Ford Thunderbird 1994 - Power train - car safety information, failing parts, recalls, bulletins, complaints

Ford Thunderbird 1994

Technical Service Bulletins
Consumer Complaints

Bulletins

Bulletin	Bulletin date	Item no.	Summary	Added
POWER TRAIN
96714	03/25/1996	613335	Subject regarding a new transmission case and main control released for service on aode / 4r70w transmissions. *tt	06/21/2000
9943	03/08/1999	604751	Information regarding reprogramming powertrain control modules (pcms). *tt	05/11/1999
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
03261	01/05/2003	10008279	New service part - number 5 needle bearing and race kit - 4r70w transmission - service tip. *tt	07/26/2004
99152	07/26/1999	608431	Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt	01/05/2001
0015	01/10/2000	612203	Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs	06/06/2000
9996	05/17/1999	606428	Experiencing a delayed or no 2-3 upshift, primarily when the transmission is cold on vehicles with ford qality remanufactured (fqr) 4r70w transmission exchange units with julian build between 062-97 and 040-99. *tt	08/20/1999
9888	04/27/1998	601238	Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc	07/10/1998
97511	03/03/1997	51945	Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts. *jd	07/17/1997
9583	04/01/1995	41026	A delayed/soft/slow concern may occur during the 1-2 upshift and a hesitation or sag during 3-4 upshift. *tw	11/01/1995
95515	03/01/1995	39887	There may be an intermittent loss of torque during or just after the 3-4 upshift or in 4th gear on some vehicles. *tw	11/01/1995
BC8899950401	04/01/1995	3010700	Unknown	11/01/1995
9547	02/01/1995	39238	A delayed/soft/slow concern may occur during the 1-2 upshift. *tw	03/31/1995
95313	02/01/1995	39224	Possible water intrusion in the mlp/tr sensor causing shift concern. *tw	03/31/1995
94269	12/01/1994	38062	Delayed or no forward engagement of transmission. *tw	02/07/1995
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES
002310	11/13/2000	616522	Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt	03/05/2001
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH
01181	09/17/2001	625715	Brake shift interlock.*jb	11/30/2001
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER
9887	04/27/1998	601237	Experiencing a torque converter clutch shudder or vibration. *yc	07/10/1998
962517	12/02/1996	50973	Transmission - aode - 4r70w - shudder or vibration under light to moderate acceleration above 56 km/h (35 mph) while in 3rd or 4th gear. *tw	06/17/1997
96249	11/18/1996	50908	Torque converter - leak test procedure - service tip. *tw	06/17/1997
962612	12/16/1996	50997	Transaxle - torque converter replacement guidelines and torque converter/transaxle cooling system cleaning procedures - service tip. *tw	06/17/1997
BC0810961011	10/11/1996	50412	Vehicles equipped w/ an aode or 4r70w trans has a concern of shudder from the transmission torque converter clutch in 3rd or 4th gear or during 3-4 shift. *tt	04/24/1997
BC8899950401	04/01/1995	3010700	Unknown	11/01/1995
BC2850950401	04/01/1995	39837	Torque converter clutch shudder/vibration. *tw	11/01/1995
POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION
BC0678961025	10/25/1996	50356	Information on aode/4r7w transmission main control & case replacement. *tt	04/24/1997

Consumer Complaints

Fail date	miles	occurences	Purchase date
POWER TRAIN
05/15/2000	80000
	Engine - makes a moaning noise and raises the idle. as a result, the care wants to accelerate, even without pressure to the accelerator. paint - paint oxidized on all skyward facing surfaces. spots of rust have developed. power lock - driver's side power lock makes a noise, but does not move the lock transmission - doesn't shift when it is supposed to, and when it does, it is very jerky.
10/02/2003	115000	1	12/31/1993
	Consumer had problems with vehicle jerking forward while at stop lights. the vehicle eventually would not start. the vehicle was checked by three certified mechanics. the consumer was informed that the engine head gaskets wore out. vehicle was repaired. ak the vehicle also experienced problems with it's power window's, air conditioner and transmission. nlm
		2
	The transmission gears suddenly without warning refused to shift out of low gear. this caused the vehicle to abruptly slow down almost to a halt while in traffic. on two separate occasions, the consumer brought the vehicle into the dealer where purchased. while in the hands of their transmission technicians, the problem was not diagnosed. consumer sought out a reputable specialist who installed a sensor which solved the problem but only temporarily. the malfunction was diagnosed and repaired at a second attempt. the spring accumulator was broken, the overdrive band was burned as were the low clutches. the consumer discovered ford motor company recognized the poor design and changed it so consumer requests reimbursement of monies paid for repairs. jg scc
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
01/14/2004	95000	1
	Transmission would shift in and out of overdrive for no apparent reason. this was corrected by replacing two speed sensing switches. this is normally done when ever the transmission is worked on by ford. *tr
05/31/2005	60000	30	04/01/1994
	I own a 1994 ford t-bird with a 5.0 v8 and as i am driving(not accelerating, etc.) the car it unexpectly down shifts for no reason. it appears to happen more during the summer months when it is hotter. i have taken the car to lake city ford in coeur d'alene at least 4 or 5 times over the last 4 or 5 years and they keep telling me that some part just needs cleaning the problem keeps coming back. i feel that it is a danger and could cause an accident.
07/07/2001	80000	6
	Transmission begins shifting from od to lower gears for no apparent reason. a transmission flush seems to clear up the issue for approx. 6,000 miles and then the problem is back. the past week has been very bad. this morning on my drive to work (3 miles) the issue occured 6 times.*ak
11/30/1998	45000	1	11/30/1998
	I noticed immediatly after buying this car that the transmission slipped that was 11/98 it took several calls to the dealer and a coarse of a year for them to finally fix it. second time i brought in to shop replaced whole transmission that was 12/99. now in 6/03 the transmission is starting to slip again. also had recall letter about head gaskets, ford refused to work with me on replacements, had to be replaced out of my own pocket. private dealer lied about condition of vehicle, it had transmission problems when i bought it. ford made no attemps to help resolve problems. *ak
			10/01/2000
	The transmission will make uncommanded and unexpected downshifts from overdrive to 3rd and somtimes to 2nd gear any nearly any speed above 35 mph. this often occurs at freeways speeds of 70 to 80 mph and creates a hazardous, and unexpected slowing. in addition, the transmission may either upshift and downshift repeatedly or go into neutral and then back into gear. this results in the rpm changing wildly and, at times, going high enough to potentially cause engine damage.*ak
06/02/1995
	Transmission has been replaced twice and fixed twice due to shifting late and shaking while driving. dealer has also replaced several parts in vehicle, but solution did not work. contacted dealer. *ak
12/12/2001		1	12/01/2001
	Transmission slips out of gear and jerks the car around and the steering has a lot of slack in it about an inch. *ak
01/24/2002		4	03/01/1994
	I think my original transmission was stolen by my dealership. later, i think another dealer frauduantly charged my extended service contract to removed and replaced my transmission without my knowledge. *ak
			12/01/1994
	No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak
08/01/2001
	Transmission will not go into gear while traveling at highway and neighborhood speeds. speedometer will race, but will get in gear. dealer has been contacted. please provide further details. *ak
07/01/2001			07/01/1994
	The transmission of this vehicle has for the last several years and many miles will without warning either downshift from od without any alteration in accelerator pressure or will jump into neutral and the engine rpm will rapidly increase and the vehicle loses all pulling power. this is especially dangerous when climing a hill on an interstate or in heavy traffic as the vehicle decelerates without any warning to traffic to the rear. repair attempts have been filter and fluid change, fluid level checks on a regular basis, linkage lubrication, and routine maintenance of the vehicle in general. i am wondering if there are inherent issues with this style od transmission. the other major failures were left side head gasket and severe front brake pulsation. the dealer finally replaced the brake rotors with what seemed a better unit, and i conducted the repairs on both side head gasket replacement. please advise me of any known issues regarding this transmission and what, if any, recourse for repair i might employ. i thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter. gkw. *ak
11/01/2000
	Transmission lurches, engine sounds like it will stall, rpms go up, but vehicle will not accelerate. *ak
05/01/1999		1	10/01/1997
	At 56000m had to have transmission overhauled, at 91000 head gasket or intake gasket blew had to be replaced, understand that other similar vehicles have had recall on head gaskets but was told by ford that my model not included in these recalls.*ak
05/20/1998		2	05/01/1998
	Transmission in these thunderbird is terrible the person i bought it from has already had it fixed and i have too. it is starting to act up again for example i will be driving down the interstate and my car will slip gear and will cause me too tempory lose control. i feel as though this should be looked into because i have heard many other complaints from other drivers. *ak
			09/01/1996
	Auto trans shudders shifting 3-4 and 4-3. speed control failed at 15,000 miles, front disc brakes pulsate and steering wheel vibrates.
10/25/1999		1	10/01/1996
	I received a letter of recall for the headgaskets on my car which had already been repaired and, ford refused to honor their recall. apparently they don't know how to prevent this proplem considering their have several make and years that have been recalled. also i think it is odd to have a transmission completly rebuilt 2 times. first time was 93000 miles next was 106000 miles. so far i have spent more money on this car than any of the rest of the cars i have ever had. going back to the headgaskets, i tried to trade my t-bird for another t_bird and the dealership would not deal with me period. thank you tina trout. *ak
