1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL HE COASTED ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. UPON EXAMINATION, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO RUBBER COATING OVER THE STEEL BRAKE LINES WHICH LED TO SEVERE RUSTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 197,000.

Mileage: 197,000

1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD, COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. ALL BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND LEAKING, AREA NEXT TO BRAKE LINES ARE NOT RUSTED. BRAKE LINES PRONE TO RUST. ALL BRAKE LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 197,000

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR WHILE SITTING, SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE OF VEHICLE.*JB

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR WHILE SITTING, SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE OF VEHICLE.*JB

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE PREMATURELY FAILED CAUSING REPLACEMENT: ROTORS, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND SENDING UNIT, THERMOSTAT & GASKET, INSTRUMENT PANEL, POWER STEERING PUMP, BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, PISTON, TRANSHAFT, FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, INTAKE MANIFOLD, SERPENTINE BELT AND NOW THE HEADGASKETS ARE BLOWN

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTREME VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE A DEFECT ALL TOGETHER. ROTORS AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. IN DECEMBER, ROTORS AND DISCS WERE CHANGED AGAIN. CURRENTLY, 12,000 MILES LATER, ROTORS AND DISCS HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. REAR BRAKES WERE CHECKED, AND ORIGINAL WERE STILL ON. BRAKES WERE NOT EQUALIZED TO KEEP FROM SO MUCH WEAR ON FRONT.*AK

WHILE PARKED APPLIED BRAKES TO SWITCH INTO REVERSE, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE WITH DRIVER'S FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. OWNER HAD TO APPLY EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP. DEALER WAS REPLACING MASTER CYLINDER DUE TO BOLTS BREAKING.*AK

AUTO TRANS SHUDDERS SHIFTING 3-4 AND 4-3. SPEED CONTROL FAILED AT 15,000 MILES, FRONT DISC BRAKES PULSATE AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES.

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE ROTORS. INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES VIOLENTLY. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS AND PADS SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

PASSENGER SEAT HITS CONSOLE WHEN MOVED FORWARD, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES-THE STEERING AND CAR SHAKES BADLY, BOTH SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOWS BINDS WHEN GOING UP OR DOWN,SHIFTER HANDLE BROKE OFF CAUSING TO HOLD PIECE IN WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE-PARK-ETC., BOTH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT THE SAME TIME ALONG WITH A COOLANT TUBE, ROCKER ARM LOCK NUT WAS BAD CAUSING LOUD NOISES IN ENGINE, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STICKS ON 0. I BOUGHT IT AT SUBURBAN FORD IN ELGIN, BUT MOVED TO ELK GROVE AND TOOK MY CAR TO LARRY ROESCH FORD FOR THE REPAIRS. MY CAR STILL NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT IN FOR BRAKES, ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND HESITATES AT A LOW SPEED, THE SEAT IS STILL BROKEN, SHIFTER ALSO STILL BROKEN, WINDOWS STILL BIND, THE BRAKES AND ENGINE IS WHAT WORRIES ME THE MOST. AFTER ALL THE TIMES I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIXED ANYTHING. IN FACT, THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN, SOME BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE ENGINE. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANK YOU. *AK

PASSENGER SEAT HITS CONSOLE WHEN MOVED FORWARD, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES-THE STEERING AND CAR SHAKES BADLY, BOTH SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOWS BINDS WHEN GOING UP OR DOWN,SHIFTER HANDLE BROKE OFF CAUSING TO HOLD PIECE IN WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE-PARK-ETC., BOTH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT THE SAME TIME ALONG WITH A COOLANT TUBE, ROCKER ARM LOCK NUT WAS BAD CAUSING LOUD NOISES IN ENGINE, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STICKS ON 0. I BOUGHT IT AT SUBURBAN FORD IN ELGIN, BUT MOVED TO ELK GROVE AND TOOK MY CAR TO LARRY ROESCH FORD FOR THE REPAIRS. MY CAR STILL NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT IN FOR BRAKES, ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND HESITATES AT A LOW SPEED, THE SEAT IS STILL BROKEN, SHIFTER ALSO STILL BROKEN, WINDOWS STILL BIND, THE BRAKES AND ENGINE IS WHAT WORRIES ME THE MOST. AFTER ALL THE TIMES I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIXED ANYTHING. IN FACT, THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN, SOME BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE ENGINE. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANK YOU. *AK

MULTIPLE BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS, SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SENSOR REPLACEMENTS, WIRING SYSTEM REPAIRS, TWO ALTERNATORS AND FOUR BATTERIES REPLACED, AND WITH IN THE FIRST YEAR THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN MOTOR FAILED THREE TIMES.

