1997 Ford Thunderbird

I PURCHASED THIS 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD LX SPORT AS A USED VEHICLE IN OCT. 2002. I NOTICED THAT DURING THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LEAK A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COOLANT ONTO MY DRIVEWAY BUT I COULD NEVER SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. SOMETIMES IT WOULD GO FOR DAYS WITHOUT LEAKING AND THEN ONE DAY THERE WOULD BE OVER A QUART OF COOLANT ON THE DRIVEWAY. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO A SHOP THAT PUT THE CAR ON A LIFT TO LOOK FOR THE LEAK BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ONE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND ADD COOLANT EVERY TIME THE "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH PANEL. IN MAY 2005 I WAS ON THE 91 FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING THE "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TEMP CAME UP QUICKLY SO I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES TO THE RIGHT TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND THE BACK OF THE CAR BROKE LOOSE AND I ALMOST TURNED SIDEWAYS. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE REAR TIRES AND WHEEL WELLS WERE SOAKED IN COOLANT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I FOUND OUT THAT MY INTERMITTENT LEAK THAT NO ONE COULD FIND WAS MY INTAKE MANIFOLD AT THE BASE OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. I WENT TO RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA FORD AND ASKED ABOUT RECALLS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD EXPIRED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. THE CAR NOW SITS PARKED UNREPAIRED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY ALMOST TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CORRECT FORDS ENGINEERING BLUNDER. *JB

DT: 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD LX V8 4.6 LITERS. 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD LX HAD A COOLANT LEAK. THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD OVERHEATED. COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE WHEN GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE. THE ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING IN THREE PLACES. VEHICLE HAD THE ORIGINAL PARTS. THE CONSUMER WAS THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. HAD NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. DID HAVE SOMEONE LOOK AT VEHICLE , WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS PLASTIC AND VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, AND THAT THE O RINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS WAS SENT OUT ON FEBRUARY 2, 2002 DISCUSSING THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. *AK

UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 4.6 L THUNDERBIRD CRACKED AND BLEW ALL THE COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAD TO PAY FORD TO REPLACE THE UPPER INTAKE AND THE PLUGS THAT WERE FOULED OUT. THEY REFUSED ANY RESPONSIBILITY EVEN WITH A FORMAL WRITTEN COMPLAINT TO THEIR HOME OFFICE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF THEIR 4.6 L ENGINES IN A VARIETY OF VEHICLES.*JB

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN! MY 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD IS NOT LISTED WHY? I HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE SMOG STUFF EVERY YEAR I PAY A LOT OF MONEY. WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE HOT OUTSIDE OVER 90 THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS SERVICE ENGINE, OR WHEN I GO UP A LONG HILL AND MY CAR OVERHEATS THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS SERVICE ENGINE AND IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT AN OXYGEN SENSOR OR OTHER SMOG RELATED ITEMS THAT ALWAYS COST $300 TO $650 I AM GOING B BROKE BEING ON A FIXED INCOME. FORD CAN'T FIX MY FRONT END VIBRATION I HAD ALL ALIGNMENTS DONE WHEEL BALANCING 4 TIMES NOTHING HELPS. MY STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES ALSO. PLEASE HELP! MANFRED GAUER . *JB

VEHICLE WOULD NOT HOLD ANY RADIATOR FLUID,CAUSING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO RISE. TRIED TO REFILL THE RADIATOR FLUID, BUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT RAN OUT. COULD NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC,WHO TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD,SO THE I WOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, LOSS OF ALL ANTIFREEZE AND VEHICLE BEING TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON. THE LETTER FROM FORD TO REPLACE THIS EXPIRED IN MAY 2004! I HAD COMPLAINED TO MY DEALERSHIP ABOUT LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE, GAS, THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS. OF COURSE, NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR. EVEN THOUGH I SEE THAT MANY T-BIRD OWNERS ARE HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MANDATORY RECALL FROM FORD. BECAUSE EXISTING PROBLEMS ARE BEING REPORTED!*AK