1996 Ford Windstar complaints

WHEN DRIVING OVER 45 MPH SPEEDOMETER IS NOT READING THE ACTUAL SPEED DRIVEN WHICH PREVENTS CONSUMER FROM KNOWING ACTUAL SPEED TRAVELING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON ATTEMTPING TO ACCELERATE BY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM VEHICLE. ALSO, WITHOUT NO PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT CONSUMER NOTED THAT OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON DASH. DUE TO OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEING ILLMINATED ON DASH TRANSMISSION COULD WEAR OUT AGAIN.*AK

SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY IS ERRADIC. AT APPROX. 30 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER CAN REGISTER UP TO 65 MPH. AT 65 MPH, THE GAUGE NEEDLE IS ON THE PEG AT THE EXTREME SPEED. THIS IS NOT ISLOATED, I KNOW OF 2 OTHER VANS, SAME YEAR, THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, ONE BELONGS TO A SALESMAN AT THE FORD DEALER. DEALER SAYS THE COMPUTER UNIT NEEDS REPLACING, MINIMUM OF $600. NO FORD RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. NO ONE SEEMS WILLING TO HELP.

AT AROUND 62,000 MILES OUR VEHICLE'S "CHECK ENGINE " LIGHT CAME ON. WE BROUGHT IT IN TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. BASICALLY THEY TOLD US IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, AMONG OTHER MISC. PROBLEMS. WE WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE METHODS AND BROUGHT THE VAN TO ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC AT THIS PLACE NOT ONLY AGREED WITH PREVIOUS DIAGNOSIS BUT ALSO FELT THE WHOLE ENGINE SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED AND RECOMMENDED A TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF 3,800 DOLLARS. WE HAVE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY. (WE HAVE TH DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THIS.)*AK

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 6 TIMES SINCE OCTOBER 2000 FOR ENGINE KNOCKING/ SHAKING/ ENGINE LIGHT ON, AND ENGINE MISSING. DEALER COULD NOT REMEDY. THEN ON 31 MAR CH, 2001 VEHICLE WAS STARTED. DRIVEN ABOUT 10 YARDS WHEN CONSUMER HEARD A BIG BANG, ENGINE STALLED. TOWED TO DEALER WHO FOUND COOLANT WAS COMING OUT OF EXHAUST. ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED OIL BEADING UP IN COOLANT TANK. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND HEAD GASKET AND ENGINE MANIFOLD GASKETS WERE "REDESIGNED" AND REPLACED. ON APRIL 5TH, CONSUMER NOTICED OIL IN COOLANT RECOVERY TANK, CAUSING ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT TO COME ON. VEHICLE WAS ALSO MISFIRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

THE SPEEDOMETER HAD TO BE REPLACED (NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY) BECAUSE IT WAS JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE. SECONDLY, THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND AUDIBLE BELL INDICATE A DOOR IS OPEN, WHEN IN FACT, ALL OF THEM ARE TIGHTLY CLOSED; THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE IN INCLEMENT (COLD AND/OR WET) WEATHER.

CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE WHOLE HEAD GASKET SET REPLACED, ALSO BRAKES FAILED COMPLETLY.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ON/ OFF. CONSUEMR SENT VEHICLE TO A RADIATOR SHOP, AND THEY REFERRED HER TO DEALER. DEALER HAS TO REPLACE GASKETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE DESTROYED ENGINE. ANTIFREEZE WAS APPARENTLY LEAKING, IT HAS TO BE FILLED FREQUENTLY.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE--SAME PART AND PROBLEM AS ON '94 AND '95 FORD WINDSTAR

BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *AK

AT SPEEDS OF 30 MPH AND HIGHER SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT REGISTER. DEALER FOUND SPEEDOMETER HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. ALSO, A LOT OF ANTI-FREEZE WAS MISSING TOO FAST, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT ANTI-REEZE WAS GETTING INTO CYLINDER.*AK CONSUMER RETURNED VEHICLE 1 WEEK LATER, REPLACED GASKETS AGAIN THEY WERE LEAKING.*JB

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SPEEDOMETER IS BOUNCUING BACK AND FORTH, AND IS MAKING A NOISE. SPEEDOMETER IS NOT PROVIDING THE ACTUAL SPEED DRIVEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER.*AK *SLC

BOTH COIL SPRINGS BROKE WHILE PARKED; TOWED TO DEALER SHOP AND REPAIRED UNDER EXTENED WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO SEPARATE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER FIVE SEPERATE TIMES FOR ENGINE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BUT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERENED WITH MY ISSUES OR PROBLEMS.*AK

HAD NOTICED SMOKE AND STEAM COMING FROM TAILPIPE OUT OF REAR VIEW MIRROR. ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE KEPT GOING AFTER THAT.*AK THE 1995 , 3.8 ENGINE VEHICLES MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER WERE KNOWN FOR BLOWING HEAD GASKET. *YH

