1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

OUR 1996 FORD WINDSTAR GL, WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW, HAS 118000. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A BROKEN (BOUNCING) SPEEDOMETER, DOME LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, AND MORE RECENTLY, LEAKING COOLANT WHICH IS LINKED TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS. THE COST HAS BEEN ASTRONOMICAL. ACCORDING TO MANY OTHER CONSUMERS, ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMMON WITH THE 96 MODEL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHETHER FORD INTENDS TO MAKE ANY RECALLS REGARDING THESE ISSUES. *AK

SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE SPEED DIAL. PROBLEM CAME ALL OF A SUDDEN. HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO OVER 30 MPH OR SO. THIS HAS BEEN LISTED MANY OTHER NTHSA HOTLINE STATEMENTS ON SAME VEHICLE. WILL ANYTHING BE DONE BY FORD??*AK

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 1996 WINDSTAR. GREAT VEHICLE, WE NOW HAVE 140000 MILES. COMPLAINT: FORD CAMPAIGN #01I007000 (FRONT COIL SPRINGS) MY REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT WAS DENIED VIA LLOYD-MANWELL FORD DEALERSHIP. THE SPRING BROKE ON THE HIGHWAY, LUCKY I (OR FAMILY) NOT INJURED. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIR TO 3RD PARTY. FORD HAS THE FILE DETAILS. INCREDIBLE THAT FORD WOULD DENY A $200 CLAIM ON A TECHNICALITY AND THUS RISK A LIFETIME CUSTOMER. I WILL APPEAL ALL THE WAY TO BILL FORD IF NECESSARY.*AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN. CONSUMER SMELLED RUBBER BURNING ,THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES WERE COMPLETELY BURNED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED WENT TO THE FLOOR AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE VAN. THIS OCCURRED WHILE IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY A MECHANIC, THEY NOTICED A PIN HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE. THERE'S A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE LINE 02V10100, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP DID INSPECT THE VAN'S BRAKE LINE AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL LETTER, BUT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AT THAT TIME SO THE PART WASN'T REPLACED. *PH

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE FRONT COVER GASKET FAILED IN LINE WITH RECALL 99B29. FORD DOES NOT INCLUDE MY WINDSTAR MODEL, BUILT IN 03/96 IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 99B29, INDICATING THAT THE ORIGINAL RECALL HAS BEEN INADEQUATE." *AK

I HAVE SEVERAL SERVICE ISSUES THAT FALL UNDER THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FOR MY 1996 WINDSTAR. MOST RECENTLY I TOOK THE VAN TO MIKE SHAD FORD IN JACKSONVILLE, FL BECAUSE THEY HAD REPLACED THE PLUGS AND WIRES EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO SPUTTER AND AFTER DIAGNOSIS, I AM TOLD THAT IT NEEDS THE FOLLOWING: 02 SENSORS - PCV TUBE- EGR PORTS INTAKE GASKETS. SINCE THE REASON I TOOK IT TO FORD IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS BECAUSE OF THE SPUTTERING AND MY SERVICE ADVISOR TOM SUMMERS WHEN I TOLD HIM I WANTED A TUNE-UP ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED DONE AS IF I WAS THE MECHANIC AND KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG NEVER BOTHERED TO HAVE THE VAN CHECKED OUT. AS THE ADVISOR, I WOULD EXPECT HIM TO INFORM ME AS TO THE PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT THEY JUST DO WHAT THE CUSTOMER ASKS OF THEM. I ASKED THAT THE PLUGS AND WIRES BE CHANGED AS THAT IS ALL I KNEW TO TELL HIM. THERE IS THE INCIDENCE OF MY LOCKS GOING HAYWIRE AND REAR WINDOWS BEING STUCK ALSO THE SPEEDOMETER HAD TO BE REPLACED AS IT STUCK. ALL OF THESE ARE ON THEIR VARIOUS TSB. SHOULD THEY NOT HAVE REPAIRED THEM AT NO CHARGE TO ME? WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF A TSB AS OPPOSED TO A RECALL? THIS VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED IT. ALL OF THE INCIDENCES LISTED HERE DID NOT OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE LISTED THEM NEVER-THE-LESS. THE INCIDENT DATE IS FOR INTAKE GASKET. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE, I APPRECIATE YOUR EARLIEST RESPONSE. *LA

AT 60000 MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 1. MECHANIC PULLED PLUG AND FOUND COOLANT IN CYLINDER DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.*AK

1996 FORD WINDSTAR AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. INTERMITTENTLY WILL LOCK IN 1ST OR 2ND GEAR SHIFTING UP. ALSO TRANSMISSION, INTERMITTENTLY WILL DOWN SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR WHILE CRUSING AT 60-70 MPH. THIS SOMETIMES LASTS HOURS AND THEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON DESIDES TO SHIFT ABSOLUTLY FINE. I HAVE CHANGED THE FLUID, FILTER AND GASKET. INTERNALLY LOOKS VERY CLEAN MINUSCULE AMOUNTS OF FILINGS AND NO APPARENT CONTAMINATION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT COMPUTER MODULES AND OR SENSERS ARE INVOLVED. I HAVE HEARD OF THE,TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) AND THE-----(PCM)?...WHAT ARE THIS ? WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE? ARE THERE OTHERS?WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED?WHAT DO THEY COST? I CANNOT BELEIVE THE TRANSMISSIONS NEEDS A $2000 REBUILD WHEN IT PERFORMS PERFECTLY MOST OF THE TIME. LOGIC CONVINCES ME IT MAY VERY WELL BE AS SIMPLE AS PLUG AND PLAY. YET NO TRANSMISSION SHOPS WANT TO HEAR OF IT, THEY WANT TO REBUILD. MY COMPLAINT IS NOT WITH THE EQUIPTMENT BUT WITH THE EXPERTS , ESPECIALLY THE DEALERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CUSTOMERS. CASE IN POINT, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT ON THE WINDSTAR DEALER PRICED THE REPAIR NO LESS THAN $1450.00 AND NOT TO BE SURPRISED AT FINAL COST UPWARDS OF $2200.00. I HAD IT TOWED 70 MILES TO MY LOCAL MECHINIC AND THE COSTS INCLUDING THE TOW JOB WAS $237.00. I WISH HE WAS A TRANSMISSION MECH. BUT HE IS NOT.YOU HAVE MY E-MAIL ADDRESS I ASSUME YOU WANTED THAT TO HELP ME. ANSWER MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMPUTER MODULE ETC..AND PLEASE DO NOT GIVE MY ADDRESS TO ANY OTHER SITES FOR THAT MATTER TO ANYONE AT ALL. DO THIS, YOU WILL EARN MY TRUST, I WILL BE GREATFUL, YOU JUST NEED TO ASK.*AK