Model line

Ford Thunderbird

Every Ford Thunderbird model year on file, 1960 to 2005. Pick a year for its recalls, investigations, service bulletins and the full text of owner complaints.

Owner complaints, all model years2,360324 involved a crash, fire, injury or death

Model years371960 to 2005

Recall campaigns28Distinct campaigns listing it

Service bulletins896Summed across model years

By model year

The 1993 model year drew the most complaints, 423

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, all years filed, by model year.

Source: NHTSA ODI. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA, and NHTSA publishes no sales volumes, so counts are not rates.

Components

Engine and cooling leads the Ford Thunderbird complaint record

Owner complaints across all model years, by component.

Engine and cooling

557

Brakes

406

Electrical system

302

Lighting

243

Powertrain

233

Speed control

178

Seat belts

162

Fuel system

132

Airbags

Visibility and wipers

Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.

Model years

The record for each Ford Thunderbird model year

Peer index compares complaints with the median vehicle of the same model year and body class (100 is the median). It corrects for age, not for how many were sold.

Ford Thunderbird by model year
Year	Body	Complaints	Severity index	Peer index	Recalls	Investigations	Bulletins
2005	Convertible	27	0.0	180	1	0	15
2004	Convertible	34	23.5	523	1	0	32
2003	Convertible	33	6.1	367	0	0	42
2002	Convertible	93	6.5	1,550	2	0	63
1999	Not decoded	2	50.0	200	0	0	1
1998	Not decoded	3	0.0	300	0	0	1
1997	Sedan	169	8.3	890	2	0	107
1996	Sedan	233	9.0	1,165	4	0	115
1995	Sedan	261	13.8	1,411	1	0	86
1994	Sedan	300	10.7	1,875	1	0	95
1993	Sedan	423	5.0	1,763	4	3	73
1992	Sedan	184	10.9	1,022	4	5	46
1991	Sedan	112	18.8	590	4	2	35
1990	Sedan	140	19.3	1,400	4	4	35
1989	Sedan	124	33.9	1,240	5	6	27
1988	Sedan	92	26.1	920	2	7	24
1987	Sedan	61	37.7	871	1	5	23
1986	Sedan	23	34.8	329	1	1	22
1985	Not decoded	14	42.9	1,400	1	1	19
1984	Sedan	26	34.6	743	1	2	13
1983	Sedan	3	66.7	150	4	2	6
1982	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	1	6
1981	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	1	4
1980	Not decoded	3	33.3	300	3	2	5
1979	Not decoded	0	None	None	4	0	1
1978	Not decoded	0	None	None	4	0	0
1977	Not decoded	0	None	None	5	0	0
1976	Not decoded	0	None	None	2	0	0
1975	Not decoded	0	None	None	5	0	0
1974	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	0
1973	Not decoded	0	None	None	4	0	0
1972	Not decoded	0	None	None	3	0	0
1971	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	0
1970	Not decoded	0	None	None	1	0	0
1967	Not decoded	0	None	None	4	0	0
1965	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	0
1960	Not decoded	0	None	None	0	0	0

Source: NHTSA ODI. Body class from NHTSA's VIN decoder where decoded.

Latest recalls

Recent campaigns covering the Ford Thunderbird

09E-012 Apr 7, 2009
These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated…
Lighting · 16k vehicles
08E-019 Mar 6, 2008
Filter's outlet cap may not be securely crimped to the housing
Fuel system · 1,937 vehicles
07E-064 Aug 27, 2007
Certain federal-mogul aftermarket fuel pumps sold under the brand names of carter, accuflow, napa, truflow, parts depo, and parts master, shipped…
Fuel system · 34k vehicles
06E-065 Jul 17, 2006
Certain aj motorsport combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles
Lighting · 3,593 vehicles
06E-056 Jun 13, 2006
Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the…
Fuel system · 59k vehicles
05V-113 Mar 18, 2005
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel tank may have a localized thin wall section in the lower half of the tank
Fuel system · 56 vehicles
04V-330 Jul 8, 2004
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with power adjustable seats may have been inadequately welded
Seats · 24k vehicles
02V-169 Jun 14, 2002
On certain passenger vehicles, the driver's side seat belt contacted the seat recliner during a 35 mph ncap full-frontal barrier impact test
Seat belts · 15k vehicles
99V-275 Oct 12, 1999
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with fog lights, in which the headlights may go out for various intervals and which may be…
Lighting · 165k vehicles
97V-159 Sep 22, 1997
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, district of columbia, delaware,…
Fuel system · 125k vehicles

Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.