1996 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

SPEEDOMETER BEGAN FLUCUATING WILDLY AT ALL SPEEDS ALONG WITH A CLICKING NOISE. SINCE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE, LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA. DEALER STATES COST TO FIX IS $600. HUNDREDS OF OCCURENCES OF SAME PROBLEM.

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE 3.8 V6 ENGINE WAS LOSING COOLANTS AND RUNNING ROUGH WHILE DRIVING, DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED OF A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. NLM

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. ROUGH IDLE. TUNE-UP PERFORMED. OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS NOW OFF. TWO DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS BACK ON AND ROUGH IDLE RETURNS. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR AND PLUG WIRES. NEXT DAY, DRIVING CAR AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE FALLS ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO COLD SIDE. HEATER BLOWING OUT JUST A LITTLE WARM. PRESSURE TESTED ENGINE. LEAKAGE IN A CYLINDER. UPON TEARDIOWN, HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGINE.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT HEAD GASKET BLEW UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT ENGINE FAILED, CONSUMER BELIEVES ENGINE FAILURE IS BY FACTORY RELATED DEFECTS, ALSO THE TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED AT 65,454. *YD

NOTICED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON IN DECEMBER 2001. LOOKED IN MANUAL AND SAID NEEDED TO COMPLETE 3 COOLED COMPLETE CYCLES, BUT LIGHT DIDN'T GO OFF. STARTED LEAKING COOLANT AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD GO TO HOT. HEATER WOULD BLOW OUT COLD AIR. TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT HAD A CRACKED BLOCK AND THAT FORD HAS HAD THESE SAME PROBLEMS WITH PREVIOUS YEARS. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP OUT. AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING FORD COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY WILL BE WILLING TO HELP. PLEASE FOLLOW UP WITH ANY INFORMATION. AT THIS POINT MY FAMILY OF 5 IS DRIVING AROUND IN A SMALL PICK UP TRUCK BEAUSE I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VAN SINCE TOLD IT COULD STOP ON ME AT ANYTIME AND CAUSE EVEN MORE DAMAGE.*AK

MY HEAD GASKET FAILED AROUNF 70000 MILES! 94 AND 95 FORD WINDSTARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED DUE TO HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. THERE ARE MANY 1996 FAILURES AS WELL. WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET FORD TO ADDRESS THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 96 WINDSTAR?*AK

SPEEDOMETER: SHAKES BACK & FORTH ON HIGHWAY . IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW SPEED TRAVELLING( UNLESS EQUIPPED WITH GOOD STOPWATCH & EXCELLENT MATH SKILLS). HEAD GASKET- FAILED .MUST BE REPLACED. DOES NOT MEET ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY CRITERIA. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLES NEEDLE STARTED TO HUM. THEN NEXT, THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STARTED TO FLY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 40-110MPH. I DID SOME FURTHER RESEARCH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT ABOUT 20 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM WERE HAVING TO REPLACE THIS COMPONENT WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES USAGE BETWEEN REPLACEMENTS. UP TO TWO OR THREE WERE BEING REPLACED WITHIN THE VEHICLES. NOW IF THERE WERE 20 REPORTS ON ONE WEBSITE ABOUT THIS CONCERN THEN THERE ARE PROBABLY HUNDREDS MORE NOT BEING REPORTED. AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL DRIVERS ON THE ROADS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK

1996 FORD WINDSTAR 3.8L HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT #4 PISTON

ON 11-10-01 NOTICED COOL AIR COMING FROM HEATER. CHECKED COOLANT LEVEL AND ADDED WAY MORE THAN JUST TOPPING IT OFF. THE NEXT MORING THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED UP. LOCAL FORD DEALER QUOTED ME 3600.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE. THERE IS WATER IN THE OIL. *AK

THE LEFT FRONT EXCITOR RING OF THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED. DUE TO A CRACK IN THE RING, WHICH ALLOWED THE RING TO SLIDE INWARD ON THE AXLE DISENGAGING FROM THE SENSOR. MY WIFE CAME TO THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP. THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM PREVENTED THE BRAKES FROM ENGAGING PROPERLY. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO METRO FORD IN RAYNHAM, MASS. THEY SAID THE RING IS MADE RIGHT ON THE AXLE AND CAN NOT BE REPLACED BY ITSELF. AND REPLACED THE AXLE WITH RING. THAT INFO PROVED TO BE A LIE AS OTHER FORD DEALERS I LATER CALLED SAID THEY REPLACE JUST THE RING ALL THE TIME. I HAVE 25 YEARS OF PROF. MECHANIC EXPERIENCE AND I INSPECTED AND REMOVED THE AXLE TO SEE IF IT SHOWED ANY WEAR. *NLM *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*755180

THE SPEEDOMETER "BUZZES" AND SWINGS WIDELY AFTER ~ 30 MPH, INDICATING UP TO 100 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RETURNED, WHEN UNDER WARRANTY, TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND AND FIX A BUZZ IN THE DASHBOARD. THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY OCCURRED DURING COLD WEATHER, WHEN THE VEHICLE EXEEDED 30-40 MPH, AND CAME FROM THE VICINITY OF THE SPEEDOMETER. THE DELAER WAS GIVEN THESE SYMPTOMS, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE CAUSE. THE PROBLEM WAS MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT IT OCCURRED SPORADICALLY . THE BUZZ NEVER WAS ELIMINATED BY THE DEALER. THE BUZZ NOW AUDIBLE WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER SWINGS WIDELY IS A MORE PRONOUNCED VERSION OF THAT SAME BUZZ. THE DEALER AND FORD REFUSED TO PAY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I MAINTAIN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

VEHICLE HAS LEAKED 2 1/2 GALLONS OF COOLANT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON, ANDVEHICLE IS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING. HEAT IS WARM BECAUSE COOLANT KEEPS LEAKING OUT. MECHANIC SUGGESTED TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD BECAUSE LEAKAGE WAS RUINING THE ENGINE.*AK

CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING VEHICLE DEALER DETERMINED SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS CALLING DEALER IN REGARD TO RECALL #01I007000 FOR FRONT COIL SPRINGS ON PREVIOUS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED FOR REPAIRS, BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AIK

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM AS PREVIOUS YEAR MODELS CONCERNING ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THAT YEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THAT LATER MODEL YEARS SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *AK *YH

IN DEC. 1997 THE SPEEDOMETER IN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND QUIT WORKING. WARRANTY REPLACED PART AT NO CHARGE. IN JANUARY 2000, SPEEDOMETER STARTED VIBRATING AGAIN. TOLD IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH CABLE LUBRICATION. CONTACTED DEALER AND FORD AND THEY AGREED TO PAY A PERCENTAGE OF REPAIR COST. NOVEMBER 2001, SPEEDOMETER HAS STARTED TO VIBRATE AGAIN. CONTACTED FORD. THEY INDICATED THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER CAR OWNER (SAME MODEL/YEAR) WHO'S SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WERE TOLD THE SAME THING I WAS IN JANUARY. THEY HAVE ELECTED NOT TO REPAIR DUE TO THE HIGH COST. QUOTED BETWEEN $600-800 DOLLARS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM FOR ONE CAR THE HAVE 3 SPEEDOMETERS MALFUNCTION. HOW MANY OTHER OWNERS MAY HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS PROBLEM?PLEASE HELP! *AK

BLOWS HEADGASKET EVERY35000 MILES. *TR

HEAD GASKET FAILED. FORD PROVIDED NEW HEAD GASKETS AND SOMETIMES COMPLETE ENGINES FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 1995 WINDSTARS WITH 3.8L ENGINE, BUT DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 SAME MODEL ENGINE. SINCE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 1996 WINDSTAR 3.8L ON THIS WEBSITE, I FIND FORD'S DENIALS PRETTY HARD TO BELIEVE! THIS HAS CREATED A SERIOUS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY FOR THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. I AM REQUESTED THAT YOU PROCEED WITH AN INVESTIGATION, AND WILL BE CONTACTING MY SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE. *AK

THE SUB-FRAME BROKE WHERE THE STRUT ARM CONNECTS IN THE FRONT( IN AREA OF THE STRUT ARM BUSHINGS. AT FIRST THOUGHT THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM AT LOOSE HEAT SHIELD. STRUT ARM RATTLES EVERYTIME VAN IECOUNTERS ROUGH PAVEMENT. THE SPEEDOMETER JUST WENT HAYWIRE. NEEDLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE PLACE. HAVE FOUND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT BOTH OF THESE FAILURES ARE A SAFTEY ISSUE. FORD MOTOR DOESN'T.*AK

WHILE DRIVING MOTOR BLEW A HEAD GASKET WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER. CONTACTED DEALER, AND VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A MAIN STREET AND TURNED ON HEAT. VENTS WERE BLOWING OUT COLD AIR,AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS NOT LEAKING ANY FLUIDS. THERMOSTAT WAS ON HOT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

THEY HAVE RECALLED 94 AND 1995 VERSIONS OF THE SAME ENGINE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM UNDER VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. TECHNICIAN NOTICED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *YD

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENTIRE WHEEL/TIRE FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, IT IS UNKNOWN IF IT WAS THE TIRE OR WHEEL THAT FAILED, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 13-7497-974. *SLC

HAD JUST PULLED OUT ONTO THE STREET THEN HEARD A SNAP. CHECKED , AND NOTICED LEFT REAR WHEEL HAD KICKED OUT SIDEWAYS AND WAS HITTING THE MUD FLAP. REAR FRAME HOLDING REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN IN HALF. REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE STRAPPED UP BEFORE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

VEHICLE WAS STARTING TO MISS, AND GASKET WAS LEAKING WATER INTO OIL PAN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

BOUGHT CAR 3/01-IMMEDIATELY REPLACED CAT. CONVERTER. OVERDRIVE LT FLASHING-NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER, PLANETARY GEARS, SOLENOIDS; HAD TO REALIGN;SPEEDOMETER OFF BY AT LEAST 10 MPH; NEED NEW RACK & PINION-POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING; NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND ALSO BEEN WITHOUT CAR FOR OVER A MONTH -ONLY HAD IT 7 MONTHS!

ODOMETER GIVES AN INACURATE READING PAST 30MPH. CONSUMER IS ABLE TO KEEP A DESIGNATED SPEED. FORD WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECK, DEALER FOUND HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND THE PISTONS BROKE. DEALER REPLACED HEAD GASKET AND CYLINDER HEAD, ALSO CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN HOT AND THEN COOL BACK DOWN DUE TO THE BLOWN HAD GASKET. *TT

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. WE PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND HAD TO STEP OVER THE FLAMES COMMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. WITHIN 1 MINUTE, THE VAN WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AT WHICH POINT THE GAS TANK EXPLODED. THE VAN IS COMPLETELY BURNT DOWN TO NOTHING BUT A FRAME. FORD REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AND IS INACCURATE, ESPECIALLY ABOVE 45MPH. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS REPORT THE SAME THING!*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL THEN CAME OFF, CLAIM 46-0491-262. *SLC

WHEN STOPPED AT STOP SIGN, VAN HESITATED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR FOR ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS AND THEN JERKED INTO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES..TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG, JUST THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAD TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED...$1800 THAT I DIDN'T HAVE. 1 YR LATER NOW HAVING MORE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION, WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS VAN SEEMS TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL UNTIL IT'S STRAIGHTENED OUT. WHEN PROCEEDING FROM A STOP AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT'S SPINNING THE TIRES, BUT THE POWER ISN'T GETTING THE TIRES, AFTER LETTING OFF THE GAS IT MOVES, BUT THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS, ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC..WILL BE TAKING THE VAN TO GET FIXED....AGAIN. NO MORE FORDS FOR ME!!!!*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT. *AK

