NHTSA Complaint #724080 — 1995 FORD THUNDERBIRD

THE SAFETY CONCERN AT STAKE IS WHEN YOU HYDRO-LOCK A MOTOR AT 50 M.P.H. ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, AND THE MASSIVELY THICK PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE THAT SUCCEEDS THE BLOWN HEADGASKET. MY VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO PREVENT THIS SHY OF REPLACING THE CHEAP PAPER GASKET THAT THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED WITH A QUALITY FELPRO GASKET OR THE LIKE AT THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS WHY AM I FINDING HUNDREDS INTO THE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT FORD 3.8L ENGINES IN THE RANGE OF 1995 FOR EVERY MODEL OF VEHICLE, BUT YET FORD ONLY ACKNOWLEDGES A FEW CHOICE MODELS FOR A RECALL. (ALL MUSTANGS, THUNDERBIRDS, COUGARS, AEROSTARS, ETC. HAD IDENTICAL 3.8 L ENGINES.) I CAN PROVIDE A LIST OF WITNESSES TO THE EVENT, ALONG WITH A LIST OF MECHANICS WHO I HAVE INTERVIEWED CONCERNING 3.8 L HEAD GASKET DEFECTS. THEY ALL AGREE.... IT'S SPREAD OUT AMONG ALL MODELS... NOT JUST THE FEW THAT FORD SPECIFIES. WHY DOES PROPERTY DAMAGE OR LOSS OF LIFE HAVE TO OCCUR TO PRODUCE A JUSTIFIED RECALL? ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MANUFACTURER SEMI-CONFESSES TO A HEADGASKET PROBLEM WITH A PARTICULAR MOTOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME... MY ENGINE ISN'T THE ONLY THING THAT IS STEAMED! *AK