1997 FORD THUNDERBIRD Owners Manual

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your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
listed on your vehicle ownership license
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN/Serial Number)
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If you still have a complaint involving a
warranty dispute, you may wish to contact the
Dispute Settlement Board (U.S. only) or the
Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan
(CAMVAP) in Canada.
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A warranty dispute must be submitted to the
Dispute Settlement Board before taking action
under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, or to
the extent allowed by state law, before pursuing
replacement or repurchase remedies provided by
certain state laws. This dispute handling
procedure is not required prior to enforcing state
created rights or other rights which are
independent of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty
Act or state replacement or repurchase laws.
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The Dispute Settlement Board
(U.S. Only)
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The Dispute Settlement Board is:
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an independent, third party arbitration
program for warranty disputes
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available free to owners and lessees of
qualifying Ford Motor Company vehicles
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259
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The Dispute Settlement Board may not be
available in all states. Ford Motor Company
reserves the right to change eligibility
limitations, modify procedures and/or to
discontinue this service without notice and
without incurring obligations.
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What Kind of Cases Does the Board
Review?
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The Board reviews all warranty performance
complaints on Ford, Mercury and Lincoln cars
and Ford and Mercury light trucks under the
new vehicle limited warranty that have not been
resolved by either a dealer or Ford Motor
Company, except those involving:
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a non-Ford product
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a non-Ford dealership
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a vehicle sales transaction
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request for reimbursement of consequential
expenses. Expenses incidental to the warranty
complaint being reviewed are eligible for
consideration.
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items not covered by the new vehicle limited
warranty
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items covered by a service contract
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alleged liability claims
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property damage where the damage is
significant when compared to the economic
loss alleged under the warranty dispute
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cases currently in litigation
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vehicles not used primarily for family,
personal, or household purposes (except in
states where the Dispute Settlement Board is
required to review commercial vehicles)
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Complaints involving vehicles in which
applicable new vehicle limited warranties have
expired at receipt of your application are not
eligible. Eligibility may differ according to state
law. For example, see the unique brochures for
California and Wisconsin purchasers/lessees.
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How does the Board Work?
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The Board consists of:
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three consumer representatives
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a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer
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Consumer candidates for Board membership are
recruited and trained by an independent
consulting firm. Dealers are chosen because of
their business leadership qualities.
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What the Board needs
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To have your case reviewed you must complete
the application in the DSB brochure and mail it
to the address provided on the application form.
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Your application is reviewed and, if it is
determined to be eligible, you will receive an
acknowledgment indicating:
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the file number assigned to your application
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the toll-free phone number of the DSB's
independent administrator
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Your dealership and a Ford Motor Company
representative are asked to submit statements at
this time.
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To review your case properly, the Board needs
the following information:
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legible copies of all documents and
maintenance or repair orders relevant to the
case
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the year, make, model, and Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) listed on your
vehicle ownership license
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the date of repair(s) and mileage at the time
of occurrence(s)
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the current mileage
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the name of the dealer who sold or serviced
the vehicle
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a brief description of your unresolved concern
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a brief summary of the action taken with the
dealer and Ford Motor Company
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the names (if known) of all the people you
contacted at the dealership
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a description of the action you expect to
resolve your concern
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Should your case NOT qualify for review, a
letter of explanation will be mailed to you.
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Oral presentations
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If the involved vehicle is within 36 months and
36,000 miles of the warranty start date, you have
the right to make an oral presentation before the
Board. Indicate your choice to do so on the
application. Oral presentations may also be
requested by the Board.
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Making a decision
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Board members will review all available
information related to the complaint, including
oral presentations, if necessary. They then arrive
at a fair and impartial decision, decided by a
simple majority vote.
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Because the Board usually meets only once a
month, some cases may take longer than 30 days
to be reviewed. The Board makes every effort to
resolve each case within 40 days of receiving the
consumer application form.
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After your case is reviewed, the Board mails you
a decision letter. The Board also provides a form
on which to accept or reject the Board's decision.
The decisions of the Board are binding on the
dealer and Ford, but not on consumers who
elect to pursue other remedies available to them
under state or federal law. Decisions of the
Board may be presented as evidence by any
party in subsequent legal proceedings that may
be initiated, where allowed by law.
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To Request a DSB Brochure/Application
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For a brochure/application, speak to your dealer
or write to the Board at the following address:
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one inch art:0060102-B
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Ford of Canada Customer
Assistance
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Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
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If you live in Canada and have any questions or
concerns that the dealership cannot answer,
contact the Customer Assistance Centre.
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Mediation/Arbitration Program
(Canada Only)
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In those cases where you continue to feel that
the efforts by Ford and the dealer to resolve a
factory-related vehicle service concern have been
unsatisfactory, Ford of Canada participates in an
impartial third party mediation/arbitration
program administered by the Canadian Motor
Vehicle Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP).
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The CAMVAP program is a straight-forward and
relatively speedy alternative to resolve a
disagreement when all other efforts to produce a
settlement have failed. This procedure is without
cost to you and is designed to eliminate the
need for lengthy and expensive legal
proceedings.
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In the CAMVAP program, impartial third-party
Arbitrators conduct hearings at mutually
convenient times and places in an informal
environment. These impartial Arbitrators review
the positions of the parties, make decisions and,
where appropriate, render awards to resolve
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264disputes. CAMVAP decisions are fast, fair and
final as the arbitrator's award is binding on both
you and Ford of Canada.
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CAMVAP services are available in all territories
and provinces, except Quebec. For more
information, without charge or obligation, call
your CAMVAP Provincial Administrator directly
at 1-800-207-0685.
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Getting Help Outside the U.S.
and Canada
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Before you export your vehicle to a foreign
country, contact the appropriate foreign embassy
or consulate to make sure local regulations do
not prevent you from registering your vehicle.
Officials at the embassy can also help you decide
whether you should import your vehicle to that
country.
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Officials at the embassy or consulate can tell you
where to get unleaded fuel. If you cannot get
unleaded fuel or can get only fuel with an
anti-knock index that is lower than your vehicle
needs, contact a district or owner relations office
before you leave the U.S. or Canada.
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Use of leaded fuel in your vehicle without a
proper conversion may damage the effectiveness
of your emissions control system and may cause
engine knocking or serious engine damage. Ford
Motor Company is not responsible for any
damage that is caused by use of improper fuel.
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You may also have difficulty importing your
vehicle back into the U.S. if you use leaded fuel.
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If your vehicle must be serviced while you are
traveling or living in Central or South America,
the Caribbean, or the Middle East, contact the
nearest Ford dealership. If the dealership cannot
help you, write to:
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If you are in other foreign countries, contact the
nearest Ford dealership. If the dealership cannot
help you, they can direct you to the appropriate
Ford affiliate office.
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If you buy your vehicle in North America and
then relocate outside of the U.S. or Canada,
register your Vehicle Identification Number and
new address with Ford Motor Company Export
Operations.
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