1995 Ford Thunderbird

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHIN MINUTES OF BEING STARTED. HE NOTICED THICK, WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE AND THE "LOW COOLANT" WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

DT: 1995 FORD THUNDERBIRD 3.8. THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ENGINE PROBLEM ON OCTOBER 3, 2005. TOOK VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP, THEY WANTED $4600 TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE. IN DECEMBER 2003 VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE FROM TIMING CHAIN GASKET. HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT NOR HAVE THERE BEEN ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE. POLICE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 32,000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS THE ORIGINAL ENGINE . THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, AND THEY SAID THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

VEHICLE SMOKING FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD AND LEAKING COOLANT.*MR CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE, A BILLOW OF WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE LEAKED COOLANT . THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THE COOLANT CONTAMINATED THE OIL AND WAS LEAKING OUT THE REAR OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE MAY BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE RECALL ONLY COVERED 1994 MODELS NOT 1995. THE CONSUMER LATER LEARNED THE PART WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. FORD WOULDN'T COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WASN'T DIAGNOSED/REPAIRED AT A FORD DEALER. CONSUMER STATED THAT IF THE WOMAN AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP WOULD'VE CONFIRMED THE WARRANTY ON THE PART, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. CONSUMER FELT FORD SHOULD HAVE REIMBURSE THEM THE COST OF THE REPAIRS SINCE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE WAS AT FAULT. *PH *JB

BY NOW IT IS QUITE APPARENT OF THE NOTORIOUS FORD 3.8L HEAD GASKET FAILURE ISSUE. WELL, JUST TO KEEP PEOPLE UP TO DATE ON FORD'S BUSINESS PRACTICES. MY WIFE BOUGHT A 1995 FORD THUNDERBIRD IN NOV 1995. (I MUST FIRST START OFF BY SAYING THAT I AM THE COMPUTER LITERATE ONE, THAT IS WHY I AM COMPLAINING, AND I AM THE ONE WHO WILL BE FORCED TO FIX/PAY FOR THE HEAD GASKETS IN HER THUNDERBIRD). TODAY IS APRIL 9TH 2003, I AM BEGINNING TO NOTICE SYMPTOMS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR (LOSING COOLANT, ERRATIC TEMPERATURE CHANGES) WHICH WOULD INDICATE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. IN DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I CAME ACROSS SOME INFO THAT THERE WAS (2) EXTENDED WARRANTIES PUT OUT ON THE 3.8L ENGINE BY FORD, THAT SHE HAS. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION BULLETINS STATING WE NEEDED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE THIS FIXED. WHEN I CALLED THE HILLER FORD, HALES CORNERS, WISCONSIN, THEY TOLD ME THAT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE NOTICE BECAUSE OUR 3.8L 232 V6 ENGINE WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL PROGRAM FOR 3.8L 232 V6 ENGINES BECAUSE OURS WASN'T BUILT IN THE TIME SLOT NOR THE PLANT THAT THE PROGRAM (TSB 00M10) WAS PERTAINING TOO. SOUNDS LIKE A FIRESTONE BS STORY TO ME. I CALLED FORD IN DEARBORN, MI AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PART OF THE PROGRAM BUT SINCE THE 7 YEARS WARRANTY EXTENSION AS PART OF THE RECALL EXPIRED NOV 17TH 2002, WE NOW HAVE TO EAT THE COST OF REPLACING FORD'S DESIGN FAILURE BY A FEW MONTHS. MY DAD, MYSELF, AND BOTH OF MY SISTERS EACH HAVE FORD EXPLORERS AND I HOPE FORD IS HAPPY WITH THE MONEY THEY MADE OFF OF ALL OF MY FAMILY BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT GET ANOTHER PENNY FROM US, AS LONG AS, THEY WANT TO BLOW ME OFF FOR A $1500.00 DESIGN FLAW THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO LIVE UP TO. FIRST FIRESTONE, NOW FORD. *JB