1995 Ford Windstar complaints

HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING A LOT OF STRONG SMELLING, WHITE SMOKE TO COME FROM UNDER THE CAR AND OUT OF THE EXHAUST. MY WIFE HAD FOUR CHILDREN IN THE VAN AT THE TIME. SHE STOPPED THE CAR AND GOT ALL THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE VAN - THINKING IT MIGHT BLOW UP. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND FOUND OUT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN REQUIRING $1,400 TO $2,500 IN REPAIRS (DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY). WE CHOSE TO HAVE JUST THE GASKET REPLACED BUT WILL PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE LOWER ENGINE WORK DOWN IN A FEW MONTHS FOR ANOTHER $1,000 OR SO.

NO SUMMARY.

I HAD RECEIVED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE FROM FORD STATING THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKETS ON THE 95 WINDSTAR. THE LETTER STATED THE WARRANTY WAS ONLY EXTENDED TO 60,000 MILES OR 5 YEARS. MY VAN STARTED OVERHEATING WHENEVER I WOULD DRIVE IT. I RE-PLENISH THE ANTIFREE SEVERAL TIMES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT HAD A HEAVY EXHAUST. I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS A SENSOR GOING BAD BUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO BE CHECKED. THEY INFORMED ME THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. I CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE I HAD OVER 60,000 MILES ON THE CAR, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. THEY GAVE ME FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE'S NUMBER TO CALL. I SPOKE TO THEM AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I COULD UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM IF I HAD ABUSED THE VAN. HOWEVER, I KEPT THE MAINTENACE UP ON IT. I THINK FORD SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THE "1995 FORD WINDSTAR" TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.

INTERNAL TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN OCCURRED CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND FORD COMPANY REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBLITY FOR REPAIR.

NO SUMMARY.

I HAVE FOUND A PLETHERA OF INFORMATION ON THE WEB ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE FOWARD CLUTCH PISTON. IT AMAZES ME THAT FORD HAS NOT RECALLED SUCH AN ENGINEERING FAILURE! PLEASE HELP. IF YOU NEED ME TO SEND YOU THE WEB SITE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON AFTER DOOR IS SHUT. THEY TURN OFF AFTER A FEW MINUTES AFTER ENGINE IS STARTED BUT THE DASH LIGHT REMAINS ON. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON FOR OVER A HALF HOUR AFTER THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND WE EXIT THE VAN. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW HAS THE SAME VAN AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER (SERVICE) SAID THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $100 TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

HAD VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL TANK AREA. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. MECHANIC PLACED VEHICLE ON RACK & NOTICED THE LEAK. ALSO THAT THE TANK WAS MADE OF PLASTIC & WAS CRACKED. THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER HEARD A RATTLE SOUND. TOOK CAR TO DEALER. DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY RESULTIN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. THERE WAS A TSB BULLETIN BUT IT HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY.

HIGH TEMPERATURE INDICATION DURING DILEING AND 0-15MPH. TOOK TO LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE A BAD HEAD GASKET THAT WILL REQUIRE ME TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TOLD ME COOLANT HAS LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE AND CRANKCASE AND THAT REPLACING THE ENGINE IS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE. REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET WOULD BE A TEMPORARY FIX AS THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF FAILURES WITH THIS ENGINE BEFORE .

THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN TWICE IN 53 WEEKS, AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE WEB THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

ENGINE FAILED. NLM

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN OUT AT 80,000 MILES, CAUSING POTENTIAL SAFTEY HAZARD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING, CAUSING A HOLE IN THE ENGINE DEALER WILL REPAIR THE GASKETS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND THE CONSUMER SAW A LOT OF SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE. VEHICLE AT DEALER & INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ENGINEHEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK AND HE REAR ENDED TTHE OTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BURNING HIS ARM. PASENGER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NO SUMMARY.

NO SUMMARY.

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THIS WAS A PROPERLY MAINTAINED ENGINE AND THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM. I AM FACED WITH BUYING A NEW LONG BLOCK AT A COST OF $4700. FROM FORD.

FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON CRACKED ,CAUSING VEHICLE TO BEHAVE LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. ALSO, WHEN TRANSMISSION WOULD FINALLY KICK IN, VEHICLE WOULD SERGE FORWARD. CLUTCH PISTON WAS REPLACED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MANUAFCTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

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.

THESE ARE SEALED AND SAFETY COMPONETS THAT SHOULD HAVE A LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY. SERVICE MANAGER SAID AIR BAGS ARE INOPERATIVE WHEN LIGHT IS ON.

TIMING COVER GASKET & SEAL FAILURE AND CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS FAILURE AT 48,834 MILES. SYMPTOMS WERE HESITATION/JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING & COOLANT LOSS. BOTH FAILURE SYMPTOMS BEGAN AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASING IN FREQUENCY FOR 1-2 WEEKS UNTIL "ENGINE WARNING LIGHT" CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH/COOLANT REPLACEMENT ABOUT 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO FAILURE, & NO PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AT THAT TIME. DEALER COVERED COST OF CYLINDER HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT, BUT DID NOT COVER TIMING COVER GASKET & SEAL REPLACEMENT($708.61). APPEALED TO CORPORATE LEVEL, ASKING IF THE COOLANT LEAKAGE MIGHT BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE KNOWN CYLINDER HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT, SAYING BOTH FAILURES WERE INDEPENDENT. I FIND IT ODDLY COINCIDENTAL & HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BOTH PROBLEMS INITIATED AT THE SAME TIME, BUT ARE UNRELATED.

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND THEREFORE THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. FORD STATED THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY EXTENDED THEIR WARRANTY FROM 50,000 MI. TO 60,000 MI. THE ONLY PROBLEM OUR VAN HAD 63902 MI. IT WAS GIONG TO COST US $4000 BUT AFTER PRESSING THE ISSUE FORD AGREED TO PAY $3500. SINCE THEN I HAVE FOUND 7 OTHER SIMILAR CASES OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT ABOOUT THE SAME MILEAGE IN THE GREATER DAYTON AREA.

THE VEHICLE IS LOSING WATER AND OVERHEATING DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER SAYS GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BETWEEN THE BLOCK AND THE HEAD. *AK

HEAD GASKET WENT OUT. IT WAS REPLACED WITH RECALL. REAR HATCH LOCK ACUATOR BROKE NOT FIXED YET. WINDSHIELD WASHER WORKS ONLY AFTER IT IS PUSHED REPEATEDLY ABOUT 20 TIMES, NOT FIXED YET. I'M TIRD OF SPENDING MONEY ON A 4 YEAR OLD $25000.00 CAR.

HEAD GASKETS BAD - THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH FORD HAS ALREADY ADMITTED IS A DESIGN FLAW. THEY REPAIRED CARS WITH UNDER 60K MILES (WHICH OWNERS SELF-DIAGNOSED) FREE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST OWNERS CAN'T TELL THEY HAVE THE PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER 60K MILES. THE SYMPTOMS ARE OFTEN SUBTLE, AND DON'T IMMEDIATELY POINT TO HEAD GASKETS AS THEIR CAUSE. FORD OBVIOUSLY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE VEHICLES FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR AS NEEDED. INSTEAD THEY DECIDED TO ONLY DEAL WITH THE FEW OWNERS WHO MANAGED TO FIGURE OUT ON THEIR OWN THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE THE PROBLEM. MY CAR DIDN'T SHOW SYMPTOMS UNTIL IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN OVER AN HOUR (SOMETIMES SEVERAL) ON LONG TRIPS - AN INFREQUENT OCCURANCE. THEREFORE I COULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL I DROVE IT ON ENOUGH LONG TRIPS TO SEE THE SYMPTOMS. MAKE FORD PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES!

TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER 31000 MILES TO HAVE TRANSMISSION CHECKED OUT BECUASE IT WAS SHIFTING HARD. THEY SAID IT WAS FINE. 20000 MILE LATER IT GOES OUT.

FUEL TANK WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK UNDER THE CENTER METAL BINDING THAT SECURED THE FUEL TANK TO THE VEHICLE. FROM ALL INDICATIONS THE CRACK HAD BEEN THERE FOR A LONG PERIOD. THE MECHANICS DESCRIBED THE CRACK AS HAVING RESULTED FROM A BULGE IN THE TANK ITSELF WHERE THE BINDING WAS TIGHTENED INTO PLACE. THE CRACK WAS FOUND DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE BINDING. THERE HAD BEEN STRONG GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE FROM TIME TO TIME OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AND VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, USUALLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER FILLING THE TANK. THE LEAK DID NOT BECOME APPARENT UNTIL 9/3/99, HOWEVER, WHEN I FOUND A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDER THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED OVERNIGHT.

HEAD GASKET FAILURES - 3 TIMES @ 54,000, @65,000, @74,000 MILES

IN RESEARCHING DEFECT FOUND IN THE FORD WINSTAR, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY OTHER OWNERS ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MY LOCAL FORD DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED NUMEROUS (MORE THAN NORMAL) FAILURES IN THIS MODEL. TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE AS THE VEHICLE FAILED DURING DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AND HAD TO BE QUICKLY DRIVEN OFF THE FREEWAY UNDER LIMITED POWER ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC.

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE AT TIMES AND AT OTHERS DISENGAGES ..... BRINGING TO DEALER THIS WEEK

TRANSMISSION SEIZED DUE TO BROKEN IMPELLER WHILE AT DEALER (FAMILY FORD - CARLISLE, PA). COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT HAD IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING.

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

HEAD GASKET FAILED, MISFIRE ONE CYLINDER DRAINING COOLANT, NO SMOKE THOUGH. 98M01 EXPIRED. NOW WHAT?

