1994 Ford Thunderbird

THE EEC WIRING (TWO HARNESSES FOR THE TRANSMISSION) FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO WATER AND SNOW SPLASHING UP ONTO THE WIRING CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF CORROSION. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WILL BE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL PARTS. NO OTHER MEASURES ARE SUGGESTED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. THE WIRING IN QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY SHIELDED IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE EXPOSURE THAT CAUSED THE CORROSION.

TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT WITH THE FORD THUNDERBIRD. LUCKILY, I DID NOT INCUR ANY BODILY HARM, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR PERSONAL INJURY IS SIGNIFICANT. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1998 THE COMPUTER ON MY THUNDERBIRD FAILED. EVERYTHING ON MY CAR IS CONTROLLED BY THIS SINGLE PART TO SOME DEGREE. THE THUNDERBIRD HAS ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION, WHICH DEPENDS SOLELY ON THE COMPUTER TO REGULATE THE GAS FLOW. INSTEAD OF SHUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN WHEN THE COMPUTER FAILED, THE COMPUTER ACTUALLY ALLOWED AND UNREGULATED FLOW OF GASOLINE INTO THE ENGINE. THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE TWO SIGNIFICANT SITUATIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE HUMAN INJURY. FIRST, THE EXCESS GAS IN THE ENGINE COULD CAUSE A FIRE, OR EVEN WORSE, AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE. SECOND, THE EXCESS GAS MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AGAINST THE DRIVER'S WILL AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY, THIS FLAW IS ALSO VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. THE EXCESS GAS IN THE ENGINE CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. WHILE THE COMPUTER COST 'ONLY' $550 TO REPLACE, THE BILL TO REPAIR THE ENGINE DAMAGE WAS OVER $2000. MY CAR HAS HIGH MILEAGE FOR A 1994 VEHICLE, SO THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE FIRST COMPLAINTS FILED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROMPTLY ADDRESSED BY FORD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND MAKE CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM.