1996 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRINGS BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DROP DOWN TO THE GROUND, WHICH ALMOST DAMAGED THE TIRES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK *ML

SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE THE NEEDLE FLUCTUATED FROM 0 TO 120 ERRATICALLY. FIRST SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED WITH 35,000, AND THE SECOND AT 38,000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

I PURCHSED THE VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAD 50,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNIG AS WELL AS I THOUGHT IT SHOULD FOR A CAR WITH "LOW MILES" I HAD IT BACK IN THE SHOP WHERE I PURCHSED IT SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE MECHANIS THERE MENTIONED CARFAX.COM. I GOT A REPORT WHICH STATED THERE WAS A ODOMETER ROLLBACK. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DID A TITLE SEARCH WHICH IN MY MIND HAD BEEN DOCTORED. I DON'T FEEL I RECEIVED THE ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED. I HAVE THE CARFAX REPORT WHICH SHOWS MILEAGE AT 103,443 ON 9-21-98. THEN ON 10-9-98IT SHOWS MILEAGE AT 34,818. THE CAR CONTINUES TO RUN TERRIBLY. I NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND FIND SOME ANSWERS. I FEEL I WAS RIPPED OFF AND I WANT MY MONEY OR A NEW CAR FOR THE SAME AMOUNT I PAID WITH THE SAME LOW MILES. PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN OR PUT ME INTOUCH WITH AN AGENCY THAT CAN HELP ME. THANK YOU. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION, HITTING THE LEFT FENDER IN WHICH DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RELEASED FROM THE BUCKLE HOUSING, CAUSING DRIVER TO MOVE FORWARD. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS NOISY WHEN MAKING A TURN. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR ROUNTIN REPAIRS, AND DEALER NOTED THAT LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN IN HALF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. COIL SPRING WAS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. PE00-024. *AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TIE ROD FAILURE. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASH AREA OF VEHICLE, CAUSING WIRING WITHIN THE WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY TO MELT TOGETHER, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN ON 3.8 LITER ENGINE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE PARTS. *AK

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER A WEEK BEFORE BEING STARTED. WAS DRIVING FOR AWHILE & NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF REAR EXHAUST. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED THAT HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. PRIOR TO HEAD GASKETS BEING BLOWN, BEEN PUTTING WATER INTO THE SYSTEM TO COOL IT DOWN.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

HEAD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACE, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED TO BLINK. TAKEN INTO MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACE ALONG WITH A FEW OXYGEN SENSORS. IS GOING TO COST APPROX. $1,800. FORD TOLD US THAT THE 96'S WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THESE PROBABLY STILL HAVE THE SAME BAD PARTS.

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL SEPARATED BECAUSE TIE ROD SEPARATED FROM WHEEL. DEALER REPAIRED TIE ROD. 30000 MILES LATER, DEALER REPLACED THE TIE RODS. EARLIER HAS RECENTLY INSPECTED VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK

THIS M/V HAS BEEN WORKED ON AT LEAST 15-20 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE BEGINING CAR WAS TAKEN TO SULLIVAN BROS WHILE UNDER WARRENTIE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. SINCE 7-2000 THIS CAR WAS AT TWO DEALERS AND THE COST CLOSE TO $800,00 CAR STILL HAS SAME PROBLEMS. STALLS THE PAST WEEK THIS CAR HAS ALMOST BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENTS AS THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE MAKING LEFT TURN INTO ON COMING LANES. CAR STALLS AND EVERY THING GOES DEAD. SINCE AUGUST THE CAR HAS BEEN WORKED ON AT SHIRETOWN FORD INC 147 SAMOSET ST PLYMOUTH MA #02360 STILL WAITING FOR PHONECALL TO BRING CAR BACK AGAIN WHAT CAN I DO. *AK

WHEN I GET TO ABOUT 35 MPH, YOU CAN HEAR THE SPEEDO HEAD GEARS GRIND. WHEN YOU REACH APPROX 55 - 60 MPH, THE SPEEDO NEEDLE WILL BOUNCE UP TO 90 AND BACK, AND KEEP DOING THIS. WE HAD THE SPEED SENSOR REPLACED, BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBELM. I WAS TOLD BY LOMPOC VALLEY FORD IN LOMPOC, CA THAT IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY THE SPEEDO HEAD. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY REPLACE ONE OF THESE A MONTH, SOMETIMES TWO A MONTH. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT FORD SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM INSTEAD OF ME PAYING THE $1,000 THAT LOMPOC VALLY FORD QUOTED ME TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A BIG SAFETY PROBLEM, IT COULD TURN INTO ONE BECAUSE YOU EITHER HAVE TO DRIVE TOO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, OR YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE REALLY GOING WHEN YOU TRY TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC. I APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME IN GETTING THIS PROBLEM FIXED.*AK

FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A CRACK WHICH ALLOWED GASOLINE TO LEAK OUT. FAILURE TOOK MANY MONTHS TO BECOME APPARENT AND WAS PROCEEDED BY GASOLINE ODORS FROM THE FUEL TANK AREA, ESPECIALLY NOTICIBLE AFTER REFUELING, BUT WITH NO APPARENT LEAKAGE UNTIL THE END.*AK

MANIFOLD GASKET AND HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO USE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF COOLANT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED INJECTORS AND EGR PORTS WERE CLEANED, 2 MONTHS LATER WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING THICK WHITE SMOKE, THIS DEALER FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND THAT THE CONSUMER WAS 12 DAYS LATE FOR THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *TT

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

3.8L ENGINE. HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 1995 WINDSTARS WITH 3.8L ENGINE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING SPEEDOMETER STARTED JUMPING AROUND GIVING WRONG READING. DEALER REPAIRED SPEEDOMETER, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDR FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER WAS WAVING BACK FROM 20 TO 90 MPH. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTICED TRANSMISSION PAN HAD METAL IN IT WHICH CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, NOTICED A FUME ODOR IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER NOTICED THAT COOLANT AND TIMING COVER WERE LEAKING FLUID ONTO HEAD GASKET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON MAKING A SUDDEN STOP BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL WAY TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER STATED IT WAS NORMAL OPERATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE, PUNCTURING TIRE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED.*AK

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTING OR CLOSING DOOR - INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

AT 40 MPH AND HIGHER SPEEDOMETER JUMPS . DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE WHOLE HEAD GASKET SET REPLACED, ALSO BRAKES FAILED COMPLETLY.*AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT CONSUMER NOTED THAT OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON DASH. DUE TO OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEING ILLMINATED ON DASH TRANSMISSION COULD WEAR OUT AGAIN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON ATTEMTPING TO ACCELERATE BY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM VEHICLE. ALSO, WITHOUT NO PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHEN DRIVING OVER 45 MPH SPEEDOMETER IS NOT READING THE ACTUAL SPEED DRIVEN WHICH PREVENTS CONSUMER FROM KNOWING ACTUAL SPEED TRAVELING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHEN DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING (OF THE STRUT) BROKE I ASKED THE DEALER IF THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE PASS. SIDE. THEY SAID THE WARRENTY WOULD NOT COVER IT. LUCKLY WHEN THE COIL SPRING WENT, BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS PARKED. THE SPRING COULD HAVE POPPED THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING THUS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE COIL SPRINGS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, THEIR MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG IN THE METAL OF THE SPRING.*AK

DEALER SAID HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACING. IN READING THE NHTSA FILES FOR THE WINDSTAR, I NOTICED A PREPONDERANCE OF HEAD GASKET FAILURES AND PROBLEMS, RIGHT AROUND THE 100,000 MILE MARK (I.E. OUT OF ANY WARRANTY). ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON INDICATING VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE EMISSION SYSTEM. I HAD VARIOUS REPAIRS RELATED TO THIS.*AK

HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWNOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE WHICH OCCURRED OVER NIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I AM ALSO ONE THAT HAD TO SPEND $1933.07 BEAUSE OF HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED MY BRAKE PAD 5 TIMES. I HAVE ALSO BOUGHT NEW FRONT TIRES 3 TIMES IN 3 YEARS. THE TIRE WEAR IS UNREAL. I ALSO HAVE THE PROBLEM OF THE ODOMETER NOT WORKING. THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES AND ENGINE RUNNING SLUGGISH HAVE BEEN SINCE I PURCHASED THE VAN. THE ODD THING IS YOU DON'T GET WARNING SIGNS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON - GO OFF. IN ORDER FOR THE DEALER TO KNOW WHAT IS WRONG THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MUST BE ON. NEVER HAD ANY SIGN OF THE ENGINE OVERHEATING. GREAT DRIVING VAN BUT MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY PROBLEMS.

ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL AND SALES STAFF THE BUILT IN CHILD SAFETY SEATS ARE SUPPOSED TO ACCOMIDATE A CHILD UP TO 60 LBS., HOWEVER THE SEAT BELT ONLY FITS AROUND A CHILD APPR. 30-35 LBS, THE CONSUMERS CHILDREN ARE BOTH APPRO 35 LBS OR LESS AND ARE UNABLE TO FIT IN THE SEAT COMFORTABLY, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE PAMPHLETS AND MANUAL ARE FALSE AND MISLEADING. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER STATES NEW HEAD GASKETS WERE NEEDED AND VEHICLE HAD RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE, FORD WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL HELP, SO CONSUMER HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRADE VEHICLE IN. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON DASHBOARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AND MECHANIC REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND OTHER PARTS. LATER, MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, SUBSEQUENTLY SINCE THE REPAIR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON TWICE.*JB

PLASTIC FUEL TANK HAS SPLIT CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. CONSUMER IS STATING FUEL TANK SHOULD NOT BE MADE OUT OF PLASTIC.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER WHILE VAN IS IN FOR SERVICE, THAT I SMELL GAS BY LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL AND FUEL FILLER DOOR. THE SHOP CLAIMS NO LEAKS FOUND WITH ELECTRONIC SNIFFER. GAS SMELL STRONGEST WHEN TANK IS 3/4 FULL OR MORE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1998. NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKAGE.*AK

FRONT SPRING FRACTURED FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.FORTUNATE FOR US THE VAN WAS PARKED WHEN THE SPRING BROKE .HAD WE BEEN DRIVING WHEN THE SPRING BROKE ,IT WOULD HAVE PUCTURED THE FRONT TIRE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE ME TO LOOSE CONTROLL OF THE VAN .I PURCHASED A NEW SPRING FROM A FORD DEALER AND REPLACED THE FRACTURED SPRING .MY CONCERN IS I HAVE LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE FRONT SPRINGS AND THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SPRINGS.THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU IN REGARDS TO THIS PROBLEM.*AK

TIMING COVER SEAL WAS LEAKING, UPON HAVING THIS PROBLEM FIXED, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE, ENGINE WAS REPLACED. *SLC

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEARS WHICH HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED A NOISE OCCURS IN FRONT END OF VEHICLE CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. *YH

ABS FALSE ACTIVATED AT LOW SPEED. PROBABLY TYPICAL FOR A VEHICLE WITH SUCH HIGH MILEAGE.*AK