NHTSA Complaint #749697 — 1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AAA DIAGNOSIC AND FOUND OUT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER WHO SAID I WAS NOT COVERED SINCE THE CAR HAS 103,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AS PER FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. IT HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. I HAVE ALL MAINTANENCE RECORDS SHOWING DILIGANT MAINTENENCE PRACTICES. THE HEADGASKET BLEW FROM DEFECT, YET FORD REFUSES TO COVER IT, FIRST STATING THE MILEAGE LIMIT AND THEN FURTHER STATING THAT, SINCE I WAS NOT THE ORGINIAL OWNER AND SINCE PRIOR REPAIR WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP I WOULD NOT BE COVERED ANYWAY. FURTHERMORE THEY STATED THAT IF I HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO REPLACE THE GASKETS, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE FIXED GASKETS THAT WERE NOT YET BLOWN. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE ABOVE PHONE REPRESENTATIVE OR SERVICE MANAGER. THE REGIONAL MANAGER (TARA OLSEN) WAS SUPPOSED TO EXPLAIN THE COMPANY'S REASONING BEHIND THEIR REFUSAL AND DISCUSS MY CONCERNS WITH ME YET SHE HAS YET TO RETURN MY CALLS AND HER DIRECT NUMBER IS "NOT ACCESSABLE TO THE PUBLIC." THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO AT FORD HEADQUARTERS (DUNCAN ALDERSON) REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE BEYOND A BLANKET REFUSAL, AND INSTEAD OF BEING TRANSFERED TO HIGHER-UPS, I WAS TRANSFERED TO SECURITY. I WOULD HAVE BEEN WILLING TO SPLIT THE COST WITH FORD IF THEY WOULD HAVE DEALT WITH ME REASONABLY, BUT THEY REFUSED TO DISCUSS OR NEGOTIATE A FLAW THAT THEY HAVE ADMITTED IS THEIR FAULT. INSTEAD THEY INSIST ON SETTING ARBITRARY CUT-OFF TIMES THAT THEY CANNOT OR WILL NOT JUSTIFY AND THAT WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE MET BY MOST OF THE FORDS IN QUESTION. THEY WILL NOT SUPPLY STATISTICS ON THE PROJECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY OF NON-DEFECTIVE HEADGASKETS OR TRANSMISSIONS (ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM) NOR WILL THEY DOCUMENT IN WRITTING ANY OF THEIR PHONE REFUSALS TO HONOR THE RECALL. I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS AND NOW LOOK FOR REIMBURSEMENT.*AK