1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

ONE YEAR AGO (2002) MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR BLEW A HEAD GASKET WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER TBS 00M09. ONE YEAR LATER AND UNDER 30,000 MILES THE NEW ENGINE HAS BLOWN A HEAD GASKET AND FORD REFUSES TO HONOR IT STATING THAT A SMALL PIN HOLE IN ONE OF THE HEATER HOSES CAUSED THE BLOCK TO DRAIN OF FLUID AND BLOWING THE HEAD GASKET. I INSPECTED THE ENGINE SHORTLY AFTER IT OCCURRED AND THE RADIATOR AND RESERVE TANKS WERE BOTH FULL. I TOLD THIS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD I MUST BE MISTAKEN THE ENGINE WAS EMPTY. I AM AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND KNOW WHEN AN ENGINE IS OUT OF WATER OR NOT BUT I AM RUNNING INTO A BRICK WALL. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AM NOT HAVING ANY LUCK WITH THAT EITHER. *JB WHAT RECOURSE IF ANY DO I HAVE?

THE VEHICLE HAD A LEAK. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT ANTI-FREEZE WAS GETTING INTO THE OIL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKETS. *NLM

THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK UNDER RECALL IN 1999, HOWEVER THE STRAP WAS NOT REPLACED, AND THE FUEL TANK CRACKED AGAIN. RECALL #99V309000. *JB

FORD RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING FUEL TANKS ON 1995 FORD, WINDSTAR MAY CRACK DURING EXTENDED OPERATION OF VEHICLE IN VERY HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. THIS RECALL APPLIED TO 1995 FOR WINDSTAR VEHICLES IN DESIGNATED STATES AND COUNTIES OF WHICH LOS ANGELES COUNTY WAS PART. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL BECAUSE CONSUMER LIVED IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL ALTHOUGH HIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME DEFECT. *AK *NLM

FAILURE OF 1995 WINDSTAR ENGINE FOR THE 3RD TIME. FIRST TIME ENGINE GASKET FIXED, THEN AT 50,000 MILES 2ND GASKET FIXED , THEN FAILED AT 72000. FIRST 2 FIXES COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTIES BUT THE LAST ONE I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY TO FIX. HAVE DISPOSED OF THIS VEHICLE. *JB

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATED TO SHIFT GEARS, AND WHEN IT DID SHIFT GEAR, IT SHIFTED HARD. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES. *JB

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET, THE VEHICLE BLEW A THICK CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD A VOLUNTARY HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT PROGRAM THAT EXPIRED 1 MONTH PRIOR TO GASKET FAILING. *JB

THE FRONT AREA OF MY VAN MAKES LOUD POPPING NOISES WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES AND/OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MAINLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS OR TIMES WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS WARMER. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER I BOUGHT THE VAN WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS TODAY. I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE DEALER SAID THE POPPING NOISE WAS THE BRAKE CYLINDERS EXPANDING ONTO THE PADS TO STOP THE VAN. IT IS ODD THOUGH BECAUSE THE FRONT END POPS WHEN I AM TURNING THE WHEEL AT A VERY SLOW SPEED WHEN I AM NOT APPLYING THE BRAKES. *NLM

THE HEAD GASKET IS CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND THEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN. *NLM