1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

CONSUMER NOTICE WHILE TRAVELING ENGINE INDICATION LIGHT WAS FLASHING VEHICLE WAS SERVICE BY TECHNICIAN. TECHNICIAN TEST VEHICLE AND NOTICE ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM PLEASE PROVIDES FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CURRENTLY, THE VAN IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WE ARE AWAITING AN ESTIMATE ON THE HEAD GASKET. OUR WARRANTY EXPIRED ON AUGUST 31, 2002 AND FORD WILL NOT HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE TRANSMISSION IS ALSO BEING CHECKED AS IT HAS BEGUN LEAKING ONLY 10 MONTHS AFTER WE HAD IT REPLACED. OUR MECHANIC STATED THAT THESE ARE COMMONLY SEEN WITH THIS VEHICLE AND STATED THE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET IS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE FIRE RING. NO REASON WAS GIVEN AS TO WHY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN JANUARY OF 2002 AND TO WHY IT IS NOW LEAKING. DT

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW A CLASS ACTION SUIT CAN BE MADE TO FORCE FORD TO MAKE A RECALL OF THIS ITEM.

A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON NOVEMBER 3, 2002 AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MCCAFFERTY FORD ON NOVEMBER 7, 2002. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE AND OUT THE TAIL PIPE AND "SHORTED" THE OXYGEN SENSOR WHICH CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO APPEAR. THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM IS $1,423 (WITH TAX). THEY ALSO CHARGED ME $137.69 FOR TWO HOURS LABOR TO FIND THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OF THE SYMPTOMS. I DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT FORD WINDSTARS AND HEAD GASKET FAILURES AND FOUND OUT THE 1994 AND 1995 WINDSTARS WERE RECALLED TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT, THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR 1996 EVEN THOUGH I FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON-LINE. I HAVE SPOKE TO MCCAFFERTY FORD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD H. MITCHELL ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002 AND HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO IF THE VEHICLE IS OVER 100,000 MILES. (WELL, MY VEHICLE WOULD OF BEEN LESS THAN 100,000 IF THERE WAS A RECALL EARLIER) I THEN CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TO GET AN ANSWER. FORD REPRESENTATIVE BILL (#2072) SAID THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON THE 1996 WINDSTARS, SO THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO (MILEAGE DIDN'T MATTER). I WAS TOLD TO KEEP MY RECEIPTS IN CASE THERE WAS A RECALL. I FOUND ONLINE THAT THERE ARE 1996 WINDSTAR OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED FOR FREE OR A FRACTION OF THE COST, BY THE DEALERS. OUR LOCAL MECHANIC (D&D AUTO SERVICE IN MECHANICSBURG) SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM OFTEN. ALSO, THAT THE HEAD GASKETS IN A MODERN CAR SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE (AT LEAST 120,000 MILES). WE ALSO GOT AN ESTIMATE FROM JACKSON'S AUTOMOTIVE (BECAUSE D&D DOESN'T DO EXTENSIVE REPAIRS) IN CAMP HILL TO REPAIR THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM FOR AROUND $800, WHICH IS OVER $600 LESS THEN MCCAFFERTY FORD'S ESTIMATE. DT

THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND IT'S COMPONENTS FAILED, THE ABS LIGHT HAD COME ON CONSTANTLY, THE TRANSMISSION BURNED OUT, AND THE ENGINE WAS CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A NEW VEHICLE OR A NEW ENGINE. MR SCC

THE BRAKE BRACKET HAS GOTTEN WEAK FROM RUST AND GETS INTO REAR HUB CAUSING A LOUD IRRITATING NOISE. THE RUST CAUSES THE REAR BRAKE ANTILOCK SENSOR TO LIGHT UP IN DASH. *JG

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET BLEW AND THE COOLANT WILL STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT AND THE CONSUMER WILL BE FORCED TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR THE CONSUMER STATED FORD WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS PROBLEM AS WITH THE 94 AND 95 WINDSTAR'S. SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS ALL OVER THE PLACE WHILE DRIVING UNABLE TO KNOW EXCATLY HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. DEALER CONTACTED. *MR

MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER REPLACED FOR 3RD TIME. BRAKE PEDAL WOULD SLOWLY GO TO THE FLOOR. 1ST REPLACEMENT BEFORE 25000 MILES. 2ND REPLACEMENT AT 43282 MILES BY BAYTLEFIELD FORD 8980 MATTHAS AVE, MANASSAS, VA. 22110. 3RD REPLACEMENT AT 87808 MILES BY BATTLEFIELD FORD. THIS VAN WAS PURCHASED BY ME AS A "REACQUIRED VEHICLE" WITH BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER BEING ONE OF THE REPORTED CONCERNS. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768024

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID HAD DRIPPED ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND STARTED A FIRE. *NLM THE CONSUMER PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. *SCC