1995 Ford Windstar complaints

DOOR OPEN INDICATOR WILL NOT GO OUT EVEN WHEN DOORS ARE SECURELY CLOSED. SUSPECT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH BACK DOOR (HATCH) INDICATOR. INDICATOR WILL EVENTUALLY TIME ITSELF OUT (OFF). HOWEVER, WARNING TONES SOUND INDICATING THAT I SHOULD CHECK ON THE PROBLEM. FRONTIER FORD "FIXED" THE PROBLEM ONCE BUT THE PROBLEM RECCURRED WITHIN A MONTH'S TIME. *AK

"DOOR OPEN" LIGHT ON DASHBOARD AND OVERHEAD DOME LIGHTS FREQUENTLY DO NOT SHUT OFF, EVEN WHEN ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED SECURELY. *AK

FORD WILL NOT FIX PROBLEM, WARRANTY EXPIRED 7 DAYS EARLIER. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS AS WELL AS THE DASHBOARD DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND THE DOOR OPEN CHIMES STAY ON EVEN WHEN ALL THE DOORS ARE CLOSED. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSORS, IT IS STILL AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TWICE IN THE SJ MERCURY NEWS ACTION LINE COLUMN.*AK

THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE COOLANT BUBBLED, ALLOWING COLD AIR INTO VEHICLE WHEN HEAT WAS ON. THIS IS DUE TO A BLOWN OUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER SAID IT NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. *AK

1989 FORD TAURUS, SAME ENGINE SIZE, SAME PROBLEM AT 75,000 MILES. PRESENTLY OWN A 1999 FORD MUSTANG WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN/MANUFACTURE OF THIS ENGINE? NO TRAILER HAS EVER BEEN TOWED. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY CASUALLY NEVER FAST ACCELERATION, MOSTLY HIGHWAY TYPE DRIVING. I'VE NEVER IN 40+ YEARS OF DRIVING EVER BLOWN A HEAD GASKET BEFORE IN ANYTHING! TWO TIMES WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE - IS THIS COINCIDENCE, OR A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. WHAT CAN I DO SO AS TO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MUSTANG? ALL THREE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSIONS WITH REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THANK YOU. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. YH

THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE AND HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT DONE DUE TO FAULTY DIAGNOSIS (SENSORS REPLACED), VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT AND THEN RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED, HOWEVER VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ENGINE FROM EXTENSIVE TIME OF OVERHEATING AND FAULTY DIAGNOSIS. *MJS 98M01

WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE CENTER OF THE FLOORBOARD WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. PULLED VEHICLE INTO THE DRIVEWAY, CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND SAW SMOKE FROM THE CENTER OF ENGINE TOWARDS THE FIREWALL. PULLED VEHICLE UP ON RAMPS, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. FOUND BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CONTACTED DEALER, HAD VEHICLE TOWED. DEALER SAID THAT THE BRAKE LINE, TO THE RIGHT FRONT FLEX HOSE FROM THE JUNCTION BLOCK, HAD RUSTED AND BROKE. ALSO, MENTIONED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. *AK

A LOSS OF HEAT PLUS AN OVERHEATING ENGINE WERE THE FIRST SYMPTOMS OF AN ENGINE PROBLEM. A NEW THERMOSTAT WAS INSTALLED, BUT (8) DAYS LATER THE SAME SYMPTOMS WERE OBSERVED. A SERVICE CENTER TESTING CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET(S) WERE BLOWN AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. FORD HAD EXTENDED ITS WARRANTY TO 60,000 MILES, BUT FAILURE OCCURRED AT 70,000 MILES. FORD REFUSES TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS IS THE SECOND 3.8 L ENGINE THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM IN OUR FAMILY. A 1993 THUNDERBIRD WITH THE SAME ENGINE TYPE HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT A COST OF $1100.*AK

