NHTSA Complaint #722428 — 1989 FORD THUNDERBIRD

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON FORD 3.8L V-6 ENGINE, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING AND CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST $1,500 TO $2,000. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE COVERING MANY YEARS AND DIFFERENT FORD MODEL CARS. FORD HAS EXTENDED EXISTING WARRANTIES FOR SOME MODELS BUT ONLY BACK TO YEAR 1994. PROBLEM IS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT HEAD GASKET THICKNESS AND CYLINDER HEAD BOLT TENSION. ALUMINUM HEADS EVENTUALLY WARP, AND ENGINE COOLANT IS DRAWN INTO ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS CAUSING MISFIRING, POTENTIAL BEARING DAMAGE, EXHAUST SYSTEM CONTAMINATION, OVERHEATING, CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS, CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. CARS AFFECTED INCLUDE WINDSTAR, MERCURY SABLE, MUSTANG, THUNDERBIRD, LINCOLN, TAURUS, FROM 1988 TO 1997. CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, WASH D.C., HAS WRITTEN TO FORD CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, DEMANDING THAT FORD COVER ALL SUCH FAILURES FOR THE PREVOUSLY STATED PERIOD. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DO SO. IN ADDITION TO ENGINE/EXHAUST DAMAGE, SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED CAN RESULT IN A REAR END COLLISION BY VEHICLES FOLLOWING, ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND/OR LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORD REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT REDESIGNED THE GASKET AND HEAD BOLTS, AND ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SPECIFYING THE USE OF THE NEW PARTS WHENEVER HEAD GASKET REPAIRS ARE MADE BY A FORD DEALER.