1995 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

WHEN SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT OR JUST STOPPING, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. *AK

FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON FAILED LEADING TO DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. ORIGINAL PART DEFECTIVE ACCORDING TO FORD'S OWN TSB.

WHILE CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND HE REAR ENDED TTHE OTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BURNING HIS ARM. PASENGER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, TIMING CHAIN AND ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER NOT TO HAVE ANY POWER WITHIN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE IS IN THE REPAIR SHOP. PROBLEM MOST LIKELY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE GASKET. *AK *ML

THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN 1995 AFTER FAILING AT APPROXIMATELY 9000 MILES. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION HAD A SPEED SENSOR FAILURE AT 31,500 MILES AND NOW APPEARS TO BE FAILING THE SAME WAY THE ORIGINAL FAILED. FORD CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS TRANSMISSION COUPLED WITH THE 3.8L ENGINE. AFTER WRITING TO YOUR ORGANIZATION ABOUT MY HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, I WAS VERY PLEASED THAT SOMEHOW FORD WAS PERSUADED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THAT COMPONENT AS IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT LED TO THE PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I AM READING, THE TRANSMISSION IS A SIMILAR FACTORY DEFECT (POORLY DESIGNED PART: FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON). ANY HELP IN THIS AREA WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP, AND PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE CUT OFF DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH COIL MALFUNCTIONING. *AK

SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF TRANSMITION. REPLACEMENT NEEDED

WAS DRIVING WHEN THE DOOR CAME AJAR AND LIGHT CAME ON. THEN FLASHED OFF & ON. WHEN TURNING, WOULD HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON & THE BRAKES MADE NOISES, AS IF THEY WERE CATCHING OR GRABBING, TO STOP AFTER BEING APPLIED. VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN ACCELERATING ON INCLINE. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 9 TIMES FOR PROBLEMS. MECHANIC HAS NOT REPAIRED PROBLEM DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE. *AK

AFTER A MONTH OF ROUGH IDLING AND 47800 MILES THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. BROUGHT TO DEALER TO INDICATED THAT ITEM WAS COVERED UNDER SERVICE "NOTIFICATION". *AK

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF REPORTS OF FAILED TRANSMISSIONS AND HEAD GASKETS IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES? *AK

HAVE FOUND THE SAME DEFECT HAS OCCURRED IN MOST 1995 WINDSTARS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NO SUMMARY

EA 96026; WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A NORMALSTOP, THERE WAS MOVEMENT WITHIN THE BRAKE PEDAL CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, ALSO, REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER RUSTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WE HAD TO REPLACE OUR ENGINE THIS PAST SUMMER DO TO CRANK AND BEARING DAMAGE. WE HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH FORD REGARDING THESE PROBLEMS. WE REPLACED THE TIMING COVER GASKET IN MAY 1999 (THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED IN MAR 1998) AND THREE WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE WENT DUE TO LOWER CRANK AND BEARING DAMAGE. WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF WITH THE EXTENSION OF 7 YRS/100,000 MILES BUT WHEN WE TOOK THE PAPERWORK IN, THEY SAID THAT IT WASN'T DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. WE HAVE PULLED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THE MANY PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE TIMING COVER/HEAD GASKETS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME OR SHORTLY AFTER HAVING ONE OR THE OTHER REPAIRED. THEY DENIED OUR CLAIM COMPLETELY. WE THINK HAVING THESE GASKETS REPAIRED SO CLOSE TOGETHER WAS NO COINCIDENCE. ANY HELP YOU COULD OFFER US WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *AK

A LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS VEHICLE NEEDS A HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. I FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE THAT A HEAD GASKET FAILURE SHOULD BE EXPECTED AT ANY TIME, ESPECIALLY IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS NOT SEEN SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS. IN THE TWO YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, VARIOUS DEALERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT SOME ISSUES THAT WERE MERELY ANNOYING (SPEEDOMETER WAVERING AND JUMPING; WHISTLING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; REAR WIPER ARM BOOT FAILURE; BUILDUP OF SNOW/ICE ON FRONT WIPERS DURING SNOW). WITH THIS RECENT FAILURE (HEAD GASKETS), I AM CONVINCED THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON.

A LEAK WITHING ENGINE HEAD GASKET CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND FLOOD WITH ANTIFREEZE. CONSUMER HAD ENGINE REBUILT. *AK * MJS

I JUST PAID A $2200 REPAIR BILL FOR A VERY WELL MAINTAINED WINDSTAR. MY "MASS SENSOR" OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER. EVIDENTLY, MY CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS GONE. IT WAS A MAJOR JOB TO GET IT REPLACED.

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW WHICH CAUSED THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" TO COME ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISS. THE DEALER HAD ADVISED TO WATCH COOLANT LEVELS BECAUSE THIS ENGINE KNOWN FOR BLOWING THE HEAD GASKET. DEALER SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT ACTUALLY REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET UNTIL IT BLEW. WHEN IT BLEW, THEY SAID THAT FORD WOULD ONLY COVER VEHICILES WITH LESS THAN 60000 MILES OR UNDER 60 MONTHS. THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY FORD MOTOR CO!

THE WINDSTAR BEGAN TO BLOW OFF VACUUM LINES WHEN WE WERE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR THEN STARTED TO OVERHEAT AND LOST POWER. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSES INADVERTENT LUNGING ACCELERATION. 6 WINDSTARS AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP AT ONE TIME FOR SAME FAILURE.

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKET . I TOOK THE VAN INTO KOONS FOR "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" AND THEY FOUND NOTHING, BUT CHARGED ME $500, LATER, THE ENGINE SEIZED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED; UPON GETTING MY VAN BACK WITH A REBUILT ENGINE, THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND FAILED WITHIN THE WEEK. THE AAMCO DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT A FORWARD CLUTCH THING WAS NOT WORKING, BUT WORSE YET: THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED BECAUSE IT HAD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT; IN FACT, SO HOT THAT ANY INTERNAL COMPONENTS THAT WERE RUBBER OR PLASTIC ACTUALLY MELTED, AND THE GEAR TEETH BECAME SO HOT THAT THEY CHANGED COLOR TO PURPLE-ISH AND CRACKED IN PLACES. YET FORD REFUSES TO ASSOCIATE THE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION WITH THEIR FAULTY HEAD GASKET. INCIDENTLY, I HAVE BEEN FULLY REIMBURSED FOR THE REBUILT ENGINE, BUT NOT THE $500 FORD 'SERVICE' RESPONSE TO THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT, OR THE $2,500 TRANSMISSION. *AK

AAMCO SAID THAT DUE TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING (FAULTY HEAD GASKET) THE TRANSMISSION EXCESSIVELY OVERHEATED ALSO. ADDITIONALLY, THE ALUMINUM PISTON WAS DAMAGED/INADEQUATE

MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET (COMMON PROBLEM ON 95 FORD WINDSTAR). FORD HAS REPAIRED SEVERAL VEHICLES IN EXCESS OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT ONLY ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND VERY FEW (FORD WILL NOT ADMIT TO THIS AND I HAVE THE VIN NUMBERS THAT WERE WARRANTIED). FORD WILL NOT DISCUSS THE DEFECT WITH OWNERS.

THIS REPORT CONCERNS A TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT COULD VERY WELL BE A SAFETY CONCERN. A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON OF THE TRANSAXLE FAILS AND CAUSES FORWARD/REVERSE ENGAGEMENT PROBLEMS. FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HAS EVEN ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ALERT DEALERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IN FACT, THE BULLETIN RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE ALUMINUM PART THAT IS FAILING WITH A STEEL PART THAT WILL SURVIVE. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY FORD BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED IN A TRANSMISSION RELATED FAILURE. THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. *AK

THIS MOTOR HAS A HISTORY OF DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS WITH NO COVERAGE FROM MFGER AFTER 60,000 MILES. THIS IS DEFINITELY A DESIGN PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED, COOLANT LEAKED INTO ENGINE, DESTOYING THE ENGINE

INTERNAL TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN OCCURRED CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND FORD COMPANY REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBLITY FOR REPAIR.

FORD DID PAY FOR THE HEAD GASKET PER RECALL, HOWEVER THE DEALER RECOMMENDED AN ENGINE FLUSH BECAUSE OF THE HEAD GASKET. HAD TO PAY 100 FOR THAT. THEN THE DEALER (APPLE FORD) SAID THE THE TIMING COVER GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND CHARGED 598 LABOR. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM A LOT WITH THE WINDSTARS. I ALSO BELIEVE I WAS CHARGED LABOR FOR THE HEAD GASKET, BUT THE DEALER GOT AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING COVER. ALSO NOW THE DEALER IS SAYING TIE ROD PROBLEM TOO! THESE 95 WINSTARS ARE LEMONS!

