Total Complaints
16 filings
FORD THUNDERBIRD · model year
1985 FORD THUNDERBIRD
16 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985FORDTHUNDERBIRD carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 5 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 THUNDERBIRD is electrical system:ignition:switch with 6 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (3) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1985 THUNDERBIRD, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
16
Complaints
1
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20161129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON TURNING ON THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH A KEY, I BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL. I TURNED OFF IGNITION AND INSPECTED THE SOURCE WHICH SEEM TO COME FROM STEERING COLUMN. AFTER REMOVING THE STEERING WHEEL COVER, I NOTICE THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH UNIT HAD BLACK BURNT LOOKING PLACES ON IT. I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE UNIT AND REPLACE IT. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY OF OUR HOME. *TR
Mileage: 134,000
20020514ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION MODULE SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED THE SHUT OFF OF GASOLINE FLOW IMMEDIATELY WITH NO CHANCE OF RESTART. *YH
20020117ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION MODULE SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED THE SHUT OFF OF GASOLINE FLOW IMMEDIATELY WITH NO CHANCE OF RESTART. *YH
20010827ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY FIRST COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WHILE ATEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED AS IF I HAD TURNED OFF THE KEY. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND JUST BARELY AVOIDED BEING HIT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART UNLESS I JIGGLED THE KEY. I CALLED A FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BUT THE TOLD ME HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AND THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE NOW. HOWEVER IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO REMOVE THE SWITCH DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT HAD MELTED TO THE WIRING HARNESS. I STILL HAVE THE PART IN MY POSSESSION. MY OTHER COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE STATOR PICK-UP ASSEMBLY UNDER THE BASE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP. NOT ONCE BUT TWICE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS ASSEMBLY DUE THE FACT THAT IT HAD MELTED AND FELL APART. IN THIS INSTANCE MY FAMILY WAS WITH ME AT A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION WHERE IT TOOK ME ROUGHLY 20 MINUTES TO GET THE CAR TO REFIRE ENOUGH TO MOVE IT OUT OF HARMS WAY. ALL
19990730ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILS AND BLOWS FUSES.
19990730FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
GAS LINE LEAKS AT THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. *YC
19990120CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HAD PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT FOR AWHILE. RETURNED TO VEHICLE & ENTERED. STARTED VEHICLE & WAS MOVING WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED & TOOK OFF FOR NO REASON. FOOT ON BRAKES AT TIME. VEHICLE HIT 2 PARKED VEHICLES & A FENCE. DRIVER WAS INJURED. *AK
19971203SEATS
SEATBACK FAILED DUE TO A BOLT DISCONNECTING. *AK
19970527FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
19960807FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
19960718FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED, ALL THE WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
19960624FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD
19960425SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES DON'T HOLD. *DSH
19960422FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
19960419ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED, SMELLED OF WIRING BURNING FOR A PERIOD OF 10 MINUTES, ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
19960314SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED TWICE, PRIOR TO RECALL. (85V025000) *DSH
Compare 1985FORDTHUNDERBIRD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 FORD THUNDERBIRD have?▼
The 1985 FORD THUNDERBIRD has 16 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 5 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 FORD THUNDERBIRD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 FORD THUNDERBIRD is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER.
Is the 1985 FORD THUNDERBIRD safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.