11 of the 179 complaints about the 1990 Ford Thunderbird are about the engine — 6% of everything reported for this model year.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. TECHNICIAN STATED ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8002376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
REPLACED DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET.
NHTSA complaint #875968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I DID NOT KNOW WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT THIS; I HAVE ANGERED A VIGILANTE GROUP. THE GROUP, WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE THE KLAN, ARE DRIVING THEIR OPEN BED PICKUP TRUCKS IN FRONT OF ME WITH OPEN CONTAINERS OF SOMETHING, I SUSPECT TO BE A CANCER CAUSING PESTICIDE. IT IS PLUGGING UP MY AIR FILTERS, WHICH I HAVE SAVED. I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY AND TEST THE AIR FILTERS TO DETERMINE THE AGENT THAT IS BEING USED TO ACCOST ME. IT WON'T COST YOU VERY MUCH AND IT COULD POINT OUT A PROBLEM THAT COULD SAVE MANY LIVES.
NHTSA complaint #736539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY 4 DAYS. IT CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPT DISTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. INDICATION OF FIRE ORIGIN WAS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH FIXED WIRES. CONTACTED FORD. INDICATED RECALL WAS SENT OUT. BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SKIPPING & MISSING. TOOK TO SERVICE DEPT & INFORMED HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & WATER LEAKED INTO CYLINDER. NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THUNDERBIRD ABOUT HEAD GASKETS.
NHTSA complaint #873227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #724092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
3.8 V6 HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. LOSING WATER. FORD IS HAVING MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS. I AM TOLD BY DEALER FORD WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT HELP WITH REPAIR COST.
NHTSA complaint #722251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. CRANKSHAFT SENSOR CAUSES SAFETY HAZZARD BY FAILNG AND STALLING CARE MAKING IT UNABLE TO RESTART WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. CAR MUST BE PULLED OR PUSHED OFF OF ROAD AND TOWED. THIS CAUSES DANGER TO PASSENGERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. ALSO RECALL 99S30 COVERS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER 1992 EVEN THOUGH VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 1989 HAD THE SAME FAULTY SWITCHES IN THEM.
NHTSA complaint #721545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW WATER PASS BLEW INTO #3 CYL CAUSING FAILURE OF GASKET.
NHTSA complaint #718059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE HEADLIGHT COVER JUST FELL OFF SOME WHERE. THE HEAD GASKETS -- WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE FORD STORE AND THEY FIXED THEM FOR US UNDER OUR WARRANTY BUT THEY ARE BLOW AGAIN LESS THAN 6 MONTHES LATER.
NHTSA complaint #717279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BOLT THA THOLDS TOGETHER THE HARMONIC BALANCER DISCONNECTED DUE TO DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #518334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
REPLACED EXHAUST SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #959393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.