IllustrationACCORDING TO HOLMAN FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN, THE FORD THUNDERBIRD INTAKE MANIFOLD WILL CRACK AT THE SEAM NEXT TO ENGINE TOP, CAUSING A COOLING FLUID LOSS. *AK
1997 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
00–25K
525–50K
2250–75K
1275–100K
6100–150K
3150K+
48 reports with mileage · 121 unknown
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 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
169 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE BRAKING EFFECTS CAUSED BY WARPED ROTORS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THEM AT NO COST, HOWEVER 12 MONTHS LATER ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN, CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING WARPED ROTOR PROBLEMS. *JG
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH, ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. INDEPENDENT GARAGE EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED, AND WAS REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER FAILURES THE ENGINE WAS RUINED AND ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.…
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WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH, ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. INDEPENDENT GARAGE EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED, AND WAS REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER FAILURES THE ENGINE WAS RUINED AND ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB
HEAD GASKET BLEW. ENGINE RUINED. VEHICLE LOST POWER. SMOKE POURED FROM ENGINE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. I SAW NO INDICATION OF PROBLRM ON PANEL. NOTIFICATIO ON PANEL LIT UP AS VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO SERVICE ENGINE. *AK
THEY REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AND THEN THE RADIATOR MALFUNCTIONED, 18.000 MILES LATER THE HEATER CORE FAILED, WAS REPLACED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS SINCE AUG 4 TIMES. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE AND THE DEALER IS TRYING TO FIX IT EACH TIME AT LEAKS.THE BRAKES/ROTORS HAVE BEEN A CRONIC PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN…
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THEY REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AND THEN THE RADIATOR MALFUNCTIONED, 18.000 MILES LATER THE HEATER CORE FAILED, WAS REPLACED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS SINCE AUG 4 TIMES. FORD DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE AND THE DEALER IS TRYING TO FIX IT EACH TIME AT LEAKS.THE BRAKES/ROTORS HAVE BEEN A CRONIC PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THE CALIPERS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED 3 TIMES AND FINALLY REPLACED.*AK
DRIVER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING VEHICLE AND HAD COME TO A STOP IN THE PARKING SPOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CURB, AND CRASHED INTO A METAL BENCH.*AK
THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY BOOKLET THAT CAME WITH CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT STATED THAT EMISSION SENSORS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES UNDER CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS WHICH I HAVE ON MY CAR...WHEN CATALYTIC SENSOR MONITOR FAILED FORD REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY, AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY $269.TO HAVE REPAI…
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THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY BOOKLET THAT CAME WITH CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT STATED THAT EMISSION SENSORS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES UNDER CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS WHICH I HAVE ON MY CAR...WHEN CATALYTIC SENSOR MONITOR FAILED FORD REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY, AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY $269.TO HAVE REPAIR DONE BY DEALERSHIP...FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH SAFETY AND EMISION STANDARDS..*AK
DUE TO THE LOCATION OF CUP HOLDERS SPILLAGE FROM CUPS GET INTO GEAR SHIFT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT DUE TO DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE CUP HOLDER ANY SPILL OF LIQUIDS GETS INTO THE GEAR SHIFT AREA CAUSING THE GEAR SHIFT TO GET HARD AND ALSO, HARD TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WA…
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DUE TO THE LOCATION OF CUP HOLDERS SPILLAGE FROM CUPS GET INTO GEAR SHIFT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT DUE TO DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE CUP HOLDER ANY SPILL OF LIQUIDS GETS INTO THE GEAR SHIFT AREA CAUSING THE GEAR SHIFT TO GET HARD AND ALSO, HARD TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. ENGINE LEAKS OIL DUE TO ROCKER ARM COVER FAILURE. *YH
ABS BRAKE LIGHT GO ON AND OFF WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING A FLASHING OF THE LIGHTS. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.