1996 Ford Windstar complaints

HAVE HAD THE MINIVAN IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR SYMPTOMS OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ONLY TO FIND PROBLEM AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS "CLUNKED" WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THIS IS A DAILY PROBLEM THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT "FIND". WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVERNIGHT IN NOVEMBER. WE DON'T THINK THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO FRAGILE.

TRANSMISSION REBUILT TWICE WITHIN A YEAR, AND NEW ENGINE

IN JAN 2000, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, NOTICED ROUGH IDILING, TOOK IN FOR SERVICE, PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST SYSTEM REPAIRED...AGAIN IN FEB 2000, SAME PROBLEM NOTED, AGAIN TOOK IN FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS(BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT LOCAL FORD DEALER)...IN MAY NOTICED THAT IT WAS STARTING TO ROUGH IDLE AGAIN...TOOK TO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP...COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.........SUDDENLY ON JUNE 30, 2000..AFTER STARTING THE VAN AFTER WORK TO GO HOME...NOTICED WHITE SMOKE POURING OUT FROM VAN AND INCREDIBLE ROUGH IDLE...TOOK THE VAN TO THE FORD DEALER....PROCEEDED TO BE TOLD THAT THE VAN HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP, CRACKED PISTONS AND THEY THOUGHT THE ENGINE BLOCK MIGHT BE AFFECTED TOO....SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX IF EVEN POSSIBLE....TOLD THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE 96 VANS....NOT UNDER ANY RECALL OR WARRANTY....SUGGESTED WE MIGHT WANT TO BUY A NEW VAN.....FELT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPTIONS SO BOUGHT A NEW 2000 WINDSTAR....NOW AFTER SOME RESEARCH I SEE THIS IS PROBLEM WITH 96 WINDSTARS.....NOT VERY HAPPY.... HAVE WRITTEN NUMEROUS LETTERS TO FORD AND SPOKEN TO THEIR COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT.....NO RESOLUTION YET.....THANK YOU

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 65MPH. VEHICLE STARTED TO SHIMMER. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO INSPECT VEHICLE TO SEE IF THE TIRES HAD ANY FLATS. ALL TIRES WERE FINE. WHEN CONSUMER GOT BACK IN TO TAKE OFF, VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE, IT JUST ROCKED BACK & FORTH. RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF. CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT LUGS: NUTS SHEARED IN HALF. HALF OF ALL FIVE WERE ON THE ROAD & THE OTHERS WERE ON THE WHEEL AXLE. DEALER SAID THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TOO MUCH. A TORK WRENCH WAS USED TO PREVENT OVER OR UNDER TIGHTENING. *AK

NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASING 1)DOOR AJAR LIGHT CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED-ALL DOORS CHECKED NONE AJAR 2) ENGINE CHECK LIGHT OCCASIONALLY COMES ON-HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM 3)OCCASIONALLY POWER WINDOWS/LOCKS AND A/C WILL GO OUT UNLESS ADJUSTABLE FAN SPEED TURNED TO HIGH 4)RECENTLY FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WILL OPEN AT RANDOM USUALLY DURING A TURN-LUCKILY NO ONE SITS IN THAT SEAT 5)SPEEDOMETER WILL OCCASIONALLY FLICKER HIGHER WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 65MPH ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS HAVE SURFACED IN THE PAST 1-1.5 YRS AND HAVE CONTINUED SINCE THEN. *AK

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS NOISY WHEN MAKING A TURN. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR ROUNTIN REPAIRS, AND DEALER NOTED THAT LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN IN HALF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. COIL SPRING WAS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. PE00-024. *AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE. CONSUMER ASKED MECHANIC WHY CAR WAS STARTING SO ROUGHLY, AND MECHANIC SAID IT NEEDED A HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS ON THE FORD WINDSTAR 1994/ 1995. *AK

SPEED NEEDLE GOES UP AND DOWN FROM 50MPH TO 120MPH REGISTER ON THE SPEEDOMETER . CONSUMER HAD THE SPEEDOMETER REPLACED AT 45181 MILES BY FORD DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC DID THE ACTUAL WORK. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ABOUT 32,000 MILES. *YH

SPEEDOMETER READS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE SPEED VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY DOING. DEALER WILL REPAIR AT CONSUMER'S COST. DEALER SYA IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO EXPLANATION*AK.

SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED ALL OVER DIAL WHEN CAR WENT OVER 30 MPH; TRANSMISSION JUST FAILED WHILE CAR WAS BEING OPERATED, IT FAILED TO SHIFT AND DID NOT MOVE WHILE IN TRAFFIC; BRAKES FADE WHEN COMING TO A STOP ALL THE TIME (I HAVE REQUESTED REPAIRS REPEATEDLY, TOLD NO PROBLEM DETECTED); CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL 6-8 INCHES WHEN PARKED ON AN INCLINE; REAR SUSPENSION CREAKS WHEN GETTING IN AND OUT OF CAR; SEVERAL LEAKS IN ENGINE HAD TO BE REPAIRED (GASKET??). *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. VAN LOST SPEED AND STARTED OVERHEATING. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OFF HIGHWAY. VAN DIED HAD TO BE TOWED. TOLD IT WAS CRACKED HEAD DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGE. WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY CLAIM.. SPEEDOMETER FLIPS AROUND, ESTIMATE REPAIR COST IS $475. WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSEE TO PAY.

SPEEDOMETER BEGINS TO FLUCCUATE AT 50 MPH, RANDOMLY JUMPING FROM 50MPH TO 80MPH - PREVIOUSLY WENT OUT AT 47K MILES, AND ONLY SOLUTION OFFERED BY HANSEL FORD WAS TO REPLACE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ASSEMBLY ($400) BECAUSE OF "BROKEN" SPEEDOMETER HEAD ASSEMBLY - 52K LATER, EXACT SAME PROBLEMS, AND FORD'S ONLY RECOMMENDATION IS REPLACE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER AGAIN AT MY EXPENSE - GIVEN THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS AN ERRONEOUS READING STARTING AT 50MPH AND THE FREEWAY SPEED LIMIT IS 55+MPH, I HAVE NO RELIABLE INDICATION OF MY ACTUAL SPEED, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY WORRISOME WHEN I TOW A TENT-TRAILER. ADDITIONALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THE ODOMETER IS RECORDING MILEAGE CORRECTLY. THERE HAS BEEN A TSB REFERING TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE DETAILS OUT ABOUT IT, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BEGIN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

FOUR TIRERIMS HAVE CRACKS ON THEM, CAUSING TIRES TO LEAK AIR AT ALL TIMES. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED IN MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR DUE TO A RECALL THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF BECAUSE FORD IS ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE 1995 MODEL. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD DEALER THAT MY ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT. FORD IS REPLACING THE ENGINE, THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 6 WEEKS ALREADY AND NO END IN SIGHT. THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY WILL GIVE ME A 2 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE BUT IT APPEARS FROM THE 1995 RECALL THAT IT SHOULD BE A 7 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *AK

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL EITHER REFUSE TO SHIFT INTO THE HIGHER GEAR OR WILL DOWNSHIFT ON ITS OWN. CONTINUING SO THAT EVENTUALLY (AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES) IT WILL NO LONGER SHIFT FROM FIRST INTO SECOND. THE PROBLEM IS NOT CONTINUAL. THE DEALSHIP HAD THE VAN FOR THREE DAYS AFTER IT FIRST OCCURRED. THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THE PROBLEM TO REOCCUR FOR THEM. THE DAY AFTER WE PICKED THE VAN UP FROM THEM THE PROBLEM AROSE ONCE AGAIN. AT PRESENT WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT STEP TO TAKE, WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND HOW TO GET THE PROBLEM TO REOCCUR WHILE AT THE DEALER. OF, COUSE THE PROBLEM ALWAYS OCCURS ON THE WEEKEND OR IN THE EVENING AFTER CLOSING. *AK

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, STAYS ON ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. THIS CONTINUED FORM JANUARY TO JULY WITH VEHICAL GOING IN TO SHOP AS MUCH AS 5 TIMES IN ONE DAY . SAYVILLE FORD ON LAST ARRIVAL SAID HEAD GASKET FALURE AS IN ALL WINDSTARS FROM 1995 AND 96. THEY SAID THIS IN JANUARY AND EVERY VIST AFTER THAT UNTIL THE LAST ONE WHEN WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF EXHAUST. THEN THEY SAID REPLACE HEAD GASKETS. AT THIS TIME THEY FOUND THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER ROD BENT AND I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. THEY STILL HAVE THE VEHICAL AND WANT ME TO PAY FOR DAMAGES I WILL NOT SEEING THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT IN THE BEGINING. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY WOULD NOT STEP IN SAYING THE DELERSHIP AND THE CAR IS MY PROBLEM. I EVEN ASKED FOR THE FACTORY REP TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THE DELERSHIP WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST HIM. THEY WILL NOT CALL HIM WHERE DO PEOPLE TURN FOR A FAIR SHAKE? PLEASE CALL ME ?!!

I HAD MY FRONT BRAKES REPLACED JANUARY 7 , 2000 . I RECENTLY HEARD A LOUD " TUMPING " NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL / AXLE ASSEMBLY. I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THEY REPLACE THE " SWAY BAR / TIE RODS ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND DID A SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT AND ASSURED ME THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I TOOK THE VAN OUT OF THE PARKING LOT ONLY TO RETURN IMMEDIATLY. I THEN TOOK THE " EXPERT " FRONT END MECHANIC FOR A TEST DRIVE . HE HEARD THE NOISE FOR THE " FIRST " TIME AND TOLD ME I NOW NEEDED STRUTS. THIS HE SAID WOULD SOLVE MY PROBLEM . I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE THIS REPAIR DONE ON JULY 23 , 2000. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE MY PROBLEM . ALSO I AM CONCERNED THAT MY DEALER AS WELL AS FORD WILL NOT COVER ANY OF THESE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE 36 MONTHS ON MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED BUT NOT MY 36,000 MILES ( I AM AT 33,900 MILES ) . IF YOU COULD SEND ANY INFORMATION ON RECALLS , CLASS ACTION SUITS OR HELPFUL TIPS ON WHAT TO DO I WOULD BE FOREVER GRATEFULL . THANKS RON TURNER

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT BLINKED ON AND OFF ON THE DASHBOARD. ALSO, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. COMPUTER CHIP WAS REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. IN ADDITION, SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED, AND HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK COMPUTOR DIAGNOSIS INDICATED THAT CYLINDER #4 MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER SAID THAT DOING TUNE UP WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BUT DID NOT. *YH

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ENGINE NEEDS REPLACEMENT DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AT ABOUT 60000 MILES THE WINDSTAR WOULD FAIL TO MOVE AFTER STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. ON OCCASION THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE NOISE, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IF A PLASTIC CONTAINER WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OF AGE AND LESS THAN 60000 MILES. DEALER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE.*AK

ENGINE CHECKS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A POSSIBLE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK

TIMING CHAIN COVER CRACKED, CAUSING COOLANT LEAKAGE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TRAILING ARM ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF REAR AXLE FRACTURED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY IMPACT TO THE TRAILING ARM OR BODY OF THE REAR AXLE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK *ML

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION, HITTING THE LEFT FENDER IN WHICH DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RELEASED FROM THE BUCKLE HOUSING, CAUSING DRIVER TO MOVE FORWARD. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

QUALIFIED MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAID WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. LOCKS ARE GRINDING CONSTANTLY SO WE WERE FORCED TO DISCONNECT TO AVOID BURNING IT UP. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION.

I PURCHSED THE VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAD 50,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNIG AS WELL AS I THOUGHT IT SHOULD FOR A CAR WITH "LOW MILES" I HAD IT BACK IN THE SHOP WHERE I PURCHSED IT SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE MECHANIS THERE MENTIONED CARFAX.COM. I GOT A REPORT WHICH STATED THERE WAS A ODOMETER ROLLBACK. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DID A TITLE SEARCH WHICH IN MY MIND HAD BEEN DOCTORED. I DON'T FEEL I RECEIVED THE ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED. I HAVE THE CARFAX REPORT WHICH SHOWS MILEAGE AT 103,443 ON 9-21-98. THEN ON 10-9-98IT SHOWS MILEAGE AT 34,818. THE CAR CONTINUES TO RUN TERRIBLY. I NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AND FIND SOME ANSWERS. I FEEL I WAS RIPPED OFF AND I WANT MY MONEY OR A NEW CAR FOR THE SAME AMOUNT I PAID WITH THE SAME LOW MILES. PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN OR PUT ME INTOUCH WITH AN AGENCY THAT CAN HELP ME. THANK YOU. *AK

SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE THE NEEDLE FLUCTUATED FROM 0 TO 120 ERRATICALLY. FIRST SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED WITH 35,000, AND THE SECOND AT 38,000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DEALER HAS TOLD US ENTIRE ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE GOING DOWN INTERSTATE 75 CAR PULLED BACK, RPMS WENT VERY HIGH TO 3 AND 4, AND SPEEDOMETER DECLINED VERY RAPIDLY. CONTACTED DEALER WHO SAID THAT VEHICLE'S SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. *AK

CONSUMER AND FAMILY GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE, HUSBAND NOTICED A FLAT TIRE ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. HE CHANGED THE FLAT TIRE. HALF A MILE DOWN THE ROAD NOTICED A SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE. PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN HEARD A POP, DONUT TIRE POPPED OFF ALSO. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT FRONT SPRINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP HAS A BACK ORDER. *AK

THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. YH

ENGINE LIGHT ON & RUNNING HOT. HEAD GASKET & MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED. MECHANIC LATER SAID RECALL WOULD REIMBURSE FOR COST TO REPAIR. FORD SAID OUR VIN WAS NOT COVERED DUE TO PLACE & DATE OF MANUFACTURE. THIS IS AN ADMITTED MANUFACTURER DESIGN PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED. THE FORD MECHANICS EVEN STATE THAT THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE AS THOSE IN THE RECALL. PEOPLE WHO FIND OUT THAT I HAVE A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR ASK IF I'VE HAD MY HEAD GASKET REPLACED YET. HOW WOULD THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IF IT IS NOT WIDESPREAD, NOT TO MENTION A SEVERE DEFICIENCY IN DESIGN. HOW CAN FORD GET AWAY WITH THIS NONSENSE? WHY SHOULD WE BUY AMERICAN? PLEASE HELP.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRINGS BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DROP DOWN TO THE GROUND, WHICH ALMOST DAMAGED THE TIRES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK *ML

THIS WAS DONE DURING MANUFACTURING. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.

HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE. VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PREDICT WHEN THEY WOULD GET THE ORDERS IN. *AK

VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHEN MAKING TURNS OR IF STOPPING ON A HILL. NO WARNING. LIGHTS CAME ON. *AK

ENGINE MADE LOUD NOISE, THEN CUT OUT. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL. HAD TO PUT NEWER ENGINE IN. *AK

FORD HAS AGREED TO PAY PART OF THE REPAIR COST FOR THE HEAD GASKET. THEY HAVE RECALLED THIS SAME ENGINE IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR'S BUT HAVE NOT EXTENDED IT TO THE 1996'S DESPITE MANY OCCURANCES. I FEEL THEY SHOULD COVER THE ENTIRE REPAIR AS WELL AS OUR RENTAL CAR EXPENSES. *AK

MY WINDSTAR HAS ONLY 48000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. MY NEIGHBOR HAS A 1995 WINDSTAR WITH 20000 MORE MILES ON IT AND THEY WERE REIMBURSED FOR THEIR FAILED HEAD GASKET. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND I AM TRYING TO RECEIVE A FEFUND MORE THE WORK DONE ON MY VAN. *AK

JULY OF 1999 WHILE ON VACATION IN PENNSYLVANIA THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. A FAMILY FRIEND RECOMMENDED THAT WE NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNLESS THE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THEN CAME BACK ON A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. FINALLY IN APRIL OF 2000 THE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE FORD DEALERSHIP INFORMED US THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT THEY WOULD PAY MOST OF THE $1400.00 REPAIR BILL BUT WE STILL ENDED UP WITH $600.00 ON OUR PART. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD TWICE ABOUT THIS FAILURE AT ONLY 53,000 MILES. WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED OUR $600.00. WE ARE SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MANY 1996 WINDSTARS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. WE HAVE ASKED FORD TO TELL US THE NUMBER OF GASKET FAILURES THEY HAVE SEEN ON THE 1996'S. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. PLEASE HELP US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM. *AK

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS FORD WINDSTAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 8/98. IN JULY OF 99 MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THEN IT BECAME A STALLING PROBLEM. FOR 3 MTHS THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEN ON APRIL 21,00 THE COIL SPRING BROKE, AND THE SPRING WAS JAMMED INTO OUR TIRE WHILE DOING 70 ON THE WEST VIRGINIA TURNPIKE. LUCKILY WE WERE NOT KILLED OR INJURED. FORD HAS RECEIVED A LETTER CONCERNING THESE ISSUE'S AND HAS NOT RESPONDED. *AK

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE & PUNCTURED THE TIRE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE & COULDN'T GIVE CONSUMER ON EXPLANATION WHY IT HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE STRUT. *AK *ML

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH THERE WAS COOLANT LEAK INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A MINOR HOLE. CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE COOLANT SO THAT ENGINE WON'T OVERHEAT. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER STARTS MOVING ERRATICALLY ONCE SPEEDS OF 25 MPH ARE REACHED. ALSO, SOMETIMES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ONLY WORK ON HIGH SPEED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND AM TOLD IT WILL BE $500.00 FOR THE SPEEDOMETER. I FEEL THIS, AS WELL AS THE PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I'VE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDOMETERS ON 1996 WINDSTARS, AND I THINK FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS, NOT ME. *AK

DRIVER'S LEATHER POWER SEAT, ON THE LEFT SIDE VERTICAL SEAT FRAME WHICH ENDS AT THE SEAT, HAS A VERY SHARP EDGE, WHICH CUTS THROUGH THE SEAT'S PADDING/ LEATHER COVER. THIS COULD CAUSE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S LEFT SIDE. *AK *ML

I WAS INFORMED BY CRISSMAN LINCOLN/ MERCURY THAT MY HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING ON MY WINDSTAR. THIS IS A FREQUENT ENOUGH PROBLEM THAT THEY INFORMED ME THAT IF I PAYED THE FIRST $500 THAT FORD WOULD PAY FOR THE REST OF THE REPAIR. PREVIOUS TO GETTING THIS INFORMATIO I HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR OXYGEN SENSORS AND PART OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THAT THESE BECAME DEFECTIVE AS A RESULT OF THE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION TO THIS AT ONLY 49000 THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. FORD HAS NO SPRINGS IN STOCK AND THERE ARE NO AFTERMARKET PARTS BEING MADE YET. ARE THESE SPRINGS DEFECTIVE?*AK

HEAD/HEAD GASKET WAS REPAIRED. SYMPTOM CAUSING REPAIR WAS ENGINE RUNNING HOT. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE

FOUR RIMS AT A TIME WILL LEAK AIR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, TIRES WILL GO FLAT, EVEN ON HIGHWAY. *AK