1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

SIX OUT OF SEVEN SEAT BELTS FAIL TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WITH BELTS NOT RETRACTING WHEN PULLED OUT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TESTED THE BELTS WHICH THEY THEN TOLD THE OWNER THAT THE RETRACTOR IS THE CAUSE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TS

HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS PART WAS RECALLED, BUT MANUFACTURER SAYS THE RECALL HAS EXPIRED AND WILL NOT MAKE THE REPAIR. DT

THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS FAILURES THAT CAN NOT BE FOUND BY EITHER A DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR BRAKE SPECIALIST. HAVE SPENT OVER $1500 TRYING TO FIX THE BRAKES. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED THEY RUMBLE AND JUMP AND NO BRAKE TO STOP. THEN BRAKES KICK IN AND TIRES SQUEAL FROM THE QUICK STOP. ALL WINDSTARS I HAVE SPOKE TO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, THIS IS A CAR THAT FAMILIES ARE TRAVELING IN. CHILDREN CAN AND WILL BE INJURED. DT

CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE HEAD GASKETS. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE GASKET REPAIRED AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE REPAIRS COULD NOT BE DONE UNTIL THE HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED. THE NOTIFACTION ALSO INDICATED A WARANTY OF 7YRS AND/OR 100,000 MILES. TS *TT

THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS, THE TRANSMISSION SIDE PAN GASKET, HEAT, POWER WINDOW, DEFROSTER, DOOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY, WERE ALL REPLACED, THE DOME LIGHT WOULD STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY, AND THE RIGHT CALIPER WAS LEAKING.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN CAUSING LOST OF POWER STEERING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

THE WINDSTAR HAS HAD A TRANSMISSION REBUILT. THE ENGINE AND HEAD GASKETS REPLACED. NOW THE HEAD GASKET HAS GONE AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND SHOULD HAVE LASTED ANOTHER 100, 000 MILES. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE CONTINUING PROBLEMS. 1995 WINDSTARS ARE ALL LEMONS AND THE GOVERNMENT AND FORD HAVE DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE THIS. DT

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE ALSO STATES THAT WHILE HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS ALMOST INVOLVED ON A COLLISION ALSO STATED THAT SHE HAS RECEIVED A RECALL FROM FORD ON THE FRONT RIGHT BRAKE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HER PREVIOUS PROBLEM SO THERE FOR THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. TS

9/12/02 HEAD GASKET FAILED ON 1995 WINDSTAR 3.8L ENGINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO NORTH LARSEN FORD IN EMPORIA, KS FOR REPAIR. LEFT HEAD GASKET REPLACED AND TEST DROVE ON 9/16/02. TECHNICIAN FOUND OIL LEAKING AT LEFT HEAD GASKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED HEAD AND REPLACED GASKET A SECOND TIME. VEHICLE WAS READY AND RELEASED TO MY SPOUSE 4:00 PM, 9/19/02 WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS SERVICED AND READY. FORD DECLIINED TO COVER FAILURE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR HEAD GASKET FAILURES DUE TO VEHICLE ORIGINAL PURCHASED IN 1994 AND WARRANTY LIMITED TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. REPAIR COSTS WERE BILLED TO ME AT $1491.73 AND PAID ON RELEASE. SPOUSE LEFT EMPORIA, KS WITH VEHICLE AT 6:00 PM 9/19/02 AND DROVE TO 550 MILES TO DENVER, CO. SEVEN MILES NORTH OF GOLDEN, CO ON I-70, VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING AND ENGINE STARTED TO CLATTER. HIWAY PATROL STOPPED TO ASSIST AND WHEN ENGINE OIL WAS CHECKED NO OIL LEVEL WAS REGISTERED ON DIP STICK, METAL FRAGMENTS WERE PRESENT AND CRANKCASE WAS SMOKING. HIWAY PATROL TOOK SPOUSE TO BUY OIL AT WHICH TIME 4 QUARTS WERE ADDED TO OBTAIN PROPER FILL LEVEL. VEHICLE THEN DRIVEN TO STEVINSON'S FORD IN GOLDEN, CO. STEVINSON'S FORD SERVICE DEPT. INSPECTED VEHICLE AND FOUND ROD BEARING FAILURE. SERVICE DEPT. ESTIMATED $2,500-3,500 FOR REPAIR. MY FAMILY (SPOUSE AND 5 CHILDREN) WERE ENROUTE TO OUR NEW RESIDENCE IN RICHLAND, WA AND STRANDED WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. SERVICE MANAGER DETERMINED FAILURE WAS DUE TO LOSS OF OIL AND IDENTIFIED PROBABLE CAUSE AS IMPROPER FILL OR LEAKAGE FOLLOWING SERVICE/REPAIR. CIRCUMSTANCES FORCED PURCHASE OF NEW VEHICLE WITH 1995 WINDSTAR AS TRADE-IN. DEALER ALLOWED $4,000 FOR TRADE. PURCHASE PRICE FOR 1995 WINDSTAR WAS $7,500 ON 3/1/02 RESULTING IN A LOSS OF $3,500 AS A RESULT OF ENGINE FAILURE. $3,500 PLUS $1491.73 FOR INITIAL REPAIRS LEFT ME WITH A NET LOSS OF $4,991.73 DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND IMPROPER SERVICE . FORD DEALERSHIP HAS DECLINED TO WARRANT REPAIR OR COMPENSATE ME FOR LOSS. DT

RECALL NOTICE: RECEIVED ONE MAY 2000 FOR 95 FORD WINDSTAR. IT SAYS THERE IS A DEFECT IN THEIR 3.8L ENGINE WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. I AM NOW HAVING THAT PROBLEM BUT THEY WILL NOT REPAIR IT BECAUSE THEY SAY IT EXPIRED FEB 2002. THE COST IS $1000-$2000. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AT THIS TIME. SINCE FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND SENT ME THE RECALL NOTICE THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED THE DEFECT RIGHT AWAY INSTEAD OF ME HAVING TO GO WITH OUT A VAN AND RENT A CAR AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF. THANK YOU, [XXX] DT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR