1995 Ford Windstar complaints

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 72MPH WHEN THE MOTOR SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING STOPPED RUNNING. TRAFFIC HAD TO STEER AROUND ME TO AVOID A COLLISION, HAD IT TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID I LOST THE LOWER END OF THE MOTOR WILL NEED A NEW MOTOR TO REPLACE IT. THE HEATER STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET.

NO SUMMARY

I HAVE SPENT A TOTAL OF $5,000.00 IN REPAIRS FOR OUR 1995 FORD WINDSTAR VAN - A 3.8 ENGINE, 6 CYCLINDERS. FORD SENT OUT A NOTICE IN JUNE OF 1998 ADVISING THE DRIVERS OF 1995 FORD WINDSTARS THAT THEY WOULD POSSIBLY EXPERIENCE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. FORD S

AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WITHIN 61,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER/MANUFACTURER INFORMED. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE EXTENED WARRANTY RAN OUT ON DECEMBER 31, 1998. MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING WILL BE DONE DUE TO EXPIRATION OF WARRANTY. CONSUMER SEEKING HNTSA FOR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

HEAD GASKETS FAILED. FORD AWARE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, BUT WILL NOT COVER IT.

FORD HAS SENT A SERVICE BULLETIN TO IT'S DEALERS REGARDING THIS OVERHEATING PROBLEM. THE OVERHEATING PROBLEM IS ALSO PRESENT IN THE TAURUS, SABLE, AND CONTINENTAL.

I NOTICE WHITE SMOKE FROM MY EXHAUST PIPE PLUS THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING. I HAD CAR TOWED INTO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE OVERHEATING. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A BLOWN HEADGASKET. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT BUT HAS REFUSED TO CORRECT AND REIMBURSE THE NUMEROUS WINDSTAR OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT I MISSED THEIR OWNER'S NOTIFICATION PROGRAM BY ONE MONTH, HOWEVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE (PROGRAM END-DATE 31 DEC 98). I CALLED THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RECEIVED NO COMPENSATION OR RESOLUTION. PLEASE ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. ALL 95 FORD WINDSTARS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BLOW THEIR HEADGASKET DUE TO A DESIGN FAULT BUT FORD REFUSES TO ADMIT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5-10 MPH THE WHEEL ON THE LEFT FRONT CRACKED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE WHEEL HAS BEEN REPLACED BY OWNER AT HIS EXPENSE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. ALSO, DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED GASKETS TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ON 2/27/99 AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO SHIFT IRREGULARLY, THE ENGINE REVVED TO A HIGH RPM AND THEN THE VEHICLE "CLUNKED" INTO GEAR JERKING FORWARD AND ACCELERATING. LUCKILY SHE WAS A SHORT DISTANCE FROM HOME AND MANAGED TO GET HOME SAFELY. ON 3/2/99 I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS OF 1995 FORD WINDSTARS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. TO SHELL OUT OVER $2,000.00 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION ON VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 50,000 MILES IS A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW. WHY ISN'T SOMEONE FORCING FORD TO OWN UP TO THESE MANUFACTURING/DESIGN FLAWS?

ON 12/22/98 VEHICLE OVERHEATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE CLOSEST SERVICE STATION FOR FEAR OF DAMAGING THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE STATION REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN, IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP THAT REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. UPON HEARING "HEAD GASKET" REMEMBERED THE WARRANTY LETTER. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT DEALER SAID FORD WOULD NOT COVER. THE CONDITION DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER WAS INDEED EXHIBITED WITHIN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD, BUT FORD REFUSED THREE TIMES TO BACK EXTENDED WARRANTY.

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 52552 MILES. ALTHOUGH IN DRIVE POSITION, VEHICLE ACTS AS THOUGH IN NEUTRAL FROM EITHER A STOPPED OR MOVING POSITION. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES LARGE NUMBER OF 1995 WINDSTARS HAVE HAD SIMILAR FAILURES. SAFETY CONCERN FOR OWNERS PULLING ONTO OR MANEUVERING ON BUSY ROADWAYS.

