IllustrationFAILED HEAD GASKET CAUSED ME TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS AFTER 6 YEAR/100K EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. SINCE FORD IS ALREADY RECALLING THIS ENGINE FROM OTHER CARS OF THE SAME ERA, IT IS LIKELY MY ENGINE HAD THE SAME DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. *AK
1993 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
Limited mileage data: 14 of 423 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 171 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 119 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports7 fire reports6 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
171 reportsBIG PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE SAME ONE RECALLED IN OUTHER FORDS. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT, RENDERING THE ENGINE INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. CALLED DEALER. DEALER STATED ENGINE GAS VALVE COVER BLEW OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURHTER INFORMATION. *AK
WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT A DEFECTIVE HEAD CASKET WAS ALSO SEEN ON ANOTHER 1993 T-BIRD (6 CYL). *AK
ENGINE CONTINUALLY OVERHEATING, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. *MJS
RIGHT ENGINE HEAD GASKET ORIGINALLY FAILED 11/95 WHEN THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING UNEXPLAINED BUCKING SENSATION UNDER LOAD IN COLD WEATHER. AFTER NUMUROUS VISITS AND ALTERNATIVE REPAIRS, DEALER FINALLY FIGURED OUT PROBLEM AND REPLACED RIGHT HEAD GASKET IN 3/97. BOTH GASKETS ALONG WITH WATER PUMP FAILED THIS TIME. DEALER CONTENDS…
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RIGHT ENGINE HEAD GASKET ORIGINALLY FAILED 11/95 WHEN THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING UNEXPLAINED BUCKING SENSATION UNDER LOAD IN COLD WEATHER. AFTER NUMUROUS VISITS AND ALTERNATIVE REPAIRS, DEALER FINALLY FIGURED OUT PROBLEM AND REPLACED RIGHT HEAD GASKET IN 3/97. BOTH GASKETS ALONG WITH WATER PUMP FAILED THIS TIME. DEALER CONTENDS ORIGINAL REPAIR DONE RIGHT, AND STATED THE NEW HEAD GASKETS CAN BE EXPECTED TO FAIL WITHIN SEVERAL YEARS AGAIN. *AK
ALUMINUM ENGINE HEADS CRACKED, WITH LEAKAGE. SERVICE CENTER SUGGESTED WE REPORT THIS, SINCE HE HAS REPAIRED ABOUT 20 OTHER AUTOMOBILES IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME MILEAGE. SAYS HEADS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH METAL AT THE HEAD BOLTS AND REPAIRS WILL BE NECESSARY AGAIN AFTER 50-70000 MILES. SERVICE CENTER W…
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ALUMINUM ENGINE HEADS CRACKED, WITH LEAKAGE. SERVICE CENTER SUGGESTED WE REPORT THIS, SINCE HE HAS REPAIRED ABOUT 20 OTHER AUTOMOBILES IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME MILEAGE. SAYS HEADS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH METAL AT THE HEAD BOLTS AND REPAIRS WILL BE NECESSARY AGAIN AFTER 50-70000 MILES. SERVICE CENTER WILL BACK UP THIS STATEMENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE ANY FLAW OR DEFECT IN THIS ENGINE. VERY COSTLY REPAIR. THANK YOU...MRS. T. CARROLL. *AK
THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM
WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AT APPROX 45MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKING/ROUGH IDLING. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC THERE WAS A BLOWEN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHO SAID THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
399V275000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Oct 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS, IN WHICH THE HEADLIGHTS MAY GO OUT FOR VARIOUS INTERVALS AND WHICH MAY BE PRECEDED BY FLICKERING OR BLINKING AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER'S COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH INCORPORATES A CIRCUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN, AND INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, IF NEEDED.
97V159000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WEST VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINES CAUSES THE NYLON FUEL LINE JUMPER TO CHAFE AGAINST THE FLOOR PAN. THIS WEAR CAN CAUSE A PIN HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS FUEL LEAKAGE RESULTS IN DAMPNESS AND FUEL ODOR, AND IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WAS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PLASTIC CONVOLUTE COVERING AROUND THE FUEL LINES. IF THE LINES SHOW A LEAK, THE LINES WILL BE REPLACED FIRST.
96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
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
3EA99005 · Headlight Switch
Opened Jan 20, 1999 · Closed Dec 14, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE A HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH AN INTERNAL, BIMETAL CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT CAN OPEN DUE TO OVERHEATING DURING HEADLING OPERATION.
RQ98015 · Headlight Circuit Breaker
Opened Sep 29, 1998 · Closed Jan 22, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH AN ITERNAL, BIMETAL CIRCUIT BREALER THAT MAY OPEN DUE TO OVERHEATING DURING HEADLIGHT OPERATION
RQ97011 · Fuel Line Jumper
Opened Sep 25, 1997 · Closed Nov 16, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE ALLEGED FUEL LINE FAILURES OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL GEOGRAPHIC REGION AND IF THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED NATIONALLY