FaultScore

1991 Ford Thunderbird acceleration problems

10 of the 130 complaints about the 1991 Ford Thunderbird are about the throttle and cruise control — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 112,254 miles.

F

10

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 6 60.0%
Accelerator Pedal 2 20.0%
Cruise Control 1 10.0%
Cables 1 10.0%

Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Ford Thunderbird year

1989 26 21.1%
1990 17 13.8%
1991 10 8.1%
1993 14 11.4%
1994 23 18.7%
1995 11 8.9%
1997 11 8.9%
2002 11 8.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 80,000 miles Augusta, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING.

NHTSA complaint #10234763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Augusta, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

PART TO REPAIR NOT AVAILABLE. DT

NHTSA complaint #770610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 144,509 miles Houston, TX

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STRUCK. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WERE APPLIED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #896923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Powderly, KY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WOULD LIKE FOR THESE PROBLEMS TO BE FIXED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.

NHTSA complaint #744566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rogersville, MO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THROUGH MOUNTAINOUS REGION IN AR, THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN...FOUND A LITTLE $3 PIECE THAT BROKE ON THE PART THAT HOLDS THE LINKAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION TO THE THROTTLE... CAR KEPT GOING FASTER AND FASTER... BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND GO UP STEEP INCLINE... KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. HAD TO REPLACE THE PIECE THAT BROKE, THE TRANSMISSION, CAR STILL IDLED HIGH.. AND HAD TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART AS WELL. THE BRAKES ARE VERY SPONGY, THEY HAVE BEEN BLED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND THE MASTER CYLANDER REPLACED AND THEY STILL HAVE TO BE PRESSED DOWN 2-3 INCHES (VERY SOFT) BEFORE YOU FEEL ANY SORT OF BRAKAGE. THE CAR STILL DOES NOT RUN CORRECTLY. HAVE SPENT 650.00 + ON AIR CONDITIONER, AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. APPEARS TO BE A SHORT IN IT, BECAUSE WHEN CAR IS ACCELLERATED, IT WILL START COOLING AGAIN... ONE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, SO SOMETHING IS SHORTING IT OUT.

NHTSA complaint #734726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Parma Hgts, OH

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK IN A WIDE OPEN POSITION WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION AND REAPPLY PEDAL TO GET IT UNSTUCK. DEFECT DUE TO A PLASTIC BUSHING CONNECTED TO A THROTTLE VALVE CABLE BECAME DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING CABLE TO TO BECOME LODGED AGAINST THE ACCELERATOR.

NHTSA complaint #872352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ORO Valley, AZ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AS WE WERE LEAVING A REST STOP, AND WE WERE FORCED TO ULTIMATELY TURN OFF THE IGNITION BEFORE IT COULD BE BROUGHT TO A STOP. SPEEDS EXCEEDED 100 MPH - BRAKES WERE APPLIED, AND WERE HEATED TO THE POINT THAT ONE OF THE FRONT STRUTS ACTUALLY "BLEW OUT". MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME, AND SHE QUICKLY REACHED A STATE OF PANIC, NOT REALIZING THAT THE IGNITION COULD BE SWITCHED OFF AND THE STEERING WOULD BE MAINTAINED - IF I HAD NOT BEEN WITH HER, THIS MAY WELL HAVE BEEN AN INCIDENT INVOLVING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I SPOKE TO FORD ABOUT THIS, BUT THEY STATE "IT DOESN'T HAPPEN" AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH A WRITTEN DENIAL OF MY REQUEST FOR AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #703600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Taylorsville, KY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

BRAKES: PULLED OUT OF DIRVEWAY INTO INTERSECTION, MAKING A LEFT TURN, ACCELERATOR STUCK APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT CATCH.

NHTSA complaint #817521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Wallington, NJ Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ENGINE SURGED, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *DSH

NHTSA complaint #500237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronx, NY Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURY. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #485151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1991 Ford Thunderbird problems

← Full 1991 Ford Thunderbird report