A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1996peak 3Nov 2016
NHTSA investigations into the 1985 Ford Thunderbird
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA86010Opened 26 Mar 1986Closed 28 Jul 1989SEATS
SEATBACK FAILURE
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:FORD BELIEVES THAT THE AL-LEGED DEFECT ONLY OCCURS IN A SMALL NUMBER OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ANDRECALLED ABOUT 195,732 1984 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES IN JUNE 1986.ANALYSIS: VEHICLES POTENTIALLY INVOLVED INCLUDE TEMPO/TOPAZ, ESCORT/LYNX/EXP, MUSTANG/CAPRI, LTD/MARQUIS, AND THUNDERBIRD/COUGAR.FORD SOLD ABOUT 110,000 REPLACEMENT MIO BOLTS, MAINLY FOR 1983 AND 1984MODELS. LOW CLAMPING FORCE APPEARS TO BE A LARGE PART OF THE PROBLEM.FORD INCREASED THE TORQUE REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED THE USE OF A MANUALTORQUE TOOL IN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER 1985 PRODUCTION CHANGES. 1...
Recalls on the 1985 Ford Thunderbird
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 1985029175 units in Canada
VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS THAT HAVE IMPROPERLY ANODIZED INTERNAL SURFACES. THIS COULD CAUSE ACCELERATED WEAR OF A MASTER CYLINDER PISTON SEAL TO THE EXTENT THAT ONE PORTION OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM BECOMES INEFFECTIVE. THIS WOULD INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES AND COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Philadelphia, PACrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HAD PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT FOR AWHILE. RETURNED TO VEHICLE & ENTERED. STARTED VEHICLE & WAS MOVING WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & TOOK OFF FOR NO REASON. FOOT ON BRAKES AT TIME. VEHICLE HIT 2 PARKED VEHICLES & A FENCE. DRIVER WAS INJURED.
NHTSA complaint #833727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chadron, NEFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #516371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Amherst, NYFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #983274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Soldotna, AKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED, ALL THE WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #987129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belford, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #503304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Madison, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT.
NHTSA complaint #983223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 134,000 milesSpokane, WA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON TURNING ON THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH A KEY, I BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL. I TURNED OFF IGNITION AND INSPECTED THE SOURCE WHICH SEEM TO COME FROM STEERING COLUMN. AFTER REMOVING THE STEERING WHEEL COVER, I NOTICE THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH UNIT HAD BLACK BURNT LOOKING PLACES ON IT. I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE UNIT AND REPLACE IT. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY OF OUR HOME.
NHTSA complaint #10928441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grass Valley, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION MODULE SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED THE SHUT OFF OF GASOLINE FLOW IMMEDIATELY WITH NO CHANCE OF RESTART.
NHTSA complaint #563897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grass Valley, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION MODULE SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED THE SHUT OFF OF GASOLINE FLOW IMMEDIATELY WITH NO CHANCE OF RESTART.
NHTSA complaint #563897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Delanco, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY FIRST COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WHILE ATEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED AS IF I HAD TURNED OFF THE KEY. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND JUST BARELY AVOIDED BEING HIT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART UNLESS I JIGGLED THE KEY. I CALLED A FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT THE TOLD ME HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AND THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE NOW. HOWEVER IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO REMOVE THE SWITCH DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT HAD MELTED TO THE WIRING HARNESS. I STILL HAVE THE PART IN MY POSSESSION. MY OTHER COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE STATOR PICK-UP ASSEMBLY UNDER THE BASE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP. NOT ONCE BUT TWICE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS ASSEMBLY DUE THE FACT THAT IT HAD MELTED AND FELL APART. IN THIS INSTANCE MY FAMILY WAS WITH ME AT A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION WHERE IT TOOK ME ROUGHLY 20 MINUTES TO GET THE CAR TO REFIRE ENOUGH TO MOVE IT OUT OF HARMS WAY. ALL THE CAR WOULD DO IS START UP RUN ENOUGH TO ROLL IT A LITTLE MORE FORWARD. I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE CAR BUT BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC I GAVE UP RATHER THAN BEING STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AGAIN I CALLED FORD AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PART. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS IF THERE IS SOME ORGANIZATION THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP ME OR PERHAPS YOU COULD PROVIDE ME WITH INFORMATION AS TO WHAT LEGAL GROUP I MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTACT.
NHTSA complaint #751023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Monrovia, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILS AND BLOWS FUSES.
NHTSA complaint #547272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Monrovia, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
GAS LINE LEAKS AT THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK.
NHTSA complaint #547272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PACrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HAD PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT FOR AWHILE. RETURNED TO VEHICLE & ENTERED. STARTED VEHICLE & WAS MOVING WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & TOOK OFF FOR NO REASON. FOOT ON BRAKES AT TIME. VEHICLE HIT 2 PARKED VEHICLES & A FENCE. DRIVER WAS INJURED.
NHTSA complaint #833727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seattle, WA
SEATS
SEATBACK FAILED DUE TO A BOLT DISCONNECTING.
NHTSA complaint #526426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chadron, NEFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #516371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Amherst, NYFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #983274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Soldotna, AKFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED, ALL THE WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #987129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belford, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #503304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Union, OH
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES DON'T HOLD. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #488832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Madison, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT.
NHTSA complaint #983223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Deigo, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED, SMELLED OF WIRING BURNING FOR A PERIOD OF 10 MINUTES, ELECTRICAL SHORT.
NHTSA complaint #983056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED TWICE, PRIOR TO RECALL. (85V025000) *DSH
NHTSA complaint #487729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.