1995 Ford Windstar complaints

VEHICLES HOOD BLEW OFF STRIKING AND BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD, FIBERGLASS PANEL REMAINED ATTACHED TO HOOD LATCH AFTER STEEL TOP BLEW OFF INTO WINDSHIELD. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).

THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND THE MANUFACTURE REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR

I AM AN ANGRY OWNER OF A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR THAT HAS HAD 2 FAILED TRANSMISSIONS. THE FIRST ONE FAILED AT 38,000 MILES WHEN IT WAS 1 YEAR OLD. THE SECOND FAILED 28,000 MILES LATER. TOTAL MILEAGE IS NOW 68,000. FORD MOTORS AND THE DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING TO BE HELPFUL ON THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE RECALL THEM SO THAT WE ARE COVRERED FROM THESE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. *AK

THIS IS AN ONGOING DEFECT FOR FORD 1995 WINDSTARS. FORD HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 01/31/99, BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN THE SUMMARY. *AK

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR FLUID. REPLACED STARTER. ENGINE OVERHEATED--REPLACED RIGHT CYLINDERHEAD, SPARK PLUGS, COOLANT, FILTER, THERMOSTAT. ENGINE IDLES ROUGH.

IE98080; ANTI-FREEZE GOES THROUGHOUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET, CAUSING ENGINE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW UP, AND RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE. COMMON PROBLEM. THERE IS A TSB, BUT ONLY UP TO 60,000 MILES. DEALER DID NOT FIX VEHICLE BEFORE 60,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STALK CONTROL ARM WORKS ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. BOTH WIPERS AND WASHER FAIL TO OPERATE WITHOUT TURNING CONTROL ON AND OFF A NUMBER OF TIMES. *AK

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE, AND THE ENGINE TO BE INOPERABLE. DEALER SAID IT WAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC TESTED COOLANT SYSTEM, AND FOUND COOLANT WAS POURING INTO THE HEAD, AND HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME FOR COOLANT LEAKAGE/HEAD GASKET, IE-98-080 (PLEASE ADD VIN#.) *AK

CONSUMER HUNG UP. *AK

CONSUMER HAS TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT A RECALL THAT WAS TOLD TO CONSUMER BY AN FRIEND. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO THE WORK, THEY STOPPED DOING THE WORK ON DECEMBER 31, 1998. *AK

IN JUNE 1998, FORD MOTOR IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. WE WERE MAILED A LETTER FROM FORD THAT PROVIDED EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 12/98 OR 60,000 MILES. ON 1/30 @ 60,215 MILES, OUR VEHICHLE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. FORD WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY REIMBURSEMENT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WHAT CAN WE DO? *AK

VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK. INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS TO BE COMMON. RECALL? *AK

THERE IS AN ONGOING ACCERLATION FAILURE AND REVERSE FAILURE. WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOESNOT ALWAYS PROCEED FORWARD, BUT ACTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. THIS OCCURS ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME. WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE ABOUT 70% OF THE TIME IT ACTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL AND WILL NOT REVERSE. 100% OF THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION CLUNKS INTO GEAR IF IT WILL GO INTO GEAR AT ALL. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HEAD GASKET FAILURE OF RECALL NOTICE.

AT 45,000 MILES TRANSMISSION HAS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO OPERATE IN 1ST GEAR OR REVERSE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

REPLACEMENT COST $1200. CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING ELECTICAL PROBLEMS WITH REPLACEMENT TRANNY (NEW FORD OEM TRANNY). PLAN ON TRADING SHORTLY. *AK

CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK. AS EXITING THE VEHICLE IT JUMPED INTO GEAR, CRUSHING CONSUMER IN BETWEEN A PARKED VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE VEHICLES ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WE CALLED FORD SERVICE, SAID NOT TO WORRY KEEP FLUIDS FILLED AND YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD A VOLUNTARY SERVICE RECALL FROM FORD FOR A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THE LETTER IS DATED 6/98, WE WERE NEVER TOLD OF THE PROBLEM AND WE HAD OUR VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE IN BOTH 6 AND 8/98. UPON BRINGING OUR VEHICLE IN TO FILL OUT THE PAPER WORK THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US THAT IT WAS OK TO DRIVE, WE LEFT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPENING UNTIL 2/3/99, LATER THAT DAY THE TEMPARTURE GAUGE ROSE TO HOT, SO WE WENT BACK TO DEALER, THEY SAID LEAVE THE VEHICLE ON FRIDAY WE WERE TOLD THE ENGINE IS GONE..FORD WON'T COVER. IF FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM, WHY ISN'T IT KNOWN TO OWNERS? WE LIVE IN UPSTATE NY, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY ENGINE WOULD HAVE GONE OUT IN A SNOW STORM? WE CARRY CHILDREN IN THESE VANS, DOES SOMEONE NEED TO GET INJURED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? WHERE HAVE OUR ETHICS GONE IN THIS COUNTRY?? CHECK THE INTERNET MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE ..WWW.FOR

I EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE RECALL PROGRAM EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP DELAYED IN FIXING IT, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE.

I HAVE JUST RECENTLY FOUND YOUR WEB SITE. THE SAFTY ISSUE THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THE SEATBELTS IN OUR WINDSTAR AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER MAKES AND MODELS. THE SEATBELTS IN MOST CARS WILL NOT LOCK INTO A NON-EXPANDING SETTING. I OWN A 1988 CHEVROLET PICKUP THAT ALLOWS ME TO LOCK THE BELT INTO A NON-EXPANDING POSITION. THIS IS SIMPLY DONE BY PULLING THE BELT ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND RELEASING IT TO THE DESIRED POSITION. IF THE EXPANDING MODE IS DESIRED SIMPLY DON'T PULL THE BELT ALL THE WAY OUT. EVERY AUTOMOBILE SHOULD BE EQIPPED WITH THIS STYLE OF BELT, IF SO, WHEN USEING CHILD SAFTY SEATS, THERE WOULD BE NOT NEED FOR SPECIAL CLIPS. ALSO THIS BELT IS VERY MUCH SAFER FOR CHILDREN JUST OUT OF CHILD OR BOOSTER SEATS. I CAN'T FIGURE WHY ALL AUTOS ARE NOT USING THIS T YPE OF BELT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE DEFECTIVE. HEAT STOPPED WORKING, STARTED OVERHEATING AND SHAKING, OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT STATED RECALL ENDED AND VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED. NO REMEDY FOR PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AFTER BRINGING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP ON 11DEC98 FOR RECALL OF HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY TESTED WITH TOTAL HOURS BY TECH #128 WAS .6 . AT THIS TIME THE TRESSURE TEST OF GASKET WAS OK. NOT MUCH MORE THAN A MONTH LATER, THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO FIX THIS AT HIS EXPENSE OR PARTIAL EXPENSE. WE WERE INFORMED THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER RECEIVED FROM FORD COMPANY NO MATTER WHETHER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED THE COMPANY WOULD STILL HONOR THE RECALL. AT PRESENT TIME VEHICLE HAS BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION FOR REPAIR AFTER WE WERE ESTIMATED A COST OF 1200.00 TO 1500.00 FOR REPAIR BY DEALERSHIP. *AK

TRANSMISSION REPAIRED ON 11/29 /98 . ONLY 7 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, 6 WEEKS LATER ENGINE WENT WAS TOLD IT WAS A POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET. WAS TOLD FORD HAD A NOTIFICATION. THE FORD DEALER TOLD US THAT THE WORK ENDED ON THIS ON 12/31 98. THERE NOW SITS 4 WINDSTARS AT CROSSROAD FORD IN CARY NC. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH THE TRANSMISSION DIED OUT AFTER MAKING CLUNKING NOISES. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AAMCO. WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A MELTDOWN. *AK

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

NO SUMMMARY LISTED ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED PREMATURELY, CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGH SPEEDS.

I RECEIVED A LETTER IN AUGUST OF 98 REGARDING FORD HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET SEALS ON THE 3.8L MOTOR, IF I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM BEFORE 12/98 TO BRING IT IN. ON 12/20, THE VAN OVERHEATED AN ICE COLD AIR WAS BLOWING OUT OF THE HEAT VENTS. I REFERRED TO MY OWNERS MANUAL, AND CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT, FLUSHED THE SYSTEM AND CHANGED THE RADIATOR CAP, THE VAN THEN SEEMED FINE. WE HAD A MAJOR SNOW AND ICE STORM AND THE VAN SAT FOR 2 WEEKS. ON 01/23, WE WERE TWO MILES FROM HOME AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE EXHAUST, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS UP TO HOT, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. WE GOT THE VAN HOME AND SEEN ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK. WE CALLED THE FORD DEALER IN CANFIELD, AND THEY SAID THE LETTER EXPIRED ON 12/31/98, AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME, SAID THEY HAVE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ARE NOT RECALLING AT THIS TIME. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND RECTIFY THIS KNOWN PROBLEM BY ISSUING A RECALL. *AK

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

REF SERVICE PROGRAM 98M01. HEAD GASKETS FAILED 3 WEEKS AFTER PROGRAM EXPIRED. FORD OFFERED NO FLEXIBILITY. $1500 REPAIRS. *AK

UPON COMING TO A STOP TRANSMISSION DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR. THEN, UPON ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE. WHEN TRANSMISSION DOES GRAB VEHICLE JERKS DUE TO INCREASED ENGINE RPMS. PROBLEM IS ENCOUNTERED BY MANY WINDSTAR OWNERS BUT FORD FAILS TO ACKNNOWLEDGE PROBLEMS ARE WIDE SPREAD. MECHANICS SEEM TO KNOW THE PROBLEM IS A CRACKED FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. THIS IS A VERY SCARY POSITION TO BE IN WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THRU TRAFFIC OR WHEN HAVING TRAFFIC APPROACHING FROM THE REAR. FORD HAS AND IS WILLING TO REPLACE MANY TRANSMISSIONS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT FEEL IT IS A SAFTEY ISSUE REQUIRING A RECALL. THANKS AND I HOPE YOU CAN HELP. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT PROPERLY SHIFT BETWEEN THIRD GEAR AND OVERDRIVE. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS SLIPPING AT TIMES. ON OUR WAY HOME FROM FLORIDA THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT HE HAD ANOTHER WINDSTAR 95 A MONTH AGO WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IS THIS TO BE EXPECTED WITH A VEHICHE WHICH HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES? *AK

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES TO THESE PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET. I HAVE TRIED FORD MOTOR CO. AND LAMARQUE FORD WITH POOR TO NO RESULTS IN REGUARD TO SOLVING MY PROBLEMS AT NO COST. THIS IS NOT A CONSUMER GENERATED PROBLEM. IT IS A FORD PROBLEM. YOUR ASSISTANCE IS APPRECIATED. *AK

AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON OUR FORD WINDSTAR SUDDENLY CRACKED AS SHE WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY THIS MORNING. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT IT (WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS) AND WERE TOLD THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE AND THAT IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THE WHEEL IS DEFECTIVE PERHAPS FROM METAL FATIGUE, BUT IN ANY EVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED AND OWNERS OF THIS YEAR MODEL SHOULD BE NOTIFIED AND THE WHEELS CHECKED. I ALSO THINK THAT FORD OR THE DEALERSHIP HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS DEFECTIVE WHEEL.

THE RUBBER GASKET ON THE TIMING COVER FAILED.

WHENEVER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 65MPH & ABOVE, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD JUMP AROUND. WOULD NOT GIVE CORRECT SPEED. IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WEATHER IS COLD, OUTSIDE & INSIDE. HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

THIS IS AN ON GOING DEFECT THAT FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF AND REFUSES TO FIX. IT HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING SINCE THE ENGINE WAS BUILT!

PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET (RECALL COMPONENT) RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE COMPONENTS.

WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN I AM DRIVING THE VAN, IT WILL DOWN SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR AND I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT OF THIS GEAR. THE CAR WILL NEED TO SIT FOR APPROX. 2 HOURS BEFORE I CAN DRIVE IT AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND MY FAMILY ON A HIGHWAY GOING APPROX. 40MPH ON A LIGHTLY SNOWED MASS TURNPIKE WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL SECONDARY TO THE SUDDEN DECREASE IN WHEEL SPEED. THIS IS WHEN I BECAME AFFRAID OF THIS PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO NEUTRALIZES DURING ACCELERATION WHICH HAS ALMOST CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION INTO ME. THE DEALER SAID THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS SO I AM LEFT WITH THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD TO MY FAMILY AND OTHERS. I KNOW OTHERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THEY WHERE DISSABLED ON THE ROAD AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ALL OF THESE EXAMPLES HAPPENED WITH MILES UNDER 50,000. SOME DAYS I CAN DRIVE THE VAN ON 100 MILE TRIPS AND OTHERS I WILL BE DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND THE GEAR WILL GET STUCK IN 2ND. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF THIS VAN AND HAVE NON AGGRESSIVE DRIVING HABITS WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP. THIS TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE ON MY 95 WINDSTAR.

VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE STALLING OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. *AK

JUST 7000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY.

TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPLIGHT, TRANSMISSION FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. TRANSMISSION SLIPPED THEN JERKED VERY HARD. I WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED TWICE TRYING TO DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FORD DEALER.

BRAKES VIBRATE VEHICLE WHEN BRAKING HARD.

THE TIMING CHAMBER GASKET HAS FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ENGINE. REPLACEMENT REQUIRES 9-10 HOURS OF LABOR SINCE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE LIFTED. AS FOR THE TRANSMISSION, AFTER CAR WARMS UP, FROM STANDSTILL, ENGINE REVS THEN KICKS INTO GEAR.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. LURCHING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN SLOWING TO GO AROUND A CORNER. THIS PROBLEM HAS POTENTIAL FOR UNPREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE SLIPPING AND LURCHING OF THE CAR.