NHTSA Complaint #752936 — 1993 FORD THUNDERBIRD

EXPERIENCED LOSS OF HEAT IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. FOUND COOLANT LEVEL TO BE LOW. ADDED COOLANT ON SEVERAL OCCASIIONS. PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY. PROBLEM INCREASED TO POINT WHERE ENGINE OVERHEAT INDICATOR LIT. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC WHERE PROBLEM WAS SUSPECTED TO BE LOSS OF COOLANT BUT COULD NOT BE DEFINITIVELY PINPOINTED. AS A PRECAUTION THE WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, HOSES, AND COOLANT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH TWO FREEZE PLUGS WHICH WERE SEEN TO BE WEEPING. AFTER A SHORT WHILE THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET WHICH WAS INTERNALLY CAUSING THE COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE AND BE CONSUMED. I AUTHORIZED REPAIRS BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE TERMS OF MY WARRANTY AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOW TOO OLD.*AK (DOT NUMBER: NA TIRESIZE: NA)