NOT ENGAGE AND SIGNALS FOR SEATBELT TO BE WORN , SEATBELT ALARM WILL NO…
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ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO GASKETS, REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES AS WELL AS FUEL LINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS MALFUNCTION IN THE POWER MIRRORS AND THE POWER LOCKS, ILLUMINATION CONTROLS AS WELL AS MOTOR IN DRIVERS SIDE DOOR<POWER DOOR>, SEATBELTS WILL NOT ENGAGE AND SIGNALS FOR SEATBELT TO BE WORN , SEATBELT ALARM WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS SOLVED.COOLENT SYSTEM FAILURE AT POINT OF ENGINE FAILURE , DECREASE IN COMPRESSION AND WHITE SMOKE FROM HOOD, LEVELS READ VERY HOT!!.*AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, BOTH GASKET WERE BLOWN.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. ALSO, BRAKE LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE WASN'T WORKING, AND WHEN WENT TO PULL THE SOCKETS, THE PLUGS WERE BURNED. DEALER WILL REPAIR AT OWNER'S COST. *AK *ML
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THIS VEHICLE FIRST HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN 1997 W/ONLY 85002 MILES ON IT. IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY (75000 MI), SO FORD MADE ME PAY (TOTAL: $1135.36). IN JANUARY 2000 AFTER 50,000 ADDITIONAL MILES THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE VEHICLE, NOR WILL FORD. I HAVE SEEN ON YOUR SITE THAT A CLASS ACTION…
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THIS VEHICLE FIRST HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN 1997 W/ONLY 85002 MILES ON IT. IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY (75000 MI), SO FORD MADE ME PAY (TOTAL: $1135.36). IN JANUARY 2000 AFTER 50,000 ADDITIONAL MILES THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE VEHICLE, NOR WILL FORD. I HAVE SEEN ON YOUR SITE THAT A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS PENDING FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS NOT MENTIONED. HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING MY MONEY BACK AND HAVE FORD FIX MY VEHICLE? I AM ANGRY, FRUSTRATED, AND TIRED OF WALKING TO WORK. *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