IllustrationENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE GONE BAD, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC 6 MONTHS AGO THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *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 reportsHEADLIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF FOR VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. ALSO HAS OCCURRED WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS & FOG LAMPS ON, BUT ALSO OCCURRRED WITH THEM OFF. *AK
A PLASTIC BUSHING BROKE AND ALLOWED A CABLE TO COME OFF THAT CONTROLED THE TRANSMISSIONS ABILITY TO SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. WHEN THE CABLE IS OFF, NO PRESSURE SIGNAL IS KNOWN AT THE TRANSMISSION. SO PRESSURES ARE TOO LOW AND DIRECT CLUTCH WILL BURN UP. THIS PROBLEM WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL 93B17 THAT WAS ISSUED IN 6/93. I BOUGHT T…
Read full complaint
A PLASTIC BUSHING BROKE AND ALLOWED A CABLE TO COME OFF THAT CONTROLED THE TRANSMISSIONS ABILITY TO SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. WHEN THE CABLE IS OFF, NO PRESSURE SIGNAL IS KNOWN AT THE TRANSMISSION. SO PRESSURES ARE TOO LOW AND DIRECT CLUTCH WILL BURN UP. THIS PROBLEM WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL 93B17 THAT WAS ISSUED IN 6/93. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 12/93 AND THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED PER THE RECALL, NOR WAS I INFORMED OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLES VIN # WAS NOT SHOWN AS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL PERTAINED TO THIS PARTICULAR CAR. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE CAR HAS A '92 TRANSMISSION WHICH IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION VS. ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN MOST '93 THUNDERBIRDS. THE MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS USED THE PLASTIC BUSHING SUJBECT IN THE RECALL. THUS IT IS MY ASSUMPTION THAT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE "FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS" ON THE RECALL. I AM NOW TRYING TO GET FORD TO REIMBURSE ME OF MY EXPENSES FOR REPAIRS, BUT THEY ARE NOT COOPERATING. CAN YOU HELP? *AK
MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM HE SEES ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH T-BIRDS AND COUGARS. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DO THE REPAIR, I HAD MY REGULAR MECHANIC DO IT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE 94 AND 95 3.8 V6 ENGINES WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE 93, WHICH IS THE SAME ENGINE!
LIGHT BULB SOCKETS IN THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IN REAR WINDOW MELT, DEALER CONTACTED AND ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT REMEDY. THE SOCKETS ARE PLASTIC THAT MELT WITH HEAT. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS DON'T WORK. ALSO, WHEN LOCKING THE SEAT BELTS, ONCE CONSUMER HITS THE BRAKES, THE SEAT BELT WON'T STAY LOCKED. CONSUMER CLAIMS THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK
VEHICLE RUNNING ROUGH. PULLED OVER AFTER NOTICING WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE. WATER WAS GONE FROM OVERFLOW. RADIATOR DRY. TOLD WAS BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK
HIGH MOUNTED REAR STOP LIGHT IS MELTING FROM HEAT OF BULB. ENTIRE ENCASEMENT HAS TURNED BLACK. THE BULB SOCKET & ATTACHMENT HAS MELTED DOWN. ENTIRE REAR STOP LIGHT HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
THE REAR MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET AND SOCKET AND HOLDER IS MELTING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
HEADLAMPS ARE DISCOLORED DUE TO MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION DECREASING THE HEADLAMP EFFECTIVENESS AND NIGHT VISION, FOG LAMP SWITCH MELTED. NLM
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