FaultScore

Ford Thunderbird seat problems

31 of the 3,081 complaints filed about the Ford Thunderbird are about the seats — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1993.

31

Complaints

1%

Share of all complaints

2

Crashes

6

Fires

Seats complaints by model year

What owners said

2005 Ford Thunderbird Santa FE, NM

SEATS

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY LAST EVENING, THE LEFT SHOULDER AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I NOTED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. MY HUSBAND CHANGED THE TIRE. UPON REMOVING THE WHEEL WE NOTED THAT THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL, BUT THE RIM WAS FRACTURED ON THE INTERNAL ASPECT. THE SEAT WAS DAMAGED FROM THE DEPLOYED AIRBAG. IT APPEARS THAT THE RIM IMPLOSION SET OFF THE LEFT SHOULDER AIRBAG. HAD IT BEEN THE CHEST AIRBAG, I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS. I HAD 4 NEW TIRES PLACED ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO AT COSTCO IN ALBUQUERQUE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR THEEE YEARS. PRIOR OWNER AN ELDERLY MAN- DRIVE IT 10,000 MILES OVER 13 YEARS. I AM NOT AWARE OF EVER ANY DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL OR HITTING ANYTHING WITH IT. I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED.I HAVE INCLUDED A PICTURE OF THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE RIM.

NHTSA complaint #11415483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Ford Thunderbird Chapel Hill, NC Fire 1 injured

SEATS

DRIVER'S SIDE ELECTRIC SEAT BURST INTO FLAME. DRIVER(OWNER) SUSTAINED SEVERE BURNS THAT CHARACTERIZE AS LIFE THREATENING, AND REQUIRED ADMISSION TO THE BURN CENTER AT UNC HOSPITAL. PT WAS NOT SMOKING AND CAN NOT IDENTIFY ANY REASON WHY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE IN HIS CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10265951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Ronkonkoma, NY

SEATS

INQUIRY REGARDING LATCH LOCKING IN THE DRIVER AND BACK SEAT OF 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD.*MR THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT LATCH WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED WHEN THE SEAT WAS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTING WRONG WITH SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A COLLISION SPECIALIST WHO WELDED THE RECLINER AND INSIDE SEAT TRACK PIVOT TO KEEP THE SEAT BACK IN THE POSITION THE CUSTOMER REQUESTED.

NHTSA complaint #10083895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford Thunderbird Little Rock, CA

SEATS

BOTH FRONT SEATBACKS TILT FOWARD WITHOUT PRESSING THE ADJUSTER. CONSUMER STATED THE BACKS SHOULD BE IN THE LOCK POSITION UNTIL RELEASED BY THE ADJUSTER. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. DEALER STATED THEY ALL ARE LIKE THAT. JB

NHTSA complaint #10003668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford Thunderbird Pipe Creek, TX

SEATS

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ADVISING THAT FORD IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO INSTALL AN INSERT BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT LOWER TRIM ON THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER VISITED THE FORD DEALER AND LEARNED THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FORD ORDER THE PARTS AND SEND THEM TO HIS DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #566942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Thunderbird Lowell, VT

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT. ALSO, NONE OF SEATBACKS STAY IN A LOCKED POSITION. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE WAY TO DRIVE A VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #891536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Thunderbird Antioch, IL

SEATS

THE DESIGN OF THE SEATS DO NOT CONTAIN A LOCKING FEATURE, THIS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY DURING REAR END COLLISION, POOR DESIGN. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #552525 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Thunderbird Antioch, IL

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

SEATS DO NOT LOCK; I CALLED A FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IS HOW THE 1993 FORD'S WERE MADE THAT YEAR. TO ME THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS HAZARD; THEY HAVE THE "LOCK HANDLE" BUT SERVES NO PURPOSE; I ALWAYS USED THE "HANDLE" THINKING IT WORKED, UNTIL I FOUND OUT 'OTHERWISE'!!! I FEEL THIS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY SHOULD I GET HIT FROM THE REAR!

NHTSA complaint #722625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Whittier, CA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

A PART WITHIN THE SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO RELEASE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #859333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Thunderbird Greenville, NC

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

REPORTING BOTH FRONT FOLDED SEAT WILL NOT STAY LATCH, SEAT BACK CAN BE MOVE BY PUSHING BACK ON SEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIRS UNLESS COST GO TO CONSUMER.

NHTSA complaint #854715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Antelope, CA

SEATS

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #715009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford Thunderbird Lancaster, PA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHEN THE LEVER IS USED TO RECLINE THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK, IT CANNOT BE REPOSITIONED. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS WOULD FOG UP & HAVE VERY LITTLE PROJECTION, EVEN WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK.

NHTSA complaint #851683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Ford Thunderbird Orlando, FL

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S SEAT WILL SHIFT OR MOVE BACK AND FORTH WHEN ACCELERATING, TURNING A CURB OR BRAKING, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #849675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Mechanicsville, MD Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 55-65 MPH, PRESSED BRAKES HARD, AND SEATBACK AND SEAT BELTS WENT TO THE DASH WITH THE PASSENGER, ALLOWING HER UPPER BODY TO HIT THE DASH.

NHTSA complaint #838172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1985 Ford Thunderbird Seattle, WA

SEATS

SEATBACK FAILED DUE TO A BOLT DISCONNECTING.

NHTSA complaint #526426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Ford Thunderbird Island Park, IL

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

BECAUSE OF THE HINGES IN DOOR IT WILL NOT SHUT PROPERLY. SEAT ALSO WILL NOT LOCK *AK.

NHTSA complaint #819457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Thunderbird Macomb Township, MI

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

MOTORIZED SEATS DO NOT WORK WHEN DOOR ON DRIVER'SPASSENGER 'S SIDES IS OPENED OR CLOSED. DEALER INFORMED. WILL NOT REPAIR DUE TO MISSING WARRANTY BY 5 DAYS. SAID OWNER IS LIABLE.

NHTSA complaint #818647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Frederick, MD

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

SEATS DO NOT LATCH. PROBLEM FOUND PREVALENT ON MOST 1997 THUNDERBIRDS.

NHTSA complaint #524197 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Thunderbird Williamstown, KY

SEATS

DUE TO THE SEAT TRIM BEING STRETCHED TIGHTLY ACROSS A SHARP METAL BRACKET, SEAT FRAME/SEAT COVERS ARE TEARING; ALSO PASSENGERS ARE SUBJECT TO BE CUT BY THE EXPOSED SEAT FRAME.

NHTSA complaint #519415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Highland Springs, VA

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

THE HEADREST DOES NOT RAISE TO THE LEVEL OF THE OCCUPANTS HEAD, IT ONLY COMES UP TO THE BACK OF THE NECK.

NHTSA complaint #517246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford Thunderbird problems