VEHICLE IS LOSING COOLANT AND RUNNING ROUGH WHEN FIRST STARTED. A QUART IS ADDED EVERY 800 MILES TO VEHICLE. NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATE ON DASHBOARD. COOLANT SMELL IS COMING THROUGH EXHAUST. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE LIGHT ON. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE. FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET RELATING TO DEFECT IN 1995-1997 WINDSTARS WITH HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. FORD DEALERSHIP CLAIMS DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PROBLEM. CONTACTING FORD, BUT GETTING RUN AROUND AND TENDS NOT TO SPEAK TO ME SINCE MILEAGE IS OVER 100,000. OBVIOUS PROBLEM, AS EVIDENCE BY THE ABILITY TO EASILY FIND OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUE. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT $4,000 OR GASKET REPLACE AT $1,200. ANOTHER ISSUE IS ABS LIGHT ON. SEEMS TO BE ANOTHER ISSUE WHERE KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORDS, BUT FORD NOT ABLE TO FIX. DT

SINCE DATE OF ORIGINAL DELIVERY THIS CAR HAS INTERMITTENTLY DEACTIVATED THE TRACTION CONTROL COMPONENT FO THE 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKE OPTION. THIS ENHANCED SAFETY FEATURE WAS PURCHASED AS I BELEIVED IT MADE THE VEHICLE SOMEWHAT SAFER IN AVOIDING PROBLEMS IN POOR TRACTION SITUATIONS. HOWEVER ABOUT ONCE EVERY 700 MILES, INCLUDING DAY OF DELIVERRY WITH ONLY 25 MILES ON THE CLOCK THE TRAC OFF LIGHT STARTS TO FLASH INDICATING THAT I NO LONGER HAVE THE SAFETY ADVANTAGE OF TRACTION CONTROL. I EITHER PULL OFF ROAD AND TURN CAR OFF/ON WHICH RESETS THE TRACTION CONTROL OR CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THIS WHILE ALSO SUFFERING THE DISRUPTION OF SEEING A FLASHING ALARM. NEITHER OF THESE ARE SAFE SITUATIONS. A NYS LEMON LAW SUITE WAS INITIATED ABOUT THIS SITUATION 2 YEARS AGO. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT OVER A DOZEN TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. OFTEN THEY CLAIM THEY NEED TO GET THE ERROR CODE & AN NOT REMEDY WITHOUT IT. WHILE WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES THE DEALER HAS HAD ONLY 2 ATTEMPTS WITH THE LIGHT ON. THEY BLEW ONE AND IN 8/31 THEY DID SUCCEED TO GET A CODE BUT HAVE YET TO CORRECT. ARE THERE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS SAFETY FEATURE ERRONEOUSLY DISARMING ITSELF?*AK

ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING, ENGINE CHECK' LIGHT CAME. NOTICED OIL MIXED WITH COOLANT IN RESERVOIR. DEALER CONFIRMED HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

OIL CONTAMINATION. FOUND OIL IN THE COOLNAT. DEALER INSPECTION CONCLUDES THAT THIS IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. AN EXACT PROBLEM CAUSED A MAJOR RECALL FOR THE SAME ENGINE FOR THE YEARS 94-95. NO RECALL YET FOR YEAR 1996. GROWING AMOUNT OF REPORTS SHOW THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON THE 1996 MODEL THAT CARRIES THE SAME ENGINE. DEALER RECOMMENDS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK AT A COST OF $4000. I AM EXPECTING FORD TO PICK UP THESE CHARGES DUE TO THE REASONS STATED ABOVE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30MPH ON SIDE STREET AND HEARD A NOISE. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO RIGHT, SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC STATED THAT LEFT REAR BACKING PLATE AND BRAKE SHOE ANCHOR RIVETS SHEARED OFF. *AK

FAILURE OF THE SPEEDOMETER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPS ERRATICALLY WHILE DRIVING FASTER THAN 30MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL EVENTUALLY PEG AT 120MPH, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE DRIVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS. ACCORDING TO MY REPAIR SHOP, THE SPEED SENSOR BROKE, BUT FORD REQUIRES A VERY COSTLY REPAIR THAT INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE WHOLE SPEEDOMETER HEAD AND SPEED SENSOR. *AK

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:20PM ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 2001, I WAS TRAVELING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, 75MPH, SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 70, NEAR RICHFIELD, UT, WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DELAMINATED. I MANAGED TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND GOT IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE'S TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE, HAVING DEFORMED, BLACKENED AND TAKEN PAINT OFF THE LEFT FRONT FENDER, DETACHED THE LEFT PORTION OF THE BUMPER FROM THE FENDER, DESTROYING AND CASTING AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THE INNER FENDER SKIRT, BADLY DENTING THE REAR PORTION OF THE WHEEL WELL/FENDER, AND SHREDDING THE MUD GUARD THERE TO THE EXTENT THAT MOST OF IT HAD TO BE CUT OFF LATER. THE TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR THOUGH SO I WAS ABLE TO CREEP ALONG THE SHOULDER THE APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE TO THE FIRST RICHFIELD EXIT. I PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF A LARGE GAS STATION JUST OFF THE INTERSTATE AND GOT THE BY-NOW-DEFLATED-DE-LAMINATED TIRE OFF THE VEHICLE, AND THE "SPARE" TIRE ON IN ITS PLACE. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO RICHFIELD WHERE I FOUND A TIRE DEALER WHO WAS WILLING TO SELL, MOUNT, BALANCE AND INSTALL TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR ME, CHARGING ME A $55 "AFTER HOURS" FEE IN ADDITION TO THE PRICE OF THE TWO TIRES. THE FORD DEALER IN RICHFIELD, THE FOLLOWING MORNING, GAVE ME LITTLE HOPE THAT MICHELIN WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT, AND THERE WAS NO MICHELIN DEALER IN RICHFIELD THAT I COULD CONTACT. SINCE RETURNING HOME LAST FRIDAY, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GET ESTIMATES FOR REPAIRS, BUT, KNOWING WHAT SIMILAR REPAIRS HAVE COST FRIENDS, MY OWN ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN $300 AND $500 FOR THE ACTUAL REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE, PLUS THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES/AFTER HOURS CHARGE ($189.96). I FEEL THAT I WAS EXCEEDINGLY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE DE-LAMINATION; TO HAVE HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL; AND TO HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AROUND ME WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING A SAFE MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.*AK

THE CAR HAS BEEN RIDING ROUGH AND WHEN YOU WENT OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR THE SURFACE WAS NOT EVEN, THE ENGINE FELT LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. I HAD THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS CHECKED AND THEY WERE FINE. I DID RECEIVE AN EXTENDED COVERAGE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE MAIL ON 8/2001 (PROGRAM #01M03) FOR THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND ASSUMED THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE SPRINGS WERE FINE BUT, THEY HAD TO "WELD BOTH OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARE BRACKETS BACK ON TO THE CAR". THEY DID NOT GO INTO ANY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED BUT I GOT THE FEELING FROM THEIR TONE OF VOICE AND BODY LANGUAGE THAT THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. VEHICLE JOLTED ABOUT 3 TIMES, AND THEN COASTED TO A STOP. VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL,AND WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER GEAR.*AK FORD CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVES ARE DEFENSIVE WHEN CONSUMER TALKS TO THEM REGARDING THE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP IN ANY MATTER. *SLC

THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THEN DIED. IT WAS DETERMINED THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF FORD'S FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 TO 55 MPH VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED FUEL FILTER. CURRENTLY, A YELLOW WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND HE REPLACED HEAD GASKET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK