1996 Ford Thunderbird

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE ALL OVER THE PLACE. CONSUMER FOUND A TSB REGARDING THE PROBLEM. *LA THE CONSUMER FELT THAT FORD SHOULD CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE PART(S) UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS FIXED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD BEEN REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS AND MAY BE ON IT'S THIRD. (THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL) *SC *JB

DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL CONCERNING DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD. FORD SAYS IT'S NOT COVERED. I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD -- THE LINK BELOW SHOWS OVER 250 OTHER CONSUMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING. HTTP://WWW.PUBLIC.FOTKI.COM/TRSI/FORD_INTAKE_RECALL/ *LA

THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY KEEPS MELTING. OCTOBER 2000 26,000 MILES FIRST NOTICED MY THIRD BRAKE LIGHT HAD MELTED THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE LIGHT SOCKETS, WAS TOLD THEN THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AFTER MUCH ARGUING AND WRITING THE BBB FORD FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE IT AT NO COST TO ME. NOW 2003 AT 32,800 MILES ASSEMBLY IS MELTED AGAIN, AGAIN I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT THE COST IS MINE. I SAID THEN AND I STILL BELIEVE THIS A PRODUCT DEFECT ON FORDS PART. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE PART, APART WHICH IS THE SAME PART THAT IS IN THERE NOW AND WILL MELT AGAIN IN A YEAR OR TWO AND I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. THE LINK BELOW SHOWS PICTURES OF A FORD THUNDERBIRDS THIRD BRAKE LIGHT DAMAGE AFTER THE ASSEMBLY AND WIRE HARRNESS HAS MELTED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD.W.MN12PERFORMANCE.COM/MN12HOWTO/3RD_BRAKE_LIGHT/3RD_BRAKELIGHT.HTML. *AK

FORD RECALL NOT HONORED - INTAKE MANIFOLD HTTP://WWW.BIGCLASSACTION.COM/CLASS_ACTION/FORD_MANIFOLD.HTML UPON ACCELERATION, SMOKE CAME OUT OF UNDER HOOD & I BELIEVE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT ALL HAPPENED SO QUICKLY. MADE IT TO THE NEAREST LOT, WHERE I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD. ALL COOLANT LEAKED OUT. HAD TO CALL FOR TOW. MECHANIC DID COOLANT PRESSURE TEST, AND SHOWED ONLY LEAK WAS AT BACK OF ENGINE. HAD TO PULL TRANSMISSION TO GET TO IT. WATER POUTING OUT BACK OF ENGINE BUT NO FREEZE PLUG BLOWN, TRACED BACKWARD TO INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK THAT NEVER SHOWED UP ON INTIAL PRESSURE TESTING. I WAS CHARGED OVER $750. FOR REPAIRS. CALLED DEALER TO CHECK ON WARRANTY (EXPIRED 1200 MILES EARLIER) AND RECALLS. SAID THERE WERE NONE. JUST RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE RECALL AT AN AUTOZONE WEBSITE, AND CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT IT. HE SAID TO SEND IN ORIGINAL RECEIPT & FORD WOULD REIMBURSE. THEY GAVE ME THE RUNAROUND, AND FINALLY SAID THE CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE I SHOULD'VE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALER/SERVICE. SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, & I KNEW OF NO RECALL, I SAW NO REASON TO SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY FORD MECHANICS CHARGE, SO I WENT WITH THE OTHER PRIVATE MECHANIC. FORD'S ARGUMENT IS THAT I SHOULD'VE GONE TO FORD MECHANIC, AND MINE IS THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME OF THE RECALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN I ASKED THEM. AT LEAST THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR SOMETHING THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2000, RECALL WAS IN 1999. DEALER OR SOMEONE SHOULD'VE NOTIFIED ME OF THE RECALL.*AK