07/02/1999		1	08/01/1998
	There are actully to many other things to list but i would be happy to mail copies of all major safety related problems that ive had with this car.im still haveing engine ,transmission,and other problems not to mention the gas smell that the ford dealer swears isnt there. *ak
07/01/2000		0	08/01/1994
	Consumer is getting a shutter or vibration when shifting to 3rd gear, consumer has noticed this for about 9 months. contacted dealer and had fluid changed. problem has not reoccurred since. ak ml
12/29/1999		12	06/01/1994
	The transmission slips out of gear by itself. it happens at all speeds sporadically. when it slips the car slows down,which has caused a couple of dangerous situations. more dangerous still is that when it slips the r.p.m.'s jump higher and sometimes the transmission then grabs and the car lurches suddenly forward.this has almost caused us to crash twice;once on the freeway and once on a sharp turn.*ak
04/24/2000			04/01/2000
	Rough 3-4 upshift with increase in rpms, when driving at 55-60mph rpms will suddenly go up and down. *ak
05/26/2000		50	02/01/1998
	Car shifts into neutral from any gear unexpectedly. *ak
08/10/1999		0
	When vehicle warms up it goes into neutral spontaneously and without being touched at all. also, vehicle lurches to 1000rpms, and then goes back to normal*ak.
12/12/1999		0
	Transmission slips out of gear, rpms run high, and then it goes back into gear, and jumps forward. *ak
02/28/2000			04/01/1995
	Loss of forward drive on interstate in heavy traffic able to pull onto shoulder car went into drive before i stopped. problem continued to do this every 40 or 50 miles . i have yet to take it to be repaired. this has started to do this at speeds of 40-50 mph after only driving 10-12 miles *ak
11/09/1999		1	05/01/1994
	Transmission experineces vibration and difficulty in loss of power during shifting. mjs
			02/01/1996
	Automatic transmission developed a severe shutter at approx 45,000miles.various ford sevice managers have stated this is a common problem. when asked if this could be a safety problem in continued use, no positive response other than it is most likely the torque converter and no info on safety is known. replacement or overhaul is always an option, however the cost is excessive and the new unit could fail again. the transmission has not failed, the fluid and filter was replaced at 35,000 miles. *ak
10/18/1996
	While driving vehicle shutters between third and fourth gear. in the morning, when warming it up, it will not move to go foward od backwards. *ak
08/01/1999		10	07/01/1994
	Have had two transmission in last 4 months. multiple problems, shutters, zip noises when accelterate, rpm jumps while driving causing the car to feel like it is in neutral, now my overdrive light flashes off and on. lesson here...never buy ford!!!
08/01/1999
	Transmission does not shift properly between first and third gears which may resultin a crash. common problem. please provide further information. *ak
		3	01/01/1994
	Transmission will down shift for no reason between 50 & 70 miles per hour. some time it will keep shifting up and down then go back to normal.
02/02/1999		1	05/08/1996
	Transmission had to be replaced because the gears would not shift on there own. *yc
08/01/1998		1	01/01/1996
	6 months after purchasing the vehicle, transmission failed, was rebuilt. in 1998 had to have the rotors, pads and calibers replaced. also, in 1998, head gaskets blew, had to replace. in 1999, pcv and pcp valve replace, oil sensor, dashboard guage module replaced. now in august of 1999, transmission is slipping again. needs to be replaced.
07/07/1999		7	04/01/1994
	First complained to dealer that transmission shifted hard on 11/04/1994 @ 10378 miles: dealer responded no problem found. next visit to dealer on 09/20/1995 complaint vibration in driveline at upshifts - dealer responded no problem found. continued to take card in to dealer complaining of intermittent problem - engine revs (tachometer increases) and vehicle not moving forward. dealer said continually they could not replicate the problem. finally car got to point where problem was occurring at nearly every speed every day. had transmission rebuilt at american transmissions, royal oak, mi. problem still not solved. after several return visits, problem was found to be faulty electronic control module, ford part no. f3lp-7f293-ba, which essentially put transmission into neutral while in drive. this failure is what i tried to resolve unsuccessfully with ford dealer for approx. 5 years. problem was the same each time, and was finally identified and repaired by someone outside the ford service network. this problem is a safety issue because my car was coasting until the trans caught.
			06/01/1995
	Driving at any speed, transmission will down shift, engine will accelerate & rpms go up, usually after engine is warmed, 10-15 minutes of driving. *ak
03/31/1999		1000	10/01/1994
	Transmission downshifts to neutral at any speed. *ak
06/18/1998
	Intermittently while driving vehicle would jump into neutral unexpectedly which might have caused a crash. been to dealer, but dealer cannot determine the problem. *ak
09/04/1998
	While driving at 40 mph to 70 mph, vehicle will downshift, transmission will slip, and vehicle loses power. power will come back on, and then the vehicle will accelerate. *ak
03/18/1997		2	03/01/1996
	Tranmission grinds and slips in and out of overdrive and low and high speeds. tranmission was fixed once before by dealer. it is estimated that the transmission needs to be replaced now.
11/29/1998		2	10/01/1998
	Automatic transmission shifts out of overdrive at a speed of approximately 40-60 mph . car loses all power and acts like transmission has gone into neutral. when this problem happens you can push sometimes on the accelerator and the transmission seems to feel like it slips and the tach rpms go to almost 6000 rpm before the car will sometimes shift back into drive. car has had the main computer replaced twice, and the transmission valve body has been replaced at the transmission repair shop per their advice but the problem still persists. .........please try to advise me of a possible solution to the problem. i have a friend that has the same model of car and the same year who is experiencing the sam sort of problem. *ak
09/01/1995		4
	Transmission goes out intermittently. problem occurred four times. transmission was replaced the third time at owner's expennse. problem still occurs. provide further information. *ak
03/01/1998		1	03/01/1998
	Transmission slips in and out of gear when in 1, 2, 3, and 4 gear. *ak
03/01/1999			01/01/1996
	No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak
01/18/1999
	While driving at any speed, rpms are out of control. transmission seems to slip out of gear, shifts down gear. dealer not aware of the problem. problem still exists. provide further information. *ak
09/01/1998		2	11/17/1997
	Transmission is slipping while driving which could cause an accident, dealer cannot determine defect. ak ml
		10
	Premature wear of front brake rotors and pads. also, replaced 2 alternators/four batteries/burned out brake light socket/wiring/transmission. also battery gauge jumps all ove rwhen using turn signals or electric windows.
		1
	Transmission problems experienced.

