1995 Ford Thunderbird

CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS CHECKING THE BRAKES, HE TOLD HER THAT TRANSMISSION WAS MALFUNCTIONING. CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL VEHICLE HESITATED AND SHOOK. THEN, MADE A FUNNY NOISE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON TRANSMISSION. *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