1983 Ford ThunderbirdProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 3 owner complaints about the 1983 Ford Thunderbird, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)

Safety recalls3Free fix at dealers Owner complaints33 with a crash, fire or injury Typical failure mileage24kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 20, 2003. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1983 Ford Thunderbird has problems

3 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

1Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury

1Fuel system, other1 crash/fire/injury

1Seat belts

1Vehicle speed control1 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Electrical system	1	1
Fuel system, other	1	1
Seat belts	1	0
Vehicle speed control	1	1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1983 Ford Thunderbird recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

no report yet

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 83V-039 · Apr 11, 1983 · 250 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 83V-028 · Mar 7, 1983 · 98,162 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Storage: tank assembly

Recall 83V-012 · Feb 8, 1983 · 2,673 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1983 vs. every other Thunderbird year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Thunderbird median. How we score

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 3 26 14 23 61 92 1241401121844233002612331693 2 93 33 34 27

'67'70'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'02'03'04'05

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1983 Ford Thunderbird, and the recalls they led to.

Mar 26, 1986
SEATBACK FAILUREEA86010 · closed Jul 28, 1989
Led to recall 86V-082
Feb 9, 1989
PARKING BRAKE FAILUREPE89039 · closed Jun 13, 1989
No recall

In owners' words

What Thunderbird owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE DASH BOARD. THE DEALER INDICATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *NLM THE VEHICLE TURNED OVER BUT WOULDN'T START. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL PUMP RELAY SWITCH. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP AND DRIVEN HOME, IT SEEMED FINE,…
Complaint 10012139 · Mar 20, 2003 · 24,000 miles

Own a 1983 Thunderbird?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.