	A malfunction occurred within the transmission that when the vehicle is being driven between 35-40 mph, it shifts from 3rd gear into over drive. cause unknown. dealer cannot identify the problem. please give any further details. *ak
		3	01/01/1994
	Vehicle has had two replacment torque converters and overhauled transmission, vehicle transmission is still not working properly.
03/20/1994		1	03/20/1994
	Delay in shifting mechanism due to faulty transmission.
05/15/1998			02/15/1996
	Automatic transmission drive train failure.
11/01/1996		2	05/15/1994
	Automatic transmission failed.
		2	06/20/1994
	Transmission shifting problem.
		1	02/01/1996
	Transmission failed.
03/24/1997		1
	Overdrive wiring to console shifter failed.
02/10/1997			02/17/1995
	Automatic transmission downshifted at highway speed for no apparent reason. *ak
02/09/1997		1	02/17/1997
	Automatic transmission downshifted at highway speed for no apparent reason.
		4	05/15/1995
	While driving at 55 mph, transmission downshifts, causing vehicle to accelerate; also, replaced throttle positioning switch (tps). *ak
07/02/1995		1	10/01/1994
	Transmission vibrates going into overdrive.
10/01/1996		2	05/17/1995
	Replaced transmission/overdrive. *ak
09/28/1996		2
	While driving at freeway speeds, transmission suddenly downshifted, resulting in loss of control, also slipped from a stop. *ak

	Purchased car new at 50,000 miles the transmission had to be replaced, please describe . *ak
06/01/1995		1
	Overdrive button faulty.
08/23/1995		3
	Transmission failure. *ak
09/14/1995		4
	Transmission slips.

	The automatic transmission, the magnetic balls in the valve body cause the vehicle to jump out of gear while driving. tt
04/06/1995
	Auto transmission failure. tt
01/01/1994		1
	Transmission stuck in second gear.
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES
06/01/1997		3
	Transmission cooling unit and lines malfunctioned and was replaced. also, replaced converter assembly. *ak
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
03/24/1997		1
	Transmission jumps out of gear.
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH

	Automatic buttons that lock & unlock gears to shift broke off while in use. buttons fail to stay in place. took vehicle to dealer, where mechanic repaired buttons with 1995 vehicle due to breakage of plastic buttons. also, vehicle would shimmy when accelerating. *ak
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER
12/13/1996		1
	Consumer experienced torque converter failure and 3rd gear clutch failure. *jg
		1	07/15/1998
	Torque converter failed causing transmission to shudder at shift points into third & overdrive with normal acceleration, upon aggressive acceleration the engine turns to 4,500 rpm before shifting in to second. *et
07/01/1996		5	05/01/1996
	Brake rotors warp unnessessarily early in life, ford replaces per tsb but no recall. -- taillamps fail after trunk trauma (ie closing it) over a number of years. ford fixes under warranty, but no recall for defective assemblies. -- the mn12's 4r70w transmission is noted for torque converter shudder and numerous shift problems that are addressed in tsb's but the number of tsb's and failures of the aode/4r70w transmission warrants a recall on the control assembly (valve body). tranny is prone to fail.
03/23/1996		2	12/01/1995
	When driving down the road at just about any speed the car starts to shudder. the dealership said it was my torque converter in my transmission and replaced it at 39,000 miles and at that time we were told that the dealership replaced 3 or more a week because the torque converter in the transmission was not built strong enough to handle the size motor built in the car. now at 60,000 the car is doing the same thing but the dealership said they cannot replace it again because it lasted more than 12,00 miles and it would cost me between $700 to$1,000 dollars. please help i dont have that kind of money right now.
01/21/1999			05/01/1994
	Torque converter replaced at 35,000 miles. car never ran the same. this car has had all tune ups checks, and service dates kept. has had 1 driver. has never been beat on . transmission specialist has had many 1994 ford thunderbirds with problems in 2nd gear in transmission. the gear is gone! it just spins in passing gear. he stated that ford knows and has changed equipment, but not notifying anyone. also, computor problems.
09/18/1998		1	09/01/1994
	Torque connverter on the transmission went out prematurely, causing the vehicle to shake and vibrate very hard when driving above 35mph. consumer has contacted the dealer. *ak
		3	01/01/1994
	Vehicle has had two replacment torque converters and overhauled transmission, vehicle transmission is still not working properly.

	Torque converter shutters
08/29/1995		1	08/29/1995
	Torque converter failed causing shuddering and vibration.
10/01/1997		1	01/01/1998
	Transmission failure. problems existed from time vehicle was driven from showroom.
06/01/1997		1	05/01/1996
	Transmission vibrates when going into overdrive, due to torque convertor failure.
09/01/1997		1	05/01/1996
	Torque convertor failed.
01/01/1997		3	10/30/1995
	Warped front brake rotors; also, transmission shifted roughly between 3rd and 4th gear due to torque converter failure. *ak
09/29/1995		1
	Torque converter failed. *dh
07/30/1996		1	10/01/1994
	Torque converter failed.

	The torque converter had to be replaced, purchased car used . please describe . *ak
POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - BANJO HOUSING
04/25/2001			02/01/1995
	The following items have prematurely failed causing replacement: rotors, oil pressure gauge and sending unit, thermostat & gasket, instrument panel, power steering pump, battery, alternator, piston, transhaft, fuel injection system, intake manifold, serpentine belt and now the headgaskets are blown
POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
12/13/1996		1
	Consumer experienced torque converter failure and 3rd gear clutch failure. *jg
POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
11/01/1994		1
	Upon pulling out of driveways on right turn/pulling into driveway, vehicle looses traction; pulling out on right turn, car remains standing/no movement. *ak
POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION
08/11/2001		1	08/11/2001
	Transmisson slips into neutral at 40 mph and higher.*jb
08/01/2001
	Transmission will not go into gear while traveling at highway and neighborhood speeds. speedometer will race, but will get in gear. dealer has been contacted. please provide further details. *ak
		10
	Transmission out due to loss of second gear transmission driving without a second gear, have to make sure od is turned off or else the car will consistently drop out of gear. *jb
			09/01/1994
	Multiple brake malfunctions, several transmission sensor replacements, wiring system repairs, two alternators and four batteries replaced, and with in the first year the air conditioner fan motor failed three times.
			03/27/1994
	Tranmission will down shift at 65 mph engine rpm's will go to 6000 rpm control of vehicle is difficult. transmission will downshift at any speed from overdrive to 1 gear randomly.
POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION - FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
03/31/2002		5	08/01/2094
	Auto. trans. shifts from drive to 2nd gear. has only done this 5 seperate times over a 2 - 3 year period. i find that if i shift the gear selector to 1st gear and push it into drive the problem does not occur. the five times it has happened was when i shifted from park straight to drive. i find i can push the gear lever forward from drive until the indicator shows in the neutral slot before the trans. shifts to neutral. i believe the downshifting is caused by the misalignment of the gear selector. nlm