1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INVESTIGATE A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM ON FORD WINDSTARS AND ESCORTS. *PH *NLM *CB *JB

1996 FORD WINDSTAR - FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET RESULTING IN IRREPARABLE ENGINE DAMAGE. COST OF HEAD GASKET REPAIR, ~$1,500. COST OF ENGINE REPLACEMENT ~$4,000. WAS INFORMED BY FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH WINDSTARS FROM THE YEARS '94 THROUGH '97 AND THAT FORD HAD A "SILENT RECALL" FOR UP TO 100K MILES WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED HEAD GASKET. *NLM

44,000 MILES AND BLOWN HEAD GASKET, $1500 REPAIR QUOTE. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS BEFORE FORD PROVIDES REMEDY FOR 96 WINDSTARS? I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN AND I AM TELLING EVERYONE I KNOW NOT TO BUY A FORD. *JB

THE ENGINE COVER GASKET FAILED, AND OIL MIXED WITH THE ANTI-FREEZE AND RUINED THE ENGINE. *JB

MY 1996 3.8L FORD WINDSTAR SLOWLY DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET LEAK AFTER APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. MY VAN IS WELL MAINTAINED WITH ALL THE APPROPRIATE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. I HAVE SEARCHED THE NET AND I HAVE FOUND THE HEAD GASKET LEAK PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL IS SHARED BY OTHER NUMEROUS OWNERS AS WELL. IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THE 1996 WINDSTAR GASKET LEAK AS THEY DID ON THEIR 1995 MODEL. FORD HAS IMPLIED THE GASKET HAS BEEN REPAIRED ON THE 1996 MODEL. MY VAN IS A TESTAMENT THE DEFECT ON THE HEAD GASKET HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY COMPLAINT TO YOUR LIST AND HOPEFULLY FORCE FORD TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO THE 1996 MODEL AS WELL. *JB

THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A SERIOUS GASOLINE LEAK. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE GAS TANK IS PLASTIC AND HAS CRACKED CAUSING THE LEAK. *NLM

I PURCHASED A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR IN SEPTEMBER OF 1998. IT HAD 15,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS THE 3.8L V6 ENGINE. THE VAN CURRENTLY HAS 84,452 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON MARCH 28, 2003 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER TO BE FIXED. THEY ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A MISS-FIRE ON CYLINDER NUMBER 1. THEY CHECKED THE SPARK PLUG, SPARK PLUG WIRE AND COIL. THEY DID NOT DETERMINE WHY THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND CONCLUDED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FLUKE. I PAID FOR THE WORK COMPLETED. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN APPEARED. ON MARCH 28TH, I WAS INFORMED BY THE SHOP FORMAN THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR ON NUMBER 1 CYLINDER WAS NOT WORKING. A FUEL INJECTOR WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED. ON MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2003 I PAID A BILL FOR $136.31 FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FUEL INJECTOR. AS I DROVE THE WINDSTAR TO MY HOME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. THE SHOP FORMAN ADVISED ME THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS NOT THE PROBLEM AND THAT AN ALTERNATE ENGINE COMPUTER WAS TRIED. ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2003 I WAS ADVISED THAT AN ENGINE KNOCK HAD DEVELOPED. IT WAS CAUSED BY ANTIFREEZE LEAKING THROUGH A HEAD GASKET INTO CYLINDER NUMBER 1. THE WATER IN THE CYLINDER CAUSED THE PISTON ROD TO BEND RUINING THE ENGINE. A REPLACEMENT ENGINE WILL COST $3400. I ASKED THE SHOP FORMAN IF AN ENGINE COMPRESSION CHECK HAD BEEN DONE DURING THE ENGINE DIAGNOSIS. HE ADVISE THAT NO COMPRESSION CHECK WAS DONE SINCE A PRESSURE CHECK OF THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DONE BY THIS SHOP A FEW MONTHS PREVIOUS BECAUSE THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS LOW. I HAVE FOUND MANY TESTIMONIALS AND COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 1996 3.8L V6 ENGINE. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THE NEW ENGINE. *NLM

TRANSMISSION FAILED INTERNALLY, CAUSING OUTSIDE CASE TO CRACK, AND STARTED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. NEEDED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION FOR $2400. THIS AT 72,000 MILES, AND AFTER REPLACING ENTIRE ENGINE (UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY) AT 59,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL, SINCE BUYING NEW. THE ONLY SATISFACTION IS THAT FORD HAS LOST MONEY ON THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF ALL THE WARRANTY WORK DONE FOR THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF IT'S LIFE. HAVE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE LAST 4 FORDS I HAVE OWNED, ALL AT LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. NO MORE FORDS IN MY FUTURE. *JB

WE TOOK OUR 96 WINDSTAR INTO THE FORD DEALER TO INVESTIGATE AN OIL LEAK. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED MY WIFE THAT THE OIL PAN GASKET AND LIP SEAL, TIMING COVER GASKET, UPPER/LOWER INTAKE GASKETS AND U/C GASKETS NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $1,800.00. I FOUND THIS UNUSUAL AND RESEARCHED THESE SYMPTOMS ON THE INTERNET AND WAS ASTONISHED WHAT I FOUND. THE CONTENT IN THE ARTICLES ON MANY WEB SITES RESEARCHED, ARE IDENTICAL TO WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING. FOLLOWING THE PATTERN OF THESE STORIES I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE DEALER BEGINS THE WORK STATED, I WILL RECEIVE A CALL FROM HIM SAYING THAT COOLANT LEAKED PASSED THE GASKETS AND I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON 95 WINDSTARS. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT FORD IS PLANNING ON EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR THE 96 YEAR HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION THAT IS PUBLIC DOMAIN CLEARLY INDICATES A CHRONIC PROBLEM. IT IS MY OPINION THAT I SHOULD NOT BEAR THESE COSTS, GIVEN THE HISTORIC PROBLEMS, AND HOPE THAT FORD WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *JB

THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE CONSUMER ASKED WOULD CERTAIN VEHICLE'S BE RECALLED. *AK *JB