1995 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE AND WATER COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THE #1 PLUG WAS FULL OF WATER AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. UPDATED 03/22/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAVING THE TIRES ROTATED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING WAS CRACKED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01I007000, REGARDING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. UPDATED 03/03/06. *JB

MAIN ENGINE BEARING FAILED AT 96,000 MILES AND TOOK THE TRANSMISSION ALONG WITH IT. TOTAL COST WAS $12,000. SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY; CUSTOMER PAID ONLY THE DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSE. ONLY THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS REPLACED. OTHER PARTS; HEAD GASKET, SPARK PLUGS ETC WERE NOT. WHICH EVENTUALLY LEAD TO THE FOLLOWING FAILURE: THE ENGINE AGAIN BLEW A HEAD GASKET AT 40,000 MILES. LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE, NO HEAT, WINDOW DEFROSTER FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY, COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL CRASH ETC. CUSTOMER FINALLY HAD TO JUNK 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. NO SATISFACTION FROM DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *NM

TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED BY A FORD DEALER IN 1997 WITH A $400 DEDUCTIBLE. TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN IN 2002 AND WAS REBUILT. THE VAN IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR MORE TRANSMISSION WORK AT THE COST OF $1995. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THIS CREATED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR MY CHILDREN AND I. THE COST OF REPAIRS THIS TIME WILL EXCEED $2000 AT AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TCP PREVIOUSLY. I PUSH FOR A RECALL AND FOR FORD TO OFFSET THE COST OF SEVERAL TRANSMISSION OVERHAULS.*AK

1995 WINDSTAR PURCHASED NEW ON JULY 14, 1994, I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 100930 MILES ON IT. THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 600 MILES ON THEM. HAVE HAD ALL MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. ALSO, HAVE HAD ALL RECALLS THAT I WAS MADE AWARE OF FIXED AT THIS DEALERSHIP. DRIVER'S SIDE SPRING FRACTURED, PUNCTURING TIRE WITH A HOLE APPROXIMATELY 4" LONG BY 1" HIGH AS IT WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED TO BE REPAIRED. COST TO BE WELL OVER $700.00, NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF A NEW FRONT TIRES. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, AFTER EXPLAINING PROBLEM I WAS TOLD THAT FORD WOULD ONLY COVER THIS FOR A 10 YEAR PERIOD FROM THE ORIGINAL DATE OF WARRANTY, BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM AND THEREFORE FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. MY QUESTIONS ARE "HOW CAN THE INSTANTANEOUS FAILURE OF THE FRONT SPRINGS ON A VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENT PUNCTURING OF THE FRONT TIRES, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE NOT BE A SAFETY PROBLEM?"; "HOW CAN THE MANUFACTURER AND THE NHTSA BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND NOT NOTIFY THE VEHICLE OWNERS?"; "WHY ISN'T THERE A PROCESS TO APPEAL THIS OUTSIDE OF THE MANUFACTURER'S OWN CUSTOMER SERVICE ORGANIZATION?"; AND "IS THERE A PROCESS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM REEVALUATED AND FOLLOWED UP ON?". *JB

WHEN BRAKING SEVERELY TO AVOID COLLISION FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK. THERE WAS NO COLLISION AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURY. SUBSEQUENTLY, ALL SEVEN SEAT BELTS WERE TESTED BY OWNER BY VIOLENTLY JERKING. ALL SEVEN SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK WHEN JERKED. LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO INSPECT THE SEAT BELTS. *NM

I HAD THE TREAD SEPARATE FROM THIS TIRE ON OUR 1995 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WHILE GOING THROUGH ATLANTA, GA. 10/18/05. THE FLYING DEBRIS BENT THE MUFFLER UP INTO THE BACK RIGHT QUARTER PANEL OF OUR VAN AND CAVED IN THE WHEEL WELL. THE INERTIA SWITCH WAS TRIPPED SO THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. WE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. *JB

DT: WHILE DRIVING ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2005 THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE ABS BRAKES. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. *AK

1995 FORD WINDSTAR MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER LEAKED CAUSING CIRCUITS FOR THE HORN, BACK UP LIGHTS, AND CRUISE CONTROL TO BE INOPERABLE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL IS STILL INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM STEMMED FROM A BURNT CIRCUIT. *JB

UNRESPONSIVE HAND-BRAKE, LOCKED IN SET POSITION WITH DASH BOARD BRAKE ERROR LIGHT LIT. CAN NOT CLEAR PROBLEM AND FRANCHISED DEALER, MAROONE, AND FORD HAVE NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY. 1995 FORD WINDSTAR WITH 74,000 MILES AT FAILURE. *NM