1996 Ford Thunderbird Complaints

COMPLIANT IS THAT THROUGH MY INSURANCE PROVIDER I WAS ALERTED TO TWO RECALLS THAT SHOULD BE AT LEAST LOOKED INTO ON MY AUTO. THE FIRST IS THE BLOWER ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL BEGAN TO WORK ERRATICALLY AND NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. MEANING THAT MY DEFROSTING DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE OTHER AND MORE SERIOUS IS THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH STICKS AT SMACKS AGAINST THE PEG AND DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY OR AT ALL, UNLESS THE LATCH IS MANUALLY LIFTED. BOTH OF THESE ARE RECALLS FOR OTHER T-BIRDS BUT SOMEHOW MINE SLIPPED THROUGH. VIN IS [XXX]. IF THESE ARE SUCH COMMON PROBLEMS WHY WEREN'T ALL THE T-BIRDS RECALLED? I AM LOOKING AT OVER 600.00 TO REPLACE THESE PARTS. WHICH IS IRRITATING WHEN FORD SHOULD BE FIXING IT'S KNOWN PROBLEMS. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 * JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP PERSONNEL SUGGESTED THE MANIFOLD CRACKED DUE TO THE COMPOSITE PLASTIC USED IN MANUFACTURING. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED WITH AN AFTER MARKET MANIFOLD MADE OF METAL MATERIAL. *NM

I HAD A 96 T-BIRD THAT MY DAUGHTER NOW OWNS. THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD CRACKED LAST SPRING CAUSING ME TO BE STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. MY SISTER TOWED ME TO HER HOUSE WHERE THE VEHICLE SAT UNTIL I GOT A NEW MANIFOLD FOR ABOUT $289 ONLINE. I INSTALLED IT MYSELF TAKING ME ABOUT 2 DAYS AND DRIVING 45 MILES EACH WAY TWICE TO MY SISTER'S HOUSE. OLD PART WAS DISCARDED. *NM

ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2005 WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY I EXPIRED A SUDDEN SPIKE IN TEMPERATURE ON MY 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT MY "PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION AND HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY SORT OF CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION FROM FORD. I HEARD ABOUT THE MANIFOLD ISSUE FROM A FELLOW EMPLOYEE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS FOR THIS FAULTY MANIFOLD WAS $978.00. I FEEL IF THEY KNEW THEY NEEDED TO UPDATE IT WITH AN ALUMINUM MANIFOLD THAN THEY KNEW THE PLASTIC ONES WERE FAULTY.*JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. THIS PART WAS MADE OUT OF NYLON AND IS A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE STATING THAT THERE WAS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ACTION IN 1996. SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECTIVEPART I THINK IT SHOULD BE COVERED FOR LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. LATER FORD REDISIGNED THE PART USING ALUMINUM INSTEAD OF NYLON. *NM