1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD

1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE VIN# NOT LISTED ON DEFECTIVE BRAKE PADS/ROTORS RECALL NOTICE. *SMD

I SMELL GAS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 AND ABOVE ON FREEWAY MOSTLY. ONCE IN A WHILE I CAN SMELL IT WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS OF 25 -30MPH. I USED TO THINK THAT I HAD SPILLED GAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING, BUT NOW A YEAR LATER, I STILL SMELL GAS AND I DO SMOKE IN MY CAR, BUT WHEN I SMELL THE GAS, I WILL PUT THE CIGARETTE OUT. IS THERE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, THAT CAN REPAIR IT. I HAVE PUT $4000.00 INTO RESTORING THE CAR AND I AND PUTTING ANOTHER $800.00 INTO IT NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 2013, TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BELTS AROUND THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $1800.00 AT AAMCO, AND PUT A $2200.00 PAINT JOB ON IT, BEFORE I KNEW OF THE GAS SMELL. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. AM I FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE WITH THIS CAR? *TR

Mileage: 101,000

I SMELL GAS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 AND ABOVE ON FREEWAY MOSTLY. ONCE IN A WHILE I CAN SMELL IT WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS OF 25 -30MPH. I USED TO THINK THAT I HAD SPILLED GAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING, BUT NOW A YEAR LATER, I STILL SMELL GAS AND I DO SMOKE IN MY CAR, BUT WHEN I SMELL THE GAS, I WILL PUT THE CIGARETTE OUT. IS THERE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, THAT CAN REPAIR IT. I HAVE PUT $4000.00 INTO RESTORING THE CAR AND I AND PUTTING ANOTHER $800.00 INTO IT NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 2013, TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BELTS AROUND THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $1800.00 AT AAMCO, AND PUT A $2200.00 PAINT JOB ON IT, BEFORE I KNEW OF THE GAS SMELL. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. AM I FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE WITH THIS CAR? *TR

Mileage: 101,000

I SMELL GAS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 AND ABOVE ON FREEWAY MOSTLY. ONCE IN A WHILE I CAN SMELL IT WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS OF 25 -30MPH. I USED TO THINK THAT I HAD SPILLED GAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING, BUT NOW A YEAR LATER, I STILL SMELL GAS AND I DO SMOKE IN MY CAR, BUT WHEN I SMELL THE GAS, I WILL PUT THE CIGARETTE OUT. IS THERE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, THAT CAN REPAIR IT. I HAVE PUT $4000.00 INTO RESTORING THE CAR AND I AND PUTTING ANOTHER $800.00 INTO IT NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 2013, TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BELTS AROUND THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $1800.00 AT AAMCO, AND PUT A $2200.00 PAINT JOB ON IT, BEFORE I KNEW OF THE GAS SMELL. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. AM I FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE WITH THIS CAR? *TR

Mileage: 101,000

I SMELL GAS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 AND ABOVE ON FREEWAY MOSTLY. ONCE IN A WHILE I CAN SMELL IT WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS OF 25 -30MPH. I USED TO THINK THAT I HAD SPILLED GAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF CAR WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING, BUT NOW A YEAR LATER, I STILL SMELL GAS AND I DO SMOKE IN MY CAR, BUT WHEN I SMELL THE GAS, I WILL PUT THE CIGARETTE OUT. IS THERE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, THAT CAN REPAIR IT. I HAVE PUT $4000.00 INTO RESTORING THE CAR AND I AND PUTTING ANOTHER $800.00 INTO IT NEXT WEEK, NOVEMBER 2013, TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BELTS AROUND THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALREADY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION FOR $1800.00 AT AAMCO, AND PUT A $2200.00 PAINT JOB ON IT, BEFORE I KNEW OF THE GAS SMELL. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY. AM I FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE WITH THIS CAR? *TR

Mileage: 101,000

IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST I SMELT GAS WHEN I DROVE. AND THE SMELL HAS BECOME STRONGER AND STRONGER. TODAY (10/10/2011) I WENT TO A VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE LEAKING IS ON THE TOP OF FUEL TANK AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED IN THE SHOP. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS VERY DANGEROUS LEAK. PLEASE CLICK THE LINK: HTTP://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T872_DS478881. THIS CAR MUST BE RECALLED FOR FUEL LEAKING. *KB

Mileage: 69,400

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

Mileage: 86,000

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD CRACKED SPILLING OUT ALL MY COOLANT AND CAUSING MY ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE COVERD BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THIS HAPPEND WHILE DRIVING DOWN GRATIOT AVE. IN ROSEVILLE MI AT 40 MILES PER HOUR WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING, THIS FAILURE HAPPEND 7/3/2011 SATURDAY OVER THE FORTH OF JULY WEEKEND, WHERE I COULDN'T GET IT TO A OPEN FORD DEALERSHIP, NOW I CONNOT USE MY VEHICAL FOR WORK MONDAY 7/4/2011. WILL THIS REPAIR BE COVERD BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY? *TR

Mileage: 55,770

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD CRACKED SPILLING OUT ALL MY COOLANT AND CAUSING MY ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE COVERD BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THIS HAPPEND WHILE DRIVING DOWN GRATIOT AVE. IN ROSEVILLE MI AT 40 MILES PER HOUR WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING, THIS FAILURE HAPPEND 7/3/2011 SATURDAY OVER THE FORTH OF JULY WEEKEND, WHERE I COULDN'T GET IT TO A OPEN FORD DEALERSHIP, NOW I CONNOT USE MY VEHICAL FOR WORK MONDAY 7/4/2011. WILL THIS REPAIR BE COVERD BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY? *TR

Mileage: 55,770

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

Mileage: 162,000

I HAVE A 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD THAT HAS A MANIFOLD PROBLEM. I AM BEING TOLD BY FORD THAT IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE RECALL FROM 2005 BECAUSE IT WASN'T BUILT IN THE RIGHT PLANT. I HAVE READ A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT ALL OF THE 1997 T-BIRD HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND NEED TO BE FIXED. NOT ONLY IS DOES MY CAR NOT RUN RIGHT, BUT I ALSO AM NOT FACING REPLACING MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AS WELL DUE TO THE LEAKAGE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT $1700 IN REPAIR. *TR

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, A YEAR AGO, IT RAN GREAT. ONE DAY AS I AS COMING UP A HILL, MY CAR STARTED SHAKING. IT WAS A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD, THAT OF WHICH FORD WAS IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN 2005. WHICH COVERED A "SELECT FEW" OF THUNDERBIRDS. HOWEVER NOW THAT MY MANIFOLD CRACKED, THERE "NOT AT FAULT." WE HAD THE CAR FIXED, ONLY TO LEARN AFTERWARDS THAT FORD HAD SEVERAL ISSUES ABOUT THE FAULTY INTAKE. *TR

Mileage: 159,000

ENGINE IDLE RACING. CAN'T STOP UNLESS PLACED IN NEUTRAL, WHERE CAR WOULD RUN OVER 2000 RPM. DEALER REPLACED IDLE AIR CONTROL AND POWER CONTROL MODULE. DEALER STATED THAT IDLE AIR CONTROL BURNS OUT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULES ON MANY V-6 FORD ENGINES. CAR HAD ONLY 34,518 MILES CHECKED OTHER SURGES THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF RACING ENGINES IN ACCIDENTS OF V-6 MOTORS AND FORD REFUSING ANY RECALLS FOR POSSIBLE FIRE OF IDLE AIR CONTROL AND THE BURNING OUT OF POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE. *TR

Mileage: 34,518

1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD WITH SHIFTING PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SHIFTER LEVER AFTER PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT RELEASE SHIFTER HANDLE. HE HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT/RELEASE SWITCH REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *KB THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE SHIFTER OUT OF PARK.

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. *JB

Mileage: 203,500

MY WIFE DROVE HER 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD TO WORK TODAY. SHE PARKED HER CAR IN THE COMPANY GARAGE AND WALKED INTO WORK. THE CAR THEN BEGAN TO BURN AND TOTALED THE CAR. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE, BASED UPON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MECHANIC, TO WHOM, I HAVE USED TO SERVICE MY VEHICLES FOR OVER 10 YEARS, TOLD ME THAT THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE WAS NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN, AND AND POWER STEERING SWITCHES. UPON RESEARCHING THE ABOVE FACTS, FOUND THE RECALL ABOUT THE VARIOUS FORD TRUCKS AND THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. WE HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THIS CAR, AND NOW WE HAVE LOST THE CAR TO NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. ARE THERE OTHER FORD CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM?

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEEDLE SHIFTED TO THE HOT INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,500. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07

Mileage: 73,500

TL*THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING. HER DAUGHTER NOTICED A CRACK ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH SHE BELIEVED MAY BE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. AS OF AUGUST 31, 2007, THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 57,000

MY MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH MY AUTOMOBILE THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. ALL THE BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT END ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY. HE SAYS THE EXCESSIVE WEAR IS A RESULT OF THE DUST SEALS DISINTEGRATING ALLOWING DIRT AND WATER TO ENTER THE BALL JOINTS. HE INDICATED THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A RESULT OF THE USE OF INAPPROPRIATE OR DEFECTIVE MATERIALS FOR THE SEALS. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE BALL JOINTS REPLACED. I WILL ASK THE MECHANIC TO KEEP THE OLD PARTS FOR ME. *NM

Mileage: 96,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PERFORMING GENERAL MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED THE PLASTIC SEALS ON ALL FOUR UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AS WELL AS THE SEALS ON THE STABILIZER BAR WERE FRACTURED AND DETERIORATING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

Mileage: 58,000