1996 Ford Thunderbird

1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD 4.6L 281CID V8 MOTOR FAILURE OF PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. DRIVING HOME UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND CHECK COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. WIFE SAID SHE HAD THOUGHT SHE SMELLED BURNING COOLANT FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND HE POINTED OUT THE CRACK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. SAID THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR. PAID OVER $800.00 TO HAVE REPAIRED WITH UPGRADED PART. FORD MOTOR CO. HAS BEEN AWARE OF PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND ISSUED A RECALL FOR TAXIS AND POLICE VEHICLES BUT RECALL DOES NOT COVER PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES. CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 114,000 MILES.

VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED ON 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD.*MR THE VEHICLE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL. ABOUT ONE YEAR AFTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED THE CONSUMER STARTED SMELLING ANTIFREEZE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP WHERE THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT DROPS OF ANTIFREEZE COULD BE SEEN BY THE WATER PUMP AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER IT WAS REPLACED THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO SMELL ANTIFREEZE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE MANIFOLD CRACKED AGAIN AND THAT THE ANTIFREEZE HAD SOAKED THE FIRST TWO CYLINDERS CAUSING THEM TO MISFIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THIS MANIFOLD. *NM

PROBLEMS WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD.*MR THE VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED, FREE OF CHARGE, WITH ANOTHER PLASTIC MANIFOLD DUE TO A RECALL. APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AFTER THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED THE CONSUMER STARTED SMELLING ANTI-FREEZE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT MANIFOLD CRACKED AGAIN AND ANTI-FREEZE SOAKED THE FIRST TWO CYLINDERS WHICH CAUSED THEM TO MISFIRE. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT. *NM

IN FEBRRUARY 2003, MY 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD 4.6L STARTED SPEWING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS JUST AT MY DRIVEWAY AND PULLED IN. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD I REALIZED IT WAS NOT SMOKE BUT COOLANT THAT WAS BEING SPRAYED ALL OVER THE HOT ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO FRIENDLY FORD IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, AND AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, THEY REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD UNDER A TSB. ON 6-2-04, SOME 16 MONTHS LATER, THE INTAKE IS AGAIN LEAKING. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THE PART THEY PUT ON THE CAR IS NOT THE RECOMMENDED PART AS STATED IN A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN FLINT, MICHIGAN,DATED DECEMBER 2001. THE PART WHICH FORD STATES IS THE REPLACEMENT PART IS F6AZ9424AA. THE PART LISTED ON THE REPAIR INVOICE IS F8AZ8424AAA. THE PART ACTUALLY INSTALLED ON THE CAR HAS A PART NUMBER OF AE9424CA. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, DENNIS EICH, AT FRIENDLY FORD ON 6-22-04, WHO STATED THAT THE PART NUMBER DOESN'T MATTER, THEY DON'T NEED TO INSTALL THE PART RECOMMENDED BY FORD IN THE LETTER, AND BECAUSE THE PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW THEY WON'T FIX IT CORRECTLY. I UNFORTUNATELY AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH, VIA THE INTERNET, SHOWS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT WHICH SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A FULL BLOWN RECALL AND FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLES WITH THE RECOMMENDED PARTS.*AK