1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

OUR 1995 FORD WINDSTAR WITH ONLY 57,000 MILES ON IT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE WE WERE ON A FAMILY VACATION HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HOME. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF A FAULTY HEAD GASKET THAT CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. WE HAD NO WARNING OR OVERHEATING BEFORE THE ENGINE FAILED. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED SOME COOLANT LEAKAGE AND HAD THE TIMING COVER GASKET FAIL ALSO. OUR VAN WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY THE 100,000 MILE OR 7 YEAR FORD SERVICE PROGRAM BY SEVERAL MONTHS EVEN THOUGH WE HAD SO FEW MILES ON IT. SINCE THEN WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS DEFECTIVE GASKET AND RELATED ENGINE FAILURES ARE OCCURING ON NEARLY ALL 1995 WINDSTARS. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR FAULTY ENGINES FOR 100,000 MILES WITH NO TIME LIMIT SINCE A PROPERLY MANUFACTURED ENGINE SHOULD LAST AT LEAST THAT LONG WITHOUT A HEAD GASKET FAILURE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, WHITE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE TRAIL PIPE AND THEN THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *JB PH *JB

THE HEAD GASKET ON MY 1995 WINDSTAR FAILED AFTER JUST 70,000 MILES; FORD HAS REFUSED TO HELP ME SINCE IT FAILED IN DECEMBER 2002 AND I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 8 YEARS. SINCE COOLANT HAS LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE, THE FORD MECHANIC HAS RECOMMENDED A NEW ENGINE WHICH COSTS $4600. *NLM

THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND WAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINES SINCE FORD USED THEM IN THEIR VEHICLES. DEALER WOULD NOT FIX DUE TO THE EXPIRED WARRANTY. *MR *SCC *JB

BRAKE LIGHT COME ON FREQUENTLY. DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON OCCASIONALLY CAUSING INTERIOR LIGHTS TO REMAIN ON EVEN WHEN ALL DOORS ARE SHUT. DASH LIGHT QUIT WORKING. TOOK TO CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE ASHTRAY LIGHT, DISCONNECTED ASHTRAY LIGHT AND DASH LIGHTS STARTED WORKING AGAIN. ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON. TOOK TO CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WAS TOLD THAT VACUUM HOSE WAS OFF THE EGR VALVE. MECHANIC PUT VACUUM HOSE BACK ON. PROBLEM RECURRED 3 DAYS LATER BUT THIS TIME NOT VACUUM HOSE. BELIEVE THE PROBLEM TO BE EGR VALVE ITSELF. ENGINE SURGES/MISSES CONSTANTLY. DID A TUNE UP, REPLACING PLUGS WIRES, ETC.. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS ESPECIALLY AFTER VEHICLE IS RUN FOR A WHILE. OFTEN SHIFTS HARD DURING ACCELERATION. HAVE DONE TRANSMISSION SERVICE, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DO NOT TAKE OFF HARD FROM STOPS. *JB

1995 FORD WINDSTAR SUDDENLY BEGAN DUMPING UNBURNED GASOLINE OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE AND GETTING 7 MPG WHERE NORMAL MPG IS 19. AUTO SHOP REQUESTED I SIGN DOCUMENTATION AFTER DIAGNOSTIC THAT THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES INCURRED. *NLM

THE BRAKE LINE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHICH REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE ON 5/8/2003. *TT

THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A HISSING NOISE AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO HIGH. THE CONSUMER FELT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE MOTOR. *NLM

I TOOK MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR TO THE DEALER, AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED TO OVER HEAT. I WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET IS DAMAGED AND WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT A COST OF $5600. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE!!! THE CAR HAS ONLY 80,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

THE VEHICLES HEAD GASKET BLEW AND CAUSED $2000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *NLM