02 trouble free bird, hints to stay ahead.

[edward301]

Owned my bird since new 2002, just now installed new fuel pump, and ac compressor. Only problems I have had. After looking at this site for hints on fuel pump I see there is a sea of
problems that will come up one day. I can fix most of them when needed, just wanted ideas from
other owners who have been there.

Even my plugs, and cops are original. Car has always been garaged, only rained on 3 or 4 times.
My garage is heated and cooled, so maybe that has helped preserve car. Stays at 78 degrees.
Underside of car and suspension look good, all joints and rubbers look good.

Hope bird stays trouble free, but I can use any advise to be ready.

 

[Skip Panowitz]

Owned my bird since new 2002, just now installed new fuel pump, and ac compressor. Only problems I have had. After looking at this site for hints on fuel pump I see there is a sea of
problems that will come up one day. I can fix most of them when needed, just wanted ideas from
other owners who have been there.

Even my plugs, and cops are original. Car has always been garaged, only rained on 3 or 4 times.
My garage is heated and cooled, so maybe that has helped preserve car. Stays at 78 degrees.
Underside of car and suspension look good, all joints and rubbers look good.

Hope bird stays trouble free, but I can use any advise to be ready.

Same here. I have had mine since September 2001. 42K miles. Only issue has been transmission related which was remedied via ESP at 14K miles. No issues with cops, suspension bushings, the common stuff, yet. I know owners with 150K mile cars that have had few if any issues. Although mine is a "garage queen" too (no heat in garage, however) I think the real secret is driving the cars in addition to maintaining them.

 

[Netconn]

It's like most things, it's the luck of the draw. Maintenance is always a good idea and it can help slow the need for repairs but quality is really the issue when it comes to common failures. IMHO Ford and quality don't live on the same planet. With every Ford I've owned or been involved with there's always the same common issues with each. And Ford just continues to build the same junk year after year. Using the same junk parts over and over. And then when the parts fail you have to mortgage your home to pay for the repairs, usually the same parts will fail again down the road. The cost of a Ford doesn't stop at the purchase. Just google common issues for most any Ford model for the last 20 years and see. How about Ford's 6.0 diesel, probably the worst diesel ever built. Ford's sunroofs, there's a $2000 repair for a plastic part that always breaks yet never improved. Plastic engine parts, and they all fail!!! Review cameras, door locks, transmissions, brakes, fan motors, A/C compressors, fuel pumps, etc, etc. The list is endless. Ford makes a mountain of money from parts and labor on your Ford. Built to break. If your Ford is not breaking go buy a lottery ticket.

 

[tommyc]

It's like most things, it's the luck of the draw. Maintenance is always a good idea and it can help slow the need for repairs but quality is really the issue when it comes to common failures. IMHO Ford and quality don't live on the same planet. With every Ford I've owned or been involved with there's always the same common issues with each. And Ford just continues to build the same junk year after year. Using the same junk parts over and over. And then when the parts fail you have to mortgage your home to pay for the repairs, usually the same parts will fail again down the road. The cost of a Ford doesn't stop at the purchase. Just google common issues for most any Ford model for the last 20 years and see. How about Ford's 6.0 diesel, probably the worst diesel ever built. Ford's sunroofs, there's a $2000 repair for a plastic part that always breaks yet never improved. Plastic engine parts, and they all fail!!! Review cameras, door locks, transmissions, brakes, fan motors, A/C compressors, fuel pumps, etc, etc. The list is endless. Ford makes a mountain of money from parts and labor on your Ford. Built to break. If your Ford is not breaking go buy a lottery ticket.

Interesting perspective. It seems every manufacturer has problems of some type, and Ford is not immune to that. Up until recently however, Ford was the only American manufacturer to get anywhere near the top of Consumer Report's quality ratings--what with Honda and Toyota always sitting at the top.

