1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THESE 3.8 L ENGINES ARE KNOWN FOR BLOWN HEADGASKET PROBLEMS, AND FOR FORDS LACK OF STANDING BEHIND ITS SO CALLED QUALITY PRODUCTS , I'M NOT A BELIEVER OF THAT : THATS WHY I WILL NEVER OWN A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN. *AK

ON DECEMBER 13, 2001 MY WIFE RETURNED FROM A VISIT WITH HER MOTHER IN GALESBURG ILLINOIS. AS USUAL SHE PARKED OUR 1996 FORD WINDSTAR IN THE GARAGE. SINCE MY SON AND I HAD TO MAKE A TRIP TO IOWA CITY THE NEXT DAY, I DECIDED TO FILL THE VAN UP WITH GAS. UPON TRYING TRYING TO START THE VAN I NOTICE THAT THE HEAT GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VAN WAS OVERHEATING. I QUESTION MY WIFE ABOUT THIS AND SHE SAID THAT THE VAN HAD NOT SHOWN ANY SIGNS OF OVERHEATING ON THE WAY HOME. I TOOK THE VAN TO DENNISON FORD IN BLOOMINGTON ILLINOIS ON DECEMBER 17, 2001 AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATEL $1700.00 TO REPAIR. ON DECEMBER 22, 2001 I AUTHORIZED DENNISONS TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. I GOT THE VAN BACK THE SAME DAY. ON FEBURARY 1, 2002 MY DAUGHTER TOOK THE VAN TO CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS TO PICK UP MY SON. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE VAN HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY SINCE THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BEEN REPLACED. I RECEIVE A CALL FROM MY DAUGHTER FROM CHAMPAIGN TELLING ME THAT THE VAN HAD DIED AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT STARTED. ON THE WAY TO CHAMPAIGN I CALLED MY DAUGHTER AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE VAN STARTED AND WERE AT MY SON'S DORM. WHEN I ARRIVED AT CHAMPAIGN I INSPECTED THE VAN AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THERE WERE NO LIGHT OR ANY WARNING INDICATIONS. I DECIDED TO DRIVE THE VAN HOME AND GAVE MY VEHICAL TO MY KIDS. ON THE WAY HOME, APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM MY SON'S DORM, I ATTEMPTED TO PASS A SEMI. WHILE PASSING THE ENGINE DIED. THIS LEFT ME IN A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION. THERE WERE CARS IN FRONT AND BACK OF ME AND A SEMI ON THE RIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VAN OFF THE ROAD WITH OUT AN ACCIDENT, BUT JUST BARELY. THE VAN WAS TOLLED BACK THE DENNISON'S. LATER THAT DAY I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $3300.00 TO REPAIR.*AK

ACCORDING TO JERRY'S FORD LINCOLN MERCURY, AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER IN LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, MY ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. THERE WERE 2 PASSENGERS, AGES 15 AND 16, AND MYSELF, THE DRIVER IN THE CAR AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. I CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BUILD DATE OF MY ENGINE WAS 12/19/95 AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN BUILT IN THEIR OAKVILLE PLANT IN ONTARIO, CANANDA. ORSON, FORD EMPLOYEE BADGE #2092 ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON ENGINES BUILT IN 1995 WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT THAT NO 1996 VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL. HE STATED THAT FORD WOULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE, GOODWILL OR OTHERWISE, WITH THIS DEFECT AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT WILLIAM CLAY FORD, JR. IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN IF I WISHED TO PURSUE THE MATTER FURTHER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WINDSHIELD STARTED TO FOG UP. DRIVER ROLLED DOWN WINDOW FOR DRIVER'S DOOR WHEN A "POPPING" NOISE COULD BE HEARD, AND FLAMES COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM VEHICLE. WHEN VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, HEAVY SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A FIRE LIEUTENANT SUSPECTED THAT FIRE WAS DUE TO LEAKING FUEL IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER OR INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD WINDSTARS AFTER 50,000 MILES, HOWEVER FORD REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM IN EXISTING VECHICLES.* NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING VEHICLE DEALER DETERMINED SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED. *AK

AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPLACED HEAD GASKESTS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

ON 11-10-01 NOTICED COOL AIR COMING FROM HEATER. CHECKED COOLANT LEVEL AND ADDED WAY MORE THAN JUST TOPPING IT OFF. THE NEXT MORING THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED UP. LOCAL FORD DEALER QUOTED ME 3600.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE. THERE IS WATER IN THE OIL. *AK

I BROUGHT IT WHILE I WAS LIVING IN TORONTO, ONTARIO. THE EXACT MILEAGE IS 98881KM (NOT K-MILES). I HAVE CONTACTED FORD BUT FORD REFUSED TO HELP ON SERVICING THE VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM UNDER VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. TECHNICIAN NOTICED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *YD