1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THEN DIED. IT WAS DETERMINED THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF FORD'S FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.

HEAD GASKET BLEW ON 3.8L ENGINE WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL WHEEL BROKE.

ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING, ENGINE CHECK' LIGHT CAME. NOTICED OIL MIXED WITH COOLANT IN RESERVOIR. DEALER CONFIRMED HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

3.8 V6 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL AND RUNNING ROUGH; VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER AND INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT. *AK

VAN HAD A FAILED HEAD GASKET (A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG WINDSTARS). THE FAILED HEAD GASKET, LEAD TO A THROWN ROD AND TOTALLED ENGINE TO THE TUNE OF $3600.00. WE HAD AT 89K MILES TAKEN THE VAN IN FOR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A STRANGE SMELL WAS NOTICED. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. 3 MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE BLEW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. VEHICLE JOLTED ABOUT 3 TIMES, AND THEN COASTED TO A STOP. VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL,AND WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER GEAR.*AK FORD CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVES ARE DEFENSIVE WHEN CONSUMER TALKS TO THEM REGARDING THE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP IN ANY MATTER. *SLC

SINCE DATE OF ORIGINAL DELIVERY THIS CAR HAS INTERMITTENTLY DEACTIVATED THE TRACTION CONTROL COMPONENT FO THE 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKE OPTION. THIS ENHANCED SAFETY FEATURE WAS PURCHASED AS I BELEIVED IT MADE THE VEHICLE SOMEWHAT SAFER IN AVOIDING PROBLEMS IN POOR TRACTION SITUATIONS. HOWEVER ABOUT ONCE EVERY 700 MILES, INCLUDING DAY OF DELIVERRY WITH ONLY 25 MILES ON THE CLOCK THE TRAC OFF LIGHT STARTS TO FLASH INDICATING THAT I NO LONGER HAVE THE SAFETY ADVANTAGE OF TRACTION CONTROL. I EITHER PULL OFF ROAD AND TURN CAR OFF/ON WHICH RESETS THE TRACTION CONTROL OR CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THIS WHILE ALSO SUFFERING THE DISRUPTION OF SEEING A FLASHING ALARM. NEITHER OF THESE ARE SAFE SITUATIONS. A NYS LEMON LAW SUITE WAS INITIATED ABOUT THIS SITUATION 2 YEARS AGO. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT OVER A DOZEN TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. OFTEN THEY CLAIM THEY NEED TO GET THE ERROR CODE & AN NOT REMEDY WITHOUT IT. WHILE WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES THE DEALER HAS HAD ONLY 2 ATTEMPTS WITH THE LIGHT ON. THEY BLEW ONE AND IN 8/31 THEY DID SUCCEED TO GET A CODE BUT HAVE YET TO CORRECT. ARE THERE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS SAFETY FEATURE ERRONEOUSLY DISARMING ITSELF?*AK

OIL CONTAMINATION. FOUND OIL IN THE COOLNAT. DEALER INSPECTION CONCLUDES THAT THIS IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. AN EXACT PROBLEM CAUSED A MAJOR RECALL FOR THE SAME ENGINE FOR THE YEARS 94-95. NO RECALL YET FOR YEAR 1996. GROWING AMOUNT OF REPORTS SHOW THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON THE 1996 MODEL THAT CARRIES THE SAME ENGINE. DEALER RECOMMENDS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK AT A COST OF $4000. I AM EXPECTING FORD TO PICK UP THESE CHARGES DUE TO THE REASONS STATED ABOVE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30MPH ON SIDE STREET AND HEARD A NOISE. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO RIGHT, SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC STATED THAT LEFT REAR BACKING PLATE AND BRAKE SHOE ANCHOR RIVETS SHEARED OFF. *AK