1995 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

NO SUMMARY

IN THE TIME FROM JULY 1999 TO DECEMBER 1, 1999 THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS HAVE COMPLETELY FAILED: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, HEAD GASKET, TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET, VALVE COVER GASKET. THE COST HAS NOW RUN OVER $5,000 AND FORD WILL NOT ADMIT ONE OUNCE OF RESPONSIBILITY DESPITE HAVING PREVIOUS SECRET WARRANTIES ON EXACTLY THESE COMPONENTS ON EXACTLY THIS ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING ENGINE TO SIEZE @52,000 MI.9 MONTH PREGNANT WIFE &4 SMALL CHILDREN IN VEHICHLE I HAVE READ THE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICHLE IS THERE A WAY 2 REMOVE THIS VEHICHLE FROM THE ROADS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED WHAT CAN I DO??? *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLOWN- APPARENTLY FORD HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLE.DEALER WILL NOT ASSIST ME IN REPAIRS. FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 60,000. I HAVE 68,000. FORD MADE NO ATTEMPT TO LET ME KNOW OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM EITHER BY MAIL OR VIA A PHONE CALL. *AK

95 FORD WINDSTAR NEEDS NEW ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF HEADGASKET PROBLEM EXPERIENCED IN OTHER 95 WINDSTARS. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM FORD ABOUT THIS RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPONENT. REPAIRS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT STILL NOT SURE IF EVERYTHING WILL BE COVERED. BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO VARIOUS FORD DEALERSHIPS, HAVE HAD SEVERAL TUNE UPS AND OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACEMENTS. LAST PRIOR SERVICE WAS IN JUNE 1999 AT RUSTY ECK FORD LEAVENWORTH, KS, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TUNED UP YET AGAIN. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM NOONE HAS EVER MENTIONED THIS TO ME AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR POOR PERFORMANCE AND GAS MILEAGE UNTIL NOW, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. CORROSION PROBLEM IS LIMITED TO RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR. THE PAINT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR BUBBLES, THEN FLAKES OFF REVEALING ALREADY CORRODED METAL BENEATH. NO DEALERSHIP WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM, CITING THAT PAINT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NOONE CAN EXPLAIN HOW A FIVE YEAR OLD VEHICLE IS RUSTING OUT SO QUICKLY. I'VE HEARD EVERY EXCUSE FROM ACID RAIN TO IMPROPER WASHING TO DRIVING THROUGH A CAUSTIC SUBSTANCE SPILL. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET,TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SERVICED AND VEHICLE WELL CARED FOR.

FORD HAS ADMITTED THAT THEY PUT THE WRONG HEAD GASKET INTO THIS ENGINE. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THEY GAVE A SILENT WARRANTY OF AN ADDITIONAL 30K OR 5 YRS. THEY NEVER CONTACTED THE OWNERS TO GIVE THEM THE OPTION TO REPLACE THIS. THIS WAS A $ 700.00 DOLLAR REPAIR. I'VE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VAN AND AM SATISFIED WITH IT EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE ISSUE. FORD SHOULD OF GIVEN US A CHOICE TO REPLACE THIS GASKET BEFORE IT BLEW. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

RED ENGINE LIGHT STARTED GLOWING @ APPROX. 70-80K MILES. REPORTED PROBLEM...NOTHING FOUND. CAR FAILS AT 107000, HEAD GASKET. WAS REPAIRED FOR $1600, JAN 2000. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED DUE TO BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN. YH

BLOWN HEAD GASKET DUE TO POOR DESIGN CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. NLM

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS. YH

ENGINE STARTED BLOWING WHITE SMOKE FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, HE DIAGNOSED THAT HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWNOUT, AND FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF DEFECT IN HEAD GASKET, BUT VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE NECESSARY TO BE INCLUDED IN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN TWICE. HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE 2 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *YH

FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR HEAD GASKETS TO 60000 MILES OR 12/98, WHICHEVER CAME FIRST. MY WINDSTAR'S HEAD GASKET FAILED TODAY (11/30/99) WITH 58500 MILES ON IT. PLEASE CONSIDER FORCING A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEM FROM THE DAY WE PURCHASED. MOST RECENTLY, IT IS CURRENTLY AT DLRSHIP FOR SERVICE DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING, JUST SHORT OF VAN CATCHING FIRE. PRIOR TO THIS, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION (APPROX. 1 1/2- 2YRS. AGO). AT THIS POINT, WE ARE TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE EVEN AFTER REPAIR.

HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, FORD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REPAIR DUE TO THE MILEAGE BEING OVER 60000. *MJS

THE VEHICLE HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *SLC

TIRE INFO 96M SR011X V05L 20440 VR BD 915998 TYPE HYPB 1PC 264 SIDE WALLS HAVE CRACKS RUNNING AROUND BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. FIRESTONE SAID TIRE WAS WARRENTED FOR ONLY FOUR YEARS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: T125/90R15 )

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO ENGINE FAILURES ON THIS VEHICLE, ONE IN NOVEMBER, 1999, WHICH FORD DENIED RESPONSIBILITY FOR, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE TOLD BY NO LESS THAN 10 MECHANICS IT WAS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN, AND THEN ANOTHER FAILURE IN JULY, 2000. ALSO IN 2000, WE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN PARK. AGAIN, FORD IS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY, THOUGH WE HAVE NOTED NUMEROUS CASES OF THE SAME PROBLEM THAT OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET WAS CONTAMINATED CAUSING COMPLETE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. *YC

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE, BUT BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. CONSUMER TRIED TO AVOID REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE BY DRIVING VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. BUT WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

FORD REFUSED TO PAY FOR REPAIR SINCE VAN 2 MONTHS OVER WARRANTY PERIOD. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

OWNED VAN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. HEADGASKET PROBLEM, REPAIRED BY DEALER. NOW TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET IS SHOT. REPAIRS COSTING IN EXCESS OF $1400.00 NEEDED TO DO MAJOR TUNE UP DUE TO FLUIDS IN ENGINE COSTING US ANOTHER $250.00. WAS TOLD BY FORD DEALERSHIPS AND FORD CO. THAT THEY WONT HELP IN ANY WAY. VERY BAD BUSINESS TO NOT CONSIDER CONSUMER A PRIORITY. WORD OF MOUTH AND INTERNET CAN DO HARM TO A REPUTABLE COMPANY. WOULD LIKE FORD CO TO MAKE GOOD TO IT'S FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED OVERHEATING DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET WHICH LED TO ENGINE FAILURE. ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *ML

THIS IS THE SECOND 3.8L V6 FORD PRODUCT I OWNED TO BLOW A HEAD GASKET. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE AT MY TOTAL EXPENSE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BARRIED AT HOT, THEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OVER AND WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM TAIL PIPE. THEN VAN WOULD NOT RESTART. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEAD AND I DROVE IT FOR APPROX. 400 MILES WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED NOCKING AND THE TRANS. WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2 GEAR UNTIL IT GOT HOT THEN WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST I BELIEVE THE HEAD GASKET DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND TRANS. VAN IS UNDRIVEABLE AND STILL OWE FOR IT. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. LESS THAN 1000 MILES AFTER THIS REPAIR THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD NOISE AT START WHEN COLD. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SHORT BLOCK WAS BAD AND WAS MOST LIKELY DAMAGED WHEN THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. CURRENTLY IN PROCESS OF

INITIALLY TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NOV. '99 FOR FOLLOW-UP CHECK ON HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT FROM SEPT.'99 BECAUSE OF CHUGGING AND WHAT FELT LIKE ENGINE HESITATION. I SUSPECTED COMPLICATIONS FROM REPAIR WORK PERFORMED ON ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY COMPLAINT. NOW KNOW THIS WAS AN INITIAL INDICATION OF A PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT DISENGAGES AT STOPS WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP ENGINE REVS AND VEHICLE MOVES VERY SLOWLY, OR NOT AT ALL. WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED, HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE MOVED SLOWLY INTO SPEEDING TRAFFIC WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ONTO ROAD FROM A STOP. VEHICLE WOULD NOT FULLY ACCELERATE BECAUSE TRANS WOULD NOT ENGAGE (ENGINE RACING) AND A COLLISION WAS BARELY AVOIDED BECAUSE OF THIS. MY FAMILY WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH SPEED INTERSECTION WITH ONCOMING VEHICLES HAVING TO SWERVE OR STOP TO AVOID HITTING US. TRANS EVENTUALLY ENGAGED. HOWEVER, A VERY CLOSE CALL. WE NOW KNOW NOT TO PULL OUT INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC UNLESS THERE ARE NO VEHICLES IN SIGHT, OR WE KNOW THEY HAVE AMPLE TIME TO SLOW DOWN IF THE VEHICLE GETS STUCK IN FRONT OF THEM. DEALER NOW ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM IS DUE TO FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON FAILURE AND TRANSMISSION REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. *AK

HEAD GASKETS FAILED PREMATURELY. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON 1995 WINDSTARS, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHEN FORD IS GOING TO REIMBURSE US FOR THESE COSTLY REPAIRS. *AK

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS WHEN VEHICLE IS COASTING, THEN UPSHIFTS WHEN THROTTLE IS REAPPLIED.

1995 FORD WINDSTAR 3.8 ENGINE FAILURE WITH HEAD GASKET. THIS FAILURE DESTROYED ENGINE, FORD HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET MATERIAL, AND THEY KNOW THIS AND HAVE EVEN POSTED A SERVICE BULLETIN 98M01. BUT IF YOU OVER THE 60,000 MILE FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU AND LOTS OF CONSUMERS ARE PAYING FOR THIS REPAIR $4,000-5000. I INVESTIGATED THIS WITH 12 SHOPS AND 6 TOW TRUCK DRIVERS AND AND ARE BEING TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER WON'T TELL CONSUMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM OR SUPPORT THEM IF THEY ARE OVER THE 60,000 MILE MARK? MY VAN HAD BEEN IN FOR GENERAL REPAIR AND NOT ONE PERSON SAID ANYTHING TO ME ? PLEASE THIS PROBLEM IS COSTING CONSUMERS SO MUCH MONEY WHEN FORD SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS. THE MATERIAL USED FOR THESE HEAD GASKETS WAS BAD. FORD KNEW THIS AND WE HAVE TO PAY THE REPAIR BILL. I TALKED TO TWO OWNER OF FORD DEALERS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SINCE 1995, AND THEY WANT THE TO SUPPORT THEIR CUSTOMERS, BUT WONT DO ANYTHING FOR VAN OVER 60-70,00 MILES. MY VAN HAD 90,000 MILES, AND HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BUT RIGHT NOW I'M TRYING TO FIND THE MONEY FOR THIS REPAIR? *AK

SEVERAL MINOR ENGINE COMPONENTS (O2 SENSORS, COOLANT LINES, COMPUTER, ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON & OFF) FAILED OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD FOLLOWED BY THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, ABOUT 100 MILES LATER THE ENGINE FAILED. THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, THE VAN LOST POWER AND THE SPEED STARTED FLUCTUATING. THIS WAS ON A HIGH SPEED, BUT NO SHOULDER BRIDGE, SO SLOWING DOWN COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T THIS TIME. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED TOWING THE VAN TO THE GARAGE, AND AFTER REVIEW THE ENGINE WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

COOLANT SYSTEM PROBLEMS SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED - SENSORS, RADIATOR, HEAD GASKET. I THOUGHT I RECEIVED A RECALL CONCERNING HEAD GASKET IN 1998 FROM FORD - WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD TO COME BACK WHEN THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE DEALER KEPT THE LETTER THAT I RECEIVED FROM FORD DESPITE TWO ATTEMPTS OF HAVING IT RETURNED. A YEAR OR SO LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED ,AND I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL, BUT WAS UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENSION. (I WAS NOT TOLD THIS BY THE DEALER IN 1998) NOW THE VEHICLE IS PAST THE ALLEGED WARRANTY EXTENSION, AND FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS MY PROBLEM FURTHER. APPARENTLY THE RADIATOR IS POORLY DESIGNED. IT'S CHEAPER FOR ME TO HAVE IT REPLACED UNDER A THIRD PARTY WARRENTY THAN HAVE IT FLUSHED ONLY TO CLOG AGAIN. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 1996 AND HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES IN 1997, 1998 AND 1999. *AK

KNOW WINDSTAR PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH SEEMS TO FIND THIS IS COMMON ON 95 WINDSTAR AT 57K TO 75K BUT FORD ONLY PAYING UP TO 60K. I AM 500 MILES OVER AND NO HELP FROM FORD!

I GRADUALLY LOST MY HEAT. I HAD TAKEN MY MINIVAN TO HAVE A THERMOSTAT REPLACED THE WEEK BEFORE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS. I HAD ALREADY SUNK $75.00 INTO IT BEFORE I TOOK IT INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECASUE THE PROBLEM WAS STILL HAPPENING. IT CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT AFTER THE THERMOSTAT WAS INSTALLED. I PAID APPROXIMATELY $1000.00 RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO HAVE MY HEAD GASKET REPLACED. I WAS REALLY IN A BIND FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR HAVING TO PAY FOR MY VAN. I ALOS WAS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR A WEEK. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN TO TRANSPORT TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND ALL THEIR SPORTS EVENTS. I WAS INCONVIENCED FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK. FORD OFFERED ME A "RENTAL" , BUT I WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY. I DECLINED. I HAVE WRITTEN TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOTTEN A RESPONSE. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP ME IN THE LEAST BIT FINANCIALLY. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED ON NOV. 16, 1999. I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER ON NOV. 19 AND DROVE IT HOME (~15 MILES). I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOT. I WAS TOLD TO GO AHEAD AND DRIVE THE CAR. ON DEC. 6 (AFTER MORE PHONE CONVERSATIONS), I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND WAS TOLD THE NO.2 FUEL INJECTOR HAD FAILED. ON DEC. 97 I PICKED THE CAR UP AND BEFORE I COULD GET IT HOME AGAIN, THE "ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE CAR RAN VERY ROUGHLY. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT FOR A FEEW DAYS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. ON DEC 22, I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER , AND AGAIN THE N0. 2 CYLINDER HAS "A PROBLEM" THAT THE DEALER CAN'T DIAGNOSE. FORD IS OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET IN MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR FAILED RUINING THE ENGINE. MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL WE COULD ARRAINGE TRANSPORTATION. FORD, AFTER REPEATED COMPLAINTS IS ONLY WILLING TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS. I THINK THIS IS A HARZARDOUS PROBLEM AND FORD SHOULD BE MORE FORTHCOMING.

