1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WHILE DRIVING OVER 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. THE NUMBERS FLUCTUATED UP AND DOWN AT HIGH SPEEDS. ONCE THE VEHICLE GOT BELOW 55 MPH THE SYSTEM WENT BACK TO NORMAL. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 17,000 MILES. THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO THE CONSUMER BY THE DEALER. *AK

MY 3.8L, 1996 FORD WINDSTAR GL AT ALMOST 100K STARTED LEAKING COOLANT THROUGH A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME SAFELY DESPITE ALMOST COMPLETELY OVERHEATING. I AM NOW WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR ME AND MY FOUR SMALL CHILDREN, WALKING A TOTAL OF 2 MILES A DAY TO GET MY 7 YR OLD DAUGHTER TO/ FROM SCHOOL WITH A 5, 3 AND 1YR OLD. MY HUSBAND'S JOB IS OUR ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME SO THIS WILL BE A *HUGE* FINANCIAL BURDEN GETTING THIS FIXED (NOT TO MENTION THE NEW PROBLEM OVER THE MALFUNCTIONING 'DOOR OPEN' INDICATOR). I HAVE FOUND WINDSTAR HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS ARE VERY COMMON AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS. THE ISSUE IS ACKNOWLEDGED BY FORD AS THEY EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE 1995 WINDSTARS. WHY CAN'T THEY OWN UP TO A DEFECTIVE ENGINE AND EXTEND THIS TO THE 1996 WINDSTARS AS WELL?! THIS BLATANT DISREGARD BY FORD WILL GET SOMEONE HURT OR WORSE (GOD FORBID) KILLED. FORD NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS!!*AK

1996 FORD WINDSTAR VIN [XXX] MFTD. 08/95 FORD MOTOR CO OF CANADA. HEAD GASKET FAILURE ALLOWING COOLANT AND ENGINE OIL TO MIX, WITH MAIN RESULT BEING LOST OF COOLANT. I HAVE TO KEEP FILLING COOLANT RESOVOIR. *JB *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HOOD SEPARATED FROM THE HINGES AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE HOOD WAS REPLACED. *AK

1996, WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS BROKEN WHEEL STUDS ON THE LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEELS. TWO STUDS BROKE ON RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ON FEBRUARY 15, 2004. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HOOD SEPARATED FROM THE OUTER PANEL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO CONSUMER'S HOME. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY RECALL. *AK

INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN. DOORBELL & INT. LIGHTS STAY ON UNTIL 20 MPH.

MY 1996 WINDSTAR HAD HEAD GASKETS REPAIRED LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO. AT THE TIME, THE GARAGE DOING THE WORK INDICATED THE ENGINE HAD A DESIGN PROBLEM, AND THE GASKETS WOULD PROBABLY, OVER TIME, FAIL AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED, AS RADIATOR FLUID HAS BEGUN LEAKING ONCE AGAIN INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THIS IS A PROBLEM FORD KNOWS EXISTS WITH THE 1996 WINDSTAR, AS IT DID WITH THE 89-95 MODELS, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *AK

I'VE HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SINCE 9/98 (6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE)-APPROX 40000 MILES. I'VE SPENT OVER $2000 OVER 5 TRIPS TO THE SHOP- LAST ONE 11/27/03- TRYING TO HAVE THIS FIXED. I JUST HAD MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOR ADDT'L $1600 (JAN 2004) AND NOW I HAVE THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I AM DESPARATE FOR SOME ASSISTANCE AS I HAVE NO OTHER TRANSPORTATION AND HAVE INVESTED WAY TOO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS VAN TO REPLACE IT WITH MORE CAR PAYMENTS.