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1987 Ford ThunderbirdProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 61 owner complaints about the 1987 Ford Thunderbird, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

62
CarFlaw IndexSolid year40% below the Thunderbird median · #11 of 18 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints6125 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem24Electrical system

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 13, 2005. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1987 Ford Thunderbird has problems

61 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system2415
Seat belts130
Vehicle speed control73
Service brakes, hydraulic50
Fuel system, gasoline41
Engine and engine cooling41
Exterior lighting31
Steering21
Visibility10
4 other systems41

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

1 recall

1987 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 87V-139 · Sep 4, 1987 · 3,600,000 vehicles

Risk. COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A…

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

1987 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

'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
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1987 Ford Thunderbird, and the recalls they led to.

  1. POWER SEAT MALFUNC/FIREEA90005 · closed Mar 12, 1991
    Led to recall 91V-036
  2. FAULTY SEAT BELT BUCKLESEA95021 · closed Sep 30, 1997
    No recall
  3. FLOORMAT/ACCEL PEDAL INTRFPE88097 · closed Dec 2, 1988
    No recall
  4. PWR SEAT MALFUNC - FIREPE89125 · closed Oct 31, 1989
    No recall
  5. FAULTY SEATBELT BUCKLESPE95019 · closed Jul 31, 1995
    No recall
In owners' words

What Thunderbird owners report

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

FIRE STARTED UNDERHOOD WHILE DRIVING, PARKED VEHICLE, STARTED SMOKING, SUBSEQUENTLY CAME ENGULFED WITH FLAMES, CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR'S CONNECTORS. *AK
Complaint 987098 · Jul 19, 1996
EXPERIENCED ON TWO OCCAISION ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES, WHEN ALTERNATOR SHORTS DUE TO PLUG WITHIN ALTERNATOR GETTING HOT, ALTERNATORS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES*AK *JB
Complaint 984779 · May 22, 1996
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSED THE WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO BURN OUT, AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Complaint 984190 · May 7, 1996

Own a 1987 Thunderbird?

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