My own experience . . . I have a 2004 F-150 regular cab with 245K miles on it, and most people still think it's a new truck. Aside from routine maintenance--tires, oil, lube, filters, batteries, etc--the only major work has been a replacement of all the rocker and control arms and shocks around 170K. No mechanical problems at all. And most people I know with F-150's report similar experiences.

A couple years ago, I asked the owner of the local repair shop where I go for his opinion on new trucks. Any brand better than the other? His response was interesting. He said that if you're planning for a 100-120K truck and then get something else, they're all about the same so buy what you like. But he finished up by saying that whenever one of his mechanics comes in and tells him they have a truck in the bay with 250-300K on it, he can bet good money it will be a Ford. So there's that . . .

I'm headed down to get lottery tickets . . . .

 

[Netconn]

Anything you throw money at will run forever, so picking one maker over another comparing miles doesn't mean anything. I have a Ford F350 6.0 diesel and they famous for constant engine problems: EGR cooler, oil cooler, head gaskets, head bolts, FICM board, turbo, sensors, injectors, trans problems, this list is endless and all happened to my F-350 with less than 90K miles. Compare that to the Dodge Cummins that actually will run a million miles. Near new Ford Edge: Sunroof exploded even though it was only used a few times, door locks failing, A/C heat fan quit, Sync problems, rear view camera quit, parking brakes frozen, warped rotors twice, the list goes on. Ford Mustang: Plastic intake manifold cracked in half - 5.0 recall, fuel pump. Now lets move on to the Tbirds: Same common failures - A/C compressors, COP's, plastic cooling parts, front and rear computers, fuel pumps, etc, etc. These are not high mileage cars, these are cars built with poor quality parts and poor design.

That being said, I'm not defending all the other automakers but I've owned enough cars in my life to fill an acre of land, Ferrari's, Fiat's, Ford's, dozens of GM's, Chrysler, British, Japanese.. I can't remember them all.. In comparison I can say without a doubt that Ford's have been the worst as far as junk parts, most failures and highest repair costs.
I have a 94 corvette, I bought new, that's never had a failure, gets far better mileage then my Tbird and has far more performance. I recently sold my GMC van with over 200K miles that had one failure, the HEI coil failed about 10 years ago. I've never had a Japanese car fail. Lots of cars have common problems but most automakers change their design to fix a common problem, needless to say Ford never got that memo. And as long as they can rape their customers with exorbitant repair prices they will never fix their poor quality. It's their business model.

 

[Netconn]

And BTW, my Tbird came with a 4" stack of prior repair invoices. I haven't had time to review all the replaced parts. And this cars is in Xlnt condition.

 

[jamel95]

going to get my lottery ticket. Ive had Pinto's, Honda Civics and Accords, Chevys, Audis, Dodges and Chryslers. I am not a high dollar buyer, nor a rich man. I have had my share of problems and happiness. I dont think any of the car manufacturers set out to build bad cars (my father worked for Chrysler for 30+ years). they are complicated machines. the Japanese have a lot of the things figured out but the cars have no soul. With few exceptions, and they have problems. Acura NSX's wore out tires like a MOFO. Toyota 2000 Gt's cost a relative fortune. I once drove my 100k astro van 9300 miles in 3 weeks, above the Artic Circle without a failure. life is random. enjoy.

 

[tommyc]

Anything you throw money at will run forever, so picking one maker over another comparing miles doesn't mean anything. I have a Ford F350 6.0 diesel and they famous for constant engine problems: EGR cooler, oil cooler, head gaskets, head bolts, FICM board, turbo, sensors, injectors, trans problems, this list is endless and all happened to my F-350 with less than 90K miles. Compare that to the Dodge Cummins that actually will run a million miles. Near new Ford Edge: Sunroof exploded even though it was only used a few times, door locks failing, A/C heat fan quit, Sync problems, rear view camera quit, parking brakes frozen, warped rotors twice, the list goes on. Ford Mustang: Plastic intake manifold cracked in half - 5.0 recall, fuel pump. Now lets move on to the Tbirds: Same common failures - A/C compressors, COP's, plastic cooling parts, front and rear computers, fuel pumps, etc, etc. These are not high mileage cars, these are cars built with poor quality parts and poor design.

That being said, I'm not defending all the other automakers but I've owned enough cars in my life to fill an acre of land, Ferrari's, Fiat's, Ford's, dozens of GM's, Chrysler, British, Japanese.. I can't remember them all.. In comparison I can say without a doubt that Ford's have been the worst as far as junk parts, most failures and highest repair costs.
I have a 94 corvette, I bought new, that's never had a failure, gets far better mileage then my Tbird and has far more performance. I recently sold my GMC van with over 200K miles that had one failure, the HEI coil failed about 10 years ago. I've never had a Japanese car fail. Lots of cars have common problems but most automakers change their design to fix a common problem, needless to say Ford never got that memo. And as long as they can rape their customers with exorbitant repair prices they will never fix their poor quality. It's their business model.

You may have missed my point, but I've been able to achieve 245K relatively trouble-free miles WITHOUT throwing money at it. And I know a lot of people with Fords who've had similar service histories. To me--anecdotally--your experiences are the exception.

And I hafta disagree with your assertion about comparing makers and miles. If somebody plans to keep a vehicle for a long, long time with as few problems as possible, the maker DOES matter. I know guys with Toyota Camrys that have 300K+ with similar service experiences. Good luck getting that with ANY US-brand car, and some other imports. This is one of the main reasons the F-150 is the best selling vehicle in the world. People and companies aren't buying them so they can sit back and throw money at them.

Man, I'm truly sorry you've had such bad luck with Fords. No disrespect intended, but I hafta wonder why you bought a Tbird. The service history for this particular platform is well-known to be problematic. I had a couple of the Lincoln LS before my Tbird, and they all have same issues. They were short-run cars (~six years). Some items were addressed later in the run (generator, hydraulic water pump, etc.) Other items didn't get addressed because they were already planning to end the run. They're just unique, halo-type cars and I accept the issues.

 

[edward301]

I will say reliability seems to go with car models, not brands. I have seen even Toyota, and Honda have
bad models. I owned one.

I am not brand loyal, have had Ford trucks, Chevy trucks, both good, along with other car makers.

I purchased my bird right when they came out, was something like the 3rd T Bird the dealer got.
Possibly the first cars made were very good, not really sure.

 

[Quickdraw]

A couple years ago, I asked the owner of the local repair shop where I go for his opinion on new trucks. Any brand better than the other? His response was interesting. He said that if you're planning for a 100-120K truck and then get something else, they're all about the same so buy what you like. But he finished up by saying that whenever one of his mechanics comes in and tells him they have a truck in the bay with 250-300K on it, he can bet good money it will be a Ford. So there's that . . .

I'm headed down to get lottery tickets . . . .

Is it possible that Ford trucks are just the most likely to make it to that high mileage? I worked at Ford for over 45 years and I can tell you that quality is ALWAYS a factor in manufacturing. Many components are made by outside vendors and it's difficult to oversee their processes 100% of the time.

 

[DrSarabi]

My husband worked for his dad repairing all types of cars, so he is especially careful to break new cars in gradually and perform maintenance regularly. We have owned Chevys, Pontiacs and Fords, and when we buy a car, we keep it. Several were well over 100,000 miles when other drivers totaled them for us (drunk driver, hit & run driver, etc.) Our daughter took over our Silverado half ton and drove it to over 200,000 miles without any problems other than brakes and tires. This was after it was my daily driver it for years, during which time we used it to haul horses & hay and to move our entire household from Chicago to St. Louis. Our son was given my husband's 2006 Ford Taurus when it had 180,000 miles on it, and drove it to 248,00 without problems. We then gave him my 2008 Pontiac Vibe (no repairs, only routine maintenance) and sold the Taurus for $300 to a local woman who needed a cheap car to get back and forth to work nearby. We still see it on the road. AND the Vibe is still running strong. Yes, people will tell you that it's a Toyota because of the partnership, but how many used Toyota Matrix' do you see?
I don't know if your TBird was abused by its previous owner, but I can tell you, there are family members from whom we would never buy a used car, because we know how badly they use & abuse vehicles. And they are always complaining about low quality US made cars . . . .

