1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLES NEEDLE STARTED TO HUM. THEN NEXT, THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STARTED TO FLY BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 40-110MPH. I DID SOME FURTHER RESEARCH ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT ABOUT 20 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM WERE HAVING TO REPLACE THIS COMPONENT WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES USAGE BETWEEN REPLACEMENTS. UP TO TWO OR THREE WERE BEING REPLACED WITHIN THE VEHICLES. NOW IF THERE WERE 20 REPORTS ON ONE WEBSITE ABOUT THIS CONCERN THEN THERE ARE PROBABLY HUNDREDS MORE NOT BEING REPORTED. AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL DRIVERS ON THE ROADS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS CALLING DEALER IN REGARD TO RECALL #01I007000 FOR FRONT COIL SPRINGS ON PREVIOUS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED FOR REPAIRS, BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AIK

I HAVE A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR WITH ONE OF THOSE 3.8L ENGINES. MY PROBLEMS BEGAN WITH AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK RESULTING FROM HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. I HAVE JUST HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED IN MY VAN AND THE COST WAS $5000. I CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONSUMER NUMBER AT THE SUGGESTION OF A FRIEND WHO SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON HER WINDSTAR. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD REP. THAT MY WINDSTAR HAD THE WRONG VIN NUMBER TO BE RECALLED. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY SOME BAD 3.8L ENGINES ARE RECALLED AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY AND OTHERS ARE NOT. CAN YOU HELP? ALSO, THE NEEDLE ON MY SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES WILDLY AT SPEEDS OVER 30. I KNOW THAT THIS, TOO, IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH WINDSTARS.*AK

VEHICLE HAS LEAKED 2 1/2 GALLONS OF COOLANT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON, ANDVEHICLE IS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING. HEAT IS WARM BECAUSE COOLANT KEEPS LEAKING OUT. MECHANIC SUGGESTED TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD BECAUSE LEAKAGE WAS RUINING THE ENGINE.*AK

THERE WAS PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEADGASKETS, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE AND INSIDE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

BOUGHT CAR 3/01-IMMEDIATELY REPLACED CAT. CONVERTER. OVERDRIVE LT FLASHING-NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER, PLANETARY GEARS, SOLENOIDS; HAD TO REALIGN;SPEEDOMETER OFF BY AT LEAST 10 MPH; NEED NEW RACK & PINION-POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING; NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND ALSO BEEN WITHOUT CAR FOR OVER A MONTH -ONLY HAD IT 7 MONTHS!

THE SPEEDOMETER "BUZZES" AND SWINGS WIDELY AFTER ~ 30 MPH, INDICATING UP TO 100 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RETURNED, WHEN UNDER WARRANTY, TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND AND FIX A BUZZ IN THE DASHBOARD. THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY OCCURRED DURING COLD WEATHER, WHEN THE VEHICLE EXEEDED 30-40 MPH, AND CAME FROM THE VICINITY OF THE SPEEDOMETER. THE DELAER WAS GIVEN THESE SYMPTOMS, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE CAUSE. THE PROBLEM WAS MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT IT OCCURRED SPORADICALLY . THE BUZZ NEVER WAS ELIMINATED BY THE DEALER. THE BUZZ NOW AUDIBLE WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER SWINGS WIDELY IS A MORE PRONOUNCED VERSION OF THAT SAME BUZZ. THE DEALER AND FORD REFUSED TO PAY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I MAINTAIN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

VEHICLE WAS STARTING TO MISS, AND GASKET WAS LEAKING WATER INTO OIL PAN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A MAIN STREET AND TURNED ON HEAT. VENTS WERE BLOWING OUT COLD AIR,AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS NOT LEAKING ANY FLUIDS. THERMOSTAT WAS ON HOT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. FORD PROVIDED NEW HEAD GASKETS AND SOMETIMES COMPLETE ENGINES FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 1995 WINDSTARS WITH 3.8L ENGINE, BUT DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 SAME MODEL ENGINE. SINCE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 1996 WINDSTAR 3.8L ON THIS WEBSITE, I FIND FORD'S DENIALS PRETTY HARD TO BELIEVE! THIS HAS CREATED A SERIOUS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY FOR THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. I AM REQUESTED THAT YOU PROCEED WITH AN INVESTIGATION, AND WILL BE CONTACTING MY SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE. *AK