FaultScore

Ford Thunderbird tire problems

67 of the 3,081 complaints filed about the Ford Thunderbird are about the tires — 2% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1997.

67

Complaints

2%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

Tires complaints by model year

Median failure at 290,000 miles

Median failure at 147,890 miles

1994 Thunderbird 10 14.9%
1996 Thunderbird 13 19.4%
1997 Thunderbird 18 26.9%

Median failure at 3,500 miles

What owners said

1990 Ford Thunderbird at 151,000 miles Prescott, AZ

TIRES

The contact owns a 1990 Ford Thunderbird equipped with Goodyear Tire, Tire Line: Viva 3 A/S, Tire Size: 250/70/R15, DOT Number: PJ34KB1R0219. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she became aware that the rear driver’s side tire was shaking abnormally. The contact took the vehicle to the Walmart where the tires were purchased and was informed that there were blisters on each tire and the tires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

NHTSA complaint #11534871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Ford Thunderbird at 3,500 miles Windermere, FL

TIRES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD EQUIPPED WITH A FIRESTONE TEMPA SPARE TIRE, SIZE: T185-60-R17 (NA). WHILE CLEANING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE SPARE TIRE THAT WAS STORED IN THE TRUNK WAS BLOWN OUT AND THE TIRE WIRES, RUBBER, AND CORDS WERE EXPOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO VISIT FIRESTONE TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRE WAS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS NO TIRE AVAILABLE TO REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2. *DT

NHTSA complaint #11186764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford Thunderbird at 290,000 miles Sugar Land, TX

TIRES:VALVE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD THUNDERBIRD EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR ASSURANCE FUEL MAX TIRES, SIZE: P225/60R16. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TIRES MADE AN ABNORMAL RUMBLING NOISE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND BOTH PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WERE GETTING FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE THE REASON FOR THE TIRE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 290,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA complaint #10919712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Thunderbird Woodbury, GA

TIRES:SIDEWALL

DT: CONSUMER BOUGHT TIRES FROM A LOCAL DEALER ON JUNE 15, 2005. WHILE DRIVING ON I 85 BETWEEN NEWNAN AND FAYETVILLE ONE OF THE PASSENGER REAR TIRES BLEW OUT. THE TIRE RIPPED APART, THE SIDE WALL CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TIRE. THIS HAPPENED ON JULY 30, 2005. THEN, HE CHANGED THE TIRE IN THE RAIN AND CONTINUED ON THE TRIP. CONSUMER HAD TO BUY A NEW RIM DUE TO THE RIM ON THE TIRE BEING BENT OUT OF SHAPE. HE PULLED CAR OVER AS SOON AS BLOW OUT HAPPENED. CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER WHO SOLD HIM THE TIRES, AND DEALER REFUSED TO PRODUCE A COPY OF THE WARRANTY, AND TOLD HIM THAT TIRE WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE HE DID NOT BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. ALSO, DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRE. FUTURA GLS SUPER SPORT. P215/65/R15. DOT U9VFXBH1505.

NHTSA complaint #10131454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Pennsville, NJ

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

I WAS AN ORIGINAL VICTIM OF FORD 3.8 HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I HAD THE WORK DONE PRIOR TO THE LETTER THEY SENT. I HAD GOTTEN REIMBURSED. MY CAR HAS APPROX 120.000 AND THE HEAD GASKETS HAVE GONE AGAIN. I AM TERMINALLY ILL AND HAVE A DAUGHTER GETTING READY FOR COLLEGE AND CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING FOR FORDS ORG. DEFECTS.

NHTSA complaint #10118244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Ford Thunderbird Littleton, CO

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

INITIALLY IT FELT AS THOUGH A TIRE WAS OUT OF BALANCE, LATER IN THE TRIP THE TIRE BEGAN THUMPING AS IF IT WERE SQUARE. INSPECTING THE TIRE I FOUND THAT THE TREAD WAS TWISTING OUT OF SHAPE AND THAT CHUNKS OF RUBBER HAD COME OFF OF THE TIRE.

NHTSA complaint #10093308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Sanger, CA

TIRES:SIDEWALL

IN DECEMBER OF 2003 MY WIFE HAD A MICHELIN X RADIAL PLUS SIDEWALL BLOWOUT ON HER 94 T-BIRD. WE REPLACED TWO TIRES A THAT TIMES SO THEY WOULD BE EQUAL ON THE AXLE. THEN YESTERDAY ANOTHER MICHELIN X RADIAL PLUS SIDEWALL BLEW ON THE SAME CAR ONLY IN THE FRONT THIS TIME. TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED LAST WEEK AND THE TREAD WEAR WAS EVEN IN BOTH CASES. WE REPLACED BOTH THE REMAIN TWO LAST NIGHT. THE ORIGINAL SET AS WELL AS THE REPLACEDMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED AT COSTCO. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED WITH 50% OF THE TREAD REMAINING THE SECOND TIME THERE WAS 25% TREAD LEFT. THE TIRES WERE APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS OLD. IF EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT THESE HAS HAD A 2 OUT OF 4 FAILURE RATE, THERES A PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10086582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Thunderbird at 144,780 miles Defuniak Springs, FL

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TIRE FAILURE OF A FIRESTONE FR410, P215/70R15 97S, DOT HYME 41A 159. NO ROAD HAZARD. RF TIRE EXPLODED. 32-35 PSI CHECKED 7 DAYS PRIOR. FIRESTONE INVESTIGATION CLAIMS PUNCTURE CAUSED FAILURE. PUNCTURE OCCURRED FROM TIRE MATERIAL WHEN STOPPING.

NHTSA complaint #10075303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Ford Thunderbird LAS Cruces, NM

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

LOST TREAD BUT TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE. NO CRASH BUT LOTS OF DAMAGE TO CAR BODY.*AK (DOT NUMBER: HYM3FT8198 TIRESIZE: P215/70R15)

NHTSA complaint #759969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Ford Thunderbird Lake Havasu, AZ

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE TRAVELING 70MPH ON HIGHWAY, VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING INSIDE OF STEERING COLUMN. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK FIRESTONE FR680 P215/70R15 AND DOT #W2M31PN266.

NHTSA complaint #8005229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Unionville, CT

TIRES

REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1994, FORD, THUNDERBIED; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT 69,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P215/70R15, DOT# UNAVAILABLE. AFTER REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE A SEVERE BOUNCE WHEN DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT RIGHT REAR, RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR STEEL BELT BROKE AND REPLACED. AT 89000 MILES RIGHT FRONT STARTED THUMPING FROM BROKEN STEEL BELT.

NHTSA complaint #898699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Unionville, CT

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1994, FORD, THUNDERBIED; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT 69,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P215/70R15, DOT# UNAVAILABLE. AFTER REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE A SEVERE BOUNCE WHEN DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT RIGHT REAR, RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR STEEL BELT BROKE AND REPLACED. AT 89000 MILES RIGHT FRONT STARTED THUMPING FROM BROKEN STEEL BELT.

NHTSA complaint #898699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Thunderbird Mentone, CA

TIRES

THE COMPLETE TIRE SIZE IS P215 70R15 97T M+S. ON 9/25/01 I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 15 IN CALIFORNIA AT APPROXIMATELY 60/65 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP SOUND AND THEN A FURIOUSLY FLAPPING NOISE. I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THE TREAD FROM THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE TIRE HAD SHREDDED OFF. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2M31PD134 TIRESIZE: P21570R15)

NHTSA complaint #752691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Thunderbird Slidell, LA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

DUNLOP, G T QUALIFIER, P215/65R15, DOT#DBBFA13047; LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED ON SIDE OF TREAD. DUNLOP WAS NOTIFIED. *AK ANOTHER TIRE HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION PRIOR TO THIS, REPLACEMENT TIRES HAD LESS THAN 30000 MILES ON IT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #896281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Thunderbird Slidell, LA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

DUNLOP GT QUALIFIER, DOT#DBBFA13047 P215/65R15; TREAD SEPARATED AT MIDDLE OF TREAD RIGHT FRONT AT 70 MPH, CAUSING DAMAGE. DUNLOP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK TWO TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, REPLACEMENT TIRES HAD LESS THAN 30000 MILES. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #896180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Ford Thunderbird Barboursville, VA

TIRES

FRONT RIGHT SLIPPED BELT AND ALL FOUR WORN OUT AT 20,000 ON A 50,000 TIRE.*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R15)

NHTSA complaint #749876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Floral City, FL

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

NO ACCIDENTS, 1-TREAD PEALED FROM TIRE, 1-TREAD STARTED TO SEPARATE. *AK (TIRESIZE: R215/70/15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: R215/70/15 )

NHTSA complaint #744892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Harvey, LA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

ORIGINAL FIRESTONE FR680 TIRES, SIZE P21570R15 97TMTS, ALL 4 TIRES' STEEL BELTS HAVE SEPARATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY, AND WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY BLOWN OUT.*AK CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #881982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Ford Thunderbird Norwalk, IA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TREAD SEPARATION ON DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LOWER QUARTER PANEL, TRIM ON THE PANEL AND AROUND THE WHEEL, FIRESTONE 721 P22575R15, TEN YEARS AGO THE FRONT TIRES REPLACED BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION.

NHTSA complaint #559255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1960 Ford Thunderbird SAN Jose, CA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TIRES STARTED SEPARATING BETWEEN THE WHITEWALL AND THE TREAD, THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 5K MILES ON THEM (COKER CLASSIC RADIAL WHITEWALL P215/75R14 DOT DYKD EKX347, P1018). NLM

NHTSA complaint #559254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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