MY VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKETS 'BLEW' WHICH RESULTED IN WATER/COOLANT IN MY ENGINE/OIL PAN RESULTING IN THE REQUIREMENT FOR A NEW ENGINE BLOCK. I DID NOT HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. FORD AGREED THERE WAS A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY GIVEN TO ALL WINDSTARS FOR DEFAULTY HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS BUT THEY WOULD ONLY COVER THROUGH 12/31/98 SO WOULD NOT COVER MY CAR. I WAS NEVER NOTIIED. BASED UPON DISCUSSIONS WITH NUMEROUS OWNERS, THIS IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM IN ALL WINDSTARS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY FRIEND'S WINDSTAR, 1995, REPLACED HER TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND AIR CONDITIONER BUT SHE HAD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE AND ARE ALL LEMONS.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, CAUSING FIRE.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO SLIP WHILE DRIVING, WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

STOPED AT A STOP SIGN AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 8 MILES. TRIED TO PULL A WAY FROM CORNER VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVER PUSHED ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL HARDER THEN IT WENT. EACH TIME I STOPPED IT WOULD DO THIS IT WOULD MAKE A JERK WHEN IT WENT INTO GEAR IT GOT WORSE AS I WAS DRIVING STOPPED FOR GAS. WENT TO GO WOULDNOT GO HAD TO PUT INTO REVERSE BACK UP STOP THE FORWARD TO GO.

VEHICLE SERVICED AT COWLES FORD IN WOODBRIDGE, VA.

THIS TRANSMISSION HAS GRADUALLY FAILED TO MOVE FROM A STANDSTILL INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE...NOW IT LUNGES INTO GEAR AFTER AN INDEFINITE LENGTH OF TIME. TONIGHT (ON OUR WAY TO THE DEALER) THE CAR WOULD N OT GO INTO REVERSE..AND WHEN I WALKED BACK TO HELP MY WIFE WITH IT, IT LUNGED INTO GEAR ALMOST STRIKING ME. MY WIFE IS TERRIFIED OF THIS CAR...IT'S LEFT HER I N A VULNERABLE POSITION IN TRAFFIC AND ON HILLS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL.

WE RAN OVER A RACCOON, CAUING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG CAUSED ME TO HAVE A CONCUSSION AS WELL AS A BRAIN INJURY AS SHOWN ON AN MRI. WE FEEL THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS INCIDENT. DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE VAN CONSISTED OF A SMALL CRACK IN THE GRILL COVER. HOWEVER, MY MEDICAL BILLS WILL BE EXTREMELY COSTLY. I AM CURRENTLY UNDER THE CARE OF A NEUROLOGIST. HE STATED THAT DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURY TO MY BRAIN, HE WILL BE REPEATING THE MRI IN 6 MONTHS. MY CONCUSSION IS BEING TREATED THROUGH MEDICATION. ONCE AGAIN, WE FEEL THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED AT ALL. IN ADDITION, THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG WAS EXCESSIVE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY.

THE REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF THE WINDSHIELD TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THE MIRROR WAS GLUED BACK ON BY THE OWNER. THE SECOND TIME WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN THE MIRROR FELL OFF THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED BY THE OWNER. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

MY 2 YR OLD CAN PULL APART-NOT UNBUCKLE-PLASTIC `CHEST' BUCKLE

#1. THE TRANSMISSION-HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIME AND IS FOR IT AGAIN M AKING IT 4 TIMES.THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE O RIGINAL TRANSMISSION WITH DEFECTIVE REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS. WHEN THE VAN WAS LESS THA N THREE MONTHS OLD I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS ROUGH GOING INTO 2ND.I W A S TOLD THAT THAT IS NORMAL IT SHIFTS HARD.Y ET BEFORE THE LAST 3 TRANSMISSION WENT OUT THE SHIFTS WERE SMOOTH ,EXPLAIN THAT. #2.THE BRAKES.HAVE BEEN IN 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING THE PEDDLE GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE THE BRAKES ARE REALLY LOOSE,AFTER TAKING THE VANIN FOR SERVICE ON THE BRAKES THEY SEEM TO WORK FINE FOR ABOUT THE TIME IT TAKES TO PULL INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND THEN THEY GO BACK TO THE PEDDLEON THE FLOOR .I WAS ADVISED TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THAT THAT RESET THE BRAKES(DUH).I HAVE LET IT GO BUT(I HAVE A FRACTURED NECK AND AM DEATHLY AFARID THAT THE BRAKES WILL FAIL AND HAVE INSTRUCTED MY FAMILY TO CONTACT LAWYERS/&FORD IN CASE I DIE DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE ) I KNOW THE BRAKES ARE STILL NOT ACCEPLTABLE,BUT WHAT CAN I DO ?OH YEAH AFTER ONE TIME I TOOK THE VAN IN FOR THE BRAKES I ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY DIDN'T ENGAGE RIGHT AWAY.. .F=FIX ,O=OR ,R=REPAIR,D=DAILY THIS IS WHAT FORD STANDS FOR TO ME.

WE ARE AWARE OF OTHER 1995 WINDSTARS HAVING TRANSMISSION TROUBLES AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF FOR'S S

RECALL REPLACED WATER PUMP GASKET, 4 WEEKS LATER ENGINE DAMAGE FROM LEAKAGE

CHARGED $900 TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL? WHAT ELSE SHOULD I CONTACT FOR ABOUT? *AK

BRAKES CONTINUALLY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT DUE TO FAILURES.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

THESE TWO INCIDENTS LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THE ABS SYSTEM AND THE ORGINAL MASTER CYLINDER MAY HAVE FAILED. OUR FAMILY DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, AND WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD MINIVAN. *AK

ENGIN EHEAD GASKET FAILED 14 DAYS AFTER EXPIRATION OF EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE, WITHOUT WARNING, TRANSMISSION FAILED TO OPERATE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER RECORD WOULD BE KEPT, BUT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE FOR REPAIRS UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK

THERE IS WATER RUNNING FROM THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET, AND THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING ROUGH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN DRIVING IN LOW SPEED. *AK

I AM SURE THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN ON THE ENGINE. I HAD HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE, AND WHITE SMOKE WITH WATER COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE PERSON THAT TOWED MY VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER SAID THAT MY WINDSTAR WAS THE 5TH FORD HE HAS TOWED IN THIS WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY WERE ALL 1995 FORD'S WITH A 3.8 LITER V-6. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE FORD DEALER IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE ,AND HE SAID THERE WAS, BUT REAPAIRS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE DEC. 31, 1998. I WAS NOT AWARE OF A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM, IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO SO MANY CARS AND TRUCKS JUST IN THE TULSA OK AREA, THERE IS CERTAINLY A TREND. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER RECALL PERIOD HAD EXPIRED. FORD RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET AT OWNER'S COST. AFTER HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, AND FORD DEALER DECIDED THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN MONTHS PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. FORD WILL NOT COVER ENGINE DAMAGE. *AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR THE DOOR FELL OFF THE TRACKS AND WAS HANGING ON BY ONE ROLLER. INJURED TWO PERSON WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO CATCH THE DOOR.

THE CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A CRACK IN THE GAS TANK WHICH CAUSES GAS TO LEAK OUT. WHEN PUTTING IN GAS, CONSUMER CAN ONLY PUT IN FIVE DOLLARS WORTH OF GAS BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THE VEHICLE WILL HOLD. ALSO, NO MATTER WHERE CONSUMER PARKS THE VEHICLE GAS WILL LEAK OUT. *AK

I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A LETTER SENT TO SOME OWNERS OF WINDSTARS STATING THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE DEFECTIVE, HOWEVER I NEVER RECEIVED THIS LETTER. *AK

A RECALL LETTER RECEIVED IN JUNE OF 1998 STATED THAT HEAD GASKET REPAIR WAS COVERED UNTIL DEC,31.98. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT FORD IS VERY AWARE OF AND SHOULD COVER REPAIR EVEN THOUGH IN MY CASE I AM PAST 60.OOO MILES AND IT IS PAST DEC. 31,98. MY REPAIR BILL IS APPROX. $800.00 FOR THIS, AND THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO ME, ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM STRUGGLING TO PAY PAYMENTS ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER SAW BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. HE HAD TO CONTINUE ADDING BRAKE FLUID. SERVICE PUT VEHICLE ON RACK SAW THE LEAK COMING FROM THE BRAKE LINE ON LEFT SIDE OF MASTER CYLINDER/ DOWN AND ACROSS. UNDERNEATH/AT THE CROSS OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CYLINDER FLUID LEAKED RIGHT ABOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE SHIELD WAS NOT PROTECTING THE BRAKE LINE FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION GOES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. POSSIBLY DUE TO THE USE OF ALUMINUM PISTONS. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILURE. *AK *ML

FORD ADMITS DEFECT IN GASKET, BUT WILL ONLY REPLACE IF UNDER 60,000 MILES OR 5 YEARS, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. SINCE IT IS KNOWN DEFECT AND BARLEY OVER 60,000, I WOULD EXPECT AT THE VERY LEAST THEY WOULD MAKE GOOD ON A PERCENTAGE OF THE REPAIRES. I BOUGHT THE CAR AT GENE EVANS FORD, BUT IT IS CURRENTLY AT BOOMERSHINE FORD 770-476-2090 3230 SATELLITE BLVD. DULUTH GA 30136. I FIRST NOTICED A PROBLEM IN LATE NOVEMBER- EARLY DECEMBER OF '98 (POOR IDLE / RUNNING A LITTLE HOT). TOOK TO BOOMERSHINE WHEN PROBLEM GOT WORSE (CLOSER THAN GENE EVANS). CAR NOW IDLES ROUGH AND RUNS HOT TO COLD (MOSTLY HOT). *AK

TAILGATE WOULD NOT OPEN.

A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND A BULLETIN WAS RELEASED BUT HAD A MILEAGE AND TIME LIMIT WHICH I AM SLIGHTLY OVER, FORCING ME TO PAY $1,000.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

FAILURE OF ENGINE HEAD GASKET 2 MONTHS BEYOND FORD'S "EXTENSION" OF RECALL NOTICE 98M01 FOR THIS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED ISSUE WITH FORD 3.8L 6CYL ENGINES. FORD IS REFUSING TO PROVIDE ANY RELIEF ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE ADMITTED THAT THE FAILURE IS DUE TO POOR PARTS. THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS STATED THAT FORD HAS KNOWN THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTED AS FAR BACK AS '91, BUT CONTINUED TO USE THE POOR QUALITY PARTS. *AK

THERE MAY BE OTHER UNDERLYING PROBLEMS THAT CASUED HEAD GASKET TO BLOW, BUT THIS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO EXTREME DAMAGE FROM COOLANT IN THE ENGINE, 3RD CYLINDER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. *AK

NO SUMMARY

DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS LEAK COOLANT INTO COMBUSTION CHAMBER. FORD RECOGNIZES THIS PROBLEM (SERVICE PROGRAM 98M01) BUT WONT FIX VEHICLES AFTER 60000 MILES OR A CUTOFF DATE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALE DATE. MINE HAD SYMPTOMS IN DEC 97, BUT SERVICE EITHER DIDN'T RECOGNIZE SYMPTOM OR IGNORED IT DUE TO WORK OVERLOAD. FORD SHUNS MY PROBLEM AND I AM LEFT WITH A NICE CAR THAT NEEDS $1000+ IN ENGINE REPAIRS ON A KNOWN PROBLEM JUST BECAUSE MY VEHICLE DIDN'T COMPLETELY FAIL BEFORE THE EXPIRATION.

ON THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET ISSUE, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD LAST MAY 1998 AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CHECK THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE GASKET. NOW I AM FACE WITH MAJOR REPAIRS ON THE ENGINE. THE FUEL TANK IS EXTREMELY SLOW FILLING. I FEAR A POTENTIAL FIRE OR EXPLOSION RELATED TO THE FUEL FILLER ISSUE. THE TRANSMISSION GROANS MOSTLY IN THE MORNING AND AT TIMES DOES NOT ENGAGE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. ALSO THE FORM WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED EARLY IN THE VEHICLES LIFE , ANOTHER EXPENSIVE REPAIR WAS NECESSARY. THERE IS NO TEMPERATURE CONTROL TO MODIFY THE REAR HEATER TEMPERATURE.

TRANSMISSION CONSISTENTLY DISENGAGES OUT OF GEAR. WHEN IT ENGAGES AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS THERE IS A CLUNK INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. ALSO WHEN FIRST STARTING VAN TRANSMISSION CLUNKS INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTED.

I'VE HAD TWO RIM/WHEEL FAILURES WITHIN SIX MONTHS, BOTH OF WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WHEEL RIMS SHOULD FAIL.

REAR AXLE BROKE, AND ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT.