no report yet
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
1991 Ford ThunderbirdProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 112 owner complaints about the 1991 Ford Thunderbird, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 11, 2015. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1991 Ford Thunderbird has problems
112 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
18Service brakes, hydraulic2 crash/fire/injury
15Seat belts1 crash/fire/injury
14Engine and engine cooling
13Electrical system10 crash/fire/injury
10Vehicle speed control2 crash/fire/injury
10Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
10Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury
8Visibility
6Equipment
188 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 18 | 2 |
| Seat belts | 15 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 14 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 10 |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 10 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 10 | 1 |
| Visibility | 8 | 0 |
| Equipment | 6 | 0 |
| 8 other systems | 18 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
1991 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
Windshield wiper/washer: motor
Risk. CHANGES IN THE WIPER PATTERN OR JAMMING OF THE WIPERSWOULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILTY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. IF PARK IS NOT ENGAGED AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS OFF, AVEHICLE ROLL-AWAY COULD RESULT.
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
1991 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
NHTSA crash tests
1991 Ford Thunderbird safety ratings
1991 Ford Thunderbird 2-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1991 Ford Thunderbird, and the recalls they led to.
- THRTTL VLV LINKAGE BUSHINGNo recall
- THRTTL VLV LINKAGE BUSHINGNo recall
In owners' words
What Thunderbird owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, THE SPEED ODOMETER WAS REPLACED THE POWER STEERING WENT SOMETIMES DRIVING CAR LOST POWER. TT
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD COME ON. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTS TO SLOW/STOP VEHICLE, THERE IS NO RESISTANCE BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND IT GOES TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES; AT 15-20 MPH RANGE/ 20-30 MPH RANGE, AND AT 40-50 MPH RANGE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC…
ON 3 OCCASIONS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WITHIN 44,000 MILES WHEN MAKING NORMAL OR SUDDEN STOPS. PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
Own a 1991 Thunderbird?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.