15 of the 130 complaints about the 1991 Ford Thunderbird are about the engine — 12% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 80,250 miles.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3.8L V6 ENGINE OVER-HEATED DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN #4 CYLINDER. BOTH HEADS WERE REWORKED AND GASKETS REPLACED. AFTER REPAIR ENGINE STARTED STALLING. IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE WAS THEN REPLACED. NOW THERE IS A FLUCTUATION IN OIL PRESSURE. PRIOR TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE, POWER STEERING PUMP HAS TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10088583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OVERHEATING AT FIRST THEN AFTER THE HEADGASKETS WERE REPLACED THE ROD BEARINGS FAILED WHICH ADDED ANOTHER 1200.00 TO THE 1645.00 OF THE FIRST REPAIR AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10069277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 73,000 ON MY 1991 TBIRD WITH THE 3.8 V6. LOOKS LIKE FORD IS TRYING TO COVER THIS UP! *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10013562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY AND NEEDS TO GO IN AGAIN BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET BLOWING OUT. CONTACTED DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #8011291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I AM IN A CLUB OF OVER 5,000 OWNERS OF IDENTICAL CARS AND FAILURES HAVE BEEN SEEN AS LOW AS 18,000 MILES TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AND NUMEROUS IN THE 60000 MILE RANGE ON WELL MAINTAINED CARS OF HEADGASKET FAILURE WHICH OFTEN CAUSES COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, IN MY CASE IT CAUSED TWO CONNECTING RODS TO FAIL, A CRANKSHAFT BEARING DUE TO OIL CONTAMINATION AND THE CRANKSHAFT AS A RESULT. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE ON MY VEHICLE, ONCE I WAS STRANDED ON A DANGEROUS DARK STRETCH OF I-95, ONCE IN THE RAIN AND AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF HEAT (HEADGASKET FAILURE SYMPTOM) I RAN A RED LIGHT AND PROCEDED THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE WAY STREET.
NHTSA complaint #758776 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT WITH ANY WARNING OR PRIOR PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE, BUT MANUFACTURER IS NOT COVERING COST.
NHTSA complaint #890422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING THROUGH OUT EXHAUST SYSTEM CAUSED BY BAD HEAD GASKETS. ENGINE OVERHEATED, BLEW A HEAD GASKET, AND LOST ANTIFREEZE IMMEDIATELY. FORD DEALER IS DENYING ANY PROBLEMS THEY MAY HAVE WITH THE GASKETS.
NHTSA complaint #890236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK NEW CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS INSTALLED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #875233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
3.8 V6S SINCE 1988 HAVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD COVER THIS PROBLEM WHEN VEHICLES HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 100,000 MILE RANGE) AND NOT JUST COVER THE 94-95 MODELS.
NHTSA complaint #730643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
3.8 V6S SINCE 1988 HAVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD COVER THIS PROBLEM WHEN VEHICLES HAVE SUCH LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 100,000 MILE RANGE) AND NOT JUST COVER THE 94-95 MODELS.
NHTSA complaint #730643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER HAD TOWING COMPANY START VEHICLE. VEHCILE WAS BLOWING OUT WHITE SMOKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & FOUND THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBILE FOR REPAIR COSTS & NO RECALL WAS REGISTERED FOR PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #861355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET PREMATURE FAILURE. BAY FORD REPLACED HEAD GASKET 2 1/2 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS WELL MAINTAINED USED VEHICLE FOR OVER BLUE BOOK PRICE. THE DEALER FAILED TO TELL US WHAT WE NOW KNOW TO BE TRUE - ALL FORDS WITH 3.8L ENGINES WITH THE ALUMINUM HEADS ARE SUFFERING FROM THIS PROBLEM, OFTEN LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE AND LARGE BILLS WHICH FORD IS NOT RECOGNIZING WITH THEIR VERY LIMITED EXTENDED WARRANTY. OUR ENGINE SUFFERED MAJOR LOWER END FAILURE WHILE ON A TRIP, ONLY 4 MONTHS AND 3,000 MILES AFTER GASKET REPLACEMENT, WITH 80,000 MILES ON ENGINE. FIVE STAR FORD IN ABERDEEN WASHINGTON RECOMMENDED LONG BLOCK REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $4000. WYNN'S WARRANTY SCREAMED AFTER PAYING BILL OF $1800 FOR HEAD GASKET MONTHS BEFORE. BAY FORD WON'T RECOGNIZE LIABILTY - POINTS TO NO LEMON LAW - AREN'T THEY THE LUCKY ONES - AND WE ARE ALREADY OUT $120 FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE ON HEAD GASKET REPAIR, $175 FOR LOANER CAR WHICH FIVE STAR KINDLY GAVE US AFTER BAY FORD WHO SOLD US THIS WONDER CAR WOULDN'T, PLUS $180 FOR PULLING ENGINE TO BEGIN REPAIR. THIS PLUS NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, AGGRAVATION, DESTROYED VACATION PLANS, BEING STRANDED ON SIDE OF ROAD WITH 3 YOUNG GIRLS WHO MISSED HOCKEY GAME, AND NOW 3 WEEKS WITHOUT CAR. NOW BAY FORD WANTS CAR TOWED BACK 100 MILES AND TO POSSIBLY PUT A USED ENGINE IN AT WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE MORE COST TO US, ALTHOUGH THEY AND WYNN'S HAVE AGREED TO 'HELP' US OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY FORD IS NOT STANDING BEHIND SUCH A GLARING MANUFACTURERS DEFECT? WHAT HAPPENED TO "QUALITY IS JOB #1?" I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS, AND MECHANICS TELL ME THE THUNDERBIRD 3.8 IS SUFFERING SAME HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AS THE OTHER COVERED MODELS. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN AND I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE I KNOW HEARS OF THIS IF FORD DOESN'T STEP FORWARD AND REMEDY THEIR MISTAKE AND STAND BY THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, DOESN'T EXIST IN AMERICA ANYMORE? I WOULD LIKE THIS MADE RIGHT ASAP!
NHTSA complaint #720938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
$2250.00 REPAIR BILL ON KNOWN PRODUCT PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #718286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED DUE TO POOR DESIGN RESULTING IN OVERHEATING. NLM
NHTSA complaint #550369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 70MPH WHEN ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT 50K (1ST TIME). SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AT 70K. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING WHEN THE ANTI-FREEZE DROWNS THE ENGINE & IT STALLS OUT. THIS ALSO CAUSES THE ENGINE TO BACKFIRE.
NHTSA complaint #837787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.