HELP! Need Qiuck response! | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models
  • We're glad you found us via a search engine! Right now, you can join our club absolutely free and unlock member only features like the site search! This notice only appears once! It only takes 30 seconds to register, and we would love to have you as part of the World's largest Thunderbird Forum/Club! Click here to continue

  • Click here to remove google ads from the site
  • Click " Like/Thanks" at the bottom of a member's post to reward and thank them for their response! Points are added to their profile.
  • 2002-05 Owners. As of August 2022 there is now an entire suspension kit for sale! Scroll down to the bottom of the first post click here.

  • Get rid of swirls and minor paint surface scratches with this Polish & Compounds kit. Click here to read more!.

HELP! Need Qiuck response!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anezangl
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I posted awhile back about the "E" code on the gear selection display on my wifes 03" bird. It only has 20,000 miles. Well today the dealer tells me that the torque converter flew apart and left goo'ie stuff all inside the tranny. Tells me no hard parts are hurt but will need new converter and a soft kit, meaning all the gaskets etc. Total bill.........are you setting down.........$3043.72! Can this be right? Couldn't I get a complete new tranny for that much? It doesn't even come with vasiline!! Now I know why FORD is going out of business!! What do you think? Thanks.........Mike...........

This page contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

 
I am new to Thunderbird ownership....but all things being equal,
I would seek out a few more estimates from legitmate transmission shops.
Historically Ford Dealers have a license to steal. I just paid $800
to have the seat switch and a power window fixed in my Mercury
Grand Marquis. It's outrageous what they charge. 45 minutes work!
The stange thing about the T-Bird transmission...is that it is a closed
unit....there is no dip stick, etc. nothing you can do on your own.
Good Luck🙁
 
x-mission

I posted awhile back about the "E" code on the gear selection display on my wifes 03" bird. It only has 20,000 miles. Well today the dealer tells me that the torque converter flew apart and left goo'ie stuff all inside the tranny. Tells me no hard parts are hurt but will need new converter and a soft kit, meaning all the gaskets etc. Total bill.........are you setting down.........$3043.72! Can this be right? Couldn't I get a complete new tranny for that much? It doesn't even come with vasiline!! Now I know why FORD is going out of business!! What do you think? Thanks.........Mike...........

Well that does seem a little excessive. As was stated you might get a few other estimates.

Steve
 
Try sending an email or PM to quickdraw - maybe he has some info. He recently retired from Ford
 
Sorry to disappoint everyone but I can't help on this one...
 
It only gets better! I was supposed to pick up the bird at 5 friday evening. Based on what they told me w/ parts arriving at 10 am friday, they would spend 5 hrs labor fixing and reinstalling. Well....they called at 4 friday pm and said car not ready, said would call on saturday am when ready. After no call all morning I call them at 11:30am and find out no tech is there working on car and service manager not there either. At 2:30 pm saturday (today) they call and say that car is back together but on post repair test drive tech reports car is not driveable! Yep, you guessed it! They now want me to authorize more money so they can re-diagnose and try again! This will be my last American made car I assure you! When I do get it back I will sell immediatly and cut my losses! Isn't it sad that American manufactures treat Americans this way and then wonder why their corp is in danger of going out of bussiness due to Americans buying foreign cars?........so sad.
 
.....bit late now, but had the dealer checked...he would have found the TSB on the E code...he sure sold you an interesting story though!....pretty scary!...
 
I am 63 years old and have put up with this incompetence my entire adult life. I have reached a point where I don't take it lying down. If you have read "power steering blow-out" thats me. I filed suit last week in small claim court. Will I win? Probably not, but if we make them go to court every time that do us over, perhaps they will get tired of going, because I have to tell you they will be there a lot. Small claim court requires no attorney, and for a small fee ($63 here), you get a shot at getting your $ back. Based on what you relate, you have a good case. You don't have to prove anything, you only have to present the most reasonable likelyhood, misdiagnosis. It should not cost you that much.
 
I am 63 years old and have put up with this incompetence my entire adult life. I have reached a point where I don't take it lying down. If you have read "power steering blow-out" thats me. I filed suit last week in small claim court. Will I win? Probably not, but if we make them go to court every time that do us over, perhaps they will get tired of going, because I have to tell you they will be there a lot. Small claim court requires no attorney, and for a small fee ($63 here), you get a shot at getting your $ back. Based on what you relate, you have a good case. You don't have to prove anything, you only have to present the most reasonable likelyhood, misdiagnosis. It should not cost you that much.

I feel the same way bud.
 
Woooo........hoo.......!! Now were smoking. Service writer calls me monday mid day ( as I'm reading an e-mail response from his boss the Service manager) and tells me that the car as of monday am has some how healed itself. He said the the tech that drove it saturday reporting un-drivable.... now states that its like a whole differnt car! Drives perfect and shows no errors on diagnostic check! 😛 K, here is were is gets funny, I then inform him that I am at this very moment reading an e-mail response from his boss sent only 10 minutes earlier which tells me that the car as of monday am still has a terrible miss fire and that the tech is desperatly diagnosing to identify and will let me know when they know! 😕 I get a call tuesday (today) am telling me its the coil pack on hole number 5. Now remember, I took it in because of a mis-fire and after 3 grand in tranny work they decide it a coil pack on number 5 cylinder! Woo.....hooo!!

By the way guys, I mentioned to the Service manager about the Tech Service bulliten you all told me about and he says you all are full of whoooy! I told him you people like your cars and are here only to help, he says can't believe internet sites!! 😡 If you want his e-mail address to give him a poke in the eye every now and again just let me know, it could be fun to poke him with several hundred opinions every couple days for the rest of his life! 😀
 
Last edited:
Steve I'll see what I can find for you.
 
Is there a place that lists the TSB's for our Thunderbirds? So we might be better armed when going in for service.

Steve: I'll post a new thread for TSB's but in the meantime for COPS as mentioned earlier it's 03-14-4
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top