1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

I HAVE A 1996 3.8L WINDSTAR WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I SEE THAT THE 1995'S WERE RECALLED BUT NOTHING SO FAR ON THE 1996'S. THESE ARE THE SAME ENGINE ALL THE WAY TO 98. FORD COMPANY WILL DO NOTHING SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY. I WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE MANAGER TO SELL THE VEHICLE TO SOMEONE AND NOT DISCLOSE THE MECHANICAL PROBLEM. I CALLED THE MAIN COMPANY AND THEY TOOK MY INFORMATION BUT SAID THERE IS NO PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH 1996 WINDSTARS. I POINTED OUT THAT THEY NEED O CHECK THE INTERNET IF THEY WANT SOME FEEDBACK. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE OF IT'S SAFETY RECORD TO TRANSPORT MY WIFE AND KIDS. NOW, AFTER LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, I KNOW THIS ENGINE IS NEITHER SAFE NOR RELIABLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BUT THE COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. I'M JUST THANKFUL THE ENGINE FAILED IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON SOME BUSY FREEWAY WITH MY FAMILY INSIDE. *AK

1996 FORD WINDSTAR WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKET. SAME ENGINE AND PARTS AS RECALLED 1995'S. WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY. NO ASSISTANCE FROM FORD. HAVE READ 100'S OF INTERNET ACCOUNTS OF SAME PROBLEM. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFTEY HAZARD. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE AT INTAKE MANIFOLD & HEAD GASKET. SINCE WE BOUGHT,BEEN HAVING MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON & VARIOUS WORK DONE AT DEALERSHIP. ON 11/3/01 INTAKE GASKET REPLACED FOR WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE & ENGINE LIGHT ON. RETURNED 12/7/01 FOR ENGINE LIGHT ON & 02 SENSOR REPLACED. 1/3/02 HEATER BLOWING COOL AIR- DEALER STS HEAD GASKET BAD. CORPORATE FORD REFUSES TO DO GOODWILL GESTURE/PAY.(MILEAGE TO DATE APPROX SINCE CAR STILL IN SHOP).

SPEEDOMETER CLICKING AND REPORTING A HIGHER SPPED THAN ACTUALLY TRAVELING... CANNOT TELL WHAT THE ACTUAL SPEED OF THE VEHICLE IS.*AK

MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR HAS AN ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER ABOVE 40MPH MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAST I AM GOING.*AK

MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE AT 72,201 MILES. ALL MAINTENANCE WORK PEERFORMED BY DEALER

SPEEDOMETER BEGAN FLUCUATING WILDLY AT ALL SPEEDS ALONG WITH A CLICKING NOISE. SINCE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE, LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA. DEALER STATES COST TO FIX IS $600. HUNDREDS OF OCCURENCES OF SAME PROBLEM.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. ROUGH IDLE. TUNE-UP PERFORMED. OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS NOW OFF. TWO DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS BACK ON AND ROUGH IDLE RETURNS. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR AND PLUG WIRES. NEXT DAY, DRIVING CAR AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE FALLS ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO COLD SIDE. HEATER BLOWING OUT JUST A LITTLE WARM. PRESSURE TESTED ENGINE. LEAKAGE IN A CYLINDER. UPON TEARDIOWN, HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGINE.

DOOR TO DEFROSTER HAS BROKEN OFF. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE IT STOPS DEFROSTER FROM CLEARING WINDOWS, VISION BECOMES IMPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

IN DEC. 1997 THE SPEEDOMETER IN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND QUIT WORKING. WARRANTY REPLACED PART AT NO CHARGE. IN JANUARY 2000, SPEEDOMETER STARTED VIBRATING AGAIN. TOLD IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH CABLE LUBRICATION. CONTACTED DEALER AND FORD AND THEY AGREED TO PAY A PERCENTAGE OF REPAIR COST. NOVEMBER 2001, SPEEDOMETER HAS STARTED TO VIBRATE AGAIN. CONTACTED FORD. THEY INDICATED THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER CAR OWNER (SAME MODEL/YEAR) WHO'S SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WERE TOLD THE SAME THING I WAS IN JANUARY. THEY HAVE ELECTED NOT TO REPAIR DUE TO THE HIGH COST. QUOTED BETWEEN $600-800 DOLLARS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM FOR ONE CAR THE HAVE 3 SPEEDOMETERS MALFUNCTION. HOW MANY OTHER OWNERS MAY HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS PROBLEM?PLEASE HELP! *AK