1994 Ford Thunderbird

THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED 2X SINCE THE BEGINNING TO JULY 1998. THE WHEN YOU FILL THE TANK IT IS AS IF SOMEONE HAS TURNED ON A FAUCED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND GASOLINE JUST POURS OUT. GASOLINE FUMES ARE ALWAYS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE BEEN TO 3 MECHANICS AND ALL HAVE CLAIMED THAT IT IS FAULTY FUEL PUMP BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LEAK GASOLINE. THE PROBLEM STARTED BEFORE THE 60,000 WARRANTY RAN OUT BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE WE WERE ON VACTION AT THE TIME. AS SOON AS WE RETURNED WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED IT WASN'T COVERED BECAUSE WE WERE 1100 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING GASOLINE AND FUMES ARE ALWAYS PRESENT . ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED SINCE WE ARE AT A LOSS AS TO WHO TO TURN TO. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX BUT $1200 LATER WE STILL HAVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT WITH THE FORD THUNDERBIRD. LUCKILY, I DID NOT INCUR ANY BODILY HARM, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR PERSONAL INJURY IS SIGNIFICANT. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1998 THE COMPUTER ON MY THUNDERBIRD FAILED. EVERYTHING ON MY CAR IS CONTROLLED BY THIS SINGLE PART TO SOME DEGREE. THE THUNDERBIRD HAS ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION, WHICH DEPENDS SOLELY ON THE COMPUTER TO REGULATE THE GAS FLOW. INSTEAD OF SHUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN WHEN THE COMPUTER FAILED, THE COMPUTER ACTUALLY ALLOWED AND UNREGULATED FLOW OF GASOLINE INTO THE ENGINE. THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE TWO SIGNIFICANT SITUATIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE HUMAN INJURY. FIRST, THE EXCESS GAS IN THE ENGINE COULD CAUSE A FIRE, OR EVEN WORSE, AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE. SECOND, THE EXCESS GAS MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AGAINST THE DRIVER'S WILL AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY, THIS FLAW IS ALSO VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. THE EXCESS GAS IN THE ENGINE CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. WHILE THE COMPUTER COST 'ONLY' $550 TO REPLACE, THE BILL TO REPAIR THE ENGINE DAMAGE WAS OVER $2000. MY CAR HAS HIGH MILEAGE FOR A 1994 VEHICLE, SO THIS MAY BE ONE OF THE FIRST COMPLAINTS FILED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROMPTLY ADDRESSED BY FORD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND MAKE CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM.