1996 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

ENGINE BLEW A ROD WHILE CRANKING VEHICLE ON. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.*AK MANUFACTURER NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR VAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *TT

I MAINTAINED MY WINDSTAR PROPERLY. IT BEGAN TO LEAK COOLANT AND ENGINE LIGHT. FORD DEALERSHIP STATED IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKET CAUSING LEAK OF COOLANT. FORD CANADA AGREED TO COVER SOME OF THE COST BUT NOT ALL OF IT. SAID IF I DECLINED THEIR OFFER THEY WOULD WITHDRAW ALL OFFERS. SO I TOOK IT. I COULDN'T AFFORD THE BILL AS IT WAS. I HAVE SINCE SEEN A SMALL CLAIMS COURT IN QUEBEC FOUND THAT FORD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS RELATED TO THE HEAD GASKET. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CANADA CUSTOMER COMPLAINT CENTER. AND TOLD THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES. AND THAT ALTHOUGH THEY LOST THE COMPLAINT IN QUEBEC IN ALL OTHER CANADIAN PROVIENCES THEY HAVE ONE. EVEN A CLASS ACTION SUIT. WHY WOULD THEY PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIR IF THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE??? I FEEL THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL COST OF THE ENGINE REPAIR.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM TAILPIPE, MISSING, WILDLY ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER AT 35-40, REAR AIR BLOWS HOT. REPLACEMENTS: HAD GASKETS, LOWER INTAKE GASKETS, UPPER INTAKE GASKETS, SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, THERMOSTAT, GASKET, ? BELT, TIMING COVER, TIMING COVER GASKET, WATER PUMP. SPEEDOMETER AND A/C PROBLEM NOT YET FIXED.

A HEAD GASKET FAILURE UNDER 80,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.*AK

20 GALLON TANK HAS CRACKS IN IT. FUEL IS LEAKING ALL OVER THE GROUND. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE INTO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

MY VEHICLE WENT CRAZY. IT LUNGED BACKWARDS AND THEN ROCKETED FORWARD STRAIGHT RIGHT INTO THE WALL OF A FURNITURE STORE. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING 500 MPH. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. IT WENT CRAZY. I AM TOTALLY SERIOUS. IT WAS THE SCARYIST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! PLEASE HELP ME REPORT IT TO ALL WHO NEED TO KNOW.*AK

WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE JUST LIKE INDICATED IN RECALL FOR 1995 VEHICLES. *AK *TT

HEAD GASKET BLEW ON 3.8L ENGINE WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL WHEEL BROKE.

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP AND WAS RED. HE PULLED OVER TO SHOULDERS AND LIFTED HOOD. CHECKED COOLANT, AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK HEADGASKET LEAK CAUSED THE TEMPRATURE GAUGE TO GO UP. *YH

WHILE TRAVELING AND APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE. SHE HAS TO PUMP THE BRAKES. ABS BRAKING SYSTEM DOESN'T KICK IN THERE IS A THUMPING NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.,

NHTSA RECALL 02-V-101-000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL# 02S36; WHILE DRIVING 35-40MPH AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BEFORE RECALL WAS ISSUED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

IN 1999 WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT, WE EXPERIENCED A GRINDING NOISE. MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE HUBCAP AND FOUND THE STEEL RIM OF THE WHEEL TO BE CRACKED BADLY. WE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WHO BOTH SAID IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, BUT THAT THE OTHER SHOULD PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. BECAUSE I PUT MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR, I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED. TWO YEARS LATER, WE HAVE FOUND TWO MORE WHEELS HAVE CRACKED. THIS TIME, WE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO HELP PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE SPEEDOMETER WAS THE FIRST "PROBLEM" WE CAME ACROSS WITH THIS CAR. AT SPEEDS OF OVER 40MPH THE NEEDLE WOULD GO SPORACTICALLY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN ABOUT 35 AND 110MPH. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE $400 TO REPLACE SO, WE HAVE NOT YET HAD IT FIXED. SINCE THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF ITS OCCURANCE, IT ONLY MOVES BACK AND FORTH 5MPH UP OR DOWN OF OUR SPEED. PLEASE RECALL THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. WE HAVE BEEN READING ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS MANY, MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME MAKE OF CAR. THANK YOU.*AK

FUEL TANK LEAK, MAY HAVE CAUSED EXTENSIVE FIRE. *AK

IT APPEARS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED "THE PROBLEM" WITH MY VAN. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS LODGED COMPLAINTS THE VEHICLE STARTED SMELLING LIKE IT WAS OVERHEATING. THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS CHECKD AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THEN THE ROUGH IDLE STARTED. THEN THE DEALER FOUND OUT THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BAD, AND A ROD WAS BENT AND THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AND IT ALL STARTED AT 60K MILES. THE PROBLEMS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE. MOST OF THE VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR ARE PROBABLY GETTING CLOSE TO THE RIGHT MILEAGE FOR THE GASKETS TO BLOW. FORD WILL HAVE TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION ON REPLACEMENT ENGINES BECAUSE EVERY VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW WELL IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT A COMPANY WOULD KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY LET THIS HAPPEN. AS LONG AS PEOPLE AREN'T DYING WHO CARES ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT ON REPAIRS BY CONSUMERS. WHAT A JOKE!*AK

CONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ON A MAIN HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE, REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. TIRES WERE BOUGHT ON JULY 16, AND TIRE BLEWOUT. TIRE SIZE P20570 R15. HANCOCK TIRES DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AFTER DRIVING TO STATE OF VIRGINIA AND PARKING IT FOR 5 DAYS. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK

WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THIS IS 3RD TIME IT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE ENGINE REVVED UP BUT THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO MOVE AT ALL.

1995 WINDSTAR 3.8L ENGINES HAVE GOTTEN EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON BLOWN HEAD GASKETS IN THEIR ENGINES. IT IS APPARENT THE 1996 WINDSTAR 3.8L ENGINE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM BUT FORD HAS NOT EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. REQUEST THE NHTSA FORCE FORD TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCTS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE. *AK

COOLANT LEAKED INTO ENGINE CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE BLOWING THE HEAD GASKETS AND CRACKING THE ENGINE BLOCK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS A COMPLETE POWER LOSS IN THE STEERING AND BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE IN THE VAN AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. FORTUNATLY THEY WERE NOT ON THE INTERSTATE OR MAJOR HIGHWAY BECAUSE THERES NO TELLING WHAT THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THIS CASE. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A RECALLED PROBLEM FOR THE 94 AND 95 YEARS FOR THE SAME MODEL THAT I HAVE BUT NOT THE 96. THIS IS NOT JUST A PROBLEM WITH WINDSTAR BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WITH THE MUSTANGS AND LINCON TOWN CARS WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN ERROR WITH-IN THOSE YEARS IN QUESTION WITH MANY FORD MODELS. THIS WILL COST ME NEARLY $4500 TO REPAIR AS QUOTED FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP AND IT COST ME $80 JUST TO TELL ME SOMETHING I ALREADY PAID FOR AT GOODYEAR, I NEED A NEW ENGINE. SEEING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THIS MODEL I WOULD APPRIECIATE IT IF YOU COULD TELL FORD TO CONSIDER RECALLING THE OTHER AFFECTED MODELS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT BUT REFUSE TO ADMIT.*AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND PASSENGER'S DOOR CAME OPEN WITHOUT TOUCHING ELECTRICAL WINDOWS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. ALSO, COIL SPRING FAILED DURING INSTALLATION. VEHICLE HAD SIX INCH SUSPENSION. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS. *AK

THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR HAS BROKEN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AT THE POINT WHERE THE BAR ATTACHES TO THE FRAME.*AK

SPEEDOMETER WOULD MOVE BACK AND FORTH WHEN VEHICLE REACHES 30 MPH OR MORE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. *AK SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER NEW SPEEDOMETER MAKES THE SAME ABNORMAL NOISE THAT THE OLD ONE DID PRIOR TO FAILURE, CONSUMER FEELS THIS ONE WILL ALSO FAIL AND SPEED WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE DETERMINED. *SLC

