2003 Ford Thunderbird Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: June 25, 2026 · Filed: June 28, 2026

Rattle in my front end E code for transmission

Incident: July 29, 2015 · Filed: August 10, 2018

BASICALLY, ALL SUSPENSION RUSTED OUT, INCLUDING BOTH FRONT SUSPENSIONS, SPINDLE RODS, SWAY BAR, OUTER TIE RODS, BOTH REAR TIE ROD LINKS, REAR LOWER AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS , FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARMS, REAR SHOCKS. ALL THE WORK WAS PERFORMED BY THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT A UNIQUE PROBLEM TO THIS VEHICLE. DRIVING THE VEHICLE MADE SQUEEKY NOISES ALL THE TIME!

Incident: August 1, 2016 · Filed: August 11, 2016

WHEN I OPEN THE VEHICLE DOOR AT NIGHT OTHER VEHICLE DRIVERS CAN NOT SEE MY OPENED VEHICLE DOOR WHEN I ENTER OR EXIT THE VEHICLE EVEN WITH A REFLECTOR OR LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE DOOR BECAUSE IT IS BLOCKED WHEN ENTER OR EXIT THE VEHICLE BY MY BODY. I APPLIED HIGHLY REFLECTIVE TAPE TO THE LOWER FLANGE OF THE VEHICLE DOOR AND ALSO WAS GRANTED A UNITED STATES PATENT NO. 9,308,859 UNDER THE TITLE MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR HAVING REFLECTIVE LUMINANT COMPONENT ON LOWER INTERIOR EDGE. THE ADVANCEMENT ALLOWS OVER TWO THIRDS OF ANY VEHICLE DOOR TO BE SEEN AT NIGHT BY OTHER VEHICLE DRIVERS AND WILL REDUCE IN MY ESTIMATION ONE LIFE LOST PER NIGHT PER TEN MILLION VEHICLES OR GLOBALLY 35,000 LIVES A YEAR. I WOULD LIKE MY ADVANCEMENT TO BECOME A NEW FMVSS WITH CAUSE AND ENCOURAGE ACCOUNTABILITY AT NHTSA TO RESPOND TO MY GENUINE CONCERNS. PLEASE ADVISE OF WHAT ASSISTANCE YOUR AGENCY CAN PROVIDE ME WITH THE VALIDATED NEW KNOWLEDGE IN VISUAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE THAT I PROVIDE THAT IS NOW BEING APPLIED.

Incident: May 30, 2016 · Filed: July 21, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

Incident: September 1, 2015 · Filed: February 23, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE PRODUCED DUE TO THE FAILURE OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

Incident: October 1, 2015 · Filed: October 30, 2015

I'VE OWNED MY 2003 THUNDERBIRD SINCE IT WAS NEW. IT NOW HAS 65000 MILES AND IS DRIVEN ONLY 2000 MILES A YEAR, OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS. DURING THIS PERIOD, I HAVE HAD ALL 8 COILS REPLACED, ONE AT A TIME. THE FIRST TIME WAS WITHIN THE FIRST 1000 MILES. GENERALLY IT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, BEING ON THE FREEWAY OR ON LOCAL STREETS. THE ENGINE STARTS TO MISFIRE AND NOT FUNCTION. AFTER THE 3RD OR SO INCIDENT, I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND WOULD HONOR THE REPAIR. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS, KNOWING OF THE PROBLEM, THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE ALL AT THE SAME TIME. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE WHEN THE COIL MALFUNCTIONED, THIS NOW HAS OCCURRED 8 TIMES. NOW MY MOTOR HAS FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN THE COIL MALFUNCTIONS THE CORRESPONDING CYLINDER ALSO IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AGAIN, THE CAR ONLY HAS 65000 MILES AND HAS NEVER BEEN MISTREATED. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IS ALMOST $10,000. THIS MOTOR IS A JAGUAR PRODUCTION 3.9 MODEL. DONE WHEN FORD HAD A BRIEF RELATION WITH JAGUAR. TO SAY THE LEAST, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH FORD AND THEIR LACK OF TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. BY THE WAY, WHEN THEY REPLACE THE MOTOR, THE OLD COILS WILL BE REINSTALLED ON THE REBUILT ENGINE.

Incident: October 15, 2011 · Filed: January 14, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE DRASTICALLY REDUCED SPEED AND HESITATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN TWO MANUFACTURER RECALLS THAT EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Incident: June 11, 2013 · Filed: October 29, 2014

CAR SPUTTERED AND MISFIRED CAUSING PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND SPEED LOSS. PROBLEM IS IGNITION COILS. HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE A TOTAL OF THREE DURING TWO SIMILAR EVENTS. TWO DEALERS FAILED TO INFORM ME OF EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR

Incident: October 2, 2014 · Filed: October 2, 2014

ONE OF THE 4 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE REAR SUSPENSION TO THE VEHICLE FELL OUT OF THE CAR. THE BOLT FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND POSSIBLY OVER TORQUING AT THE FACTORY. SEVERE CORROSION INSIDE THE POCKET THAT HOUSES THIS BOLT. FORD DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT COVERED AND IS AT LEAST 10 HOURS LABOR AND IS CONCERNED THE REMAINING 3 BOLTS MAY BE CORRODED AS WELL. THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE FRAME RAIL ON THE BODY MAY BE AFFECTED. THIS HAS BEEN A SOUTH FLORIDA CAR ITS ENTIRE LIFE AND HAS BEEN GARAGED ITS WHOLE LIFE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT OR SNOW AND HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN IN RAIN ON LIMITED OCCASIONS. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE REAR SUSPENSION COULD FALL OUT OF THE CAR. *TR

Incident: September 27, 2014 · Filed: September 27, 2014

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES UNINTENDED ENGINE ACCELERATION WHEN STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT OR PLACING THE CAR IN PARK. MOTOR HIT OVER 3500 RPM WHILE PARKING BEFORE I COULD SHUT DOWN THE IGNITION. *TR