1996 Ford Windstar Fuel System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 240,000.

NOTICED FUEL LEAK WHEN RETURNED AFTER PARKING AT SLANTED PARKING SPACE. INSPECTION BY LICENSED MECHANIC IN COLUMBUS, OHIO CONFIRMED FUEL TANK LEAK. REMOVED TANK FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND FOUND CRACK. REPAIRED BY SAME MECHANIC. TOTAL COST CLOSE TO $300.00. NOW NO GASOLINE LEAK. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL TANK. I REMOVED THE TANK TO SEE THAT THE TANK LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PINCHED AND DEVELOPED A CRACK. THE FUEL TANK IS PLASTIC SO I FOUND THIS TO BE ODD. I HAD TO PUT EPOXY ON THE TANK TO PATCH THE CRACK SO I COULD GET IT HOME AS I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WHEN I GOT HOME I STARTED LOOKING ONLINE FOR A TANK AND FOUND THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. I CALLED LAFAYETTE FORD AND EXPLAINED THE RECALL AND GAVE MY VIN #. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR IT MYSELF. IF I HAVE THE SAME VEHICLE OF THE RECALL AND THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE RECALL WHY DOES FORD NOT HONOR IT. THE RECALL STATES THE CRACK AT THE FRONT STRAP AREA AND THAT FORD WILL REPLACE THE TANK AND THE STRAP WITH A LONGER ONE AND A BUSHING. MY TANK HAS THE CRACK AT THE FRONT STRAP AND THE TANK WAS PINCHED BECAUSE THE STRAP IS TOO SHORT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOCATED THE FAILURE AS A FRACTURE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 212,902.

1996 FORD WINDSTAR FUEL TANK HAS A CRACK IN IT AND IS LEAKING FUEL I SEE THE RECALL ONLY EFFACED 1995 WINDSTARS BUT APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED ON THE 1996 WINDSTARS BECAUSE MINE HAS A 3 INCH CRACK IN IT. I DO NOT KNOW IF SOME OF THE 1996 WINDSTARS WERE IN THIS RECALL. *TR

WHILE THE VAN WAS PARK, I NOTICE A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. I TOOK IT IN TO MY AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO BE FIXED. THE SHOP FOUND A CRACK IN FUEL TANK THAT WAS NOT THE RESULTS OF IMPACT DAMAGE. *TR

ON JUNE 7 I WAS OUTSIDE OF OUR HOME AND NOTICED I SMELLED GAS NEAR MY WIFE'S VAN. AFTER INSPECTING I SAW THE TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL. I TOOK THE TANK OFF AND NOTICED THERE WAS PRESSURE TO THE TANK FROM THE FRONT STRAP. THE PRESSURE CAUSED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A STRESS CRACK WHERE THE STRAP HOLDS THE TANK. IT APPEARS TO ME THE STRAP IS TOO SMALL FOR THE TANK. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THIS AND WOULD RATHER MY WIFE AND CHILDREN RIDE AROUND IN A GAS LEAKING DANGER MACHINE. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 95000 MILES AND I FEEL THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED HERE AS IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR. *TR

MY 1996 MERCURY VILLAGER DEVELOPED A FAILURE IN THE AIR FLOW SENSOR (PART $330) THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLS, INCLUDING STOPS ON THE HIGHWAY, THAT NEARLY RESULTED IN CRASHES. THE REQUIRED REPAIRS EXCEEDED $500. I KNOW FORD HAS A SIMILAR RECALL OUT NOW FOR THE 1997-2003 (/) MODELS). *TR

I HAVE FORD WINDSTAR,96. WHEN I FILLED UP GAS IN THE TANK,IT STARTED LEAKING AND IS CONTINUOUSLY LEAKING. IT SEEMS THAT IT IS LEAKING FROM THE TANK. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR OF FUEL IN HIS GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT A DETERMINATION WAS NOT GIVEN. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 99V309000, REGARDING THE TANK ASSEMBLY; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 5/30/2006 - THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING AT THE STRAP ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE TANK BEGAN TO LEAK WHERE THE MANUFACTURER HAS APPARENTLY OVER-TIGHTENED THE SUPPORT STRAPS FOR THE TANK. THE 1995 MODEL WAS RECALLED (99V-309000), MANUFACTURER NUMBER 99R33 REGARDING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER BUT THEY PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM UPDATED 06/27/06. *JB