HEAD GASKET FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, ALSO A NEW ENGINE COVER WAS PUT ON, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE CLEANED AND MILLED DUE TO THE SLUDGE BUILD UP, SERPENTINE BELT NOISY. *SLC

AFTER THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED WE INQUIRED OF THE MECHANIC IF THE TANK CRACKED DUE TO MISUSE. THE MACHANIC COULD NOT SEE ANY SIGNS OF MISUSE, THE TANK WAS PROPERLY MOUNTED AND THE CRACK WAS ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TANK. WE NOTICED ONT HE NEWS RECENTLY A RECALL FOR FORD ECONOLINE VANS FROM THE SAME PERIOD WERE BEING RECALLED DUE TO CRACKED GAS TANKS. DOES FORD USE THE SAME GAS TANK ON THE WINDSTAR? HAS ANYONE ELSE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM?*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FRONT LEFT WAS LOWER THAN RIGHT. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

EA 00 027/ SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BREAKAGE: WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY RIGHT SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE. VEHICLE TOWED TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERENOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. .*AK FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN TWICE WHILE DRIVING. *YH

TRANSMISSION SELF DESTRUCTED AT 60950 MILES. WANTED TO ADD THIS TO YOU LIST OF FAILED WINDSTAR TRANSMISSIONS IN THE HOPE THAT A RECALL MAY SOMEDAY HAPPEN. FORD SEEMS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT WANTS TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AM OUT $2300.00. THIS WAS THE COST TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT. AT THE PRESENT TIME I HAVE RECIEVED NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM FORD. I WILL KEEP TRYING UNTIL I GET THE MONEY I SPENT TO GET MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT BACK, EVEN IF I HAVE TO USE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.*AK

PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIIFCATION (96S50) VEHICLE WOULD GO IN AND OUT OF GEAR WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF OVER 50 MPH, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR RECALL TO BE PERFORMED, HOWEVER TRANSMISSION CONSEQUENTLY FAILED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT FORD KNEW THAT THEY BUILT A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION.*JB

INSURED CALLED IN NOTICING FREQUENCY OF LOSSES TO OTHER VEHICLES, WHILE IN MOTION, THE FRONT WHEEL STARTS TO WOBBLE, STUDS SHEER AND COME OFF THE VEHICLE, CLAIM 55-S367-002. *JG

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, REPLACED PASSENGER FRONT COIL SPRING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK THE CONSUMER POINTED OUT TO A DEFECT STORY AN INTERNET (1-30-2001) THAT SAID THE US GOVERNMENT WAS INVESTIGATING 926,000 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVANS ABOUT SPRING BREAKING AND PUNCTURING TIRES. *YH

3.8 LITER ENGINE. PREMATURE WEAR OF HEAD GASKETS. HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT, CAUSING ENGINE TO GO. DEALER HAS THE VEHICLE. *AK

PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE #1 CYLNDER CAUSING A MISS FIRE AND THE VEHICLE TO RUN ROUGH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAD IT FOR A FEW DAYS, REPLCED THE SPARK PLUGS AND SAID IT WAS FINE. ON THE RIDE BACK FROM THE DEALER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THE DEALER THEN KEPT IT FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS AND FOUND THE COOLANT IN THE #1 SPARKPLUG WELL. BROUGHT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMNINED TO BE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE.

CONSUMER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS FOR 2ND TIME. PADS WERE SOFT, AND WHEN THEY GOT HOT THEY FADE AND STAY COVERED WITH DUST ALL THE TIME. THIS WAS SECOND TIME IN A YEAR, 6 MONTHS APART. DEALER STATED IT WAS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *AK

ON JUNE 6TH AS I WAS LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY TO GO TO WORK THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SPRING BROKE OFF CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT TO DROP DOWN ON THE TIRE. AFTER CALLING THE DEALERSHIP (ARTINO FORD IN HURON, OHIO) I FOUND OUT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED THEM IF THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER WINDSTARS AND THEY SAID "A FEW". I CALLED OUR LOCAL GARAGE TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET MY VAN IN TO REPAIR IT AND THEY SAID YES BUT DON'T DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY HAD ANOTHER ONE THERE JUST LIKE IT AND THEY DROVE IT IN AND TORE THE BRAKE LINE OFF. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT DOING ANY WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEM "AT THIS TIME"., SHE ALSO SAID THAT THEY ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT SPRINGS. ALSO, I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS BECAUSE AFTER 5 YEARS AND 55,000 MILES, THE RIGHT SIDE SAT LOWER THAN THE LEFT SIDE AFTER REPLACEMENT, CREATING ANOTHER SAFETY PROBLEM. BESIDES, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG BEFORE THE OTHER SPRING FAILS. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS THE 3RD WINDSTAR WITRH THE SAME PROBLEM HE HAS HAD TO PICK UP JUST IN OUR AREA. I THINK THIS IS A SATETY PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD ADDRESS RIGHT AWAY. WE ALREADY HAVE 5 IN OUR AREA ALONE. I WONDER HOW MANY MORE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ACROSS THE U.S. PLEASE KEEP ME INFORMED.*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND REPORT FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE ON 4/15/2001. NOW ON 6/05/2001 THE LEFT SPRING BROKE. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE IS AS FOLLOWS. THE ORIGINAL SPRING IS PLASTIC COATED, ANY TYPE OF IMPERFECTION IN THIS PLASTIC COATING IS A SITE FOR CORROSION, THE CORROSION"PIT" BECOMES A STRESS RISER WHICH STARTS THE FATIQUE FAILIRE. BOTHE SPRINGS HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE.

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL LINES. FUEL LINES ARE WRAPPED WHICH IS CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS GOING 65MPH RPMS ESCALATE HIGHER THAT NORMAL ,AND VEHICLE DIES OUT. NO WARNING IS DETECTED WHEN STICKING BETWEEN GEARS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE RIM OF THE TIRE IS CUTTING INSIDE BEAD OF THE TIRE CAUSING A BLOW OUT. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH COIL SPRING ON PASSENGER'S SIDE BROKE AND PUNCTURED TIRE, NO COLLISION OR INJURIES OCCURRED. *AK *SLC

FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THE '96'S AS WELL AS THE '95'S. SAME ENGINE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS JUST EMISSIONS. NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT . HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT. REPAIRS ARE $1000.00. *AK

THE FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING ON DRIVER SIDE SNAPPED AND WENT INTO TIRE, HOWEVER THE TIRE WAS NOT DAMAGED.*YH

ENGINE HAS GONE OUT, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME OUT OF TAIL PIPE.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP THEY CONFIRMED BLOWN HEADGASKET, I UNDERSTAND THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF VAN AND THE ENGINE ARE DEFECTIVE, HOW DO I GET FORD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS?*AK

THE FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. DUE TO THE LOW MILEAGE AND REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH SPRING COILS ON OTHER FORD MODELS I AM BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.*AK

FRONT LEFT MACPHERSON STRUT SPRING BROKE. DEALER WAS INSPECTING VEHICLE.*AK *SLC

AFTER DRIVING FOR 2 MINUTES THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO HOT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED HEAD GASKET. *AK ENGINE OVERHEATS DUE TO HEAD GASKETS AND TIMING COVER GASKET FAILURE . CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AFTER REPAIR. *YH

DRIVER HEARD BANG, THEN RUBBING NOISE. SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE AND PULLED OVER THINKING CAR WAS ON FIRE. AFTER COMING TO A STOP, DRIVER AND PASSENGER HEARD EXPLOSION. FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE AND RUBBED INNER TIRE SIDE WALL CAUSING BLOWOUT.*AK

ENGINE (3.8L) WAS LEAKING COOLANT ONTO ENGINE CYLINDER. ALSO, OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK