2003 Ford Thunderbird

2003 FORD THUNDERBIRD HAD SPARK PLUGS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 5 MPH WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED, AND NUMEROUS ENGINE PROBLEMS. *KB WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER FOUND CRACKS AND A TEAR AROUND THE WEATHER STRIP AND SEAL. THE A/C CONTROL HEAD ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE RADIO HAD TO BE SENT OUT FOR REPAIRS. THE ALARM WOULD SOUND ON ITS OWN. THE LIGHT LOCATED ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WOULD NOT GO OUT. THE IGNITION COILS WERE REPLACED. *JB

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON AND WHEN IT DOES NO OTHER ELECTRICAL PARTS WILL OPERATE. FOR INSTANCE IF YOU HAVE A WINDOW DOWN YOU CAN'T ROLL IT UP OR THE HEATER WON'T WORK. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. WE'VE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AS WELL AS OVERLAYING ELECTRICAL WIRES AND NONE OF THIS HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION THEY HAD THE CAR FOR A MONTH, PUT APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES ON IT AND STILL COULDN'T FIND AND FIX THE PROBLEM. OUR CONCERN IS THAT WHEN THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON AND NOTHING ELSE ELECTRICAL WORKS WHAT IF YOU NEEDED, SAY, THE DEFROSTER TO COME ON AND IT WOULDN'T IT COULD POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM! THE DATE IN THE INCIDENT BOX IS JUST AN APPROXIMATION THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE WE'VE OWNED THE CAR. THANK YOU. *NM

DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 55-60 MPH THE ENGINE STARTED TO BOG DOWN AND SLOWLY DIED. HAD BEEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AND A TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED DIAGNOSTICIANS, AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. DEALER HAD NEVER INDICATED WHAT WAS WRONG. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE OTHER THAN A REBUILD OF THE TRANSMISSION WHEN FIRST PURCHASED. PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE DYING WAS INTERMITTENT. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. FRONT RIGHT BRAKE CALIPER CAME OFF AND LOCKED UP WHEEL AND SLID MY CAR SIDEWAYS WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. 2003, FORD, THUNDERBIRD ON THE DAY OF DELIVERY WITH 300 MILES ON THE CAR CALIPER BOLT FELL OUT, AND WHEN BRAKES APPLIED THE CALIPER TURNED UP INTO THE WHEEL, AND JAMMED WHEEL. AT 6:30 PM. MOVED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT LANE, AND APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. ORIGINAL SPEED WAS BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH. RELEASED BRAKES, AND HEARD A CLUNG UNDER THE CAR AS IF WE RAN OVER SOMETHING. IMMEDIATELY LOOKED BACK, BUT SAW NOTHING IN THE ROAD. CONTINUED TO PARKING LOT, APPLIED BRAKES, AND FRONT RIGHT WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAR SLID TO AN ANGLED STOP, RELEASED BRAKES ,AND ROLLED FORWARD WITH VERY STRONG CLANKING NOISE. WE CONTINUED INTO THE PARKING LOT. MY WIFE CALLED FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR FRONT RIGHT CALIPER BOLTS, AND WHEEL WAS REPLACED. THE PROPER CALIPER BOLT WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT. SERVICE USED BOLT THEY COULD FIND. 1 FAILURE, NO ONE HURT, NO POLICE REPORT, JUST VERY LUCKY.*AK THE FAILURE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TC

ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED LEFT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS GOING APROX 50 MPH, I T-BONED THE OTHER CARS PASSENGER SIDE, MY FRONT END HIT HER AND NEITHER DRIVER OR PASS AIR BAG DEPLOYED. POLICE TOLD ME WHEN BOTH PARTIES SPEEDS FACTORED IN, IT WAS LIKE ME HITTING A BRICK WALL AT 100 MPH & THAT AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AND TESTING WILL BE DONE AFTER REPAIRS ARE MADE TO VEHICLE. CAR MAY BE TOTALLED, DAMAGES GETTING CLOSE TO 20,000.00. *AK

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN A PARKING LOT NEAR BELLEVIEW & QUEBEC DRIVING AT 5MPH. CAR TAKEN TO COURTESY FORD IN LITTLETON CO. MAR 31/04. SERVICE ADVISER, TIM, STATED WARRANTY WON'T FIX BECAUSE THEY FOUND YELLOW PAINT ADHERING TO THE DRIVER SIDE CROSS MEMBER. THIS SCRAPE OCCURRED AT THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THE FACT DUE TO A HIGH SPEED BUMP AT THEIR LOCATION, PAINTED "YELLOW" IN COLOR. TIM ADVISED A FORD REPRESENTATIVE THAT SPEED BUMP IS NOT YELLOW. WE HAVE TAKEN PHOTO'S SHOWING SPEED BUMP IS "YELLOW".*AK

WHEN BRAKING THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES DOWN PAST THE GAS PEDAL, FOOT TO HIT THEM AT THE SAME TIME. IT IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE YOU ARE BRAKING AND ACCELLERATING AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. I THINK THE BRAKE PEDAL SHOULD NEVER DEPRESS BELOW THE GAS PEDAL.MY WIFE AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS SAID IT IS NORMAL.*AK