1996 Ford Thunderbird

CAR HAS APPARENTLY HAD A RECALL ON THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR 7 YEARS. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR OVER 2 YEARS, BUT HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ON THIS DEFECT. WHILE DRIVING THE CARE APX. 60 MILES FROM MY HOME, MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE LEFT STRANDED WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD STARTED FOUNTAINING WATER AND ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER MY ENGINE. THE CRACK IS BIG ENOUGH THAT NO LIQUID WOULD STAY IN THE CAR, AND I COULD NOT BABY IT HOME. IT TOOK AN ENTIRE DAY STRANDED IN A STRANGE CITY TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WOULD HAUL THE CAR ALL THE WAY TO MY HOME. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT HONOR RECALL BECAUSE IT EXPIRED 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO INCIDENT.*AK

96 FORD THUNDERBIRD HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTINGSMOKING HEADLIGHTS OUT. KEVIN VANOY, ASTORG FORD PARKERSBURG, WV SAYS THIS IS COMMON. HE ORDERED PART SAID MECHANIC SEPARATED WIRES AND ORDERED PARTS. SAID NO MORE PROBLEMS DRIVE AWAY. LIGHTS STILL GO OUT MELTING WIRES. GLEN DETHY CARRIAGE FORD CLARKSVILLE, IN ORDERS PARKERSBURG TO SEND PARTS TO IN, BUT WILL CHARGE $100 EXTRA TO INSTALL, NEITHER DEALER WOULD RUN A HOT WIRE WITH A CABIN SWITH TO LET CUSTONMER SAFELY HAVE LIGHTS. BOTH DEALERS SENT CUSTOMER BACK ON ROAD WITH DANGEROUS LIGHT SWITCH.

THE CONSUMER'S 1996 FORD THUNDERBIRD COMPLETELY BROKE DOWN DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. *PH THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW AND THE CONSUMER WASN'T GIVEN PRIOR WARNING THAT THIS EXISTED. THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS ON THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE DATES OF MAY 1996 AND FEBRUARY 2004. THE MANIFOLD WAS FOUND CRACKED. FORD MOTOR ISSUED PROGRAM #97M91 IN RE TO VEHICLES BUILT WITH THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED AND LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT. I HAVE NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR RECALLS ON THIS AND FOUND THE TSB# 97M91. I CALLED FORD AND SPOKE WITH PHILOMENA, ID #3157 AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THAT THEY HAD NOTIFIED ME IN WRITING IN FEBRUARY 98. FOUND THE LETTER ON THE INTERNET IN A PDF FILE DATED MAY 1998. SO, ACCORDING TO FORD, THEY NOTIFIED ME A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THEY WERE NOTIFIED????? I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICE OR ANY INFORMATION ON THIS. I'M SURE IF I WOULD HAVE, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CORRECTED (WHO WOULDN'T?). MY WARRANTY ON THIS ENDING FEB. 17, 2003==WAS TOLD I WAS 6 MONTHS TOO LATE TO GET IT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN DO ABOUT THIS - OR AM I OUT OF $675.80?

HEAD GASKETS FAILED RUINING MY CYLINDERS AS WELL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILDREN. BARELY GOT THE CAR HOME WITH A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX THIS THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR ALMOST 1 AND A HALF MONTHS, AND I STILL OWE 5900 DOLLARS ON IT. I HAVE TO RIDE MY BIKE TO WORK OVER 3 MILES EACH WAY AND RENT A CAR FOR THE WEEKENDS COSTING ME A FORTUNE. I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO PAY FOR MY ENGINE TO BE REBUILT ESPECIALLY AFTER READING ALL THE ARTICLES OF HOW THE 3.8 LITRE V6 ENGINE HAS FAILED CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND FORD HAS KNOWN IT. I LOVE FORDS AND HAVE NEVER DROVE ANYTHING ELSE. I AM IN A SERIOUS BIND AND NEED HELP FOR SOMETHING THAT FAILED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I HOPE FORD GETS THE MESSAGE. DEREK HAUGH

IN OCTOBER OF 1998 VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO A CRACK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS REPLACED, THE OLD STYLE IS USED WHICH IS WHY THE CONSUMER BELIEVES IT FAILS AGAIN. CONSUMER FEELS FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE HIM THE COST OF REPAIRS. *PH

MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD CURRENTLY SITTING IN MY 1996 THUNDERBIRD 4.6L ALTHOUGH I CAN FIND ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER REGARDING RECALLS; CLASS ACTION SUITS; AND FREE OF CHARGE REPLACEMENTS; I AM VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT IF THERE IS ACTUALLY ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING AND TO FILE MY COMPLAINT AND/OR JOIN ANY OTHER CONSUMER WHO IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ON ANY CLASS ACTION SUIT.*AK