I purchased my 2002 for T bird in 2005. I had second thoughts about buying a ford, because I hear bad reports about ford. But I like the way the T bird looked. This year in June the car started missing really bad. Found out the #4 and 5 coils had gone bad. The car was running good for 4 weeks. Its started missing again. This time is was coil number 8. The car was running good again. Two weeks later now it's doing the same thing.
I have a 94 buick park avenue with 170,000. It runs better than my T bird. The engine is garbage. I can't believe ford is getting away with this. I called to see if their is a recall on the coils. I've had no success.
Aug. 2011 was first repair, car still wasn't running correctly when I left dealership. Ford of Port Richey in Hudson Beach, FL had the Thunderbird for a total of 4 days. I informed them car still wasn't running correctly. My car is now at the dealership in Evansville, IN and they have had it for 11 days. Same problem.
I give up, can't find out about the recalls. I am now going to sue Ford Motor Company myself. Stern Low
this piece of crap from ford has already cost me over 10,000 dollars in repairs in just under two years for the same problem the coils and sparkplugs and engine misfire. i think its time to sue ford for this problem. i will never own another ford product thats for sure!
I bought this car from a Ford Dealership 2 months ago. I think that since this car was originally purchased at the same dealership by its first owner and now me the second owner purchased the car with 65k on it should not have to have all of the spark plugs replaced and a coil after 1500 miles. I specifically asked them to look at the coils on the car before I bought the car as I had seen it was a popular complaint about the 2002 Thunderbird.
I will never purchase a FORD again if this is the type thing that consistantly happens with FORD doing nothing to make this right. I have driven Honda and Toyota before this purchase and never had to take the car into the shop for this type of service in the 65K mileage range.
THIS TIME THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE VALVE COVERS, COILS AND ALL SPARK PLUGS. MUCH EXHAUST SMOKE WITH SEVERE SMOKE OUT THE TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP.
3 DAYS AFTER LAST FIX CAR STARTED MISSING AGAIN. THIS TIME THE #3 COIL WAS REPLACED. THEY DID NOT CHARGE FOR THE LABOR. JUST THE COST OF THE COIL. NOW WAITING FOR THE NEXT DAMAGING INCURSION.
This is the third fix in a six months....sorry to find out that it's not just me. Looks like I'm going to have to sell my car. There's no way I can afford to have my car in the shop every 3-6 months and pay over 700.00 to fix. This is criminal!!! I'm so #$%$# aggravated.
Second time with this problem. Disgusted with Ford. Should not have to go through this a second time. Another fire and safety hazard with the strong odor of gasoline every time the vehicle is started!!!!!
Car is back for 3rd extended time, this time for 5 days, at the Best Repair shop in DC (Consumer Checkbook). Replaced coil, this time also replaced a fouled injector (but the oil is still getting in), replacing the gasket on the 2nd repair, did not work. Now taking car back for 4th visit ... plan is to replace the VALVE COVERS as probably warped.
Car is back in TODAY, for 4th time, this time to REPLACE BOTH THE VALVE COVERS, BOTH GASKETS, and whatever coils have fouled again, and spark plugs (and change the oil) ... this is the Consumer Checkbook best shop in DC ... they will get it soon and are great to work with ... this is a basic flawed design in the VALVE COVERS. I will up date this complaint upon pickup in a few days. I would never take the car to Ford, as during the warranty period, I became convinced that FORD was TOTALLY INCOMPETENT to effect any repair. My shop in DC is fair, and is struggling to really get to the bottom of this ... this is my ONLY car, I am a retired Navy Captain, and only use the car socially, about 2 days a week, and to go to the commissary, car is the only way to do that.
Engine failure, light on, runs very rough, this is 2nd fix. Best shop in DC changed coil, some plugs, and replaced the GASKET for the valve covers, in attempt to actually stop the oil fouling the plugs. This lasted only 3 weeks.
Lost all power while trying to drive up hill. Had Jackson Ford check and they claimed that #3 coil had failed which fowled the plugs. Found both valve covers leaking oil and fowled plugs and coil.
After having the #3 coil, valve covers and plugs replaced on 1/12/09 the car again lost power, engine light came on and it was smoking. Jackson Ford again checked and confirmed two more coils needed replacement, 2 coil assembly ignitions, and 2 wire assemblies. They also replaced all the oil, oil filter and inserted some dye?
After two times at the Jackson Ford in Jan 09, my car again began missing and not having power while climbing hills around my home. Jackson Ford again checked my vehicle out and found all coils oil soaked and two of these were mis-firing. This time Ford replaced all coils and coils assembly ignition, valve cover gaskets. Ford did not charge me for this repair due to the costs already put out for the same problem in Jan 09.
I had Cylinder #2 replaced at Ford dealer after breaking down on a road trip. Then had #2, #4, and #5 go on me 3 months later. Had all 8 replaced. Read about everyone else's SAME problem and how Ford is jerking the '02 owners around. I am an attorney and rounding up people for a class action law suit v. Ford. Please contact me at dsa315@mac.com if you are interested in getting some justice here...it is clear that Ford does not care about us or our future business...once again, Detroit is concerned only with short term profits and not concerned with their long term viability. Even after having the car "fixed," I don't know if I'll ever be confident in it again.
I took my car to the Ford dealership as it was missing and the service engine light came on and they said it was the #7 cylinder misfire and needed coil,cover and seal replaced. I called to see if it was covered on my extended warranty. They said yes but needed the mechanic to call them. The mechanic called them and said water had gotten into the cover and shorted it out. Needless to say then it was not covered. They admitted they have that problem often and they have a different cover now. I called Ford Company to see if it was a recall and of course it isn't. My car is a 2002 and has 38,659 miles on it. It is garage kept and rarely driven as they can see it has been driven a little over 5,000 miles a year. I guess you have to not drive in the rain or the cover to protect the coil is faulty from Ford to begin with. I've read many others have this problem so we have to join together to have Ford take the responsibility for this faulty part. I have a Chevolet with over 200,000 miles and have never had this problem with it. I'll never buy another Ford.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I purchased my 2002 for T bird in 2005. I had second thoughts about buying a ford, because I hear bad reports about ford. But I like the way the T bird looked. This year in June the car started missing really bad. Found out the #4 and 5 coils had gone bad. The car was running good for 4 weeks. Its started missing again. This time is was coil number 8. The car was running good again. Two weeks later now it's doing the same thing.
I have a 94 buick park avenue with 170,000. It runs better than my T bird. The engine is garbage. I can't believe ford is getting away with this. I called to see if their is a recall on the coils. I've had no success.
- Shoeartist R., St Paul, MN, US