1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING ROUGHLY WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE EXHAUST AND AN OVER HEATED ENGINE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEIR DIAGNOSIS, A FAILED HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER HAS DISCOVERED THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE FLAW WITH THE HEAD GASKETS AND THAT THERE ARE COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THESAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR MONIES PAID. *JG

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT TIMES. CONTACTED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. NLM CONSUMER STATES THAT SOMETIMES THE IGNITION SWITCH GETS STUCK AND WILL TURN ON AND THE SWITCH WILL GO COMPLETELY AROUND. *SLC

AFTER EXPERIENCING ENGINE OVERHEATING/LOSS OF COOLANT, THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED UNDER THE TERMS OF A FORD PROGRAM IN 1998. IN MARCH 2002, PROBLEMS RECURRED WITH ANTI-FREEZE VAPORS FILLING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT VIA THE VENT SYSTEM. FORD DEALER DIAGNOSIS INDICATED HEAD GASKET FAILURE (AGAIN) AND GASKET WAS REPLACED. WITHIN DAYS OF THIS REPAIR, VAPORS RETURNED AND CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER. CURRENT DIAGNOSIS IS A RUPTURED HEATING COIL, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. TOTAL CHARGES FOR THE TWO PROBLEMS COMES TO ABOUT $1500.

TRANSMISSION FAILED (SECOND TIME). FORD DEALER (SAWGRASS FORD OF SUNRISE, FL) CLAIMED IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL A 'NEW" TRANSMISSION, ONLY A 'REBUILT' ONE. DEALER WOULD NOT WARRANT REPAIRS (REBUILT TRANSMISSION) FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO AND REPAIRED AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT WOULD GUARANTEE REPAIRS FOR A LONGER PERIOD.

THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL TURN ON AND STAY ON FOR 5-10 MINUTES. MECHANIC HAS SWITCHED THE WIRING; HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

AFTER PUTTING FUEL IN VEHICLE AND START DRIVING ENGINE STARTED TO SMOKE. PARKED VEHICLE. CONTACTED MECHANIC AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN. MECHANIC INDICATED FUEL WAS ENTERING OIL FOR MOTOR, WHICH WAS A PROBLEM. A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE REQUIRED.*AK

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND COLLAPSE. WHEN VEHICLE COLLAPSED, LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

FIRST THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED-DEALER REPLACED ON AN OPEN END RECALL, SECOND THE TRANSMISSION WENT. HAD THAT REBUILT WITH ALL UPDATES INCLUDED. COST $1450.00 OUT OF POCKET. THIRD THE SEAL AROUNT THE TIMING CHAIN LEAKED. HAD ALL THE GASKETS REPLACED TO THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE OF $450.00. FOURTH, ON A FAMILY VACATION WE WERE DRIVING DOWN I79 SOUTH FROM ERIE PA AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS THIS CLINKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ON PRIOR TO THE COMPLETE SHUT DOWN. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST GARAGE AND FOUND THAT WE HAD THROWN A ROD. THEY ARE REPLACING THE ENGINE WITH A LARGE BLOCK TO THE OUT OF POCKET COST OF $3,000.00. WHEN WE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WE WERE TOLD THAT BECAUSE WE DID NOT TOW THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP THEY COULD NOT HELP US. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO US WAS 88 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE WE BROKE DOWN. THE VAN ONLY HAD JUST UNDER 57,000 MILES ON IT. I CANT BELIEVE THAT FORD WON'T HELP US.

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE COIL SPRING POPPED OFF, CAUSING IT PUNCH LEFT FRONT TIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK