1997 Ford Thunderbird Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Thunderbird years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 169 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Thunderbird. That ranks 3rd out of 9 Thunderbird model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (54 complaints, 32%), typically at around 67,452 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 3 fires, 6 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
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- 169owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford Thunderbird problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 54 | 32% | 67,452 | “intake manifold” (46%) | $1,450 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 22 | 13% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 18 | 11% | 71,568 | — | — |
| Power Train | 17 | 10% | 78,784 | — | — |
| Tires | 16 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 7% | 65,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 4% | 78,385 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 3% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 2% | 52,244 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 71,568 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 75,169 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford Thunderbird recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Ford Thunderbird.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
1997 ford thunderbird. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle vin# not listed on defective brake pads/rotors recall notice. *smd
I smell gas when driving at high speed of 60 and above on freeway mostly. Once in a while i can smell it when driving at lower speeds of 25 -30mph. I used to think that i had spilled gas on the outside of car when it first started happening, but now a year later, i still smell gas and i do smoke in…
In the middle of august i smelt gas when i drove. And the smell has become stronger and stronger. Today (10/10/2011) i went to a vehicle repair shop and was told the leaking is on the top of fuel tank and could not be repaired in the shop. I checked online and found many people have experienced…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford thunderbird. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed home and was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. The contact also stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle would decelerate while driving at various speeds. The…
The plastic intake manifold on my 1997 ford thunderbird cracked spilling out all my coolant and causing my engine to overheat, this is a design flaw that should be coverd by ford motor company, this happend while driving down gratiot ave. In roseville mi at 40 miles per hour with no previous…
Other Ford Thunderbird years
← 1996 Thunderbird · 1998 Thunderbird →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Thunderbird | 27 | 1 |
| 2004 Thunderbird | 34 | 1 |
| 2003 Thunderbird | 33 | 0 |
| 2002 Thunderbird | 93 | 1 |
| 1999 Thunderbird | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 Thunderbird | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 169 | 0 |
| 1996 Thunderbird | 233 | 2 |
| 1995 Thunderbird | 261 | 0 |
See all Ford Thunderbird problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford Thunderbird?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic, suspension problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 54 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford Thunderbird?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 Ford Thunderbird a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Thunderbird model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.