MECHANIC STATES THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.HE JUST WORKED ON A 1995 MUSTANG WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. COINCIDENCE! I DON'T THINK SO. DEALERSHIP SAID IF THE WARRANTY WAS STILL IN EFFECT, THEY WOULD COVER THE COST TO REPAIR. 7,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAD 39,000 MILES WHEN WE PURCHASED. WE HAVE PUT 28,000 MILES ON IT IN 4 YEARS. SOMEHOW I DO NOT THINK THIS LOW MILEAGE WOULD CAUSE THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW. I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE 95 MUSTANGS. IF IT WAS PUT ON THE MUSTANGS WHY NOT THE WINDSTARS SINCE THEY HAVE THE SAME ENGINE? *AK

WE HAVE A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD ON THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WHICH COVERS THE FIRST 5 YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE OR 60,000 MILES. THE CAR OVERHEATED ON 12/20/99 AND IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AT THAT TIME BY OUR MECHANIC AT ANOTHER SHOP IF IT WAS THE HEADGASKET. ON 12/22/99, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AND OUR MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY THE HEADGASKET BUT HE DIDN'T THINK THE MOTOR WAS AFFECTED. HE SUGGESTED RETURNING TO THE DEALER, TOUSLEY FORD, FOR REPAIR EVEN THOUGH, TOUSLEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL AS IT WAS 25 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY. WE WERE APPROXIMATELY 6400 MILES UNDER THE 60,000. TOUSLEY HAD US CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FORD WHO DECLINED TO ALSO HONOR THE WARRANTY. OUR MECHANIC FELT THAT HAVING THE WORK DONE AT THE DEALER WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY WE MIGHT GET ANY MONEY BACK ON THE REPAIR IF FORD WAS REQUIRED TO HONOR THIS RECALL. TOUSLEY TOLD US THE WHOLE MOTOR NEEDED REPLACING, NOT JUST THE HEADGASKET AND THE REPAIR COST $3,538.15 NOT INCLUDING THE $35.75 WE PAID OUR MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. WE DON'T FEEL THIS HAS BEEN FAIR AS OUR MILEAGE WAS CONSIDERABLY UNDER THE 60,000 AND FEEL WE ARE BEING PENALIZED FOR NOT DRIVING ENOUGH AS WE WERE ONLY 25 DAYS OUT OF THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY. FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT THIS ELIMINATES A NUMBER OF OWNERS WHO DON'T USE THEIR VEHICLE ENOUGH AND SAVES THEM A LOT OF MONEY. THIS EXPENSE, FOR US, WAS ONE AND ONE HALF MONTH'S TAKE HOME PAY AND HURT CONSIDERABLY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS COMMUNICATION WITH YOU WILL H

ENGINE DIED AND DISPURSED WHITE CLOUD (STEAM) ON RR TRACK CROSSING (HWY6 & HWY85 LOS LUNAS) OBSCURED VISIBILITY AND TAIL LAMPS FOR 3-4 CARS BEHIND ME. NICE THAT A TRAIN WAS NOT COMING AND ALL WERE STOPPED. *AK

MY 1995 WINDSTAR OVERHEATED AND ANTI-FREEZE BLEW OUT TO THE TAIL PIPE LIKE A BIG CUMULUS CLOUD. MY WIFE AND KID GOT SO FRIGHTEN. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THE 1995 WINDSTARS HAVE A HISTORY OF FAILURE IN HEAD GASKET. I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP OTHER WINDSTARS OWNER IN THE FUTURE WHEN THEY ARE IN THE SAME PROBLEM. NHTSA SHOULD DEMAND A RECALL ON THE 1995 WINDSTAR AND FORD SHOULD COVERED THIS PART TO 100,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN, SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE 3.8 LITER V-- 6, FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON ALL OF THESE VANS. *AK

THIS VEHICLE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR IS A LEMON,DO A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND IT BECOMES OBVIOUS.ALL PEOPLE THAT REPLACED TRANSMISSIONS AND HEAD GASKETS IN THE 1995 WINDSTARS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED.ESPEACIALLY THOSE THAT HAD LESS THAN 70000 MILES SUCH AS MINE .THIS VEHICLE IS A NIGHTMARE AND CONSUMERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THIS IS OUR SECOND FORD CAR WITH A 3.8L ENGINE THAT HAD FAILED. *AK

JUNE 1998, FORD MOTOR SENT US A LETTER SAYING THE HEAD GASKET COULD FAIL. THEY DIDN'T RECALL THESE CARS, INSTEAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY. WELL, SURE ENOUGH, OURS FAILED AFTER THE MILEAGE EXTENSION. WE TRAVEL TO NM & CA CAUSING US TO HAVE A HIGHER THAN NORMAL MILEAGE. EXTENSION WAS 5 YRS, OR 60,000. WE HAD 76,375. LUCKILY WE WERE NOT ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE HAZARD ON A SUPER HIGHWAY. WE SINCERELY FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A TOTAL RECALL. IF THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO COMPLAIN, PLEASE NOTIFY US TO THE CORRECT CONTACTS. THIS WAS NOT A CHEAP REPAIR, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. FORD MOTOR SHOULD KNOW HOW TO BUILD HEAD GASKETS BY NOW!!! THANK YOU....JANET REYNOLDS. *AK

THE HEADGASKET BLEW ON THE WAY TO WORK WITH LITTLE WARNING! I STEAMED INTO THE NEAREST GAS STATION WHERE HE IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AS HE HAS HAD SEVERAL 1995 FORD PRODUCTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, THE HEADS WEREN'T CRACKED OR APPARENTLY THAT WOULD HAVE COST ANOTHER $1,000.00. I DID NOT RECEIVE A WARRANTY EXTENTION, BUT EVEN IF I HAD, IT HAD EXPIRED. ALTHOUGH I GOT NOWHERE WITH THE DEALER, I INTEND TO SEND A COMPAINT TO FORD AS THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BRAKE PEDAL FADED AWAY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSING POOR BRAKING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AT $2,200.00 PER FIX THIS IS GREAT BUSINESS FOR THE DEALERSHIPS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW. *ET

VEHICLE WITH A 3.8L ENGINE EXPERIENCED BLOWN HEAD GASKET WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE DONE AT CONSUMER COST. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT PREMATURALY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE OF PROBLEM EXTENDING WARRANTY TO 60000K. FORD SAYS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL NOT ASSIST. DEALER REPAIRED AT VERY HIGH RATE OF FAILURE AND REPAIRS ABOUT 1 A WEEK. SAID NOTHING HE COULD DO TO ASSIST.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

COOLANT LEAKED INTO BEARINGS FROM PREVIOUS BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

LOW MILEAGE MINIVAN, ONE OWNER, WITH BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET .AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS VEHICLE MAY BE UNSAFE. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLOWN CAUSING $3460.00 IN REPARS> FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY FAULT. *AK

ALTHOUGH I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, I HAVE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES AND OTHER LITERATURE FROM FORD REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. YET I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS FAILING. HOWEVER, I NOW HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN RECALL 98-MO1. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED THIS, AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO SAYS IT'S TOO LATE. THE FOREMENTIONED LETTER FROM FORD INDICATES THE WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEM EXPIRES AFTER 5 YEARS OR 60K MILES. NOT WHICHEVER COMES FIRST! THIS CAR CAME INTO SERVICE 3/31/95 (ACCORDING TO YORK FORD) SO THE 5 YRS HAS NOT EXPIRED. HOPEFULLY THIS COMPLAINT DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS, I'M AT MY WITS END IN TRYING TO DEAL WITH FORD ON A PROBLEM THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. NLM

FIRST HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 59000 MILES, NEW ENGINE REPLACED AND HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN AT 101,000 MILES. *ET

THERE WAS AN IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN FOR THE GASKETS ON THE ENGINE THAT APPLIED UP TO 60,000 MILES. CONSUMER WAS OVER 60,000 MILES, AND HAD THIS WORK DONE BEFORE FINDING OUT ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS CRACKED, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. DEALER AND FORD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

3.8 LITER ENGINE; HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AT 80,000 MILES DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. *AK