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES SHAKE AND MAKE THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR MOVE . *AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARP UNNESSESSARILY EARLY IN LIFE, FORD REPLACES PER TSB BUT NO RECALL. -- TAILLAMPS FAIL AFTER TRUNK TRAUMA (IE CLOSING IT) OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. FORD FIXES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES. -- THE MN12'S 4R70W TRANSMISSION IS NOTED FOR TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER AND NUMEROUS SHIFT PROBLEMS THAT ARE ADDRESSED IN TSB'S BUT THE NUMBER OF TSB'S AND FAILURES OF THE AODE/4R70W TRANSMISSION WARRANTS A RECALL ON THE CONTROL ASSEMBLY (VALVE BODY). TRANNY IS PRONE TO FAIL.

THE ROTORS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS HAVE WARPED SIGNIFICANTLY CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ROTORS ARE TURNED WHEN DETERMINED BY A SERVICE CENTER. PADS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. THE FRONT ROTORS USALLY WARP BEYOND USAGE FIRST, THEN REAR FOLLOWS SHORTLY AFTER THE FRONT ROTOR REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, AS WE ALL USE THE CAR. I FEAR THAT THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT IF THE ROTORS WARP PREMATURELY AGAIN IN A CRITICAL SITUATION. THE AVERAGE MILES ON THE ROTORS BEFORE REPLACEMENT IS 10K MILES. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES AGO, AND AGAIN THE ROTORS ARE WARPING CAUSING POOR BRAKING.

6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION FAILED, WAS REBUILT. IN 1998 HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS, PADS AND CALIBERS REPLACED. ALSO, IN 1998, HEAD GASKETS BLEW, HAD TO REPLACE. IN 1999, PCV AND PCP VALVE REPLACE, OIL SENSOR, DASHBOARD GUAGE MODULE REPLACED. NOW IN AUGUST OF 1999, TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AGAIN. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

THIS CAR HAS BEEN A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT, WHATS MORE AFTER MY 7TH FORD PRODUCT, AND EVERY ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN THIS CAR AS NEW, IT IS STILL GIVING ME DEFAULT PROBLEMS IE: WINDOW MOTOR AT 33000 MILES....CAR IS GARAGED!!!( DOT NUMBER: )

WE PURCHASED A USED 1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD, FROM A DEALER, WITH 49,000 MILES ON IT AND WE ARE WONDERING IF THERE WERE EVER ANY RECALL OR REPAIR CAMPAIGNS ON THAT YEAR AND MODEL? PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY AND WHAT THEY ENTAIL. WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM THAT THE DEALER WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF. SEVERAL THINGS WILL HAPPEN. 1. ONE SITUATION IS AT ENGINE START-UP THE ANTI-LOCK LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT, AS IT SHOULD. 2. ANOTHER SITUATION IS THAT THE LIGHT GOES OUT THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO, THEN WHILE DRIVING AN ODD NOISE COMES FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AT THAT TIME THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. 3. THE OTHER SITUATION IS THAT THE LIGHT GOES OUT, BUT WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE NOISE HAPPENS, THE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE BRAKES GRAB. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT, IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS AS IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE JUST TOUCHED, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO FLOOR BY THEMSELVES THEREBY STOPPING ON A DIME, CONTENTS AND PEOPLE BEING THROWN FORWARD. WE HAVE HAD FORD DEALER CHECK AND THEY "THINK" IT MAY BE MASTER CYLINDER OR VACUUM PROBLEM ,BUT CAN'T REPRODUCE PROBLEM, THEREBY CAN'T FIX. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS BUT INCONSISTENT PROBLEM! *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE JUST TOUCHED, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO FLOOR BY THEMSELVES THEREBY STOPPING ON A DIME, CONTENTS AND PEOPLE BEING THROWN FORWARD. WE HAVE HAD FORD DEALER CHECK AND THEY "THINK" IT MAY BE MASTER CYLINDER OR VACUUM PROBLEM ,BUT CAN'T REPRODUCE PROBLEM, THEREBY CAN'T FIX. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS BUT INCONSISTENT PROBLEM! *AK

PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. ALSO, REPLACED 2 ALTERNATORS/FOUR BATTERIES/BURNED OUT BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET/WIRING/TRANSMISSION. ALSO BATTERY GAUGE JUMPS ALL OVE RWHEN USING TURN SIGNALS OR ELECTRIC WINDOWS.

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/PADS/CALIPERS AND DISCS. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF PARTS THE BRAKE SYSTEM ONLY LASTED LESS THEN THREE MONTH S BEFORE THE BRAKE WERE IN NEED OF REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT AGAIN. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND CAUSE COULD NOT BE FOUND. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.

BRAKES FAILED CAUSING NOISE.

FRONT AND REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. *AK

BRAKES FAILED.

ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE WHEN COMING TO A STOP. OWNER HAS HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

BRAKE PADS FAILED.

ROTORS FAILED.

REAR DRUMS FAILED.

OWNER STATES THAT VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR AND THAT ALL OF HER BRAKES MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 6000 MILES. OWNER FEELS THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING. *AK

OWNER STATES THAT FRONT BRAKES HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND THAT THEY WEAR EVERY 5 TO 10,OOO MILES. OWNER NOTES THAT THESE ARE NOT ABS BRAKES. *AK

BRAKE PADS KEEP HAVING TO BE REPLACED(3 TIMES), DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL. *AK

WARPED BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VIBRATION AT STOPS. *AK

OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, SHE STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE BRAKES, OWNER NOTES THAT THE WHEEL SHIMMIES AND THAT VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO STOP. *AK

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; ALSO, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED ROUGHLY BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR DUE TO TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE. *AK

UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL NOT RELEASE, CONSUMER HAS TO PLACE AN OBJECT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE PEDAL TO RELEASE . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE ANY PARTS. *AK

PURCHASED CAR USED, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPING, DEALER TURNED ROTORS AND THIRD TIME REPLACED THEM. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS AND CALIPERS FAILED.

BRAKE ROTORS AND CALIPERS FAILED.

THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

WHEN APLLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A VIBRATION IN THE CAR, TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE TURN ROTORS AND POLISH THEM, NEVER HAD REPLACED THEM . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARP FROM OVERHEATING, CAUSING FRONT END TO VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *DH

FRONT HUB/DRUM ASSEMBLY OUT OF ROUND. *DH

BRAKES CAUSE THE STEERING TO VIBRATE OR JURK, OUT OF HANDS HAS HAD THE BRAKES FIX SIX TIMES. PLEASE GIVE DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. *SD

FRONT BRAKES CAUSES VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

REAR BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE FRONT BRAKES.

REAR BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE FRONT BRAKES.

FAILURE OF THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE CONSUMER VEHICLE TO SKID AROUND. *AK

BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY. *SD

ABS; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES A LOUD NOISE IS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR END. HAVING BRAKE JOBS DONE EVERY 1500-2000 MILES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEMS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. TT

FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEMS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. TT

FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS REPLACED (3) TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS REPLACED (3) TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

FRONT BRAKES MAKE A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING. TT

ABS: BRAKES BRAKE UNEVENLY; VIBRATION/SHIMMING WHEN APPLIED; PULLS TO RIGHT; UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. TT

FRONT BRAKES CHATTER, BECAUSE THE ROTORS CONTINUALLY WARP. *DSH

POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. TT

BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.

VACUUM VALVE FAULTY.

BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE, VEHICLE VIBRATES ON LEFT FRONT SIDE, INDICATING BRAKES TRYING TO GRAB ROTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. TT

THE FRONT PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED ABOUT THREE TIMES . TT

BRAKES OVERHEATS, WARPS ROTORS; VIBRATION AND SQUEALING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES; BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES WITHIN 45,000 MILES. TT

BRAKES GO TO FLOOR WHEN APPLIED. *TW

ABS, BRAKES HAS VIBRATION IN FRONT END AND REPLACED DISC PADS AND ROTORS. TT

ABS, BRAKES HAS VIBRATION IN FRONT END AND REPLACED DISC PADS AND ROTORS. TT

ABS, BRAKES HAS VIBRATION IN FRONT END AND REPLACED DISC PADS AND ROTORS. TT

THE ABS SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE IS MALFUNTIONING. THEY ARE NOISY AND IN PANIC STOP THEY SLID. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING BRAKES TO VIBRATE. *AK

WARPED BRAKE DRUMS, CAUSING BRAKES TO VIBRATE.

THE BRAKES HAVE GONE OUT SIX DIFFERENT TIMES. THE MASTER CYLINDER BROKE AS WELL. TT

APPLIED BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR NO RESPONSE FROM THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM, EXPERIENCING LONG STOPPING DISTANCE AND ALSO COMPLETE BRAKE LOSS, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. TT

ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, FRONT BRAKE REPLACE 3 TIMES , PADS AND ROTORS AND STILL EXPERIENCE PEDAL FADED. TT

UNDER CERTAIN BRAKING CONDITIONS FRONT END GOES DOWN AND YOU HEAR A CRACKING NOISE ALSO AT HIGH SPEED. TT

VEHICLES ABS BRAKING SYSTEM HAS HAD 2 BRAKE JOBS 1ST TIME 6,000 AND 2ND 10,000 MILES. TT

BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN BRAKE ARE APPLIED PULL VERY HARD, CAUSING LOCKUP, REPLACED ROTORS/PADS, ALSO EXPERIENCED PEDAL FADING. TT

BRAKE FAILURE, MAKING A LOUD NOISE WHEN MAKING STOP, IN FOR REPAIR THREE TIMES. TT

BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING FRONT OF VEHICLE VIBRATES EXTENSIVELY. TWO NEW BRAKE SYSTEMS REPLACED WITH NO CHANGE IN CONDITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

VEHICLE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. TT

FRONT BRAKE DISC ROTORS REPLACED AFTER 15K MILES DUE TO GRINDING WHEN BRAKING. TT

BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *SKD

BRAKE PADS/ROTORS FAILED, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

BRAKES CRYSTALIZE. *SKD

BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, DURING EMERGENCY STOP BRAKES LOCKED UP AND SKIDDED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. TT