IN JUNE OF 1998, WHILE WE WERE LIVING IN FAYETTEVILLE, AR, WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY STATING THAT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HEAD GASKETS IN THE '95 WINDSTARS. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED FOR AN OIL LEAK (AT SPRINGDALE FORD IN SPRINGDALE, AR). THEY SAID THEY SAW NO PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT IT. WE FAITHFULLY HAD THIS VAN SERVICED AT SPRINGDALE FORD WHILE WE LIVED IN AR. WE MOVED TO IOWA IN JAN. OF THIS YEAR. WE THEN BEGIN SERVICING THE VAN AT BOB ZIMMERMAN FORD IN CEDAR RAPIDS. THIS SUMMER WE SPENT ABOUT $700 ON REPAIRS AGAIN, BUT NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET. THEN IN AUG, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE, RUINING IT. WE NEEDED THE VAN, AND WERE FORCED TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN AT A COST OF $4000. AFTER TRYING TO PURSUE HELP FROM BOB ZIMMERMAN AND SPRINGDALE FORD AND ALSO FROM FORD DIRECTTLY, WITH NO LUCK, I BEGAN RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET. WE FOUND CASE UPON CASE OF THE ENGINE/ HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES. WE JUST TRADED THE VAN IN 2 WEEKS AGO, RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I AM INTERESTED IN GETTING REIMBURSED FOR ALL OR PART OF THE $4000 DAMAGE. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT FORD KNOWS OF THE DEFECT AND ALSO KNOWS THAT IT WILL FAIL, NOT IF IT WILL FAIL.

THIS TRANSMISSION IS INTERMITTANTLY NOT GOING INTO GEAR AND WHEN IT IS IN GEAR AND YOU ARE REVERSING DIRECTION (REVERSE TO DRIVE), IT INTERMITTANTLY LUNGES FORWARD REQUIRING YOU TO HAVE THE BRAKE ON VERY FIRMLY TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR AHEAD. TRANSMISION DOESN'T ALWAYS ENGAGE FIRMLY WHEN GOING BETWEEN GEARS.

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. THE PISTON HAD BURNT OUT. UNDERHOOD INTERIOR WALL WAS SCORCHED. VEHICLE HAD OVERHEATED. HAD NOTICE PUFF OF SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE.

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

TRANSMISSION - CRACKED ALUMINUM PISTON, NO 1ST OR REVERSE, HAD TO SHIFT TO SECOND,BRAKE, AND INCREASE RPMS TO ENGAGE IN 2ND. FLYWHEEL CRACKED RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER ON RESIDENTIAL STREET. HEAD GASKET BLEW ON RESIDENTIAL STREET WHILE STOPPED. ANTI FREEZE LEAKING OUT OF MUFFLER, ENGINE OVERHEAT.

WE HAVE HEARD RUMOR OF A "SECRET WARRANTEE" ON THE HEAD GASKET THAT FAILED. IS IS TRUE AND IF SO WHERE DO WE START? WE PAID $1100. FOR REPAIRS AND FEEL BADLY RIPPED OFF.

MINI-VAN WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR ILLUMINATED "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". CONCURRENT WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THERE WAS A GAS SMELL AROUND CAR. DEALER INDICATED THAT "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WAS NOT RELATED TO GAS SMELL AND THAT THE GAS TANK HAD SPLIT A SEAM. DEALER INDICATED THAT TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE FOR THE SPLIT SEAM, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO TANK TO INDICATE THAT WE HAD HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE SEAM TO SPLIT.

TRANSMISSION SLIPS STARTING FROM A START POSITION.SLIPS ON UPSHIFT.CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. THIS IS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION. *AK

PURCHASED VAN USED FROM FORD DEALERSHIP. 2 MONTHS OR APPROX 2,500 MILES LATER HEAD GASKET FAILED LEAKING COOLANT INTO OIL AND DESTOYING ENGINE. FORD DEALER WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE SALE AND ALSO SAID THAT IT NEW OF NO KNOWN PROBLEMS THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE REPLACING GASKETS IF VEHICLES HAD 60,000 MILES OR LESS. I BELEIVE I WAS DECEIVED BY PEOPLE WHO KNEW THERE WAS A POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND CHOSE TO SAY NOTHING.

SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF TRANSMITION. REPLACEMENT NEEDED

FORD HAS A HISTORICAL PROBLEM WITH THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE 3.8L HEAD GASKETS. ALSO, IN 1994-95, ALUMUNUM FORWARD CLUTCH PISTONS WAS USED IN THE AXOD TRANS. WAS REPLACED WITH STEEL PER FORD. FORD MUST STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT INTO GEAR.THE ALUMINUM PISTON IS CRACKED. IT DOES NOT ALLOW THE FLUID TO BUILD UP SUFFICIENTLY. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK