1995 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS PREMATURELY WORE OUT, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. FORD DENIED RESPONSIBILITY DUE TO WARRANTY ISSUES. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED @62.000, THEN FAILED 15,000 MILES LATER,FAILED AGAIN 13,000 MILES LATER. OUT OF POCKET COSTS APPROX. 1200.00. *AK

THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND THE MANUFACTURE REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR

HEAD GASKET FAILED.

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKETS ALLOWED ENGINE COOLANT TO RUIN PISTON BEARINGS WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE OVERHEATING AND FAILURE. FORD HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM WHICH EXPIRED 12/31/98. WE TOOK THE VAN IN BECAUSE WE DETECTED AN ENGINE NOISE ON 12/22/98. WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. ON 2/1/98, WE TOOK THE VAN IN BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT WAS ON CONSTANTLY. WE WERE GIVEN A TUNE-UP. ON 2/8/99, THE ENTIRE ENGINE BLEW AS IT WAS BEING STARTED PRIOR TO OUR DRIVE HOME. *AK

THIS VEHICLE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR IS A LEMON,DO A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND IT BECOMES OBVIOUS.ALL PEOPLE THAT REPLACED TRANSMISSIONS AND HEAD GASKETS IN THE 1995 WINDSTARS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED.ESPEACIALLY THOSE THAT HAD LESS THAN 70000 MILES SUCH AS MINE .THIS VEHICLE IS A NIGHTMARE AND CONSUMERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED. *AK

I AM AN ANGRY OWNER OF A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR THAT HAS HAD 2 FAILED TRANSMISSIONS. THE FIRST ONE FAILED AT 38,000 MILES WHEN IT WAS 1 YEAR OLD. THE SECOND FAILED 28,000 MILES LATER. TOTAL MILEAGE IS NOW 68,000. FORD MOTORS AND THE DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING TO BE HELPFUL ON THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE RECALL THEM SO THAT WE ARE COVRERED FROM THESE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. *AK

THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED AT 62000 MILES ON 6 FEB 99. FORD KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE GASKETS, BUT SENT A NOTIFICATION LETTER TO COVER THE COSTS AS LONG AS FAILURE OCCURRED BEFORE 31 DEC 98, OR 60000 MILES. I CONTEND THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR ALL REPAIRS, ON ALL SIMILAR VEHICLES WITHOUT OIMPOSING A MILEAGE LIMIT. THE FORD DEALER AGREES, BUT TELLS ME THAT THEIR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE THE PARENT COMPANY WILL NOT REIMBURSE THEM FOR REPAIRS THEY IMPLEMENT FREE OF CHARGE. FORD IS CHEATING THEIR CUSTOMERS.

IE98080; ANTI-FREEZE GOES THROUGHOUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET, CAUSING ENGINE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW UP, AND RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE. COMMON PROBLEM. THERE IS A TSB, BUT ONLY UP TO 60,000 MILES. DEALER DID NOT FIX VEHICLE BEFORE 60,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND A BULLETIN WAS RELEASED BUT HAD A MILEAGE AND TIME LIMIT WHICH I AM SLIGHTLY OVER, FORCING ME TO PAY $1,000.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 52552 MILES. ALTHOUGH IN DRIVE POSITION, VEHICLE ACTS AS THOUGH IN NEUTRAL FROM EITHER A STOPPED OR MOVING POSITION. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES LARGE NUMBER OF 1995 WINDSTARS HAVE HAD SIMILAR FAILURES. SAFETY CONCERN FOR OWNERS PULLING ONTO OR MANEUVERING ON BUSY ROADWAYS.