 

[Netconn]

I agree that when it comes to Ford's F-150 they have built a following and a reputation, but name another Ford model that made that mark.... None. A simple internet search on any make and model reveals the rule and not the exception.
Here's the thing.. Ford designs a bad part and never changes it. The sunroof parts that break are the same parts they've made for 20+ years, all 5.0's had a plastic manifold, warped rotors are very common on Fords. They don't redesign bad parts! Ford just keeps making them OR allowing the vendors to make them. Here's a question for you all... Who had the bright idea to design and install a hydraulic fan in Fords? I don't recall ever hearing that the tried and true electric fans all of a sudden were no good. Stupid design that you can't get parts for anymore. Ford! Next question.. Does anyone know why Ford computers fail? Answer: The components fall off the board from cold soldier joints. Next stupid design... The A/C heat blend door.. Common failure in all models in Fords, going back since the first year they installed them, never redesigned this and they still commonly fail. It makes no difference if Ford makes the parts or if Ford buys the parts from a vendor, Ford designs the car and the systems. Designing a system like a unique hydraulic fan for no reason at all or failing to redesign junk parts is 100% on Ford.
Since someone asked, I bought this Tbird for a few reasons. I had an ex girlfriend that bought one new and I like it back then, this one I bought was a fluke that I saw it parked down the road with a "for sale" sign on it, and it was cheap.
Again, I'm not posting to flame Ford. They are who they are and they do what they do. Ford has always made some pretty cars and some innovative designs. I've owned many Ford's over the years, including a 59 Tbird and a 60 Tbird many years ago (one blew the tranny and the other burned to the ground), both wound up in the junk yard. Ford just consistently builds their cars with 80% good and 20% junk and they don't change.
Each to their own.

 

[tommyc]

Is it possible that Ford trucks are just the most likely to make it to that high mileage? I worked at Ford for over 45 years and I can tell you that quality is ALWAYS a factor in manufacturing. Many components are made by outside vendors and it's difficult to oversee their processes 100% of the time.

I believe that was the exact message the shop owner was trying to convey, without dissing any other makers.

Everyone has their own experiences and are entitled to their opinions, but statistics do not lie. The F-series pickups did not become the best selling vehicle in the world by accident. The government and other agencies who predict the economy and whether we're slipping in or out of a recession measure F-series sales in particular as a bellwether of the economy. If companies are ramping up Ford truck purchases, it's a sign that things are headed back up in the next year or two.

 

[Iowabird]

Owned my bird since new 2002, just now installed new fuel pump, and ac compressor. Only problems I have had. After looking at this site for hints on fuel pump I see there is a sea of
problems that will come up one day. I can fix most of them when needed, just wanted ideas from
other owners who have been there.

Even my plugs, and cops are original. Car has always been garaged, only rained on 3 or 4 times.
My garage is heated and cooled, so maybe that has helped preserve car. Stays at 78 degrees.
Underside of car and suspension look good, all joints and rubbers look good.

Hope bird stays trouble free, but I can use any advise to be ready.

 

[Iowabird]

I also had to replace the fuel pump just a couple of weeks ago, mine is a 2002 with 45,000 miles. After they fixed the fuel pump I still had the same problem the car would just die, it was like someone just turned the key off. I too it back and they had to also replace something else. I have to go find my paper to be able to say the correct thing. But they did say they should of replaced it with the fuel pump.