Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
OTHER
05/07/2005102/08/2000
 I would very much like ford to stand by the email below dated july 11th, 2005 from kristen kinley of ford fcsd public affairs 313-337-2786 kkinley@ford.com which states that: i am still eligible for the 01m03 extended coverage on the front springs. i would very much appreciate it if either ford, or my ford dealer would reimburse me for the money i paid out of my own pocket to my ford dealer on may 7th, 2005 to have those front springs replaced since ms. kinley's email dated july 11th, 2005 states that i am still eligible for the 01m03 extended coverage on the front springs. the front springs were replaced at my expense on may 7th, 2005 at ed carney ford inc. 189 route #10 east hanover twp, nj 07936 phone: (973) 386-1771, fax: (973) 386-9093, salescarney@earthlink.net, best, robert pinkus, 973 360-8411 rpinkus@research.att.com po box 2379 livingston, new jersey 07039 ----original message----- from: kinley, kristen (k.l.) [mailto:kkinley@ford.com] sent: monday, july 11, 2005 12:53 pm to: pinkus,robert j (robert) subject: fw: 1995 ford windstar 2 dr gl passenger van robert, i called our customer service center directly. here's what they told me about your '95 windstar. briefly... i don't have the details on each of these, but if you provide the recall numbers (those listed before the description below) to the dealer, they should be able to look it up in their database and pull up the specific repair procedures for each. hope this helps. you are still eligible for the 01m03 extended coverage on the front springs 02s36 brakeline - repaired 6/20/02 97s88 hood separation - repaired 12/6/00 98m01 head gasket - repaired 11/22/99 this vehicle was not part of the affected population for the other field actions kristen kinley fcsd public affairs 313-337-2786 kkinley@ford.com. *nm
01/01/2003112000103/01/2002
 The rubber seals on the side door and driver door have all stretched out and fallen. this causes a problem if it falls down by the brake and gas pedals on the drivers side or one can trip going out the side door. they do not break from use they stretch and/or the glue comes off and they fall.*ak
01/15/200360000
 Ac coolant was low and switching mechanism had to be replaced. at 54000 miles was told timing cover was leaking and head gasket was leaking. head gasket was finally covered at no charge but timing cover got little relief. now at 80000 miles, the coil assembly fails and i am told that my head gasket is leaking again and the dealer says they only guarantee their work for one year. we had the head gasket fixed on the recall. it appears the headgasket may be leaking again (one ford dealer says it leaks another says it doesn't). we are in for regular servicing next week --we will see what they find). our vehicle being repaired once and beyond 7yrs old seems to be beyond what will be covered. the van has only 139,000 kilometers on it (so we are not past the 100,000 mile barrier). we have had another gasket on the time cover replaced which i think was also a recall item. i appreciate keeping up the pressure in the campaign against ford.
06/15/200352000
 The hinge and runner of the sliding door broke, resulting in the back side of the door falling off the car.
11/15/200395000
 The paint is blistering off the hatch and sides in large patches. the airbag light blinks and the power window on the driver side fails to close all the way and struggles to open. the rear vent windows work when they want to .
09/15/20030
 Case 1 my family was coming home from vacation when the engine blew while we were on the highway. smoke came up from under the hood and we were force to stop the van on a crowded highway. thanks to a nearby truck driver who stopped behind us, we were able to call someone and get to safety. it took a lot of negotiation for me to get ford to take care of this matter, but they finally did. now again on our recent trip to ga on 08-28-03 while driving home, our check engine light came on and overdrive light started blinking and the transmission blew. transmission fluid leaked all out and on the back of our van too. it also started smoking underneath the hood and from the tailpipe. we were informed by freedom ford in norfolk va that we had transmission failure. our check light has come on numerous occasions and despite their action it still keeps coming on. in addition, our overdrive lights blink, our cruise control do not work, the door adjar lights stays on at times even when the doors all locked and causing the inside interiors lights to stay on, our gears do not shift properly and gets stuck between gears and upon acceleration it sometimes hesitates, repaired coolant leak from timing cover gasket and front crankshaft seal, coil ignition, the air condition when on makes these strange noises, etc. replaced. we are very dissatisfied with ford windstars and have spent more money on repairs than what it was worth. we even still owe on the van. ford needs to issue a recalll or a refund. this is not a safe vehicle to drive. please keep me informed. thanks and god bless.
