1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO ENGINE FAILURES ON THIS VEHICLE, ONE IN NOVEMBER, 1999, WHICH FORD DENIED RESPONSIBILITY FOR, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE TOLD BY NO LESS THAN 10 MECHANICS IT WAS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN, AND THEN ANOTHER FAILURE IN JULY, 2000. ALSO IN 2000, WE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN PARK. AGAIN, FORD IS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY, THOUGH WE HAVE NOTED NUMEROUS CASES OF THE SAME PROBLEM THAT OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. *AK

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 20 MPH ON A CITY STREET COVERED WITH ABOUT ONE [1] INCH OF WET SNOW. THE STREET CURVED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT, I STARTED TO MAKE THE TURN BUT THE VAN BEGAN TO SLIDE STRAIGHT AHEAD. I SLID FOR ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE BUMPING THE CURB ON MY RIGHT SIDE. THE VAN THEN WENT OVER THE CURB , WENT ABOUT ANOTHER 10 FEET AND STRUCK A NARROW [6-INCH] UTILITY POLE HEAD ON.I WAS HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH BOTH HANDS PREPARING FOR THE SLIGHT IMPACT.I WAS QUITE SHOCKED WHEN BOTH AIR BAGS EXPLODED. MY HANDS WERE BRUISED SLIGHTLY BUT NOTHING SERIOUS. THE VAN WAS NOT DAMAGED EXCEPT FOR A SMALL[2-INCH] SPLIT IN THE TOP, NOT FRONT OF THE PLASTIC BUMPER. I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP, MULLINAX FORD, IMMEDIATELY. THEY LOOKED AT THE VAN AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A COLLISION THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THEY CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. AT MY REQUEST TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE AIR BAGS FOR ME AT NO COST. FORD RESPONDED BY STATING THAT AS LONG AS THERE WAS A COLLISION THEY NOT REPLACE THEM AT NO COST. I LATER MADE A CALL TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RECIEVED THE SAME RESULTS. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED, AND FEEL THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE BORN THE EXPENSE [$1500.] OF REPLACING THE AIR BAGS.I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE FACTS CONCERNING AIR BAGS BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY SHOULD DEPLOYED AT THAT SPEED.PLEASE INFORM ME OF ANY RECOURSE THAT I MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, [XXX].*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND COLDER WEATHER THE ELECTRONIC SPEED SENSOR WILL BOOST THE SPEEDOMETER'S MPH READING TO 15 MPH OVER ACTUAL. THE RESULT IS THAT I NO LONGER KNOW MY ACTUAL SPEED. IN WARMER WEATHER WHEN THE SENSOR IS FUNCTIONING I MAY ACTUALLY BE GOING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT AS I HAVE LEARNER TO DISCOUNT A 80 MPH READING AS 65 MPH. THE SENSOR IS GETTING WORSE WITH AGE. AT ABOUT 60,000 MPH IT WAS A MINOR NUIASANCE. SINCE IT COSTS SOME $400 TO REPLACE FORD SUGGESTED I JUST LIVE WITH THE INCONVIENCE.*AK

FORD CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO ASSIST IN COST OF REPAIR EVEN THOUGH FAILURE HAD BEGUN DURING REPAIRABLE PERIOD. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

CONSUMER HAS POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE, THEY DO NOT HOLD AND OFTEN MAKE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN PRESSED. *JG

CONSUMER HAD DRIVEN LESS THAN A MILE WHEN HE NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HIGH, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AND A NEW REBUILT ENGINE WOULD BE NEEDED, CONSUMER IS AWARE OF RECALL 98M01 AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

HEADGASKET STARTED LEAKING AT 50683 MILES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT THIS TIME HEADGASKET IS LEAKING AGAIN, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*AK *SLC

CONSUMER STATED THAT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED, TECH ADVISOR DETERMINED IT WAS THE HEATED OXYGEN SENSOR WHICH WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELRATOR, THE ENGINE HESITATED, CONSUMER RECEIVED WARRANTY EXTENSION ON HEAD GASKET, THE ENGINE ULTIMATELY FAILED, AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, HOWEVER THE HESITATION PROBLEM IMPROVED BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AS WELL BEFORE, THE HEISTATION BECAME WORSE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD FAILED, BUT NOT DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET, CONSUMER RECEIVED A SECOND OPINON BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT WATER WAS DETECTED IN THE #6 CYLINDER AND DETERMINED THAT THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL, THE MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED THE ROOT CAUSE OF PROBLEM TO BE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE, HOWEVER MANUFACTURER IS NOT HONORING WARRANTY STATING THAT THE GASKET WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY AND THAT THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE FAILED ENGINE WAS NOT DUE TO GASKET FAILURE, AND ALSO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS NOT AN AUTHORIZED FORD REPAIR FACILITY.*JG

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 20-25 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK *SLC

CONSUMER STATED BRAKE LINE RUSTED IN THE MIDDLE, A MODERATE STOP FORCED LINE TO RUPTURE, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES, AND BRAKE FLUID DRAINED ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER.*JB