1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

FUEL WAS LEAKING INTO THE CONVERTER. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE IT. *AK

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. *NM

HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN 3.8 I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IF THE ENGINES WERE HAVING PROBLEMS. HE TOLD ME NO. I TOOK HIM ON HIS WORD AND NOW I HAVE A CAR THAT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE A 1994 T-BIRD THAT HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH. I WISH THEY WOULD STAND BEHIND THIS ENGINE AS WELL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED.

THE CONSUMER STATED GAS LEAKED FROM ONE OF THE STRAPS WHICH SUPPORTED THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB

I MAINTAINED MY WINDSTAR PROPERLY. IT BEGAN TO LEAK COOLANT AND ENGINE LIGHT. FORD DEALERSHIP STATED IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKET CAUSING LEAK OF COOLANT. FORD CANADA AGREED TO COVER SOME OF THE COST BUT NOT ALL OF IT. SAID IF I DECLINED THEIR OFFER THEY WOULD WITHDRAW ALL OFFERS. SO I TOOK IT. I COULDN'T AFFORD THE BILL AS IT WAS. I HAVE SINCE SEEN A SMALL CLAIMS COURT IN QUEBEC FOUND THAT FORD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS RELATED TO THE HEAD GASKET. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CANADA CUSTOMER COMPLAINT CENTER. AND TOLD THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES. AND THAT ALTHOUGH THEY LOST THE COMPLAINT IN QUEBEC IN ALL OTHER CANADIAN PROVIENCES THEY HAVE ONE. EVEN A CLASS ACTION SUIT. WHY WOULD THEY PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIR IF THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE??? I FEEL THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL COST OF THE ENGINE REPAIR.

THE 1996 FORD WINDSTAR CONTINUES TO HAVE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS AS IN 1994 AND 1995 MODELS. THIS LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE AT 78,000 MILES! THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE PER MILLER FORD WAS 4,778.00. WE PAID 19,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE AND REFUSE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE! THE NASA HAS STATED THE HEAD GASKET SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 120,000 MILES OR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD THIS FORD WINDSTAR WITH A BLOWN ENGINE DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE SINCE LAST DECEMBER, BUT CONTINUE TO MAKE MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON THIS DEAD FORD WINDSTAR. WE PAY TAXES, INSURANCE, AND MONTLY PAYMENTS TO FORD CREDIT FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS OR SO. WE JUST DISCONTINUED REGISTRATION FEES AS THE DMV TOLD US WE COULD DO THIS. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM AND IS NOT STANDING UP TO IT'S COMMITTMENT OF QUALITY CARE TO IT'S CUSTOMERS. I URGE ANYONE WHO IS CONSIDERING BUYING A FORD TO DO THEIR RESEARCH. FORD IS A COMPANY THAT DOES NOT STAND BEHIND IT'S PROMISES. WE WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD ALTHOUGH OUR FAMILY HAS NEVER OWNED ANYTHING BUT UNTIL NOW. FORD WAKE UP!

TIMING COVER GASKET FAILURE ALLOWED COOLANT TO MIX WITH ENGINE OIL. GASKET REPLACED BUT ENGINE DAMAGE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE. SPEEDOMETER WAVERS BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MPH AT 30 MPH, HEADLIGHT LENSES HAVE YELLOWED TO THE POINT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE USELESS. MOST FORD VEHICLES FROM 1990 TO 2000 HAVE THE YELLOWING HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AS A SAFETY PROBLEM.

PROBLEM: POWER SEAT WIRING SHORT CIRCUIT FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAIN FUSE AND RELAY PANEL, 60 AMP FUSE REPEATEDLY BLOWS. PROBLEM WAS FIRST INTERMITTENT, THEN AFTER SECOND FUSE CHANGE CHANGE, SHORT CIRCUIT BECAME CONTINUOUS. WIRING IS SHORTED OUT BETWEEN THE MAIN FUSE PANEL AND THE POWER SEAT CONNECTOR. POWER SEAT ITSELF HAS NO ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. MODEL HAS A NHTSA RECALL HISTORY: 1995: WIRING-HARNESS INSULATION CAN ABRADE ON A BRACE BETWEEN INSTRUMENT PANEL AND COWL, RESULTING IN SHORT-CIRCUIT AND POSSIBLE FIRE.

OTHER IS THE HEAD GASKET WENT AND LEAKED OIL IN MY ENGINE CAUSING IT TO BE REPLACED. FORD DENIED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND I BELIEVED THEM UNTIL I READ YOUR WEB SITE ARTICLE ON THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH 1995 WINDSTARS. I CALLED FORD THIS MORNING AGAIN AND READ THE ARTICLE AND THEY STILL WILL NOT STEP UP TO THE PLATE ON THIS. NOTHING ELSE HAS GONE WRONG WITH MY CAR.

ENGINE: HEAD GASKET FAILURE @ 62,218 MILES. NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH CYLINDER GASKET HEADS AND RESURFACE SAME. POWER DOOR: FAILURE OF POWER DOOR LOCK ON PASSENGER SIDE. TRANSMISSION: WAS REPLACED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. OTHER: IGNITION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. HAVE BEEN ADVISED ENGINE HAS A SLUDGE CONDITION DESPITE REGULAR OIL CHANGES PER FORD GUIDELINES.