09/15/200360
 Ford windstar 95 shift lever prdnl does not match gear. when in park car rolls have to find d or r by moving shift lever. sometime have to put lever in to park twice or three times befor it catched and car starts. when the car rolls back and kills someone it will get fords attention. also replaced head gasket engine and head gasket again. tranny sensor, door ajar sensor. what a car mark hershkowitz
07/15/200379000
 My 2 main problems are my transmission & timing gear cover. the tranmission is very hazardous. mine is slipping between 1st & 2nd gear. i have been reading on the internet that on some of the transmissions they have been slipping out of gear. i sure don't want to have that surprise. i'm disabled & need my van to haul my powerchair with me when i go to the doctors office. i wouldn't know what to do. i talked to a mechanic & he said if it goes it will leave me on the road. i think this van is very dangerous on the road. ford know they were having head gasket & transmission trouble on the 1995 windstar why don't they take care of there problems. they know they had bad gaskets on the heads,timing chain covers,& transmissions but they still went with the cheaper gaskets that leak. i think the government should step in & make them pay for those repairs before more people get killed like that ford police car that jumped out of gear & ran over some people in southern mn. a few yrs. ago. whats it going to take? a few more thousand people to get killed before they figure that there transmissions are no good.
06/15/20030
 Brake work x2 transmission x2 all belts tire & suspension work lugs on wheels not properly replaced ,it almost fell off still paying on vehicle while it sits in ashley ford parking lot w/ dead transmission i am unable to pay close to $2000 for repairs
01/15/20030
 I have owned this van since 1999. since i have owned it we have had nothing but problems with it. i have had the rotors turned, and replaced at least 3 times, and they need it again. i have had the head gasket replaced 3 times and one of them times was at 99,000 miles when it was under the warrenty. it had been replaced at least one time before that. my sliding door won't stay closed, even though i just spent $300 getting a new latched put on. my windows won't work. i had larson motors fix a head gasket and my electronic windows, cost me over $250 for the window, that only worked 2 times. i called, and since they put "may not be the problem" on the invoice, they think that clears them, and they wanted me to spend more money on another part. my speedometor has been replaced once and is broke again. the alternator has been replaced. i could go on and on. i am getting no where with anyone. i have spent around 5,000.00 in repairs, and can't trade the thing off, since i still owe too much on it, due to a tornado that hit our home, and what the insurance didn't cover, the balance was put on our car loan. we don't have the best credit do to having to spend anywhere from $100-300+ a month on repairs to this lemon car. i have a family and need to know that i have a reliable car to drive. i have been stranded with my 3 children a minimum of 4 times this past year.
11/15/20020
 To whom it may concern, in june of this year(2002) i was shopping for a vehicle for my wife and found a 1995 windstar at pat mccraken ford in dewitt michigan. it was in nice shape and ran good. i had no idea of the headgasket problem that i was about to inherit. around the middle to the last of november my wife was driving home and it overheated. i replaced the thermostat, radiator cap and waterpump before taking it back to the dealer. he wants to charge me $900.00 to replace the headgaskets not including new heads which might be bad. on a trade-in on something else he only wants to give me $1000.00 for the van, which i know he will fix for his cost and put back on his lot to cheat some other unsuspecting person. what makes me mad is that he knew before he put it on his lot that the 1995 windstar's were prone to engine failures. being unemployed at the present time i didn't need this problem. terry
11/08/2003360006
 I own a 1995 ford windstar the paint is blistering off in huge pieces. ford says it is not their problem , paint should not peal from a car like this it is blistering off in sheets . i have read that ford is paying for painting only if the customers are really loud about complaints. i have also read that many complaints have already been sent here. this automobile has been a nightmare with defects and recalls. anyone in the automotive business laughs when they here what kind of car i own. 10 years to pay it off, 3 head gaskets later rebuilt trans engine heads warped from factory coils springs breaking electrical malfunctions , paint lifting off the vertical sides, brake problems....the list goes on and now ford no longer lists the windstar on their site. they have changed the name to free star i wonder why?
101/01/2002
 1995 ford windstar. dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis----------------770784. *ak *nlm
 Motor has gone up 5 times since ownership.
01/15/20035780003/07/1995
 I was told on 1-15-03 by mullinax ford service dept. in amherst, ohio that i needed new head gaskets and engine in my 1995 ford windstar. there was a major design flaw in those engines and ford knows it. they did an extended 7 year, 100,000 mile warantee on it and because of my low miles (57,800) i did not experience the problem until now. i am 10 months past the warantee. i feel that ford should take full responsibility for these engines and should have recalled them all. i have gone through many channels and ford will not help me. the cost estimate for my repair was $4,500.00. this is now an unsafe vehicle.