FAILED HEAD GASKETS. *AK

TOOK MY VAN TO THE GARAGE FOR NEW HEAD GASGETS. ONLY TO FIND OUT IT NEED A NEW ENGINE. A FRIEND TOLD ME HE HEARD THAT FORD HAS KNOWN THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH 1995 WINDSTAR VANS AND THAT THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANITY TO 60,000 MILES. CALLED THE FOD GARAGE TO CHECK THIS OUT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TRUE. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM BUT I DIDN'T FALL UNDER THE WARRANITY WITH 80,000 MILES. WHEN YOU BUY A VEHICLE THEY SAY 80,000 ISN'T ANYTHING BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM THEY SAY "WELL, YOU HAVE 80,000 MILES." BEING UPSET THAT THIS WAS GOING TO COST ME $3,600.00 AND ONLY BEING NOT 5 YEARS OLD YET I DID SOME PHONE CALLING. FORD MOTOR WOULDN'T GIVE ME THE TIME OF DAY SO I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT. THEY CALLED THEIR REP. AND HE WOULD DO NOTHING. THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEARLERSHIP TOLD ME THEY PUT IN AT LEAST 6 NEW MOTORS A MONTH AND IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. USUALLY THE MOTOR GOES AFTER 60,000. SO FORD IS TRYING TO MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD AND EXTEND THE WARRANITY BUT NOONE BENIFITS FROM IT. ALSO THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM. SO IF YOU HAD YOUR OWN GARAGE TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WERE UNDER THE 60,000 MILES YOU WOULD HAVE PAID FOR IT ANYWAY. I ALSO CALLED OTHER DEARLERSHIPS AND THEY TOO CONFIRMED THAT THE 1995 FORD WINSTAR VANS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. FORD ADMITS IT BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT.

HEAD GASKET FAILED DUE TO BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN. YH

TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED AND REPLACED AS STATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE 98M01, HOWEVER ONE YEAR LATER EXTENSIVE REPLACEMENT TO ENGINE GASKETS AND THERMOSTAT WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL REPLACEMENT, INADEQUATE RECALL REPAIR FOR FAILURE. *MJS

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAVE BLOWN OUT, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. ALSO, WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. *AK

ENGINE SHUT OFF, ALMOST LOST CONTROL. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED .THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. THIS RESULTED IN THE ENGINE OVERHEATING , WHICH THEN CAUSED THE BLOCK TO CRACK. HAD TO HAVE A SMALL BLOCK PUT ON . PLUS ALL THE VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS THAT WENT ALONG WITH REPLACING A BLOCK. *AK

THE OXYGEN SENOR WAS NOT WORKING AFTER I PICKED UP MY VAN FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THEY HAD JUST REPLACED MY ENGINE. THIS WAS DONE DUE TO THE HEAD GASKETS FAILING. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT RELATED . BUT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS WORKING BEFORE THE ENGINE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. I THOUGHT THIS WAS COVERED UNDER THE 80000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD IT WASN'T BY THE DEALERSHIP.

THE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE BROKE. HAD TO RELACE THE TIMING COVER SINCE THIS IS WEAR THE PRESSURE FELIEF VALVE IS LOCATED . THIS WAS DONE 3000MILES AFTER THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE HEAD GASKETS GOING. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS VALVE SHOULD OF BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME THAT THE ENGINE WAS TO AVOID HAVING TO TEAR IT APART RUNNING UP LABOR COSTS.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HEAD GASKETS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE, A FAILURE AT 72,000 MILES IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD COVER THIS COMPONENT SINCE SO MANY 3.8 LITERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *AK

AT 48,612 MILES TRANSMISSION FAILED. $2338 TO REPLACE. NO SATISFACTION FROM FORD. STOP AT CORNER, STEP ON GAS WOULD NOT ENGAGE, THEN ENGAGED WITH A JERK. HEAD GASKET FAILED AT SAME TIME. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLOWN. COOLANT LEAKED INTO CRANK CASE RESULTED IN BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK