1995 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. YH

ORIGINAL HEADGASKET PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED 6-97, BEFORE FORD HAD PUBLICLY ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. ONE YEAR LATER THERE WAS A RECALL, AND WE WERE REIMBURSED. THE PROBLEM IS THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH THE SAME PART THAT FAILED, NOT THE REDESIGNED PART, AND 54,000 MILES LATER, WE HAVE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AGAIN, AS WELL AS ENGINE DAMAGE. BECAUSE WE ARE AT A VEHICLE MILEAGLE OF 128,000, THEY ARE REFUSING. OUR CLAIM IS THE HEAD GASKET WAS OF FAULTY DESIGN, AND THIS SHOULD AGAIN BE REPLACED AND THE ENGINE REPAIRED, WITH NEW, REDESIGNED HEADGASKET. *AK

VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD AT 25MPH. DEALER SERVICE DEPT IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM ON THE FIRST UPSHIFT THE TRANSMISSION. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE TWO TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS AT THE DEALERSHIP HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THIS PROBLEM 50 TIMES. I WAS INFORMED THAT AN ALUMINUM FORWARD PISTON NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMED COST OF $1200-2300. I FURTHER LEARNED THAT FORD KNEW OF THIS DEFECTIVE FORWARD PISTON AS EARLY AS 1993, BUT CONTINUED TO USE THEM ON NEW ASSEMBLIES. WHERE IS THE JUSTICE? IS THERE A CLASS ACTION SUIT PENDING?*AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW AND FORD DECIDED NOT TO COMPENSTATE US SINCE THE MILEAGE WAS OVER THE "MAGICAL" 100,000 NOT TO HAPPY CONSIDERING ALL THE PROBLEMS FORD IS HAVING WITH THESE HEAD GASKETS AND ENGINES FOR THE 1995 WINDSTARS. CAN YOU HELP US?????????? THANK YOU, STEVE CHIODINI

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING COOLANT TO ENGINE. *AK

VEHICLE BROUGHT INTO FORD DEALER (FEDUKE, VESTAL NY) DUE TO ENGINE SKIPPING. DEALER DIAGNOSED LEAKING HEAD GASKET WHICH IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE, VERY NEXT DAY LOSS ENGINE POWER. DEALER SAID ENGINE BEARINGS BAD DUE TO CONTAMINATION OF OIL BY COOLANT AS A RESULT OF THE LEAKING HEAD GASKET. FORD CORPORATION DECLINED TO COVER DAMAGE RESULTING FROM LEAKING HEAD GASKET.

MY VAN FIRST LOST ITS HEATER SO WE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. WHEN THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, WE REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. WE TOOK THE VAN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE TOO MANY MILES ON THE VAN TO FIX IT. WE TOLD THEM NOT TO DO ANY CHARGEABLE WORK TO THE VAN, THEY DID ANYWAY. THEY CHARGED US $49 TO LOOK AT 3 OF THE CHECK ENGINE CODES. THIS VAN HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT IT FROM CHILTON'S AUTO SALES IN EDEN, NC. THE LIGHTS STAY ON, THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYING ON NOT TO MENTION THE ANNOYING BEEPING THAT ACCOMPANIES THESE LIGHTS. WE FINALLY TOOK THE FUSE AND SOME BULBS OUT TO KEEP THE LIGHTS FROM RUNNING DOWN MY BATTERY. HEAD GASKETS ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE AND SINCE ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF THE VAN SEEM TO BE GETTING ALONG GOOD I DON'T THINK MY VAN'S LIFE IS OVER NO MATTER HOW MANY MILES IT HAS ON IT. THANKS FOR ANY HELP *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE AS STATED IN RECALL 98M01 WHICH CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE, OWNER BEING REFUSED RECALL REPAIR DUE TO MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE COULD HEAT UP AT ANY SPEED. CONSUMER HAS TO TURN VEHICLE OFF FOR IT TO COOL OFF, THEN RESTART IT. *AK

FRONT COVER GASKET LEAKING. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER AND OIL OR ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR THREE TIMES FOR A FAILED GASKET. THE ENGINE WON'T HEAT UP PROPERLY DUE TO THE THERMOSTAT BEING STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. NEW OXYGEN SENSORS HAD TO BE INSTALLED DUE TO BEING CONTAMINATED FROM THE COOLANT. *JG

THE # 3 CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR WENT OUT, WHICH IN TURN MADE THE MODULE IN THE COMPUTER GO OUT, AND WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE INDIVIDUAL MODULE YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE COMPUTER AT A ESTIMATED COST OF 600 DOLLARS. THIS IS AFTER HAVING THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED AND TWO NEW TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE LIABILITY OF A PREMATURE FAILURE OF A HEAD GASKET SHOULD RESIDE WITH THE MANUFACTURE, NOT THE CUSTOMER. *AK

ON 2/22/00 THE HEAD GASKET BLEW ON THE 1995 3.8L ENGINE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE GASKET ON 2/28/00. THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE 100,000 MILE RECALL ON THE ENGINE. ON 4/28/00 THE ENGINED FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON ROUTE 495 IN MA WITH A SPEED OF 60 MPH. THE FAILURE WAS FROM LEAKING COOLANT FROM THE REPLACED HEAD GASKET THAT RESULT IN WIPING THE BEARING AND #5 & 6 CYLINDERS. AT FIRST THE DEALER WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE WORK. ON 5/16/00, THE DEALER FINALLY WARRANTY THE WORK AND STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WOULD TAKE 2-5 WEEKS TO RECEIVE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RECEIVED UNTIL MID JULY. A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE WAS NOT OFFFERED TO ME UNTIL I HAD TO RAISE A LITTLE STINK AT THE DEALER ON 6/20/00. I ALSO INQUIRED IF THERE WAS A BUYBACK PROGRAM FOR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER EVER RESPONED. COME TO FIND OUT THERE IS A PROGRAM FOR THE '95 &'96 WINDSTAR TO THE HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE ENGINE. I ALSO WAS NEVER REIMBURSED FRO THE HEAD GASKET WORK DONE ORIGINALLY ON 2/28/00. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SLUGGISH AT 67000 MILES, PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE--OVER DRIVE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND TRANSMISSION WAS NOT GOING INTO THE NEXT GEAR WHILE DRIVING.

HILLARD AUTO PARK DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR 2 UNRELATED RECALL NOTICES. ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT CAUSE OF FAILURE COULDN'T BE DETERMINED, FAILURE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE PARTS OR DESIGN FLAW. FORD HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIR. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, DEALER REFUSED REPAIR DUE TO HIGH MILEAGE. NLM

ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING WHITE SMOKE AND OVERHEATING. AFTER VEHICLE COOLED OFF, IT WAS DRIVEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE BOLTS ON THE HEAD GASKET WERE FOUND TO BE STRETCHED. VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY THE SHOP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO RED MANY TIMES, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD UNEXPECTEDLY. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 98M01 ON THAT PROBLEM. BUT, DEALER DID NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RECALL EXPIRED. CONSUMER RECEIVED TWO MORE RECALLS, 97S88 AND 99S33. *AK

3.8 ENGINE BLEW ITS HEAD GASKET AND ITS ENGINE MANIFOLD PREMATURELY AT 101,000 MILES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT 5 MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPOLYED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. NO INJURY WAS REPORTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

STOPPED AT FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION, LIGHT TURNED GREEN, PUT FOOT ON GAS PEDAL TO GO FORWARD, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACK. HIT THE BRAKES. TRIED IT AGAIN, VEHICLE HESITATED,THEN WENT INTO GEAR. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR HEAD GASKET, REPAIR SHOP ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF PISTON DAMAGE AND SMOKING. VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT DEALER WON'T FIX FOR FREE. *JG

ENGINE DIED AND DISPURSED WHITE CLOUD (STEAM) ON RR TRACK CROSSING (HWY6 & HWY85 LOS LUNAS) OBSCURED VISIBILITY AND TAIL LAMPS FOR 3-4 CARS BEHIND ME. NICE THAT A TRAIN WAS NOT COMING AND ALL WERE STOPPED. *AK

1989 FORD TAURUS, SAME ENGINE SIZE, SAME PROBLEM AT 75,000 MILES. PRESENTLY OWN A 1999 FORD MUSTANG WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN/MANUFACTURE OF THIS ENGINE? NO TRAILER HAS EVER BEEN TOWED. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY CASUALLY NEVER FAST ACCELERATION, MOSTLY HIGHWAY TYPE DRIVING. I'VE NEVER IN 40+ YEARS OF DRIVING EVER BLOWN A HEAD GASKET BEFORE IN ANYTHING! TWO TIMES WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE - IS THIS COINCIDENCE, OR A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. WHAT CAN I DO SO AS TO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MUSTANG? ALL THREE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSIONS WITH REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THANK YOU. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW ON THIS ENGINE AND THANKFULLY I WAS COVERED BY AN ADDITIONAL WARRANTY. THEY CHOSE NOT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BUT TO HAVE MY MECHANIC OVERHAUL IT. I GOT THE VAN BACK A WEEK LATER AND WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NOW THE MECHANIC IS TELLING ME THAT THE CRANKSHAFT IS BAD. THEY HAVE ALREADY PAID OUT 2200.00 AND WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH MORE THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY BEFORE THEY FIGURE OUT THAT REPLACING THE ENGINE IS THE WAY TO GO. *AK

PURCHASED A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR IN NOVEMBER OF 1998 FROM SHEEHY FORD IN . NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NOTICED THAT WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM EXHAUST, PULLED OVER AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST REPAIR FACILITY. THEY TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THERE WAS ANTI-FREEZE IN THE CYLINDERS. THE REPAIR FACILITY CONTACTED EASY CARE(EXTENDED WARRANTY) FOLKS AND THEY HAD THE MECHANIC OPEN UP THE ENGINE AND DROP THE OIL AND REPORT BACK TO THEM. THE REPAIR FACILITY AT THAT TIME TOLD EASY CARE THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE. EASY CARE SENT AN INSPECTOR AND HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. EASY CARE OPTED TO OVERHAUL THE ENGINE. THE DAY AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE DIED ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 65MPH AND I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT SITS TO THIS DAY. EASY CARE WILL NOT AUTHORIZE ANY ADDITIONAL WORK NOR WILL IT REPLACE THE ENGINE. I AM STUCK WITH A $12000 PIECE OF METAL. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW. *ET

WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE CENTER OF THE FLOORBOARD WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. PULLED VEHICLE INTO THE DRIVEWAY, CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND SAW SMOKE FROM THE CENTER OF ENGINE TOWARDS THE FIREWALL. PULLED VEHICLE UP ON RAMPS, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. FOUND BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CONTACTED DEALER, HAD VEHICLE TOWED. DEALER SAID THAT THE BRAKE LINE, TO THE RIGHT FRONT FLEX HOSE FROM THE JUNCTION BLOCK, HAD RUSTED AND BROKE. ALSO, MENTIONED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. *AK

BILLOWING SMOKE CAUSED HAZARD ON ROAD. *AK

FORD MOTOR CO. NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS OR GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

LOW MILEAGE MINIVAN, ONE OWNER, WITH BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET .AK

FORD WILL NOT FIX PROBLEM, WARRANTY EXPIRED 7 DAYS EARLIER. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED FAILURES, THE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWO TIMES, THE DEALER WOULD NOT COMPENSATE FOR THE SECOND FAILURE AND ALSO DID NOT OFFER THE CONSUMER THE $4000.00 CERTIFICATE TOWARDS A NEW VEHICLE, AFTER THE FIRST HEAD GASKET REPAIR, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE COOLANT, THE ENGINE CYLINDERS WERE REPLACED, THE TIMING COVER WAS CRACKED, THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED, AND THE BLOWN GASKET CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, SHAKE, AND SMOKE. *SLC

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT PREMATURALY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND HEATING LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER MOVED CLOSE TO THE LANE. THEN HEARD A LOUD POP, AND WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT FROM EVERYWHERE , CONSUMER WAS COMPLETELY BLINDED. BUT, FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO MOVE TO SHOULDER AND WAIT FOR HELP. *AK

COOLANT LEAKED INTO BEARINGS FROM PREVIOUS BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

3.8 LITER ENGINE; HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AT 80,000 MILES DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. *AK

I WILL ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE ROD,CAMSHAFT & OIL PUMP AT ADDITIONAL COSTS

HEAD GASKET FAILED WHILE DRIVING DUE TO FLAW IN ENGINE MANUFACTURING. YH

FAILED HEAD GASKETS. *AK

ALTHOUGH I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, I HAVE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES AND OTHER LITERATURE FROM FORD REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. YET I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS FAILING. HOWEVER, I NOW HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN RECALL 98-MO1. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED THIS, AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO SAYS IT'S TOO LATE. THE FOREMENTIONED LETTER FROM FORD INDICATES THE WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEM EXPIRES AFTER 5 YEARS OR 60K MILES. NOT WHICHEVER COMES FIRST! THIS CAR CAME INTO SERVICE 3/31/95 (ACCORDING TO YORK FORD) SO THE 5 YRS HAS NOT EXPIRED. HOPEFULLY THIS COMPLAINT DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS, I'M AT MY WITS END IN TRYING TO DEAL WITH FORD ON A PROBLEM THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN, SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE 3.8 LITER V-- 6, FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON ALL OF THESE VANS. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET; 2.5 MONTHS LATER, BAD WATER PUMP AND TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL NEEDED. *AK

DEALER REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET COST $4077, SAID NO WARRANTY, GAVE ME 800 NUMBER. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS VEHICLE MAY BE UNSAFE. *AK