THE VALVE GASKET FAILED, LEAKING COOLANT OUT PER THE DEALER, I HAD BEEN GETTING CHECK ENGINE LLIGHT WARNINGS FOR SOME TIME 1 YEAR WHEN ON LONG TRIPS, SEVERAL MECHANICS HAD LOOKED AT THE CAR AND DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. FORD HAS RECALL 98-MO1 COVERING THE VALVE GASKETS, EXTENDING THE WARRANTY UP TO 50,000 OR 5 YEARS. I WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY PROBLEM, AND FOUND OUT AFTER BEING BILLED BY THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS TOTALLING 2138.06 (AMONG OTHER PROBLEMS). I FEEL THAT BEING LEFT IN INGNORANCE OF ANY VALVE GASKET PROBLEMS CERTAINLY LIMITED MY ABILITY TO PROPERLY DEAL WITH A PROBLEM THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING FOR SOME TIME. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT MY CAR MIGHT HAVE A VALVE GASKET FAILURE SO EARLY IN IT'S LIFE. FORD SERVICE ADVISES ME THAT AFTER 50,000 I AM ON MY OWN, EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMIT THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THESE GASKETS. *AK

STARTED VEHICLE; FELT LIKE IT WAS ACCELERATING. NOTICED RPMS WERE REVVING. APPLIED BRAKES HARD TO STOP. FUEL THROTTLE WAS OPEN. ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK. *AK

IN 7/99 A 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT' CAME ON AFTER A LONG TRIP [BOCA RATON, FL TO CHARLOTTE, NC] AN OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY A FORD DEALER[YOUNG FORD, 704-598-2599] IN 10/99 THE 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT' CAME ON AGAIN. WALLACE FORD [DELRAY BEACH, 561-278-0303]WAS INFORMED OF THE PREVIOUS SENSOR REPLACEMENT, AND REPLACED ANOTHER SENSOR. NO OTHER INDICATING LIGHTS HAD COME ONE AT ANY TIME. ON NOV. 14 THE CAR WAS ROUGH ON STARTUP, THEN RAN OKAY. ON NOV. 16 THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WALLACE FORD HAS FOUND A HEADGASKET FAILURE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET HAS INDICATED OVER 200 OF THE SAME FAILURES FOR THIS MAKE & MODEL YEAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD HAD A 'PROGRAM' FOR THIS IF THE MILEAGE WAS UNDER 60K. MY UNDERSTANDING IS A RELATIVELY EASY CHECK COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT IS ESTIMATED AT $2100 TO REPAIR AT THIS TIME. NEITHER DEALER, WHEN MAKING THE EARLIER REPAIRS , THAT WERE LIKELY CAUSED BY THE LEAKING OF THE HEADGASKET, MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF A HEADGASKET FAILURE FOR THIS MAKE & MODEL, ALTHOUGH FORD IS CLEARLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. A GRAPH ATTRIBUTED TO NHTSA INDICATES THE VERY HIGH NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM. I EXPECT TO BE CONTACTING FORD AT A NUMBER OF LEVELS TO VOICE THIS COMPLAINT. IS THERE ANY INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY FOR THIS? I UNDERSTAND KRON TV IN SAN FRANSCISCO RAN AN INVESTIGATIVE STORY ON THIS PROBLEM THIS WEEK.

THE SHEET STEEL THAT COMPRISES THE BODY OF THE PASSENGER DOOR HAS TORN WHERE THE DOOR ATTACHES TO THE UPPERMOST SLIDING ARM. WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED, THE DOOR SLIDES TO AN ABRUPT HALT, CAUSING THE METAL TO FLEX ON THE DOOR, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO THE METAL ITSELF TEARING. THIS IS COMPLETELY AS A RESULT OF NORMAL WEAR AND USEAGE. *AK

1995 WINDSTAR HAS DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS IN THE 3.8L ENGINE, PREMATURE FAILURE ADMITTED BY FORD, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY FORD AND REPAIRED, BUT FORD IS PUTTING THE REPAIR COST ON THE CONSUMER.

ROUGH ENGINE, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON. HEAD GASKET LEAKING ONTO #4 PLUG AND CYLINDER. *AK

DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND CHIME REMAIN ON WHEN ALL DOORS ARE SECURELY CLOSED.