23 of the 147 complaints about the 1989 Ford Thunderbird are about the electrical system — 16% of everything reported for this model year.
23
Complaints
0
Crashes
17
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CAR DESTROYED DUE TO A FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN-POSSIBLE IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #745024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #743399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE IGNITION MODULE. *AK THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESTART AT ALL NOW.
NHTSA complaint #872703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 20 MPH, CONSUMER HEARD HORNS BLOWING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND OPENED HOOD, AND NOTICED FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #871670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IN OUR LOCAL PAPER ON 8/31/2000, THERE WAS A STORY ABOUT THE ALAMEDA COUNTY (CALF) SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE'S PRELIMINARY DECISION CONCERNING A POSSSIBLE RECALL OF OF FORD VEHICLES IN THE MODEL YEARS 1983-1995 CONCERING THE THICK FILM IGNITION (TFI) MODULE BEING PLACED ON THE DISTRIBUTOR NEAR THE ENGINE BLOCK WHERE IT OVERHEATS AND CASUES THE CAR TO STALL. CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY UPDATES AS TO WHERE THIS SITUATION IS CURRENTLY AND WILL I BE NOTIFIED IN CASE OF A RECALL BY FORD. I SAW THIS STORY AFTER I SPENT OVER $700.00 GETTING MY FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP MODULE REPLACED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO THOUGHT THAT WOULD STOP THE STALLING. IT DIDN'T. ONCE MY CAR CAR REACHES A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, IT STALLS. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. KEN KELLY
NHTSA complaint #731571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD EXPLOSION WAS HEARD . NOTICED VEHICLE ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE. REASON FOR FIRE WAS UNDETERRMINED. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #845963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CONNECTION TO WIRING HARNESS UNDERHOOD FAILED RESULTING IN FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #543210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CONSUMER HAD DRIVEN VEHICLE ALL DAY. 10 MINUTES AFTER PARKING VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES, MECHANIC SAID THAT WIRE DISCONNECTED FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. *AK
NHTSA complaint #831718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. LIFTED HOOD & NOTICED GRAY SMOKE & THEN FLAMES APPEARED NEAR ALTERNATOR. A NEIGHBOR PUT FLAMES OUT. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED.
NHTSA complaint #831084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE CAUSING WIRING TO BURN UNDER DASH AREA PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.
NHTSA complaint #512644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #507586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, RECALL RELATED.
NHTSA complaint #514227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #531685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, RECALL ON ELECTRICAL DEFECTS WERE DONE, HOWEVER THIS APPARENTLY WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. THERE WERE WIRES INSIDE HARNESSES IN THE FIRE WALL THAT WERE BURNED AND CHAFFED CAUSING ELECTRICAL FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #520651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING OWNER NOTICED FOUL SMELL, PULLED OVER OPENED HOOD, VEHICLE ON FIRE. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #960425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #507832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
PARKED VEHICLE AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN ALL OF AN SUDDEN THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #804070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING FIRE BROKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD, TOTALED VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #508011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #506599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #984308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, IGNITION STARTED TO SMOKE; GOT OUT OF CAR, STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT FIRE, THEN ENTIRE DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE; VEHICLE TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #983422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED TWO TIMES, AT 28K, 56K MILES. TT
NHTSA complaint #966093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
WHILE DRIVING OWNER NOTICED FOWL SMELL PULLED OVER OPENED HOOD VEHICLE ON FIRE. POSSIBLE FAULTY WIRES OF ALTERNATOR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #960425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.