ENGINE CHECK CAME ON TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP TO HAVE DIAGNOSTICS RUN. WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A TUNE UP, NEW SPARK PLUGS AND CABLES, FUEL FILTER, AIR FILTER, FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED AND I ALSO HAD OIL CHANGED SINCE IT WAS TIME FOR IT. PICKED UP VEHICLE PAID 444.00 FOR THE SERVICE NEXT MORNING DROVE TO WORK, OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE OIL LIGHT FLICKERED ON. CHECKED OIL, IN MY PARKING SPACE WAS DARK SO ALL I COULD SEE IS THERE WAS FLUID AT THE CORRECT LEVEL. STARTED IT UP THAT EVENING TO GO HOME DROVE APROXIMATELY 40 MILES, STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON THE THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD HAD TO TOWED BACK TO THE SHOP THAT DID THE WORK. WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. I REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE ANSWER KNOWING THENOISE THE ENGINE WAS MAKING TO CAUSE ME TO HAVE IT TOWED IN. THEY TEST DROVE FOR AND LET RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MIN. BEFORE THE OIL LIGHT DID COME ON. THEY THEN TOLD ME IT WAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND DID NOT DO ENGINE WORK. HAD IT TOWED IMMEDIATELY TO A FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE OILD PAN WAS FULL OF COOLANT AND BEARINGS WERE "WASHED" IN ENGINE AND WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE. NO ONE WANTS TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE JUST BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL MOTOR (AND NOT BY THE DEALERSHIP). WHAT CAN BE DONE NEXT?

3.8 LITER ENGINE. HEAD GASKETS FAILED PREMATURELY. DEALER WAS INSPECTING AND WILL REPAIR VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT IS SPEED THAT VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. ALSO, SOMETIMES COULD FEEL THAT VEHICLE WAS GOING FAST, BUT SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT SHOW WHAT WAS CURRENT SPEED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. DEALER COULD NOT FIX DEFECT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT GEARS, AND SOMETIMES WILL STAY IN NEUTRAL WHERE TRANSMISSION WILL LOSE POWER WHILE NOT SHIFTING. A CAUSE COULD NOT BE FOUND.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS WHERE THEY SAID THAT HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT ON DECEMBER 11, 2000 HAED GASKET WAS REPLACED DUE TO CRACK AND COOLANT LEAKAGE THAT GOT INTO PISTON AND OTHER PARTS OF ENGINE. CURRENTLY, ENGINE IS NOT WORKING, AND MANUFACTURER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT DETERIORATION OF ENGINE WAS DUE TO DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES AND AT TIMES REMAINS ON. THE ENGINE HESITATES WHILE ACCELERATION. PER THE DEALER THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS DEVELOPED A SMALL CRACK WHICH ALLOWS COOLANT TO SEEP INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSE AN OCCATIONAL MISFIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND WILL COST $1,800 TO REPAIR. PER NHTSA RECALL REPORT IN 1995 THE SAME ENGINE AND IN WINDSTARS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. ALSO SIMLAR ISSUE NOTED IN 1996 WINDSTAR COMPLAINTSS.

ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS, MANUFACTURER HAS A TSB ON VEHICLE, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF TSB. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

HEATER NOT WORKING...LOW COOLANT...HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET. *AK

ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON FOR A COUPLE DAYS, BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER. THEY STATED THAT ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO HEAD GASKET & THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT I MAY NEED A NEW ENGIENE. I DID NOT LEAVE VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THAT TIME BECAUSE I STATED THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO MY MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO HAVE HIM DO WORK ON VEHICLE. I CONTACTED MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE 3.8 LITRE ENGIENE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET. ON 3/19/ 01 DEALER CONTACTED ME WANTING TO KNOW IF I WOULD BE GETTING HEAD GASKET FIXED. I STATED THAT AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT CERTAIN 1995 3.8 LITRE ENGIENES WERE RECALLED AND THAT A CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS BROUGHT AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON 12/9/99 BECAUSE OF FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY & LOGGED COMPLAINT, BUT THEY STATED THAT THEIR WERE NO RECALLS ON 1996 FORD WINDSTARS SO THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. ONCE I COMPLAINED TO DEALER THAT THEIR WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGIENE THEY OFFERED ME A 6 YEAR WARRANTY FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE OR 100,000 MILES WHICH EVER CAME FIRSTON TRANSMISSION & ENGIENE UP TO $2,000.00 WITH $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I TOOK THIS OFFER WITH DEALER BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE 1 VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS OFFER, THE ONLY REASON THE DEALER OFFERED ME THIS DEAL WAS BECAUSE I INFORMED THEM THAT THIS PARTICULAR ENGIENE HAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. DEALER ORIGINALLY QUOTED THAT WORK ON HEAD GASKET WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1,500 FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIRS OR APPROXIMATELY $3,

FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING BROKE GOING OVER A SMALL (1") BUMP. NOW SPRINGS, STRUTS AND MOUNTS NEED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

HEAD GASKETS FOUND TO BE LEAKING DURING SERVICE FOR ROUGH IDLING. WAIT FOR REMANUFACTURED ENGINE GREATER THAN 4 WEEKS AND NO GUARANTEE FROM FORD AS TO WHEN THE CAR WILL BE REPAIRED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS LOSING ANTIFREEZE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEAELR, AND THEY SAID CONSUMER NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER WAS SCARED THAT ENGINE GASKET MAY BLOW ON HIGHWAY WITH CHILDREN PRESENT.*AK THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 94-95 MODELS ADMITTING THE ENGINE WAS FAULTY. SO, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD NOT FIX ONLY SOME VEHICLE BUT NOT OTHERS. *YH

WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAILPIPE/LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE. TOOK VAN TO DEALER. GOING TO COST OVER 2000 DOLLARS TO FIX. WITH THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENING TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO OWN 1996 WINDSTAR, YOU WOULD THINK SOMETHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

HEAD GASKET STARTED TO LEAK FLUID ONTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF HEAT. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

STUDS ON RT. FRONT WHEEL SHEARED OFF WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT LOW SPEED, SEPARATING WHEEL FROM VEHICLE.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK *SLC

SPEEDOMETER OPERATES ERRATICALLY. WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR ABOVE, BAR INDICATING SPEED JUMPS AROUND. *AK *SLC

MASTER CYLINDER BOOSTER SWITCH BURNED. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40MPH. THIS MAKES IT HARD TO TELL HOW FAST YOUR GOING.*AK

TWO FROZEN OUTER TIE RODS. CONUSMER WOULD NOTICE SINCE HE HEARD SOME NOISES. ALSO, STREEING WHEEL WOULD NOT COMPLETEY TURN BACK TO ITS PLACE. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER FIXED PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

BOUGHT THIS VAN USED. ON SECOND DAY OF OWNERSHIP THIS STARTED. SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC AFTER 35 MPH. HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM ONLINE. I BELEIVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS AS THIS CAN BE A SAFETY PROBLEM. HOW CAN YOU TELL HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING?*AK

WHEN COIL OF THE SPRING FRACTURED, IT RUBBED ON THE TIRE, REMOVING APPROXIMATELY 1/8 INCH OF SIDEWALL MATERIAL ALL AROUND THE TOP INNER SIDEWALL. THE OPINION OF THE SERVICE PERSONS WAS THAT IF IT HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN CATASTRPHIC FAILURE OF THE TIRE WITH SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FORD WOULD NOT ACCEPT FULL RESONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE (ALTHOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY).

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

PLEASE PROVIDE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING DEFECT OF VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED, INFORMATION REQUEST. *AK

SUSPENSION SPRING BROKE AND BLEW RIGHT FRONT TIRE. ALSO, STRUTS COLLAPSED, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND CAME TO A FULL STOP. *AK

AT 40 MPH AND HIGHER SPEEDOMETER JUMPS . DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

THE DAY I BOUGHT THIS 96 FORD WINSTAR MINIVAN, I HAD TESTED 2-3 OTHERS. THEY EACH HAD THE BOUNCING SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM - ONCE YOU WENT PAST 50 MPH, IT WOULD BOUNCE FROM 50-70 OR 60-90 OR WHATEVER. ALSO, AFTER A CERTAIN SPEED IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL - AT ONE POINT MY SPEEDOMETER SAID I WAS GOING 110 MPH AND PEOPLE WERE PASSING ME LEFT AND RIGHT. ANYWAY, WHEN I TEST DROVE THE WINDSTAR I BOUGHT, IT WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT DIDN'T HAVE A BOUNCING SPEEDOMETER. MY FRIENDS AND I ALL COMMENTED ON IT AT THE TIME. BUT THAT EVENING, AS I DROVE BACK TO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE (I BOUGHT THE VAN IN THEIR CITY, NOT MINE), THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN BOUNCING. IT WAS SATURDAY AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED, SO I CALLED MONDAY MORNING. THEY KEPT REPEATING THAT IT WAS "AS IS" AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO ABOUT IT. AFTER I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME AND STARTED ASKING AROUND, I FOUND OUT THE BOUNCING SPEEDOMETER WAS A COMMON WINDSTAR PROBLEM. SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE CLOSEST DEALER, ABOUT 1-1/4 HOURS AWAY, AND THEY ALSO AGREED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED. IT COST ME $350 TO FIX IT! I WAS THOROUGHLY DISGUSTED AND E-MAILED A COMPLAINT FORM TO FORD BUT TO NO AVAIL. I GUESS I'M JUST STUCK PAYING THE MONEY.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED LATE AT NIGHT IN UNSAFE AREA. WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE VAN BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL ENGINE DAMAGE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE AREA UNSAFE, I DID RISK DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFER AREA. *AK

SPEEDOMETER BECOMES ERRATIC WHEN SPEED OVER 45 MPH, ACCOMPANIED BY BUZZING SOUND FROM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. NEEDLE JUMPS UP 15-20 MPH MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO JUDGE SPEED. *AK