IllustrationGASKETS WERE LEAKING BEHIND THE TIMING CHAIN COVER DUE TO CRACKED HEADS, THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER STATED THAT WHITE SMOKE WAS BLOWING OUT THE EXHAUST. *SLC
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
What owners actually said
423 reportsCONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL IT OVER TO SHOULDERS. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART, AND VEHICLE STARTED LATER. HE TOOK IT TO DEALER. DEALER CLAIMED IGNITION SWITCH HAD A DEFECT. *AK
I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS PILE OF JUNK. FIRST THE HEADLIGHTS, TOOK IT IN ON RECALL BUT THE HEADLIGHTS STILL GO OUT ALSO ADDING TO ME NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE AND ALMOST KILLING MY DAUGHTER AND MYSELF, IS THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT ALL OVER THE FLOOR CAUSING US TO BREATH ANTIFREEZE MIST AND GETTING SICK ,AND CAUSES THE WIN…
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I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS PILE OF JUNK. FIRST THE HEADLIGHTS, TOOK IT IN ON RECALL BUT THE HEADLIGHTS STILL GO OUT ALSO ADDING TO ME NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE AND ALMOST KILLING MY DAUGHTER AND MYSELF, IS THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT ALL OVER THE FLOOR CAUSING US TO BREATH ANTIFREEZE MIST AND GETTING SICK ,AND CAUSES THE WINDOWS TO STEAM UP, BECAUSE I HAD TO UNDO THE HOSES , SO THE CAR WOULD STOP OVER HEATING , BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD $700 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED SO NOW WE ARE ALSO FREEZING TO DEATH ALONG WITH THE BREAKS NOT WORKING AND THE CAR DYING AT STOP LIGHTS AND WHEN TAKING TURNS OR CORNERS WHICH CAUSES THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES TO GO OUT BECAUSE OT POWERED,OH YA DID I MENTION I SPENT 500.ON A WATER PUMP AND 1000 ON NEW BRAKES JUST FOR THE BREAKES TO STILL NOT WORK WHEN I PICKED IT UP FROM THE SHOP. I COUL D GO ON BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A BREAK, I AM JUST REALLY FRUSTRATED I CANT AFFORD TO PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO THIS CAR BECUASE SOMETHING ELSE WILL JUST GO BESIDED IM A SINGLE MOM WORKING TO KEEP OUR HEADS UP . I WAS READING THAT A JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA MADE FORD BY BACK THESE CARS BECAUSE OF AN INCIDENT WHERE A MOTHER AND CHILD WERE ALMOST HURT WHEN HER CAR STALLED JUST LIKE MINE DOES CONSTANTLY. THIS CAR IS A DEATH TRAP AND I FEAR FOR MY DAUGHTERS SAFETY BUT IT THE ONLY THING I GOT TO GET HER TO THE SITTERS AND ME TO WORK . PLEASE HELP WHAT CAN BE DONE? THANK YOU SINCERELY STEPHENIE COLE. *AK
RECALL 99V275 000/ CONCERNING HEADLIGHT SWITCH. AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE CONDITION BECAME WORSE. MULTI- FUNCTION SWITCH WAS BURNED OUT UPON RECEIPT FROM DEALER. CONSUMER STATED THAT SWITCH WAS WORKING PRIOR TO RECALL REPAIRS.*AK
BLOWN HEAD GASKET NOT COVERED SINCE FORD WON'T COVER 1993 MODEL...OLY THE 1994 AND NEWER. *AK
TWO YEARS AGO, MY SON AND I WERE ALMOST KILLED WHEN WE WERE DRIVING IN 55 MPH TRAFFIC IN THE MIRA MESA AREA OF SAN DIEGO, AND MY 1993 FORD T-BIRD ENGINE FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE GASKETS--THE EXACT SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN FORD RECALL #00M10. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NO ONE WAS…
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TWO YEARS AGO, MY SON AND I WERE ALMOST KILLED WHEN WE WERE DRIVING IN 55 MPH TRAFFIC IN THE MIRA MESA AREA OF SAN DIEGO, AND MY 1993 FORD T-BIRD ENGINE FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE GASKETS--THE EXACT SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN FORD RECALL #00M10. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NO ONE WAS HURT.*AK
THIS 93 THUNDERBIRD HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS . LEAKS IN BODY (WHEN NEW 12MI) DOOR HINGES , SEATBELTS, SEAT COVERS RIP OUT, FOG LAMPS AND SWITCH RECALL, CAN'T KEEP BREAKS AND ROTORS ON FRONT, WINDSHILD WIPERS BROKE (WHEN NEW) HAD TO HAVE NEW TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED , AT ABOUT 40.000 MI. THE STRUTS WERE BAD FROM THE FIRST DAY NEVER C…
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THIS 93 THUNDERBIRD HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS . LEAKS IN BODY (WHEN NEW 12MI) DOOR HINGES , SEATBELTS, SEAT COVERS RIP OUT, FOG LAMPS AND SWITCH RECALL, CAN'T KEEP BREAKS AND ROTORS ON FRONT, WINDSHILD WIPERS BROKE (WHEN NEW) HAD TO HAVE NEW TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED , AT ABOUT 40.000 MI. THE STRUTS WERE BAD FROM THE FIRST DAY NEVER COULD GET THEM FIXED. (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
VEHILCE STOPS WHILE DRIVING AS IF THE IGNITION HAS BEEN TURNED OFF, NO STUDDER, NOT ROUGH RIDE IT JUST TURNS OFF AND WHEN IT STARTS ROUGH LIKE FIRING ORDER IS INCORRECT THEN IDLES WITH A SLIGHT MISS EVERY 5-10 SECONDS. NLM
WISH I WOULD HAVE SEEN THIS SITE BEFORE I PURCHASED MINE 2 WEEKS AGO. I AM NOW GONG TO PAY 1600 TO REPLACE MY WHOLE TRANSMISSION! AM VERY WORRIED LOOKING AT THE OTHERS ABOUT THE GASKETS GOING NEXT!*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