HEAD GASKETS FAILED AT 61,000 MILES. AFTER REPAIRS MADE, DEALER NOTED THAT RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY WAS WORN OUT. THIS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER 65,000 MILES. *AK

TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES WHEN YOU COME TO STOP. YOU HEAR NOTHING. IF YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE NOTHING HAPPENS BUT RPM'S GO UP. TRANSMISION THEN ENGAGES, TIRES SPIN AND VEHICLE TAKES OFF LIKE AT A DRAG STRIP. ANY CAR OR PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OF BEING HIT. PROBLEM IS INTERMITENT AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. ALL YOU CAN DO IS LEAVE AS MUCH ROOM IN FRONT OF YOU AS POSSIBLE AND PRAY. I THOUGHT I WAS ALONE UNTIL I REALIZED VIA THE INTERNET AND FROM MILLER FORD REP THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM AFFECTING THIS VEHICLE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR ANOTHER TRANSMISSION, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT WILL HAVE THE SAME DESIGN FLAW, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. I AM PROVIDING YOU WITH THIS INFORMATION AS I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS BUT HAVE AVOIDED ACCIDENTS/INJURIES BY NARROW MARGINS. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED ASSUMING NOBODY ALREADY HAS.

THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS REPORTED TO BE A SMALL RING (LIKE A SPONGE CAKE) WHICH CRACKS. *AK

THOUGH BEYOND FORD'S 60K MILE EXTENSION, TEH SERVICE ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT THE CRACKED HEAD CASUING THE ROUGH RIDE AND COOLANT LEAK COULD HAVE HAPPENED MANY WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS BEFORE IT GOT SO BAD THAT MY WIFE NOTICED A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH CLOSER TO THE 60,000 MILE MARK WHEN THE DAMAGE OCCURRED, THOUGH WE DIDN'T GET IT TO THE SHOP UNITL 70,000. THOUGH NO ONE WAS INJURED, THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY WAS GREAT, I THINK. IF MY WIFE HADN'T NOTICED THE COOLANT LEVEL INDICATOR, A MUCH MORE TERRIBLE PROBLEM COULD HAVE HAPPENED, NOT TO MENTION THE DANGER OF THIS PROBLEM CAUSING MY WIFE AND TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS TO BE STRANDED ALONG A HIGHWAY MANY MILES FROM HOME AT THE TIME.

THIS TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SHIFT WITHOUT WARNING AT AROUND 80000 MILES AND BEGAN FULLY SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER. IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER WINDSTARS WITH THIS PROBLEM WHICH FORD IS WILLING TO FIX, BUT UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THAT THEY BLUNDERED WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. HAS THE NHTSA ADRESSED THIS ISSUE AS YET WITH FORD. THE DEALER'S COMPUTER HAS FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANNY AS YET EVEN THOUGH IT CONTINUES TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ON 3/26/99 THE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT ON MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THIS CREATED AN UNSAFE SITUATION SINCE I WAS TRAVELING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 494 IN INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN AND HAD TO SUDDENLY PULL OF THE ROAD. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE HAPPENDED ON 6/14/99. AGAIN I WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 494, THIS TIME IN OAKDALE, MN, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO BLOW APART. AGAIN, NO ACCIDENT OCCURED, BUT I WAS PLACED IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION BECAUSE I HAD TO TRAVEL AT A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED SPEED ON TO THE DEALERSHIP. ONCE I ARRIVED THERE AND THEY HAD A CHANCE TO CHECK THE ENGINE, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS SHOT AN WOULD REQUIRE A "LONG BLOCK" REPLACEMENT. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS GOING INTO 2ND GEAR ( ALMOST REARENDED FROM CAR BEHIND). HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM, AND FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THE VAN USED AND AT THE TIME OF THE TEST DRIVE, NO PROBLEM. BUT 1WEEK AFTER THE SLIP STARTED AND IS GEETING WORSE..NOW AT EACH STOP LIGHT OR CORNER I NO LONGER KNOW IF IT WILL SLIP, FAIL OR WORK RIGHT ????? HELP !!!!!!!!! I BELIVE THE DEALER KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I BOUGHT THE VAN AS IS .....NO WARRT. SUCKER ME........ *AK *TR

TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP.YOU WOULD PRESS GAS AND CAR WOULD GET TO 1700 RPM THEN THE TRANS WOULD ENGAGE WITH A BANG.FORD HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANS ON 1994 TAURUS AMD TOOK CARE OF IT.

THE ENGINE'S HEAD GASKETS LEAKING OIL. HAD IT REPAIRED ONCE BEFORE & NOW PROBLEM HAS RETURNED.

ONE MONTH BEFORE "THROWING ROD" IN ENGINE, ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS BADLY. MIDDLETON FORD SAID IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET, AND WOULD BE COVERED BY RECALL WARRANTY, BUT THAT IT ALSO NEEDED A FRONT TIMING COVER GASKET. THEY SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE HEADGASKETS AND THE TIMING COVER GASKET USUALLY FAIL TOGETHER, FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE TIMING COVER GASKET. OUR BILL WAS $810.81. ONE MONTH LATER, WE STARTED ON A TRIP TO MONTANA, AND GOT AS FAR AS SOUIX FALLS, S.D., WHEN AT 2:00AM, THE ENGINE LOST MOST POWER, AND BEGAN MAKING A LOUD CLANKING SOUND. WE MANAGED TO GET TO A GAS STATION, WHERE WE ASKED FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE NEAREST FORD GARAGE (SIOUX FALLS FORD, PO BOX 89120, SIOUX FALLS, SD). WE BARELY MADE IT THERE, WHERE WE SLEPT IN THE PARKING LOT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. THE GARAGE WAS ABLE TO GET IT IN THE NEXT MORNING, AND SAID THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $3000, AND WOULD TAKE 3-4 DAYS. WE WERE ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE GOING TO MONTANA TO VISIT OUR DAUGHTER IN THE AIR FORCE. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRADE THE WINDSTAR IN ON A LEASED 99 EXPLORER. THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE REPAIRS NEEDED, OUR TRADE IN WOULD BE $3000 LESS THAN IT WOULD BE IF THE ENGINE WAS OK. I AM VERY ANGRY WITH FORD, AND FEEL THAT THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO GET THEM TO REIMBURSE THOSE OF US UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE GOTTEN STUCK WITH THIS LEMON.

NO SUMMARY.

DUE TO DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER VEHICLE WILL ACCLERATE WHICH REDUCES THE BRAKING PERFORMANCE, ALSO, HAS NO START CONDITION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH THE ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SHOULDER SAFELY. THE DEALER WAS CALLED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER HAD PROBLEM CORRECTED AT A LOCAL GARGAGE. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 83,00 MILES. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FORM TAILPIPE. COST OF REPAIR OVER $1000.00 PLUS RENTAL CAR AND LOST WAGES. *AK

I BEGAN EXPERIENCING ALL THE CLASSIC SIGNS OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO KINGS CROWN FORD AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ONLY A THERMASTAT. I PAID THEM ALMOST $200 AND WAS ON MY WAY. A SHORT TIME (3 DAYS) LATER THE CAR AGAIN BEGAN RUNNING HOT AND SMELLING OF ANTI-FREEZE. I BROUGHT IT TO RICHBORG AUTOMOTIVE IN SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL AND THEY CONFIRMED "HEAD GASKET." FORD NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HEAD GASKET DEFECT BEYOND THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY EARLIER ANNOUNCED. PLEASE HELP US. WE HAVE SPENT OVER $1,100 GETTING THE GASKET REPLACED AND ENGINE FIXED. FORD SHOLD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF. *AK

FORD HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 12/98- THEY KNEW THEY SOLD FAULTY PRODUCT (AGAIN LIKE PINTO) NOW WILL NOT FIX IT. *AK

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET CAUSED THE CAR TO START LURCHING SEVERELY WHILE DRIVING UP AN EXTENDED GRADE ON HIGHWAY 101. THE SUDDEN LURCHING CAUSED THE DRIVER TO TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL ON THIS ALREADY HAZARDOUS SECTION OF FREEWAY. UPON INVESTIGATION I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. FORD IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND BECAUSE OF THIS FORD HAS ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS WARRANTY IS ONLY VALID AFTER A PROBLEM OCCURS. BY THEN IT IS TOO LATE. FORD SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE VEHICLES PROACTIVELY AND CORRECTING THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURS. THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT MY DEALER AGREED WITH ME, BUT WASN'T WILLING TO TAKE A STAND WITH THE MANUFACTURER ON MY BEHALF. I WAS AMAZED WHEN THIS SMALL TOWN DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD 5 OTHER '95 WINDSTARS IN THE SHOP AT THIS SAME TIME WITH THE SAME FAILURE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF WEBSITES WITH PEOPLE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND UNABLE TO GET ANY SATISFACTION FROM FORD. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING SMOKE TO COME OUT FROM EXHAUST. MJS

TIMING COVER GASKET & SEAL FAILURE AND CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS FAILURE AT 48,834 MILES. SYMPTOMS WERE HESITATION/JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING & COOLANT LOSS. BOTH FAILURE SYMPTOMS BEGAN AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASING IN FREQUENCY FOR 1-2 WEEKS UNTIL "ENGINE WARNING LIGHT" CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH/COOLANT REPLACEMENT ABOUT 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO FAILURE, & NO PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AT THAT TIME. DEALER COVERED COST OF CYLINDER HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT, BUT DID NOT COVER TIMING COVER GASKET & SEAL REPLACEMENT($708.61). APPEALED TO CORPORATE LEVEL, ASKING IF THE COOLANT LEAKAGE MIGHT BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE KNOWN CYLINDER HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT, SAYING BOTH FAILURES WERE INDEPENDENT. I FIND IT ODDLY COINCIDENTAL & HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BOTH PROBLEMS INITIATED AT THE SAME TIME, BUT ARE UNRELATED.