2002 Ford Thunderbird

I AM WRITING TODAY TO EXPRESS GRAVE CONCERNS FOR MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR MODEL YEARS 2003-2005 FOR THE COIL OVER PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEM, BUT HAS CHOSEN TO OMIT THE 2002 MODEL YEAR EVEN THOUGH A MAJORITY OF 2002-2005 THUNDERBIRDS WERE PRODUCED IN MODEL YEAR 2002. MY CONCERN IS THAT MANY OWNERS OF THE 2002 MODEL YEAR HAVE EXPERIENCED COP FAILURES WHICH HAVE RENDERED THEIR CARS VIRTUALLY INOPERABLE WITHOUT NOTICE OF THE IMPENDING FAILURE. TO TAKE THIS A STEP FURTHER, IMAGINE DRIVING ON A HIGH SPEED INTERSTATE AND HAVE THE SYSTEM FAIL. THE CAR IS DESIGNED TO GO INTO "LIMP" MODE WHEREBY THE CAR CANNOT GO ANY FASTER THAN 25 MPH. THIS IS A DISASTEROUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN! NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE, IT THE REPAIRS ARE COSTING OWNERS OF MY 2002 CARS IN EXCESS OF $1,500 WHERE OWNERS OF NEWER MODELS ARE COVERED FOR 10 YEARS/100,000 MILES FREE OF CHARGE FOR THE EXACT SAME FAILURE. THIS INEQUITY MUST SERIOUSLY BE INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTED BY THE NHTSA! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION COIL WAS FAILING. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MIS-FIRE AND SPORADICALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE FAILURE, BUT STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR REPAIRS WAS NOT COVERED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 20,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 400 MILES. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,079. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,676. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF UPDATED 09/19/11

NO PARTICULAR EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE, JUST MILEAGE (ABOUT 35K). PROBLEM IS IGNITION MISFIRES - NOT CONSISTENT AT ALL BUT CAUSES NEARLY COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, STUMBLING, PARTICULARLY ON ACCELERATION (ON RAMPS, PASSING, ETC.). THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT - AT TIMES CAUSES LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE STALLS AND SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY, AT OTHER TIMES CAUSES INABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR EVEN HOLD CONSTANT SPEED. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM EXCEPT HAVING MISFIRE CODES CLEARED FROM TIME TO TIME (WHEN CAR RUNS LONG ENOUGH TO GET TO A SERVICE STATION). FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IDENTICAL PROBLEM FOR IDENTICAL ENGINE IN 2003-2005 THUNDERBIRD AND LINCOLN LS, AND COVERS COST OF FULL REPAIR(CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 07M07). FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON 2003-2005 VEHICLES TO COVER REPAIR (REPLACE CAM COVER GASKETS, SPARK PLUGS AND COILS ON PLUGS), BUT FOR SOME REASON DID NOT INCLUDE THE 2002 MODELS. COMPLAINT HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER, BUT THEY CLAIM THEY CAN'T EXTEND WARRANTY TO 2002 MODELS AND THEY CAN'T COMMUNICATE COMPLAINT TO ENGINEERING OR MANAGEMENT STAFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CONTACT PROCEEDED TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED ACCORDINGLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 10,000. UPDATED 08/03/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/04/10.*JB

FORD RECALLED THE COP'S (COIL ON PLUG) FOR LEAKAGE AND FAILURE. FORD SO SAY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF THEIR REPAIR. THE EXACT SAME ISSUE OCCURRED. APPARENTLY, THEIR ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES WITH THE 3.9 LITER ENGINE AND IT'S COIL PACKS. ONE ONLY HAS TO DO RESEARCH ON LINE TO FIND THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE COP SYSTEM. HOWEVER, FORD HAS REFUSED TO OWN UP TO IT'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE ENGINE MISSES AND IS A CAUSE OF POSSIBLE FAILURE WHILE IN OPERATION. SILSBEE FORD IN SILSBEE, TX HAS REFUSED TO RE REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO HONOR IT'S QUALITY COMMITMENT. RESEARCH THE FORD THUNDERBIRD AND MERCURY LS MODELS FROM 2000 TO 2005 ON LINE FOR FURTHER COMPLAINTS. SOME ARE REPLACING THE COP'S THEMSELVES EVERY FEW MONTHS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OPERATIONAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THE OIL AND GAS ARE MIXING IN THE VALVE. THE RINGS WERE REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,436.

THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM STARTED IN JUNE 2009 WHEN THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF (IS IT WORKING OR NOT? SAFETY ISSUE?) THEN WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS EVERYTHING ON THE STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS QUIT WORKING OR WENT BERSERK. THE CRUISE CONTROLS SUDDENLY WENT HAYWIRE ACCELERATING WHEN ANY BUTTON WAS PUSHED NOW THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL (SAFETY ISSUE). A CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND LAID ON THE HORN AND NOTHING!!! A TERRIBLE CRASH WAS MISSED BY LITERALLY INCHES( SAFETY ISSUE)...30 MINUTES LATER THE HORN WORKED. THE NEXT DAY I TRIED ABOUT 30 TIMES AND I GOT IT TO BEEP TWICE. THE RADIO/CD CONTROLS SOMETIMES WORK AND SOMETIMES DON'T. CHANGE FROM RADIO TO CD AND SUDDENLY THE VOLUME IS BLASTING (SHOCKED ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE). I WAS TOLD OVER THE PHONE IT IS A CLOCK SPRING ISSUE AND THE ESTIMATE WAS $450!!!!! IN ADDITION MY 2002 THUNDERBIRD WAS PURCHASED JAN 2,2003. IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST CARS OFF OF THE LINE BEFORE THE 2002 MODEL SWITCH TO 2003. I HAVE HAD THE SAME COIL ON PLUG ISSUES THAT WERE RECALLED ON 2003'S, YET DEALER WOULD DO NOTHING FOR ME.IT STARTED ONLY 2,000 MLS OUT OF INITIAL WARRANTY. I HAVE REPLACED 3 OF THE COILS/GASKET COVER AND NOW THE 4TH COIL IS BAD WITH GASKET LEAKING. THE DESIGN IS UNCHANGED FROM 2002 TO 2003, WHY NOT FIX MINE? TWICE I HAVE LOST POWER WHEN ACCELERATING AND THE CAR HESITATED OR STALLED IN MIDDLE OF DRIVING. IF YOU DON'T CONSIDER THAT A SAFETY ISSUE THEN TRY PULLING OUT IN ATLANTA TRAFFIC AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK. IN ADDITION NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE AUTO DOOR LATCH WON'T WORK. THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. I HAD PURCHASED THREE PRIOR FORD VEHICLES AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I NEVER HAD THE FIRST COMPLAINT ON ANY OTHER FORD VEHICLES.... NOW THE DEALER HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS...... PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU SEE IF YOU CAN GET THESE ISSUES FIXED I HAVE POURED ENOUGH MONEY INTO THIS CAR AND IT ISN'T FAIR! *TR