THE 1996 FORD WINDSTAR HAS A FUEL TANK ON IT THAT IS IDENTICAL TO THE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. THE 1995 WAS RECALLED FOR A LEAK ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TANK. THE 1996 VERSION WAS NOT RECALLED. MY 1996 LEAKS SAME PLACE AS THE 1995 RECALLED VERSION. DANGEROUS FUEL CAN SEEP DOWN TANK AND DRIP ON EXHAUST SYSTEM OR OTHER COMPONENTS TO CAUSE FIRE OR EXPLOSION. FORD DOES NOT WANT TO REPLACE TANK ON 1996. NOTHING WAS DONE BY FORD TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. VEHICLE HAD A CRACK IN TOP OF FUEL TANK, ALSO AT STRAP. RECALLS ON 1995 FORD WINDSTARS PERTAINED TO THE MAKE OF VEHICLE. S MELLED GAS FUMES AND GAS TANK REGISTER WAS NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT. SMELLED GAS FUMES WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OR WHILE DRIVING . INCIDENT HAPPENED SEPTEMBER 25, 2005. NO CRASH . NO POLICE REPORT.*AK UPDATED 1/25/2006 - *NM

ENGINE DIES AFTER EITHER VERY SHORT (1 SECOND OR LESS) OR NO MISFIRE. ALWAYS ON HOT AFTERNOON AFTER LONG PERIOD HIGHWAY DRIVING, TYPICALLY INTERSTATE WITH SPEED IN THE 70'S. ONLY ONCE ON A SECONDARY ROAD SPEEDS OF 45 - 50. ALL TIMES IN THE ROLLING HILLS OF UTAH, WYOMING, AND WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. ALL SIX INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP IN JULY, 2005 WITH ODOMETER READINGS IN THE 70,000'S. TYPICALLY, WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE ENGINE SPEED AND THROTTLE ARE CONTINUALLY ADJUSTING TO MAINTAIN SPEED ACROSS THE HILLS. FIRST INDICATION OFTEN IS SIMPLY THE CAR SLOWING DOWN RATHER THAT CRUISING ALONG. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL (AIR, RADIO, WINDOWS, ETC) NOT AFFECTED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. OTHER THAN SOMETIMES A ONE SECOND MISFIRE, THERE IS NO WARNING. THE CAR MAY BE PASSING A TRUCK, IN A MIDDLE FREEWAY LANE, ON ON A ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER WHEN IT HAPPENS. WHEREVER AND WHENEVER IT HAPPENS, THE CAR SIMPLY COASTS AS THE DRIVER PULLS OFF THE ROAD TO EXTENT POSSIBLE. THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART FOR 15 MINUTES OR SO. THEN IT STARTS AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED, AND CAR IS GOOD UNTIL THE NEXT INCIDENT. I MADE DETAILED NOTES OF EACH INCIDENT, AND CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFO ON SPECIFICS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH CAR AT THE TIME. I TOOK CAR TO A FORD DEALER. THE DEALER DID DIAGNOSTICS AND COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. I HAVE REFRAINED FROM DRIVING UNDER SIMILAR HIGHWAY CONDITIONS SINCE THEN. THE VAN WAS PURCHASED NEW IN CONNECTICUT IN FEB, 1997. *NM

MODERATE LEAK OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK. WE BROUGHT THIS TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE TOP OF THE TANK WAS CRACKED. THE TANK NEEDS REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR GL. THIS WAS PURCHASED IN 1995. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE 1995 RECALLS I NOTICED THAT THE 1995 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN TO A FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE.

THE DOME LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJAR SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE BATTERY WILL DRAIN COMPLETELY. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE WHEN IT WAS STARTED. ONE INJECTOR WAS CHANGED. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE OTHER FIVE INJECTORS MAY GO BAD. *SC *JB

GAS TANK LEAK. I LEAVE IN ONE OF THE STATES THAT IS LISTED IN RECALL 99V309000 THAT STATES HOT WEATHER INCREASES CRACKS IN FUEL TANKS ON 1995 FORD WINDSTARS. MY VEHICLE IS A 1996 WITH A BUILD DATE OF 10-02-1995. FORD MOTOR WILL NOT CONSIDER THIS VEHICLE FOR REPLACEMENT. THEY NEED TO RE-EVALUATE THE RECALL TO INCLUDE A WIDER RANGE THAN THEY NOW HAVE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY LEAK LOOKS JUST LIKE A 1995 THEY FIXED ON 07-23-2004. PLEASE HELP ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A SERIOUS GASOLINE LEAK. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE GAS TANK IS PLASTIC AND HAS CRACKED CAUSING THE LEAK. *NLM

A CRACK HAS DEVELOPED IN THE GAS TANK, CAUSING A LEAK. *AK

CONSUMER WAS SMELLING GAS AND NOTICED A BIG PUDDLE OF GAS IN DRIVEWAY. CONSUMER FEELS THIS VERY DANGEROUS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FUEL TANK LEAKING. . DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK