NHTSA Complaint #10143721 — 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD

I PURCHASED THIS 1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD LX SPORT AS A USED VEHICLE IN OCT. 2002. I NOTICED THAT DURING THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LEAK A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COOLANT ONTO MY DRIVEWAY BUT I COULD NEVER SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. SOMETIMES IT WOULD GO FOR DAYS WITHOUT LEAKING AND THEN ONE DAY THERE WOULD BE OVER A QUART OF COOLANT ON THE DRIVEWAY. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO A SHOP THAT PUT THE CAR ON A LIFT TO LOOK FOR THE LEAK BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ONE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND ADD COOLANT EVERY TIME THE "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH PANEL. IN MAY 2005 I WAS ON THE 91 FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING THE "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TEMP CAME UP QUICKLY SO I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES TO THE RIGHT TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND THE BACK OF THE CAR BROKE LOOSE AND I ALMOST TURNED SIDEWAYS. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE REAR TIRES AND WHEEL WELLS WERE SOAKED IN COOLANT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I FOUND OUT THAT MY INTERMITTENT LEAK THAT NO ONE COULD FIND WAS MY INTAKE MANIFOLD AT THE BASE OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. I WENT TO RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA FORD AND ASKED ABOUT RECALLS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD EXPIRED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. THE CAR NOW SITS PARKED UNREPAIRED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY ALMOST TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CORRECT FORDS ENGINEERING BLUNDER. *JB