STARTED VEHICLE & NOTICED IT WAS BLOWING SMOKE. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. RECEIVED A TSB ON HEAD GASKETS. HAD NO PROBLEM BEFORE RECEIVING TSB. DEALRE REFUSED TO REPAIR DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OVER THE MILEAGE REQUIREMENT. *AK

CAR FIRST RAN HOT ON 2/4/99. FORD WOULD NOT PAY SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HAD AN INDEPENDENT TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS. PICKED UP CAR - CAR RAN BAD. RETURNED CAR TO GARAGE WAS TOLD THAT CRANKSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS WERE BAD. ELECTED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IN LIEU OF REPAIRING. CAR OK FOR 3 MONTHS. RAN HOT AGAIN. REPLACED THERMOSTAT. CONTINUED TO RUN HOT. TOOK IT TO HILLARD FORD IN ARLINGTON TX. HILLARD CHECKED IT OUT FOR A WEEK. COULD NOT GET IT TO OVERHEAT BUT REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND AN IGNITION MODULE. HAVE HAD CAR FOR 3 DAYS. CAR OVERHEATED, AGAIN. HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSTAR. *AK

RAN OVER RACCOON - BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER AIRBAG CAUSED BRAIN INJURY TO OCCUPANT.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK. INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS TO BE COMMON. RECALL? *AK

TRANSMISSION CONSISTENTLY DISENGAGES OUT OF GEAR. WHEN IT ENGAGES AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS THERE IS A CLUNK INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. ALSO WHEN FIRST STARTING VAN TRANSMISSION CLUNKS INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTED.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR THE DOOR FELL OFF THE TRACKS AND WAS HANGING ON BY ONE ROLLER. INJURED TWO PERSON WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO CATCH THE DOOR.

MY 2 YR OLD CAN PULL APART-NOT UNBUCKLE-PLASTIC `CHEST' BUCKLE

LEAK OF COOLANT IN HEAD GASKET CAUSED FLUID TO ENTER ENGINE BLOCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO BEARINGS AND VALVES

SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION GEARS STICKING/JAMMING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. THERE IS CURRENTLY A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS PROBLEM(94-24-7).

CRUISE CONTROL MALFUCTIONED, CAUSING THROTTLE TO STICK AND SUDDEN ACCLERATION. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE PLASTIC PIECE ON END OF SERVOCABLE OR CRUISE CABLE IN THE CRUISE CONTROL FRAYED, CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO GET STUCK. *AK *YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKS COOLANT, WHICH MAY CAUSE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND SEIZE. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. THE VAN IS BEING SERVICED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

BRAKES PROBLEMS

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

DRIVING IN FREEWAY VEHICLE STARTED TO CHUG. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE BEST I CAME REMEMBER. FINISHED DRIVING HOME THINKING I'LL GET A TUNEUP ON MONDAY. SUNDAY EVENING I DROVE TO REPAIR SHOP, (PERFECT TUNE) TO HAVE A TUNEUP DONE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THE SHOP CALLED AND TOLD MY HUSBAND A HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I WROTE TO FORDS TRYING TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE AND ALSO CALLED THEM. I WAS TOLD IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT CONSIDERED ANY HELP OR REIMBURSEMENT TO ME. AFTER THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE STILL SEEMED TO RUN ROUGH. I TOOK IT BACK TO PERFECT TUNE THINKING TI WAS THE ENGINE (SO DID THEY). THIS WENT ON FOR MONTHS HAVING THEM LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM AND TRYING TO FIX IT. FINALLY THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND SAID I BETTER TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER. I TOOK IT TO BRIGHTON FORD AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A BAD TRANSMISSION. WITHIN APPOXIMATELY 6 MONTHS I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION. RECENTLY MY SISTER SAW A NEWS REPORT ON WINDSTARS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKETS THUS CAUSING THE ENGINE TROUBLE. IS THERE ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. HOPE YOU CAN HELP. THANKYOU

ORIGINAL COMPLAINT - CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AFTER PARKING, CAR ENGINE REPLACED AT TRANSMISSION SHOP AT 51770 MILES, BONNELL MOTORS WAS NOT HELPFUL SO WE TOOK IT TO A REFERRED TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO SAID MFR'S REBUILT PART WAS KRAPPY AND THE PROBLEM WAS TORQUE CONVERTER BLEW WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE 2ND TIME. ENGINE WAS UNDER 12K MILES/ 1 YR WARRANTY HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN HAVING SAME PROBLEMS WITH JERKY STARTS AND ENGINE STRAINING TO MAKE UPHILL DRIVES BEFORE THE 1ST FAILURE, SO I AM ANTICIPATING A 3RD FAILURE WITH THIS ENGINE.

I HAVE JUST RECENTLY FOUND YOUR WEB SITE. THE SAFTY ISSUE THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THE SEATBELTS IN OUR WINDSTAR AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER MAKES AND MODELS. THE SEATBELTS IN MOST CARS WILL NOT LOCK INTO A NON-EXPANDING SETTING. I OWN A 1988 CHEVROLET PICKUP THAT ALLOWS ME TO LOCK THE BELT INTO A NON-EXPANDING POSITION. THIS IS SIMPLY DONE BY PULLING THE BELT ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND RELEASING IT TO THE DESIRED POSITION. IF THE EXPANDING MODE IS DESIRED SIMPLY DON'T PULL THE BELT ALL THE WAY OUT. EVERY AUTOMOBILE SHOULD BE EQIPPED WITH THIS STYLE OF BELT, IF SO, WHEN USEING CHILD SAFTY SEATS, THERE WOULD BE NOT NEED FOR SPECIAL CLIPS. ALSO THIS BELT IS VERY MUCH SAFER FOR CHILDREN JUST OUT OF CHILD OR BOOSTER SEATS. I CAN'T FIGURE WHY ALL AUTOS ARE NOT USING THIS T YPE OF BELT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

IN JUNE 1998, FORD MOTOR IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. WE WERE MAILED A LETTER FROM FORD THAT PROVIDED EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 12/98 OR 60,000 MILES. ON 1/30 @ 60,215 MILES, OUR VEHICHLE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. FORD WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY REIMBURSEMENT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WHAT CAN WE DO? *AK

IE98080, COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET WHICH MAY MIX WITH THE OIL AND SPRING INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSE A FIRE. *AK

TRIGGER WHEELS ARE CRACKED. THIS WOULD ACTIVATE THE ABS SYSTEM WHEN THEY ARE NOT NEEDED. *AK

AFTER BRINGING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP ON 11DEC98 FOR RECALL OF HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY TESTED WITH TOTAL HOURS BY TECH #128 WAS .6 . AT THIS TIME THE TRESSURE TEST OF GASKET WAS OK. NOT MUCH MORE THAN A MONTH LATER, THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO FIX THIS AT HIS EXPENSE OR PARTIAL EXPENSE. WE WERE INFORMED THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER RECEIVED FROM FORD COMPANY NO MATTER WHETHER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED THE COMPANY WOULD STILL HONOR THE RECALL. AT PRESENT TIME VEHICLE HAS BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION FOR REPAIR AFTER WE WERE ESTIMATED A COST OF 1200.00 TO 1500.00 FOR REPAIR BY DEALERSHIP. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE DEFECTIVE. HEAT STOPPED WORKING, STARTED OVERHEATING AND SHAKING, OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT STATED RECALL ENDED AND VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED. NO REMEDY FOR PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE VEHICLES ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WE CALLED FORD SERVICE, SAID NOT TO WORRY KEEP FLUIDS FILLED AND YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD A VOLUNTARY SERVICE RECALL FROM FORD FOR A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THE LETTER IS DATED 6/98, WE WERE NEVER TOLD OF THE PROBLEM AND WE HAD OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE IN BOTH 6 AND 8/98. UPON BRINGING OUR VEHICLE IN TO FILL OUT THE PAPER WORK THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US THAT IT WAS OK TO DRIVE, WE LEFT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPENING UNTIL 2/3/99, LATER THAT DAY THE TEMPARTURE GAUGE ROSE TO HOT, SO WE WENT BACK TO DEALER, THEY SAID LEAVE THE VEHICLE ON FRIDAY WE WERE TOLD THE ENGINE IS GONE..FORD WON'T COVER. IF FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM, WHY ISN'T IT KNOWN TO OWNERS? WE LIVE IN UPSTATE NY, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY ENGINE WOULD HAVE GONE OUT IN A SNOW STORM? WE CARRY CHILDREN IN THESE VANS, DOES SOMEONE NEED TO GET INJURED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? WHERE HAVE OUR ETHICS GONE IN THIS COUNTRY?? CHECK THE INTERNET MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE ..WWW.FOR

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC TESTED COOLANT SYSTEM, AND FOUND COOLANT WAS POURING INTO THE HEAD, AND HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME FOR COOLANT LEAKAGE/HEAD GASKET, IE-98-080 (PLEASE ADD VIN#.) *AK

I NOTICE WHITE SMOKE FROM MY EXHAUST PIPE PLUS THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING. I HAD CAR TOWED INTO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE OVERHEATING. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A BLOWN HEADGASKET. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT BUT HAS REFUSED TO CORRECT AND REIMBURSE THE NUMEROUS WINDSTAR OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT I MISSED THEIR OWNER'S NOTIFICATION PROGRAM BY ONE MONTH, HOWEVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE (PROGRAM END-DATE 31 DEC 98). I CALLED THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RECEIVED NO COMPENSATION OR RESOLUTION. PLEASE ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. ALL 95 FORD WINDSTARS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BLOW THEIR HEADGASKET DUE TO A DESIGN FAULT BUT FORD REFUSES TO ADMIT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE

THIS PROBLEM IS VERY WIDESPREAD FOR WINDSTARS. LOTS OF PEOPLE REPORTING SAME PROBLEM ON NEWS GROUPS ON THE WEB. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. NO MENTION OF DEFECT. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. CONTACTED DEALER AND FORD CORPORATION BOTH REFUSED TO ADMIT ANY PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. $1,800 OUT OF POCKET COST. 6 MONTHS LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. INITIALIALLY THAT COST $1,200 BUT WAS REIMBURSED FOR THE EXPENSE WHEN THE PART WAS RECALLED. I BELIEVE IN DOING RESEARCH THAT A PROBLEM ALSO EXISTS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS AND HOPE THAT ENOUGH PEOPLE WILL COMPLAIN TO INIATE A RECALL.

WE ARE SUBMITTING THIS NOTICE BECAUSE THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT PERFORMED THE WORK INDICATED THAT THEY HAD SEEN AN UNUSUAL OF RELATIVELY NEW WINDSTARS AND TAURUSES (SAME ENGINE) HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN WITH THE SAME ENGINE FAILURE.

WE PURCHASED OUR WINDSTAR FROM HERTZ SALES IN BOISE IDAHO IN MAY 1995 WITH ABOUT 15,000 MILES ON IT. WE TRANSFERRED THE REST OF THE NEW CAR WARRANTY TO OUR NAME. NEAR THE END OF NOVEMBER WE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD ABOUT HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. THE WORDING IN THE NOTICE, WHICH WAS NOT A NOTICE OF RECALL, LED US TO BELIEVE THAT ANY PROBLEM WE HAD WOULD NOT BE COVERED, AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD NOT HAD ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY 1999 THE HEATER QUIT WORKING. WE TOOK IT TO TWO LOCAL MECHANICS WHO ADDED COOLANT. WHEN THE HEATER STILL WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY ONE SAID THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. WE TOOK THE VAN TO MERIDIAN FORD IN MERIDIAN, IDAHO. THEY CHARGED US $2000 TO RDO THE HEADS. THEY DID NOT TELL US THAT REDOING THE HEADS MAY CAUSE THE MAIN ENGINE TO FAIL DUE TO DAMAGE FROM LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. ON APRIL 4, 1999 THE ENGINE FAILED AT 65 MPH FREEWAY SPEEDS. FORTUNATLEY WE WERE NEAR AN EXIT AND A TRUCKSTOP OR WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS DANGER ON THE FREEWAY. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO MERIDIAN FORD. AS OF TODAY, APRIL 10, THEY STILL HAVE THE VAN. THEY COULD NOT GET FORD TO PAY FOR ANY OF EITHER THE FIRST OR SECOND REPAIR. THEY WANT $2500 TO PUT IN A NEW SHORT BLOCK. WE HAVE FOUND OUT ON THE INTERNET THAT FORD HAS HELPED PAY FOR SOME REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH MILEAGE WAS ABOVE THAT INCLUDED IN THEIR NOTICE AND EVEN THOUGH SOME PROBLEMS OCCURRED AFTER THE DEC 31, 1998 DEADLINE FOR REMEDYING ANY PROBLEMS. WE TRIED TO CONTACT FORD OURSELVES THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHEREWISE AND WERE STONE WALLED AT EVERY STEP. THE PEOPLE WERE RUDE AND DEMEANING IN THEIR MANNER. WITH THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE 1995 WINDSTARS IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM FAULTY HEADGASKETS. FORD KNEW THEY WERE FAULTY. THEY SENT A SLICK WORDED NOTICE AT THE END OF THE YEAR DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND GAVE ONLY A VERY SHORT TIME TO ACT BEFORE THE YEAR END DEADLINE. WE WANT FORD TO MAKE IT RIGH

AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON OUR FORD WINDSTAR SUDDENLY CRACKED AS SHE WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY THIS MORNING. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT IT (WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS) AND WERE TOLD THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE AND THAT IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THE WHEEL IS DEFECTIVE PERHAPS FROM METAL FATIGUE, BUT IN ANY EVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED AND OWNERS OF THIS YEAR MODEL SHOULD BE NOTIFIED AND THE WHEELS CHECKED. I ALSO THINK THAT FORD OR THE DEALERSHIP HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS DEFECTIVE WHEEL.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5-10 MPH THE WHEEL ON THE LEFT FRONT CRACKED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE WHEEL HAS BEEN REPLACED BY OWNER AT HIS EXPENSE. *AK

THE ABS LIGHT STAY ON DUE TO PRESENCE OF UNNECESSARY WIRE IN THE SYSTEM. YH

REF SERVICE PROGRAM 98M01. HEAD GASKETS FAILED 3 WEEKS AFTER PROGRAM EXPIRED. FORD OFFERED NO FLEXIBILITY. $1500 REPAIRS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER RECALL PERIOD HAD EXPIRED. FORD RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET AT OWNER'S COST. AFTER HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, AND FORD DEALER DECIDED THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN MONTHS PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. FORD WILL NOT COVER ENGINE DAMAGE. *AK

THIS IS AN ONGOING DEFECT FOR FORD 1995 WINDSTARS. FORD HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 01/31/99, BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN THE SUMMARY. *AK

ON 1/18/99, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AFTER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. ENGINE HAD BEEN IDLING AND RUNNING ROUGH--"LURCHING" AS NOTED IN SERVICE INVOICE. VEHICLE HAD 59363 MILES. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AT NEAREST EQUIPPED SERVICE CENTER--MERIT INC, A GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER. THEY PERFORMED MOST OF A 60,000 MI SERVICE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION AND ENGINE OPERATION IMPROVED, BUT STILL RAN ROUGHER THAN NORMAL. WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO MERIT ON 1/20, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO OFFER FURTHER INSIGHTS ON PROBLEM. PROBLEM REMAINED UNCHANGED FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THEN GOT NOTICEABLY WORSE THE WEEKEND OF 2/20. ON 2/22 OR 23, WE CALLED CROSSROADS FORD IN RALEIGH, NC, DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AND RECENT HISTORY. THE FIRST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT THEY OFFERED WAS LATER THE FOLLOWING WEEK, SO AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE FOR 3/5. ON THE EVENING OF 2/26, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AT 61,054 MILES. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF BEFORE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEEDLE REACHED RED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CROSSROADS FORD THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. THEY ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO THE HEAD GASKET DEFECT NOTED IN SERVICE PROGRAM 98M01, AND ADVISED REPLACING THE ENGINE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF JUST OVER $3400. DEALER AND FORD REFUSED TO COVER UNDER THE WARRANTY DESCRIBED IN THE SERVICE PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITHIN THE 5-YR, 60,000 MI PERIOD COVERED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE, CAUSING LEAKAGE OF COOLANT FROM 3.8L ENGINE. *AK

THIS IS AN ON GOING DEFECT THAT FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF AND REFUSES TO FIX. IT HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING SINCE THE ENGINE WAS BUILT!