1997 Ford thunderbird
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1997 Ford thunderbird is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 5 on record.
1997 Ford thunderbird at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
1997 Ford thunderbird recalls 2
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Fix: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
1997 Ford thunderbird common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 196 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
1997 Ford thunderbird safety ratings
Side barrier testSource: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 1997 Ford Thunderbird 2-DR.. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
1997 Ford thunderbird MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 1997 Ford thunderbird costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 1997 Ford thunderbird. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 142
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 142.
SOME 1997-2008 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.6L 2V, 5.4L 2V, OR 6.8L 2V ENGINE--SPARK PLUG THREAD REPAIR PROCEDURE--NOT COVERED UNDER NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY. *NJ THIS INCLUDES F-53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS. UPDATED 2/23/10. *PE
Bulletin 07212 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Oct 2007EXTENDED COVERAGE PROGRAM 05N04 - EXTENDED COVERAGE FOR COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS PROGRAM IS BEING PROVIDED AS A SETTLEMENT TO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT EXTEND THE COVERAGE OF THE ALL-COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO 7 YEARS FROM TH…
Bulletin 05N04 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Dec 2005GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
Bulletin 042107 · Power Train · Dec 2004REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) - SERVICE TIPS. *TT
Bulletin 03181 · Electrical System · Sep 2003NEW SERVICE PART - NUMBER 5 NEEDLE BEARING AND RACE KIT - 4R70W TRANSMISSION - SERVICE TIP. *TT
Bulletin 03261 · Power Train · Jan 2003ENGINE-GEAR DRIVEN SYNCHRONIZERS-INCORRECT INSTALLATION-CAMSHAFT POSITION SYNCHRONIZER (CMP) INSTALLATION TOOL CORRECT APPLICATION. *MJ
Bulletin 02221 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Nov 2002INCORRECTLY INSTALLED GEAR DRIVEN CAMSHAFT POSITION (CMP) SENSOR SYNCHRONIZER ASSEMBLIES CAUSING SURGE, LOST OF POWER, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1336, P1309 AND P0340. *TT
Bulletin 870197 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Oct 2002CLIMATE CONTROL A/C SERVICE TECH TIPS. *EH
Bulletin 02208 · Equipment · Oct 2002LAMP-BRAKE-INVADVERTENT DISABLING OF BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *MJ
Bulletin 02176 · Exterior Lighting · Sep 2002SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INTAKE MANIFOLD CROSSOVER (FIRST RUNNER) COOLANT SEEPAGE CONDITION. *TT
Bulletin 0222 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Feb 2002Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the THUNDERBIRD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
About the Ford thunderbird
The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
