1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT HAD BEEN RECALLED - I NEVER GOT A NOTICE AND AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. ESTIMATE OF $1800 TO REPLACE. READING OTHER POSTS, T APPEARS THIS IS NOT A DEFINITE PERMANENT SOLUTION. MY VAN ONLY HAS 97,000 MILES ON IT.*AK

CAR ENGINE WAS SKIPPING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT MID SPEEDS, AUTO SHOP SAID IT WAS EITHER THE TORQUE CONVERTER STARTING TO GO BAD OR THE TRANSMISSION HAD A SHORT IN THE OVERDRIVE SWITCH. NEXT NIGHT AFTER DRIVING APPROX 30 MILES, PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY, 20 MINUTES LATER, WHOLE FRONT END OF CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. CAR WAS TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. *JB

MY HUSBAND, MY SON, AND MYSELF WERE ON OUR WAY HOME LAST TUESDAY EVENING AND THE AIRBAGS ON OUR 1995 FORD WINDSTAR DEPLOYED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THIS WAS A VERY FREIGHTING AND STRESSFUL SITUATION. WE HAD JUST TURNED OFF ONE ROAD ONTO THE NEXT MAKING OUR WAY HOME WHEN THE AIRBAGS BURST OUT AND CAUSED SEVERAL INJURIES TO MY HUSBAND AND ME. MY HUSBAND HAS POWDER RESIDUE BURNS ON HIS FACE, HIS ARMS ARE CUT FROM THE WRIST UP. HE RECENTLY SUFFERED A STROKE AND THIS HAS CAUSED A LOT OF MENTAL STRESS AS WELL AS PAIN. X-RAYS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS HAND IS NOT BROKEN. I HAD HEART SURGERY IN AUGUST AND DID NOT NEED THIS KIND OF SCARE. I HEAR AN ECHO IN MY RIGHT EAR NOW FROM THE LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE AIRBAGS. I AM AFRAID TO RIDE IN ANY VEHICLE WITH FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAGS. I CALLED 9-1-1 TO FIND OUT IF AN OFFICER NEEDED TO COME AND INVESTIGATE AND TROOPER WILLIAMS TOLD ME THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HE COULD NOT DO ANY TYPE OF REPORT. WE HAVE MANY WITNESSES THAT SAW OUR VAN AND THE EXTREME DAMAGE THAT IT DID TO THE HOOD RESULTING IN THE SIGNAL LIGHT FLYING OFF THE VAN WHICH WE STILL HAVE NOT FOUND AND THE HEADLIGHTS BARELY HANGING ON. THE HOOD IS BOWED UP FROM THE UNDER SIDE. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND ALSO TOOK THE VAN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT INSPECTED TO FIND OUT WHY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN NO ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY ARE JUST AS PUZZLED. I NEED AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED LIKE THEY DID WHILE WE WERE DEPLOYING OUT OF THE BLUE. THE WINDSTAR IS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND I FEEL LIKE FORD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. IF MY HUSBAND WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIS HANDS OF THE STEERING WHEEL, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE DEAD NOW. *JB

ENGINE HAS BEEN SPUTTERING, FLASHING OVERDRIVE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. REAR PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS WON'T OPEN, RADIO CONSOLE STARTED TO GET REAL HOT AND THEN WENT OUT. ENGINE CONTINUES TO SPUTTER AS THOUGH ITS SKIPPING A GEAR, AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT CONSTANTLY BLINKING.*AK

GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK WHILE REFILLING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WERE TWO CRACKS ON THE TANK, ONE ON TOP, AND ANOTHER IN FRONT OF THE TANK. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

1995 WINDSTAR WITH 3.8V6. HEAD GASKET LEAK. HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND CAME ACROSS SCORES OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE SEEN THAT MANY OF THESE ISSUE WERE REOLVED AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS SO AND HOW DO I PRESENT THIS TO THE FORD REPAIR PEOPLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION SINCERELY, JAMES HAUGH. *AK

ENGINE OVERHEATED ONCE. MECHANIC SAID COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM TIMING CHAIN COVER. WHILE SAVING FOR REPAIR, HAVE KEPT COOLANT ADDED AND ENGINE HAS NOT OVERHEATED AGAIN, BUT NOW ENGINE SURGES WHILE IDLING, MISSES SOMETIMES, AND HAS LOW COMPRESSION IN THREE CYLINDERS. MECHANIC SAID ALL DUE TO COOLANT LEAK, AND ENGINE UNSAFE, MAY BLOW AT ANY TIME. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A FORD INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON PROBLEM. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. ONLY HAVE 69000 MILES ON VEHICLE, BUT FORD TOLD DEALER THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST IN REPAIR. PLEASE GIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT PROBLEM TO HELP ME WHEN I CALL FORD MYSELF. THANK YOU!*AK

WHILE BRAKING VEHICLE PULSATED AND THERE WOULD BE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE PARKED FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE. AS A RESULT, THE TIRE EXPLODED. *AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 02S36 CONCERNING BRAKE LINE CORROSION. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED UNDER THE RECALL SIX MONTHS EARLIER, AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD SHAPE. *AK THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH COMPLETELY ABOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *SC *JB