1996 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

IN JAN 2000, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, NOTICED ROUGH IDILING, TOOK IN FOR SERVICE, PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST SYSTEM REPAIRED...AGAIN IN FEB 2000, SAME PROBLEM NOTED, AGAIN TOOK IN FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS(BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT LOCAL FORD DEALER)...IN MAY NOTICED THAT IT WAS STARTING TO ROUGH IDLE AGAIN...TOOK TO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP...COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.........SUDDENLY ON JUNE 30, 2000..AFTER STARTING THE VAN AFTER WORK TO GO HOME...NOTICED WHITE SMOKE POURING OUT FROM VAN AND INCREDIBLE ROUGH IDLE...TOOK THE VAN TO THE FORD DEALER....PROCEEDED TO BE TOLD THAT THE VAN HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP, CRACKED PISTONS AND THEY THOUGHT THE ENGINE BLOCK MIGHT BE AFFECTED TOO....SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX IF EVEN POSSIBLE....TOLD THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE 96 VANS....NOT UNDER ANY RECALL OR WARRANTY....SUGGESTED WE MIGHT WANT TO BUY A NEW VAN.....FELT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS SO BOUGHT A NEW 2000 WINDSTAR....NOW AFTER SOME RESEARCH I SEE THIS IS PROBLEM WITH 96 WINDSTARS.....NOT VERY HAPPY.... HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS LETTERS TO FORD AND SPOKEN TO THEIR COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT.....NO RESOLUTION YET.....THANK YOU

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED TO STOP THE VAN, A GRINDING SOUND IS HEARD, A VIBRATION IS FELT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED. ABS LIGHT COMES ON OCCASIONALLY. DEALER ON 9/30/00 SAID BRAKE SYSTEM IS OK. PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK

ENGINE CHECKS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A POSSIBLE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK

TRAILING ARM ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF REAR AXLE FRACTURED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY IMPACT TO THE TRAILING ARM OR BODY OF THE REAR AXLE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK *ML

WHILE GOING DOWN INTERSTATE 75 CAR PULLED BACK, RPMS WENT VERY HIGH TO 3 AND 4, AND SPEEDOMETER DECLINED VERY RAPIDLY. CONTACTED DEALER WHO SAID THAT VEHICLE'S SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. *AK

BRAKES GO SOFT TO FLOOR, HAVE HAD LINES BLED 3 TIMES, AIR IN LEFT FRONT LINE EACH TIME, NONE IN OTHER 3. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMING BACK MORE FREQUENTLY. MECHANIC FINDS NO FLUID LEAK AND MASTER CYLINDER FLUID IS FULL. *AK

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE. VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PREDICT WHEN THEY WOULD GET THE ORDERS IN. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED IN MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR DUE TO A RECALL THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF BECAUSE FORD IS ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE 1995 MODEL. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD DEALER THAT MY ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT. FORD IS REPLACING THE ENGINE, THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 6 WEEKS ALREADY AND NO END IN SIGHT. THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY WILL GIVE ME A 2 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE BUT IT APPEARS FROM THE 1995 RECALL THAT IT SHOULD BE A 7 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *AK

BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE AND ONE RIPPED UP THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE IN A SAFE MANNER, IT TOOK OVER 2 DAYS TO GET BACK ON ROAD, LOCAL DEALER HAD TROUBLE LOCATING COIL SPRINGS, TOLD THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD 600 COIL SPRINGS ON BACK ORDER. CJ

CONSUMER AND FAMILY GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE, HUSBAND NOTICED A FLAT TIRE ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. HE CHANGED THE FLAT TIRE. HALF A MILE DOWN THE ROAD NOTICED A SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE. PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN HEARD A POP, DONUT TIRE POPPED OFF ALSO. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT FRONT SPRINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP HAS A BACK ORDER. *AK

TIMING CHAIN COVER CRACKED, CAUSING COOLANT LEAKAGE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

SINCE THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE I HAVE MET OTHERS WHO HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 96 WINDSTAR. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.. THE FAILURE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK

WE NOTICED A LEAK OF SOME SORT OF FLUID AND BROUGHT THE WINDSTAR TO OUR DEALER. WHAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT WAS THAT THE TIMING COVER GASKET WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 52000 MILES. THIS COSTED US $904 AND I AM NOT SURE IF IT'S RELATED TO PRIOR '95 GASKET PROBLEMS.

FORD HAS AGREED TO PAY PART OF THE REPAIR COST FOR THE HEAD GASKET. THEY HAVE RECALLED THIS SAME ENGINE IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR'S BUT HAVE NOT EXTENDED IT TO THE 1996'S DESPITE MANY OCCURANCES. I FEEL THEY SHOULD COVER THE ENTIRE REPAIR AS WELL AS OUR RENTAL CAR EXPENSES. *AK

AT ABOUT 60000 MILES THE WINDSTAR WOULD FAIL TO MOVE AFTER STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. ON OCCASION THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE NOISE, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IF A PLASTIC CONTAINER WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OF AGE AND LESS THAN 60000 MILES. DEALER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE.*AK

I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS AFFECTED MANY WINDSTAR OWNERS. FORD HAS EVEN ISSUED A TSB - 99-7-9 RE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WAVERS AND STICKS. THAT'S THE PROBLEM I HAVE. IT COSTS OVER $500 TO FIX - SO MANY PEOPLE ARE OPTING NOT TO FIX IT. ALSO, THOSE THAT REPAIR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU SHOPULD MAKE FORD RECALL ON THIS ISSUE.*AK

WHEN COIL OF THE SPRING FRACTURED, IT RUBBED ON THE TIRE, REMOVING APPROXIMATELY 1/8 INCH OF SIDEWALL MATERIAL ALL AROUND THE TOP INNER SIDEWALL. THE OPINION OF THE SERVICE PERSONS WAS THAT IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN CATASTRPHIC FAILURE OF THE TIRE WITH SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FORD WOULD NOT ACCEPT FULL RESONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE (ALTHOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY).

NO SUMMARY

I APPLIED MY BRAKES AT LEAST 3 TIMES AND THEY DID NOT GRAB OR MAKE ANY SOUND, NO SKID MARKS. I SLID UNDER THE FLAT BED OF A SEMI TRUCK. MY VAN WAS TOTALED. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE INJURED. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO., AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD DO WHATEVER MY INSURANCE AGENT SAID. MY CASE IS NOW UNDER REVIEW WITH THE ADJUSTER BOARD THROUGH NATIONWIDE INSURANCE IN DAYTON, OHIO, WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURED. MY ADJUSTER SAID THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK THE ANTI LOCK SYSTEM SINCE THERE IS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE AND THE VAN CAN'T BE STARTED. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER OR SUGGESTIONS.

SPEEDOMETER BECAME VERY ERRATIC, JUMPED ALL AROUND, HAD CABLE REPLACED BUT IT IS NOT COMPLETELY WORKING CORRECTLY STILL JUMPS SLIGHTLY. MECHANIC SAYS WE NEED TO SERVICE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND FORD WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR ORIGINAL CLUSTER. I WOULD TAKE UP TO AT LEAST A WEEK. HE HAS HAD TO SERVICE MANY. (NEUBERTS TIRE AND AUTO REPAIR, TABERNACLE, NJ 08088) I KNOW THE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT READING THE CORRECT SPEED. *AK

FOUR RIMS AT A TIME WILL LEAK AIR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, TIRES WILL GO FLAT, EVEN ON HIGHWAY. *AK

I WAS INFORMED BY CRISSMAN LINCOLN/ MERCURY THAT MY HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING ON MY WINDSTAR. THIS IS A FREQUENT ENOUGH PROBLEM THAT THEY INFORMED ME THAT IF I PAYED THE FIRST $500 THAT FORD WOULD PAY FOR THE REST OF THE REPAIR. PREVIOUS TO GETTING THIS INFORMATIO I HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR OXYGEN SENSORS AND PART OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THAT THESE BECAME DEFECTIVE AS A RESULT OF THE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION TO THIS AT ONLY 49000 THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. FORD HAS NO SPRINGS IN STOCK AND THERE ARE NO AFTERMARKET PARTS BEING MADE YET. ARE THESE SPRINGS DEFECTIVE?*AK

REPEATED EXPENSIVE REPAIRS TO TURN OFF " ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT ONLY TEMPORAIRLY SUCCESSFUL. LOSS OF COOLANT FOR UNKNOWN REASON. ENGINE NOW NOTICABLY "SMOKING".*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH THERE WAS COOLANT LEAK INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A MINOR HOLE. CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE COOLANT SO THAT ENGINE WON'T OVERHEAT. *AK

STRUT SPRING BROKE AND BODY FELL OVER DRIVERS SIDE. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME AT UP TO 10 MPH. WENT TO ONE REPAIR SHOP, TOLD THAT THE STRUT SPRING HAD BROKEN AND IT WOULD TAKE OVER A WEEK TO GET THE PART BECAUSE THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR IT. FINALLY TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN MERRILLVILLE, ART HILL FORD (NOT WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED). WAS TOLD THE SAME THING REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PART. NO LOANER WAS OFFERED. SERVICE REP COULD NOT GIVE AN ADEQUATE REASON AS TO WHY THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE, IN ONE MOMENT SHE SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL OCCURRANCE, THE MANUFACTURER MAY NOT MAKE THE PART. IN THE NEXT BREATH I WAS TOLD THAT IN A CAR AT 64,000 MILES, ANYTHING COULD BREAK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS PULLING UP TO A DRIVE-THROUGH BANK WINDOW, UP A SMALL UNEVENNESS IN THE PAVEMENT THAT I'D DRIVEN OVER MANY TIMES BEFORE WITH NO INCIDENT. A PREVIOUS CHECK FOR PAST COMPLAINTS IN THIS AREA SHOWED THAT A SIMILAR COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN 1997. IN THAT INSTANCE ALSO, THE PART COULD NOT BE FOUND. I HAVE OWNED 2 FORDS PRIOR TO THIS, INCLUDING A 1990 AEROSTAR WITH 193,000 MILES ON IT. THE STRUT SPRING HAS NEVER CRACKED, NOR SOME OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *AK

THE FRONT COIL SPRING OF THE VEHICLE BROKE TEARING THE BRAKE LINE AND RIPPING OUT DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND THE FRONT END WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING. *YH

MY WINDSTAR HAS ONLY 48000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. MY NEIGHBOR HAS A 1995 WINDSTAR WITH 20000 MORE MILES ON IT AND THEY WERE REIMBURSED FOR THEIR FAILED HEAD GASKET. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND I AM TRYING TO RECEIVE A FEFUND MORE THE WORK DONE ON MY VAN. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE.THEN, FRONT END OF VEHICLE DIPPED DOWN TO LEFT SIDE DUE T A BROKE COIL SPRING. *AK

DEALER STATES I HAVE A"IMPLIED WARRANTY" WHATEVER THAT MEAN. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE & PUNCTURED THE TIRE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE & COULDN'T GIVE CONSUMER ON EXPLANATION WHY IT HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE STRUT. *AK *ML

WHILE BACKING CAR OUT OF DRIVEWAY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SANK DOWN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , AND THEY SAID THE SPRING MOUNTING ON DRIVERS SIDE WAS BUSTED. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE IF IT WERE ON HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. ONLY ONE SPRING HAS BEEN REPLACED, SINCE THERE WAS ONLY ONE SPRING AVAILABLE. *AK *ML

COILD SRING FAILED, CAUSING FRONT TIRE TO BE SHREDDED AND BLOW OUT. *AK

QUALIFIED MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAID WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. LOCKS ARE GRINDING CONSTANTLY SO WE WERE FORCED TO DISCONNECT TO AVOID BURNING IT UP. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION.

ENGINE MADE LOUD NOISE, THEN CUT OUT. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL. HAD TO PUT NEWER ENGINE IN. *AK

CONSUMER HAS COMPLAINED TO MANUFACTURER ABOUT SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING & NOTHING WAS BEING DONE. CONSUMER COULDN'T DETERMINE SPEED, AND FELT THAT IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. CONSUMER INFORMED BY MECHANIC OF A TSB ISSUED BY FORD REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, WHICH CALLS FOR REPLACEMENT UNDER 3 YR WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE JUST AFTER 3 YEARS, AND DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK *ML

BOTH COIL SPRINGS BROKE WHILE PARKED; TOWED TO DEALER SHOP AND REPAIRED UNDER EXTENED WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

DRIVER'S LEATHER POWER SEAT, ON THE LEFT SIDE VERTICAL SEAT FRAME WHICH ENDS AT THE SEAT, HAS A VERY SHARP EDGE, WHICH CUTS THROUGH THE SEAT'S PADDING/ LEATHER COVER. THIS COULD CAUSE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S LEFT SIDE. *AK *ML

SPEEDOMETER BEGINS TO FLUCCUATE AT 50 MPH, RANDOMLY JUMPING FROM 50MPH TO 80MPH - PREVIOUSLY WENT OUT AT 47K MILES, AND ONLY SOLUTION OFFERED BY HANSEL FORD WAS TO REPLACE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ASSEMBLY ($400) BECAUSE OF "BROKEN" SPEEDOMETER HEAD ASSEMBLY - 52K LATER, EXACT SAME PROBLEMS, AND FORD'S ONLY RECOMMENDATION IS REPLACE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE - GIVEN THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS AN ERRONEOUS READING STARTING AT 50MPH AND THE FREEWAY SPEED LIMIT IS 55+MPH, I HAVE NO RELIABLE INDICATION OF MY ACTUAL SPEED, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY WORRISOME WHEN I TOW A TENT-TRAILER. ADDITIONALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THE ODOMETER IS RECORDING MILEAGE CORRECTLY. THERE HAS BEEN A TSB REFERING TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE DETAILS OUT ABOUT IT, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BEGIN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 -25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A CRUNCHING SOUND. THEN, FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS RUBBIMG ON WHEEL. FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEWOUT, AND FRONT OF VEHICLE DROPPED TO GROUND, FRONT COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN. *AK

CONSUMER WAS MOVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND REAR OF VEHICLE DROPPED. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE, THINKING IT WAS A FLAT TIRE. REAR COIL SPRING ON LEFT SIDE BROKE AND PUNCTURED TIRE. DEALER DIAGNOISED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED REAR COIL SPRINGS AND STRUTS. A MEHANIC REPAIRED VEHICLE USING FORD PARTS ORDERED BY THE CONSUMER. BOTH SETS OF COIL SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

I HAVE HAD THE WINDSTAR IN AGAIN, WITH SAME SYMPTOMS AS BEFORE. HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TONIGHT TO SEE EXACTLY WHATS WRONG. VAN RUNS TERRIBLE AGAIN. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE. FOUND OUT IT WAS HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. CONTACTED FORD AFTER A WEEK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE NEEDED PARTS FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP SINCE VEHICLE NOT UNDER WARRANTY. TOOK 2 WEEKS IN SHOP TO GET FIXED AND REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE ORDERED OUTSIDE OF FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THE RIGHT PART. IT ENDED UP COSTING $300 ADDITIONAL TO ORIGINAL ESTIMATE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

WAS PARKING VEHICLE ON A STREET AND PULLING UP INTO A CORNER PARKING SPOT, APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE KEPT ON ACCELERATING. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. THE SAME ENGINE IN THE 1995 WINDSTARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKETS AND ALL RELATED DAMAGE. THE 1996 WINDSTARS THAT CARRIED THE SAME ENGINE ARE NOT BEING RECALLED. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THESE MUST BE REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE, AND MAY CAUSE A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE IF CONTINUE DRIVING. THESE ENGINES WERE ONLY PLACED IN THE EARLY MODELS OF THE 1996, AND THEN AFTER THE 3.8 L ENGINES WERE RECALLED THE NEWER 1996 WINDSTARS CONTAIN THE 3.0L ENGINE. WE FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIR AS IT IS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE 1995 WINDSTAR. *AK

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS FORD WINDSTAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 8/98. IN JULY OF 99 MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THEN IT BECAME A STALLING PROBLEM. FOR 3 MTHS THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEN ON APRIL 21,00 THE COIL SPRING BROKE, AND THE SPRING WAS JAMMED INTO OUR TIRE WHILE DOING 70 ON THE WEST VIRGINIA TURNPIKE. LUCKILY WE WERE NOT KILLED OR INJURED. FORD HAS RECEIVED A LETTER CONCERNING THESE ISSUE'S AND HAS NOT RESPONDED. *AK

94-95 FORD WINDSTAR ENGINES ARE HAVING HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. WHEN I CONTACTED THEM THEY SAID IT WAS VANS MFG. FROM DEC 93 TO AUG 95 AND THAT MY 96 WAS NOT INVOLVED. JUST BECAUSE THE STICKER SAYS MY VAN WAS MFG. IN 96 DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE ENGINE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MFG AT THE SAME TIME AS A THE ENGINE FOR 94 OR 95 VAN. THEY ARE OFFERING MONEY FOR TRADE-IN OR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. IT SEEMS VERY COINCIDENTAL THAT THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THIS PROBLEM ON 94-95 VANS AND MY 96 HAS THIS PROBLEM. *AK

TORQUE CONVERTER BLEW. STRANDED VEHICLE. ALMOST CAUSED FIRE FROM SPEWING TRANSAXLE FLUID ONTO HOT ENGINE PARTS. *AK

I TOOK MY WINDSTAR IN FOR 90,000 MILE SERVICE (A LITTLE EARLY) AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD AND I AM LOSING ANTI-FREEZE AS A RESULT. I FOUND IT ODD, SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. I DID SOME INVESTIGATION AND FOUND THE 1995 WINDSTAR'S WITH THE SAME ENGINE WERE GIVEN EXTENDED WARRANTIES TO COVER A "KNOWN" HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED AND HAS AN "UPGRADED" HEAD GASKET. I ARGUED THAT IF IN FACT IT IS UPGRADED, IT CERTAINLY IS NOT UPGRADED ENOUGH. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $800 TO $1200 TO MAKE THE REPAIR. I CAN SEE FROM MY RESEACH THAT MANY FORD VEHICLES WITH THIS SIZE ENGINE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURE. FORD SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR ITS CUSTOMERS.*AK