2002 Ford Thunderbird

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a left turn, the power steering suddenly failed and the steering wheel would not turn in either direction, before the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to turn the steering wheel while using excessive force and veered to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that he restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle stalled after driving approximately 3-feet. The contact stated that he restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle stalled while driving. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

THE CLUSTER LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT ON MY 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHEN THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED I REALLY DON'T KNOW SINCE THE CAR IS MAINLY A SHOW CAR AND WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT DUSK COMING BACK FROM A CAR SHOW THE CLUSTER LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON. WE PARKED THE CAR AND ONLY DROVE IT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THEN THE FUEL SYSTEM QUIT WORKING SO WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE HEADLIGHT FAILURE, TAILLIGHT FAILURE, TURN SIGNAL FAILURE, TILT STEERING WHEEL FAILURE, PARKING LIGHTS FAILURE, AND DRIVING LIGHTS FAILURE. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT YOU CANNOT TELL HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE RISK OF YOUR TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS GOING OUT. YOU CAN GOOGLE FORD THUNDERBIRD AND FIND INFORMATION WHERE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS CAR HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. I BELIEVE THIS CAR NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL SINCE THEY CANNOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT OR REALLY ANYTIME. WHICH IS A RISK NOT ONLY TO ME BUT ANY OTHER VEHICLE AROUND ME. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER TO GET THE CAR LOOK AT AND FOR THEM TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A NETWORK PROBLEM AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO DIAGNOSE. HE SAID IT COULD TAKE HOURS TO DAYS TO FIGURE IT OUT CONSIDERING THE COMPUTER AND NETWORK SYSTEM ON THE CAR. THE SERVICE MAN ALSO TOLD ME THEY DID NOT LIKE TO WORK ON THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. HE ALSO STATED THAT WAS THE REASON FORD QUIT MAKING THIS VEHICLE. I HOPE YOU CAN SEE THE SAFETY ISSUES THIS VEHICLE CREATES. FROM SPEAKING WITH OTHER DEALERS FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE IS A WEBSITE ABOUT THE CLUSTER PROBLEMS IT IS : WWW.THUNDERBIRDSPECIALTIES.COM/2002-2005THUNDERBIRD-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-PROBLEMS/. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CAR.

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*JB

MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON 09 -06 -2016 IN A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY DEPLOY & SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED AS A RESULT. SHE WAS ON INTERSTATE 95N NEAR MANNING, SC WHEN A SEMI TRUCK DID NOT SEE HER & CAME INTO HER LANE GRAZING THE CAR. SHE HAD TO GO OFF THE ROAD OR THE TRUCK WOULD HAVE CRUSHED HER. THE THUNDERBIRD ROLLED OVER & SHE WAS SEVERELY INJURED.

MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND I WANT TO KNOW IF I HAVE A TAKATA AIRBAG. IF SO HOW TO I GET IT FIXED?

AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND FORD HAS NO REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. *JS

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AND OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO DEALER. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY AIR BAG THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED. FORD MOTOR CO. SAID SERVICE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND DEALER DID NOT REPAIR THE AIR BAG. I WAS ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH NO IDEA IF THE AIR BAG WOULD FUNCTION IN A CRASH. IS THE VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE AND SHOULD FORD MOTOR CO. HAVE DONE MORE TO ASSURE THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. LOU FUSZ FORD IN CHESTERFIELD, MISSOURI WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 800.

1ST HAD TO HAVE 8 COILS REPLACED ,2002 NOT COVERED ON RECALL, BUT 2003 AND AFTER WERE. YESTERDAY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER A DIAGNOSIS, FOUND THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACED AND FUEL FILTER. THE COST WAS $1500.00. THERE WERE 4 OTHER T-BIRDS THERE PLUS MINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT NEXT? DO I NEED A TOW TRUCK TO FOLLOW ME ALL THE TIME.

MY CAR WAS RUNNING AND I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO PUT GARAGE DOOR DOWN. I PUT VEHICLE IN PARKED WITH IT RUNNING AND DOOR SHUT AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE VEHICLE ALL THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AND CAR WAS RUNNING. VERY DANGEROUS I WAS UNABLE TO GET INTO VEHICLE ALL DOORS LOCKED WITH CAR RUNNING. I NEVER LOCKED THE DOOR WHEN I EXITED.

STEREO CUTS ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME AND SOMETIMES THE CAR ALARM GOES OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN IDLING ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE WHERE THE EMPLOYEE FOUND THAT CYLINDERS 3, 4, AND 7 WERE MISFIRING, AS WELL AS A RANDOM MISFIRE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE SPARK PLUG WELL AND OPENED THE COIL PACK. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL PACK WERE COVERED IN OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT LATER SPOKE TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD COME PICK UP THE VEHICLE IF THE CONTACT DECIDED TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THE ALUMINUM ON THE WHEELS CORRODED AND LEAKED AIR. THE DEALER SANDED DOWN THE INNER WHEELS AND COATED THEM WITH A SOLUTION TO PREVENT RUST/CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,500. UPDATED 05/10/17*LJ *CN

TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A OIL CHANGE THE DEALER WROTE UP A LIST OF PROBLEMS NEED TO REPAIR ON THIS CAR .THIS CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE AND DRIVEN WEEKLY IT ONLY HAS 30,600 MILES ON IT. I THINK IT WILL COST ME 2500 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS CAR. I NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE WITH A CAR.

THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FOR SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, TEMP AND FUEL GAUGES FAIL TO TURN ON WITH HEADLIGHTS. THE DIMMER SWITCH IS FUNCTIONAL SINCE OTHER LIGHTS FOR ODOMETER, RADIO, A/C FUNCTION CORRECTLY. FUSES CHECK OUT. CANNOT VIEW SPEED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS MAKES DRIVING AT NIGHT DANGEROUS. FORD DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE CLUSTER FOR THE DASH MIGHT NEED TO BE CHANGED. HOWEVER, NONE ARE AVAILABLE ANYMORE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 8237 MILES ON IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY AFTERWARDS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPERATE PAST APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. AFTER THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL ON PLUG WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT ALL EIGHT VEHICLE COIL ON PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVENTUALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON STATE ROUTE 179 MY VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH THAN STALLED COMPLETELY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED, IT WAS IN A CURVE AND I BARELY WAS ABLE TO KEEP FROM GOING OFF THE ROADWAY. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE ABNORMALLY WHILE THE MISFIRED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COULD NOT DESCRIBE THE FAILURE IN GREAT DETAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND COIL PACK FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.