Most common 1997 Ford Thunderbird problems
Share of the 169 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Thunderbird complaints by model year
Best Thunderbird years: 2005, 2003, 2004. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1997. Compare all years →
What 1997 Ford Thunderbird owners say
Engine & cooling all 54 →
I was driving my car to pay the power bill. I had made a complete stop and then turned left up the road about 4/10's of a mile when I pulled into the parking space I noticed white steam coming from the engine compartment. I opened the hood a the engine was covered in antifreeze. I called for a tow hoping it was a blown hose or at worst a head gasket. So I didn't drive it further to prevent further damage. The dealership looks at it and says it is a cracked intake manifold. Which leads to a $1135 bill for parts and labor. Some online research brought a concern...is the intake manifold plastic? If so, why!?
I purchased this 1997 Ford Thunderbird lx sport as a used vehicle in oct. 2002. I noticed that during the first few weeks of owning this vehicle it would intermittently leak a substantial amount of coolant onto my driveway but I could never see where it was coming from. Sometimes it would go for days without leaking and then one day there would be over a quart of coolant on the driveway. I brought the car into a shop that put the car on a lift to look for the leak but they could not find one. I continued to drive the car and add coolant every time the "low coolant" light appeared on the dash panel. In May 2005 I was on the 91 freeway and suddenly without warning the "low coolant" light came on and the temp came up quickly so I tried to change lanes to the right to exit the freeway and the back of the car broke loose and I almost turned sideways. …
Brakes all 22 →
Dt: the consumer stated a year ago wa sinvolved in 2 rear end collisions while driving 3 MPH. This happened with foot on the brake in bumper to bumper traffic. The vehicle was taken to the dealership, but it was not looked at, they instead tried to sell consumer another vehicle. Planned to have the vehicle inspected at consumer's own expense at another mechanic. Dealership stated they knew that the problem existed. . The manufacturer told he would have to have the problem diagnosed, but the dealership would not look at the vehicle. When the vehicle was first purchased,it would drag between gears. In the last year, noticed surging. Had to put the vehicle in neutral to stop, and another timehad to put on the emergency brakeon. There were no police reports taken, there wasno damage or injuries.
Car was involved in collision and when brakes where applied all wheels locked up and was unable to steer doing about 40 MPH but car is equipped with ABS system - the brakes have been worked on twice in 2 years both by Ford dealers. Should this have happened with ABS. Also neither air bag deployed even though it was the front end that has suffered damage (don't know cost yet) front bumper, hood, head light, driver side front quarter panel and driver door are all damaged. Not only did the air bags not deploy, but after accident the air bag light on dash flashed on and off repeatedly, and along with this the shoulder harnesses on seats did tighten, but not enough to hold people back to where one passenger in the back hit their face on the back of the front seat. Luckily there were not injuries.
Suspension
To whom it May concern! My 1997 Ford Thunderbird is not listed why? I have a lot of problems with the smog stuff every year I pay a lot of money. When temperatures are hot outside over 90 the engine light comes on and says service engine, or when I go up a long hill and my car overheats the engine light comes on and says service engine and it is always about an oxygen sensor or other smog related items that always cost $300 to $650 I am going b broke being on a fixed income. Ford can't fix my front end vibration I had all alignments done wheel balancing 4 times nothing helps. My steering wheel vibrates also. Please help! Manfred gauer .
My mechanic has informed me of a dangerous situation with my automobile that could lead to an accident. All the ball joints in the front end are worn excessively. He says the excessive wear is a result of the dust seals disintegrating allowing dirt and water to enter the ball joints. He indicated that this is probably a result of the use of inappropriate or defective materials for the seals. I am going to have the ball joints replaced. I will ask the mechanic to keep the old parts for me.
1997 Ford Thunderbird engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Ford Thunderbird a good car?
Based on 169 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Thunderbird rates avoid: 4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Thunderbird at the same age. It is one of the Thunderbird years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Ford Thunderbird?
The engine & cooling — 54 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe. Next are the brakes (22) and suspension (18).
How many recalls does the 1997 Ford Thunderbird have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Ford Thunderbird. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Thunderbird?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2003 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996 and 1997. See the full Ford Thunderbird years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford Thunderbird problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 72,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.