1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE STABILIZER BAR BROKE CAUSING VERY UNSTABLE DRIVING. WIFE COMPLAINED AND I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW THE BAR HANGING. IT LOOKS RUSTED THROUGH. THE CENTER OF THE BAR HAS AN OVBIOUS HOLE SO EITHER IT WAS MADE DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE AND DANGERIOUS. MR

HAD OIL CHANGED AT GRAYLING FORD ON SEPTEMBER 25. AS SOON AS I PULLED IN, TECHNICIAN REMARKED HE SMELLED ANTI-FREEZE BURNING. HE CHECKED COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK AND FOUND IT EMPTY. ONE GALLON OF COOLANT WAS ADDED AT THAT TIME. HE STATED I SHOULD HAVE MY HEAD GASKETS CHECKED BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY CAUSE OF LOSS OF COOLANT IF I HADN'T NOTICED ANY LEAKAGE, WHICH I HAVEN'T. THE VAN HAS BEEN RUNNING GOOD. THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, I.E. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON, NO OVERHEATING. I AM CONCERNED THAT ONCE REPAIR IS DONE ON SEPTEMBER 26, MECHANICS WILL FIND ENGINE DAMAGE LEADING TO A MORE COSTLY REPAIR. I STILL MAKE PAYMENTS AND THE ESTIMATED COST FOR JUST THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR IS OVER $1,000. ENGINE REPLACEMENT OR OTHER REPAIRS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS ESTIMATE. BECAUSE MY 96 WINDSTAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE COMPONENTS AS THOSE RECALLED FOR MODEL YEARS 94-95, I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD TAKE THE SAME ACTION AND RECALL/REIMBURSE OWNERS OF THE 96 MODEL WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. I HAVE OWNED NOTHING BUT FORD VEHICLES FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS AND FEEL MY SATISFACTION SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I LOOK FORWARD TO REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS REPAIR WHEN A RECALL IS ISSUED AND THAT CAN'T BE SOON ENOUGH. THIS IS THE SECOND DEFECT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH MY VAN. THE FIRST WAS A BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING. FORD SHOULD TAKE THE SAME ACTION WITH THE 96 WINDSTAR HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AS IT DID WITH THE COIL SPRING PROBLEM: RECTIFY IT WITH ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS. THIS MAY BE THE LAST FORD I BUY. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE IT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. ONE FOOTNOTE: I AM A NEWSPAPER REPORTER AND MAY WRITE ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE AS I DID WITH THE COIL SPRING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. PLEASE MAKE FORD DO THE RIGHT THING. NLM

WAS HAVING A SLOW LOSS OF COOLANT WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKAGE. NOW HAVE A DAMAGED TIMING COVER/GASKET ($1,200.00 REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM A FORD DEALER) PROBABLY DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING. NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE 3.8L V6 ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET AND CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT AND COOLANT GETTING INTO THE ENGINE OIL. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

WHEN REACHING SPEED OF 25MPH SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BOUNCES AROUND, CAUSING NO KNOWLEDGE OF SPEED.*AK

LUGS: NUTS HAVE REPEATEDLY BROKEN OFF WHILE CONSUMER HAS DRIVEN VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED LUGS: BOLTS FOUR TIMES, BUT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BREAK. *AK

CONSUMER WAS SMELLING GAS AND NOTICED A BIG PUDDLE OF GAS IN DRIVEWAY. CONSUMER FEELS THIS VERY DANGEROUS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH JUST EXPIRED. FORD REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE REJECTED REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE. COMPLAINT LETTER SENT TO WC FORD. $1673.38 PAID FOR REPAIR OF DEFECTS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

FUEL TANK LEAKING. . DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING FRONT BRAKE LINE RUBBED AGAINST VEHICLE'S STRUCTURE COMPONENT, CAUSING A HOLE TO DEVELOP IN LINE, AND RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES.*AK CONSUMER STATED BRAKE FLUID LEAKED ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER.*JB