NHTSA Complaint #723393 — 1993 FORD THUNDERBIRD

EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON 3.8L FORD ENGINE. REPAIR COST $917. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON A PREVIOUSLY OWNED 1988 THUNDERBIRD WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE. A YEAR AGO MY SON HAD THE SAME FAILURE ON HIS 1995 FORD MUSTANG AND HAS SINCE RECEIVED NOTICE THAT FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL AND THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS WILL BE REIMBURSED. IF FORD ADMITS TO THE PROBLEM IN THE 1994 MODEL YEARS AND YOUNGER, WHY WOULDN'T THE SAME BE TRUE OF EARLIER MODELS WITH THE SAME ENGINE? I WAS INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC THAT REPAIRED ENGINES ON BOTH MY THUNDERBIRDS THAT HE HAD REPAIRED A NUMBER OF OTHER OUT-OF-WARRANTY FORDS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT FORD IS OFFERING IS 7 YRS. OR 100,000 MILES. MY 1993 WOULD HAVE FALLEN IN THIS CATEGORY IF FORD HAD ADMITTED THE PROBLEM BACK IN APRIL OF 1998 WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND ALL 3.8L COMPLAINTS. *AK