401/01/2001
 This vehicle was purchased at an auction in detriot. the previous owner purchased the vehicle from brighton ford motor company. before we purchased thie vehicle, a engine was installed by the previous owner and the flywheel was replaced twice also. after we purchased the vehicle in january of 2001, we had it in for repair for the flywheel. at that time it was under warranty. it was repaired by metro ford of lansing . again on jan 23, it was service again for the flywheel still under warranty. on sept 11, 2001, the vehicle was again service not under warranty this time costing us $1362 in repairs. the last two times the flywheel was repaired was on aug. & oct. of 2002. even while driving this vehicle poses a danger to me and my children. it switches gears while i am driving and sounds like the engine itself is coming apart, all while driving. the engine light is on and the overdrive light is flashing constant. i do not know how long the vehicle is going to last, i can tell it is dying again. please provide any help as soon as possible. thank you, mary ware. dt
09/01/2002
 While driving at normal speed vehicle started to run a little rough. engine light illuminated, temperature gauge went to hot. consumer pulled over, and saw smoke coming out of tailpipe. consumer took vehicle to dealer, and they replaced head gasket. please provide any further information.*ak
08/19/2002
 Consumer is concerned that manufacturer sent him a recall in march of 2000 for head gasket. august of 2000 vehicle started smoking which came from exhaust system, and vehicle was running hot. engine check light appeared on dashboard.*ak
07/02/200211/01/2098
 There was a recall notice on this vehicle which was pointed out to me by auto mechanic. i have forwarded this information to nhtsa via mail. ford service at friendly ford in las vegas nv said that there was a recall but my vin number was not included in that recall notice even though the vehicle description in the notice describes the exact situation, ie. vehicles purchased in southern sections of california.*ak
03/22/2002106/01/1994
 Contacted manufacturer who stated that the extended warranty ended in 7 years. my vehicle's head gaskets failed 7 years, 9 months. coolant leaked into the engine causing major damage. no warning such as check engine light went on until after failure. nkm
3
 While driving vehicle decelerates to the point that front end becomes sluggish. *ak consumer states check engine light and the overdrive light comes on and the shift lever lights up, when lifting feet off the accelerator pedal the transmission suddenly shifts to low gear. *yd
 While driving engine check light illuminated on dash, indicating that head gasket was blown. vehicle completely shut down. took to dealer for repairs. *ak
 While driving engine light illuminated. smoke emerged from vehicle, and temperature gauge immediately went from cold to hot, causing head gasket to blow. please provide any further information.*ak
 While driving smoke emerged from exhaust. also, engine light illuminated on dash and temperature gauge immediately went from cold to hot, causing head gasket to blow out. *ak
06/01/2000
 While driving engine check light illuminated, indicating a malfunction. shortly afterwards, vehicle completely shutdown, cause unknown. also, engine has been replaced twice, and needed to be replaced a third time. please give any further details.*ak
11/21/2001102/01/1997
 Engine began rough idling, strong smell of fuel within vehicle, check engine light went on within a few minutes. a cloud of smoke followed the vehicle. *ak
10/20/2000
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
06/07/2001401/01/1996
 Entire front panel (with ac/heater, radio, and rear window controls) becomes too hot to touch, especially when driven more than 60 minutes continuously. engine had to be turned off for more than 20 minutes. check engine light came on. repair shop found no exposed wires but warned of fire risk; had seen same problem in other mid-90's windstars.*ak
08/18/2001102/01/1995
 The car got overheated and started throwing lots of smoke through the exhaust system the smoke was with water and some oil,the engine light was on, and the abs light also. *ak
05/21/2001108/01/1995
 Only 65,200 miles and i am original owner, and took great care of my windstar but the head gaskets still blew. when my windstar was at the dealership for other factory recalls, i was already aware of the head gasket warning notice and my check engine light was coming on constantly so i asked the dealership to replace my head gaskets. the dealership refused, saying there weren't enough symptoms and that it had to break down before they would install the improved head gaskets! *ak
05/01/1998
 Van has been running hot and ngine check light came came on. they told us at the dealer we needed a new head gasket. detroit told us it was under the onp but then when we told the dealer that they said we needed a new engine and that wasn't covered. later that day we found out they made a mistake and weren't covering the head gasket either. ford needs to do something for the consumer with this big problem. they keep passing the buck when it seems to be their fault. isn't this typical of ford with all the other problems they're having that they won't take any blame. *ak
08/12/19991
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
11/27/2000107/01/2000
 Head gasket went out along with the starter & believed to be water pump also went out..all with in 2 days....no notice at all engine light came on when gasket blew.covered with a lot of smoke which filled my whole backyard.i turmed the van off and it would not start...i contacted paydays south where i purchased the van when they directed me to ricart ford in columbus,ohio.they had believed it was still covered under factory warranty.i spoke with a kevin daniels at ricart who was very nice and is going to set up a appt for us....also when we replaced the starter..we attempted to start the van and it made two very loud clanking noises.which left me very concerned about the damages done to the engine.
10/01/1998
 Nothing new to ntsa: head gasket failure, timing cover rotting, engine check light on, door agar light on, etc....you are very familiar with 1995 ford windstar and related problems!*ak
11/05/2000103/01/1999
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
04/01/20000
 Engine check light came on, temperature gauge flew up, anti freeze had mixed with oil, and ruined the engine.*ak
04/26/2000106/01/1994
 Dealer knew of numerous complaints but said ford was not recalling.
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
12/01/1998303/01/1995
 No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak
05/09/200004/01/1998
 Insurance company will not replace child booster seats without proof they need replacing after a rear end collision. do any laws or regulations exist covering this?*no safety defect. *ak
03/01/200003/01/1998
 My van first lost its heater so we replaced the thermostat. when that didn't fix the problem, we replaced the water pump. we took the van to the local dealership after receiving the recall and was told there were too many miles on the van to fix it. we told them not to do any chargeable work to the van, they did anyway. they charged us $49 to look at 3 of the check engine codes. this van has had numerous problems since i bought it from chilton's auto sales in eden, nc. the lights stay on, the door ajar light staying on not to mention the annoying beeping that accompanies these lights. we finally took the fuse and some bulbs out to keep the lights from running down my battery. head gaskets are supposed to last the life of a vehicle and since all the other parts of the van seem to be getting along good i don't think my van's life is over no matter how many miles it has on it. thanks for any help *ak
06/02/20001
 Consumer was traveling 55mph on the highway while driver's/passenger's airbags deployed. driver maintained control of vehicle, but veered off the road onto the shoulder. also, rear two windows blew out/dashboard came apart, and passenger's airbag caught on fire. fire department was notified. dealer contacted, said vehicle is out of warranty. *ak *ml
04/23/2000109/01/1998
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
04/25/2000107/01/1997
 I bought this vehicle used in july 1997 with 32,000 miles. since that time, i have had the brakes repaired three times and they still squeak. the airbag module had to be replaced four months after purchase, luckily under federal warranty. then in june 1999, i had to replace the fuel tank because the straps caused it to crack. ford would not do anything to help because there was no recall. in january there was a recall for the exact same problem, but only in certain counties in certain states, not nj, ford would not bend, despite my letters and phone calls. in late march 2000, my airbag light came on again as did my abs light. my brakes needed to be fixed again. since my airbag was fixed over 12 months ago, it was not covered. my engine check light came on april 11 and stayed on for two days, then turned off. we were planning a trip to wash, dc, so i brought it to fullerton ford for service on 4/25. they informed me that it needs head gaskets (which it was recalled for) and $1,400 worth of other work, not affiliated with the airbag light, or the engine check light. the engine check light was for a camshaft positioning sensor that is a $50 part, with $150 worth of labor, also want me to have a timing cover gasket replaced at $815, a temp gauge at $82, an engine flush for $99.95, a water pump at $140 parts only, $40 for drive belt, and misc. labor at $111.00. my complaint is this. i dropped the car off on 4/24 for a 4/25 appt., they hadn't looked at it at 4:00 on 4/25 and wanted me to pick it up and bring it back the next day. when i protested, they looked at it and said it would need head gaskets. they said the ford rep would be out the next day and that he would also consider my gas tank complaints. on thursday, 4/27, they said the work would be done hopefully by 5/5. today, 5/2, one week after dropping off the van, they are telling me i won't have it back until 5/12 or 5/19 at the earliest!!!! because they are too backlogged with vehicles.???
12/03/1999111/01/1996
 I kept burning out brakes every 6 months until the whole brake line blew up caused from heat. mechanic said brake line melted due to placement next to heat from catalytic converter. a very serious manufacturers default. potential fire and fatality safety issue! line needs heat resister shield next to converter. head gasket blew but dealer claims recall only goes to 100k miles and won't cover blown engine. just paid van off now the engine is gone! expected more than 5 years out of it. the van should be recalled! *ak
07/02/199905/01/1994
 This minivan was my worst nightmare. after having the head gaskets checked and transmission serviced at 58702 miles my gaskets went @ 66940, transmission @68420,engine replaced at 71843 miles. all this happened at our busiest time of year. my daughter is a softball pitcher and the tranny went on my way to a rural town tourny, the engine went over 100 miles from home on our way to state tourney which we sent our daughter with the coach. but we missed it. after having the enginge replaced with a used one pulling into my driveway my poer steering went and the car caught fire from the fluid spraying onto the engine. the original hose was used with the replacement engine. new hose was routed a different way so the hose wasn't so close to the exhaust pipe. i was lucky this happened in my driveway. all this happened within a few months and ford or the dealership were not helpfull. i sold the van and will never buy another ford. *ak
101/01/1995
 The instrument panel reads that a door is opened even when all are closed, the dome light stays on which causes a hazard at night because the driver cannot see out the windows very well. nlm
04/03/199706/01/1995
 I am exasperated at my losses and frustrated trying to recoup my money. i wish to achieve an amicable resolution with ford. please assist. thank you, sincerely, nicola zanghi. no safety defect mentioned in summary. *ak
09/10/1999101/01/1996
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
12/09/199912/01/1994
 Freeway ford dealer rejected my request for the refund of ($2257 = 96%). please help me, what i should do next. thank you. twan. no safety defect listed in the summary. *ak
02/07/20000
 While traveling down highway, engine check light and heating light came on. consumer moved close to the lane. then heard a loud pop, and white smoke came out from everywhere , consumer was completely blinded. but, felt safe enough to move to shoulder and wait for help. *ak
10/07/1999207/01/1997
 My van was over warranty only 500.00 miles and no one would work with me to get it fixed!! no safety defect listed within summary. *ak
11/23/1999303/01/1999
 While driving the temperature gauge barried at hot, then engine check light came on. pulled over and white smoke came from tail pipe. then van would not restart. a mechanic replaced the head and i drove it for approx. 400 miles when the engine started nocking and the trans. would not shift out of 2 gear until it got hot then wouldn't shift out of 1st i believe the head gasket damaged the engine and trans. van is undriveable and still owe for it. *ak
02/09/200007/01/1995
 Ford motor co. needs to stand behind their products or get out of the business. no safety defect listed in the summary. *ak
02/17/20000
 Temperature gauge went to red many times, and engine check light appeared on the dashboard unexpectedly. consumer received recall notice 98m01 on that problem. but, dealer did not work on the vehicle because the recall expired. consumer received two more recalls, 97s88 and 99s33. *ak
04/01/19984007/01/1995
 Door open light on dashboard and overhead dome lights frequently do not shut off, even when all doors are closed securely. *ak
02/03/20000
 While driving engine check light came on. consumer feels that this vehicle may be unsafe. *ak
01/30/20000
 While driving engine check light came on, and smoke started coming out of the tail pipe. about twenty minutes later the car died. *ak
01/15/2000107/01/1997
 Engine check light, smoke out tail pipe, antifreeze odor at exhaust. *ak
11/19/1999
 Head gasket failed on nov. 16, 1999. i picked up the vehicle from the dealer on nov. 19 and drove it home (~15 miles). i immediately called the dealer and told them the engine was running hot. i was told to go ahead and drive the car. on dec. 6 (after more phone conversations), i took the car back and was told the no.2 fuel injector had failed. on dec. 97 i picked the car up and before i could get it home again, the engine check light came on, and the car ran very roughly. i immediately called the dealer and they told me to drive it for a feew days to see what happened. on dec 22, i returned the car to the dealer , and again the n0. 2 cylinder has a problem that the dealer can't diagnose. ford is offering no assistance. *ak
12/30/1999108/01/1994
 No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak
12/25/1999104/01/1998
 I have a wife and 3 kids relining on this defect-ridden van hear in wisconsin, no safety defect mentioned in summary. *ak
10/28/1999109/01/1994
 No summmary listed for above vehicle. *ak
07/13/1999107/01/1994
 At 30,170 miles, transmission was replaced. at 45,472 miles the air conditioner would work when the van would first start and then the a/c would cut off. while awaiting for the parts to fix the a/c to arrive at the dealership, the van began missing during idle. i was driving out of my driveway on july 11, 1999 when the check engine light came on. i immediately pulled back into the driveway where the van sat until monday, july 12, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. per the service dept at the ford dealership, we were advised to drive the van there, if we could get it that far. upon leaving our home with my husband driving the van and me following in a reliable vehicle, we started out for the dealership only to stop midway because the van was overheating. we waited for it to cool and started for the dealership once again. my husband turned the van off as he pulled into the dealership and had to let it coast the rest of the way because again, it was overheating. they diagnosed the blown head gasket and intake gasket the next day. on dec 7, 1999, i was using the van to go home on my lunch hour. it started to die as i pulled out of my parking space but continued to run. i headed for home and within 2 blocks, while sitting at a stop light, the van died . i managed to start it back up only to have it die again. the van had to be towed this time. they diagnosed that the air flow tube had fallen off of the filter housing. on 12-16-1999, i was pulling from my parking space to go home from work for the day, only to have the van die. it started up again only to make it to the street out of the parking lot. it started again and i made it 1/2 a block before it died again. i started again and made it one full block this time before it died again. i had to start the van approx. 5-6 more times only to have it die each time in order to get into a local hotel parking lot. i called the service manager at the ford dealership and he came to check things out. he could. *ak
10/20/199906/01/1997
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
10/15/1999
 While driving on the highway engine check light kept coming on. vehicle began to overheat and water came out of tailpipe. also leaking radiator fluid on the engine block and heater, creating toxic gases inside the vehicle. contacted the dealer not under extended warranty. *ak
11/26/1999106/01/1995
 No summary
07/30/1997106/25/1997
 Dash cup holder replaced. mjs
11/19/199908/01/1994
 Several minor engine components (o2 sensors, coolant lines, computer, rough running engine, check engine light coming on & off) failed over a one year period followed by the head gasket failure. after it was repaired, about 100 miles later the engine failed. the oil pressure light came on, the van lost power and the speed started fluctuating. this was on a high speed, but no shoulder bridge, so slowing down could have caused an accident. fortunately it didn't this time. the dealer recommended towing the van to the garage, and after review the engine was recommended to be replaced.*ak
09/22/199907/01/1998
 The check engine light was coming on anytime i drove on an trip over 60 miles. after having it checked out and checked out, i could never get an answer about the problem. found out later that it was due to the head gasket being bad and dumping engine coolant throug the exhaust which in turn destroyed the catatlytic converter and sensor. however the computer would never give the codes that this was the problem. while checking this problem out, i had it in a transmission shop that knew of ford's transmission problems, and stated that this windstar had all the signs of a leaking aluminum pump in the transmi. cost was just under $1000. still the problem was not fixed. a guy said to check the exhaust, so i had the exhaust checked and found the catalytic convertor had melted down. had them replaced, still the problem was not fixed. my mechanic happened to be talking to the parts dept at a ford dealer and they mentioned the secret recall on the motor. so i checked on it and they said the mileage was too high (keep in mind that the van was doing this when i purchased it at 82,000). my mechanic pulled the head off and replaced the front head gasket where the #4 cylinder had blown the gasket. he replaced all fluids. several hundred miles later the motors main bearings went out due to having had engine coolant mixed with it for so long (told to me by the springfield, il ford dealer where i was when the motor blew and by the springfield, mo ford dealer where i live). ford refuses to fix the problem and i can give you addresses of hundreds of other people who are having this problem, and this is just a group of people on the web, how many thousands of people don't know anything about this problem? ford claims to have sent out recalls, but i have never received one nor have any others that i have talked with except for one guy i work with. he bought his van used and received this recall. i have gotten a recall on my van hood so they know where i live. thanks, db.
10/27/1999112/01/1994
 No summary listed fpr above vehicle. *ak
11/11/1999105/01/1994
 Rough engine, engine check light on. head gasket leaking onto #4 plug and cylinder. *ak
10/05/1999
 While driving around town. heard a funny sound, restarted vehicle and the temperature gauge went high. towed to dealer, and dealer determined that head gasket blew out and needed to have the engine flushed. contacted dealer, and replaced head gasket. oil light was coming on. dealer said that vehicle will continue to have problems. stepped on gas pedal and vehicle would hesitate when stopping, then shut off. *ak
 While traveling noticed fumes from the tail pipe. also there was a smell. engine check light came on. also, vehicle was pulsating. dealer has been notified. please provide further informaton. *ak
09/30/1999105/01/1996
 No summary.
08/15/1999106/01/1998
 Car running fine/stop at store/get back in car. engine check light starts blinking, and car is shaking/ drove home/called mechanic/ drove to mechanic/confirmed blown engine head gasket/ returned home/ parked car since august. ford wont help/ called cust service and been to several dealers/all said that it has been a problem but won;t fixed it/1st ford owned/last ford owned/trying to find out how to have the gasket fixed by the manufacturer/ head gaskets shouldn't go at 60,000 miles. consumer reports mag (10-99) issue says there are hidden warranties on this problem /ford still won;t help/any help or info would be appreciated thank you. *ak
10/16/1999
 While driving there is a leak in the engine and it has failed, *akpremature failure.the engine check light intermittently comes on. please provide any futher information.
03/23/1999105/01/1995
 Ford motor compay's response to this situation is terrible. i have been buying exclusively ford products for 15 years and i will never i repeat never buy another ford product again!!!
09/29/19990
 Engine check light came on. consumer heard a rattle sound. took car to dealer. dealer said that it was the catalytic converter. *ak
09/24/1999105/01/1997
 This is a known defect covered under an extended warranty letter to 5 years or 60,000 miles. since it was a known defect, we feel that ford should reimburse at least a portion of the repair. we were under the 5-year limit but just over the mileage, but again, this is clearly a product defect.
03/01/1999207/01/1994
 These are sealed and safety componets that should have a longer life expectancy. service manager said air bags are inoperative when light is on.
09/01/1999104/01/1998
 Fuel indicator quit working - rear door does not register as being shut unless slammed-power window in passenger door is dead-speedometer is inaccurate over 70 mph, flucuates
04/01/1999
 While driving the van the check engine light came on. van was serviced by the dealership, and the light went off. on september 7th, while driving the van the check engine light came on again. please provide any further information. *ak
05/01/199706/01/1994
 No summary
09/16/199908/01/1994
 Heard there is a class action lawsuit against ford for this item!
05/14/1999102/01/1995
 This ford vehicle has had an extreme number of failures. starting with the head gasket that the dealer wanted us to pay for after they made the mistake of saying it was under warranty. at a previous repair the dealer had replced the dash because of the speedometer cable and the dealer service person had forgot to add in the previous mileage. later ford recalled the head gaskets. the transmission has not been replaced yet but continues to shift poorly. i do not want to put any more money into this vehicle. i believe ford should have some responsibility for the amounts spent on poor quality parts separate than normal maintenance. so far all that ford has offered is $1000.00 cash. this is not a responsible offer. we have spent almost $8000.00. it is fortunate no one was hurt when these parts failed. these six defects were not the only problems but are probably the most expensive defects.
05/31/1999108/01/1995
 Ford issued some sort of silent recall that i never received. ford had no explanation for this. this seems to be a major problem with 1995 windstars.
07/29/1999
 While driving at 30 mph smoke came out of the tail pipe. engine check liight came on, and the engine got real hot due to engine gasket blowing out. *ak
07/26/199912/01/1994
 Manufacturer was aware of defect.
06/24/1999104/01/1995
 After a month of rough idling and 47800 miles the check engine warning light came on. brought to dealer to indicated that item was covered under service notification. *ak
01/11/1999203/01/1995
 Oil pan leak noted @ 60k. dealer recommended fix @next service. at 73224 died when put into reverse, oil warning light flickering. dealer identified leaking timing cover gasket caused coolant to enter oil system. major lower engine overhaul replacement of all moving parts required. repair was covered by extended warranty which expired @ 75k. dealer requested replacement of known head gasket problem at that time declined by ford as no current problem apparent. at 83k vehicle difficult to start, exhaust blowing white smoke when it finally started. dealer has had car over a week & has identified head gasket failure which has also caused the rebuilt lower engine to fail again. dealer recommends full engine replacement. ford is refusing to acknowledge any responsibility even though an apparent recall had been issued against premature headgasket failure. in common with other notifications you have received and we have noticed on the internet. what recourse do we have with a manufacturer who is aware of a major design flaw and refuses to service its custormers? our vehicle has been maintained and serviced for its entire life soley by the ford dealership from whom we purchased this dead vehicle. estimated cost of repair--$5,000. *ak
 Check engine light came on when the temperature gauge went up because there was a leaky engine head gasket that blew. dealer said it was a manufacturer's design flaw. *ak
05/14/199906/01/1997
 On may 14, 1999 while driving home from work in moderate city traffic, my 95 ford windstar's engine started to skip as if a spark plug was not firing. i was about 2 miles from home and continued to drive slowly watching for further signs of trouble. at about 1/2 mile to 1 mile later the check engine came, on and i slowed my speed to about 20 when i noticed the engine temperature gauge began to rise. i started to pull over when the vehicle stalled while running ( a white vapor cloud was emerging from the tailpipe) i coasted to a stop. the mechanic at dave dinger ford at braintree ma said the head gasket(s) failed causing damage to other engine parts due to the anti-freeze mixing with the oil, and recommended a remanufactured engine at a cost of $ 4,200.00 . ford has an extended warranty covering this part for unlimited mileage, but not later than 12-31-98. i have contacted the manufacturer ford and they refuse to pay or negotiate the cost of engine repair even though this was a known defect for them in the 3.8 liter v-6 engine (taurus & sable 94-95) for some time prior to my buying the car used in 6/97. the car was previously registered as a ford corporate vehicle in massachusetts since new. i feel strongly that they should be responsible for the repair of a latent defect, known to them, at the time of sale. *ak
01/01/1999106/01/1998
 Was not notified of program issued because did not own the car at the time of the initial beginning dealership did not have the problem taken care off. no safety defect mentioned in summary. *ak
03/08/1999212/02/1997
 Engine experienced continued problems with idle and stalling, replacement of several components and complete replacement of engine did not rectify failures, the failure was from information in shop manuel that lists the incorrect camshaft position sensor alignment tool, after correct tool was used problems were rectified. mjs
205/01/1995
 April, 1998 at 34,000 miles car taken to dealer for routine maintenance. dealer stated that there is a slight oil leak. kept car overnight and then for a few more days. replaced numerous seals and gaskets. valve cover gasket, etc. one year later, april, 1999 at 47,000 miles car brought in again for routine maintenance, check engine light and unexplained engine coolant loss. dealer advised that head gasket must be replaced. *ak
04/15/199909/01/1996
 Car was idling rough, white smoke coming out of rear of vehicle, temp gauge reading normal, smoke got worse, check engine light came on, engine died, all in 3 block distance. garage says blown head gasket, new engine needed, ford will do nothing.*ak
04/14/1999103/01/1995
 No summary
03/27/1999
 While driving at any speed vehicle stalls/ overheats, and the temperature gauge will go up to high. also, engine check light keeps coming on. consumer just got the vehicle out of the repair shop, and the same problems have reoccurred. *ak
08/01/199808/01/1995
 This vehicle has been in for service since we bought it new for engine check lights and poor runability. compression tests ran in november because engine ran poorly. dealer replaced oxygen sensors ,and then a month and a half later, the head gasket failed. ford would not honor the recall since it expired on dec. 31,1999. i think the dealer missed the diagnosis all along, the gasket was failing. the failures of the gasket and transmission along with the numerous sensor replacements has cost me about $5800. these problems are too numerous in numbers, many 95 ford windstar owners are having the same or worst problems. these problems are well known to ford and they refuse to take responsibility. you must make these recall issues to force them to improve their quality. *ak
01/18/199901/01/1995
 On 1/18/99, vehicle was serviced after check engine light stayed on. engine had been idling and running rough--lurching as noted in service invoice. vehicle had 59363 miles. had vehicle serviced at nearest equipped service center--merit inc, a goodyear service center. they performed most of a 60,000 mi service. check engine light returned to normal operation and engine operation improved, but still ran rougher than normal. we returned the vehicle to merit on 1/20, but they were unable to offer further insights on problem. problem remained unchanged for the next few weeks, then got noticeably worse the weekend of 2/20. on 2/22 or 23, we called crossroads ford in raleigh, nc, describing the problem and recent history. the first available appointment they offered was later the following week, so an appointment was made for 3/5. on the evening of 2/26, the vehicle overheated at 61,054 miles. the car was stopped and engine turned off before the temperature gauge needle reached red. vehicle was towed to crossroads ford the following monday. they attributed the problem to the head gasket defect noted in service program 98m01, and advised replacing the engine at an estimated cost of just over $3400. dealer and ford refused to cover under the warranty described in the service program, even though the problem began within the 5-yr, 60,000 mi period covered. *ak
609/01/1995
 I would love to here a response. thanks. no defects mentione din summary. *ak
12/26/1997
 While driving at 60 mph engine check light came on, and the engine head gasket blew out on march 5th. the problems returned, and the consumer vehicle isn't working righdealer can't determine the problem with the engine. *ak
01/25/199907/01/1995
 This problem is very widespread for windstars. lots of people reporting same problem on news groups on the web. ford refuses to fix their defective product. no mention of defect. *ak
11/15/1998106/01/1994
 Abs/transmission failures. also replaced front brake calipers/struts/wiring. engine head gaske tblew out, causing engine to leak. engine check light comes on/off. *ak
10/28/19985008/01/1994
 We have been told that this is a coomon problem.that the aluminum piston was not designed right and it cracks.which causes the van to buck in not shift as you pull out into traffic cusing the van to be a hazzard.we have been told a new steel piston has been design not to crack with wear.if ford designed it right the first time,i would not have had this problem.
10/01/199803/01/1994
 One month ago i replaced the brake system for $520.00 and now my transmission needs to be replaced.
105/01/1994
 Fuel gauge and door chime failed.
11/02/1997
 None provided.
08/03/1998
 Engine check light came on. white smoke came from the exhaust pipe. when driving, vehicle stopped. when turning the key on, a clunking noise was heard. dealer contacted and investigating problem for repair. *ak
10/28/1996107/30/1996
 Door ajar light comes on intermittently.
11/17/1994
 Vehicle has too many problems to lists. please inform of any investigations into this vehicle make and model.
05/19/1998105/05/1997
 Head gasket failed. also engine check light came on.
09/12/1997
 Engine check light came on. the dealer says that the head gasket had been blown and there was an oil leak. dealer has fixed. *ak
03/08/1998109/15/1994
 Head gasket blew out, causing vehicle to stop shudder. also engine check light came on.
03/16/1998111/20/1994
 Replaced defective engine head gasket. also engine check light came on.
09/01/1995109/29/1995
 Sliding door indicator comes on continuously.
09/01/1995109/29/1995
 Abs indicator light continuously going on
04/29/199701/17/1996
 Head gasket malfunctioned, causing vehicle to stall. also engine check light came on/off. *ak
11/24/1997106/25/1997
 Drink holder failed allowing hot drink to tip over onto driver.
1
 The universal remote, supplied with vehicles modified for handicapped person, failed.
02/03/1997106/01/1995
 Ramp would not retract, preventing use of battery operated wheel chair.
 Check engine light has been coming on five times since purchase of vehicle, cause unknown. *ak
10/18/1995110/21/1994
 Remote door lock fails for right front door.
08/02/1996
 This is a conversion van, handicapped person finds it difficult to use wheel chair in emeregency parking. consumer will explain. please describe.*ak
11/01/19941
 Door ajar warning light comes on, even with all doors closed/locked.
11/11/19951
 Electric ramp/door for wheel chair access functions intermittently.
09/30/19950
 Keyless entry fails intermittently. *dsh
08/11/19955
 Remote transmitter failed.
07/05/19955
 'door ajar' light comes on when doors are tightly closed and remains on up to one hour after engine is turned off. *aw
01/01/19941
 Sliding door chime sounds continuously. *tt
 Recall part is not in and has not been in for three weeks. please describe further. tt

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