1996 Ford Windstar complaints

REPEATED EXPENSIVE REPAIRS TO TURN OFF " ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT ONLY TEMPORAIRLY SUCCESSFUL. LOSS OF COOLANT FOR UNKNOWN REASON. ENGINE NOW NOTICABLY "SMOKING".*AK

STRUT SPRING BROKE AND BODY FELL OVER DRIVERS SIDE. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME AT UP TO 10 MPH. WENT TO ONE REPAIR SHOP, TOLD THAT THE STRUT SPRING HAD BROKEN AND IT WOULD TAKE OVER A WEEK TO GET THE PART BECAUSE THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR IT. FINALLY TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN MERRILLVILLE, ART HILL FORD (NOT WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED). WAS TOLD THE SAME THING REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PART. NO LOANER WAS OFFERED. SERVICE REP COULD NOT GIVE AN ADEQUATE REASON AS TO WHY THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE, IN ONE MOMENT SHE SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT BECAUSE THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL OCCURRANCE, THE MANUFACTURER MAY NOT MAKE THE PART. IN THE NEXT BREATH I WAS TOLD THAT IN A CAR AT 64,000 MILES, ANYTHING COULD BREAK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS PULLING UP TO A DRIVE-THROUGH BANK WINDOW, UP A SMALL UNEVENNESS IN THE PAVEMENT THAT I'D DRIVEN OVER MANY TIMES BEFORE WITH NO INCIDENT. A PREVIOUS CHECK FOR PAST COMPLAINTS IN THIS AREA SHOWED THAT A SIMILAR COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN 1997. IN THAT INSTANCE ALSO, THE PART COULD NOT BE FOUND. I HAVE OWNED 2 FORDS PRIOR TO THIS, INCLUDING A 1990 AEROSTAR WITH 193,000 MILES ON IT. THE STRUT SPRING HAS NEVER CRACKED, NOR SOME OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *AK

POWER STEERING FAILED. NLM

DEALER STATES I HAVE A"IMPLIED WARRANTY" WHATEVER THAT MEAN. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE COMMENCED TO RUN ROUGH AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON. VEHECLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDERED EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE. FOUND OUT IT WAS HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. CONTACTED FORD AFTER A WEEK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE NEEDED PARTS FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP SINCE VEHICLE NOT UNDER WARRANTY. TOOK 2 WEEKS IN SHOP TO GET FIXED AND REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE ORDERED OUTSIDE OF FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THE RIGHT PART. IT ENDED UP COSTING $300 ADDITIONAL TO ORIGINAL ESTIMATE. *AK

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT REGISTER PROPERLY. NEEDLE WOULD JUMPS BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND REPAIRS WOULD ONLY BE DONE AT CONSUMER EXPENSE. *AK

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS ERRATICALLY AFTER 40 MPH; ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN, WITH VARIOUS DIAGNOSES THAT SEEM TO ONLY FIX THE PROBLEM FOR AWHILE; WE HAVE PAID ALMOST $1000 IN REPAIRS SO FAR, NONE OF IT UNDER WARRANTY, PER THE DEALER. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

MANUFACTURER HAS RECALLED '95 WINDSTARS FOR FAULTY HEAD GASKET AND NOT '96 EVEN THOUGH SAME DESIGN, MATERIALS AND POINT OF ASSEMBLY. *AK

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS BETWEEN 70 - 100 MPH AT LOW (40) OR HIGH (65) SPEEDS. MAKES BUZZING NOISE. VERY DANGEROUS AS IT IS MISLEADING AND DISTRACTING (UNNERVING) TO THE DRIVER. DEALER "NEVER HEARD OF" THIS PROBLEM. OWNER PAID $525 REPAIR.

VEHICLE HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. THE SAME ENGINE IN THE 1995 WINDSTARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKETS AND ALL RELATED DAMAGE. THE 1996 WINDSTARS THAT CARRIED THE SAME ENGINE ARE NOT BEING RECALLED. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THESE MUST BE REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE, AND MAY CAUSE A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE IF CONTINUE DRIVING. THESE ENGINES WERE ONLY PLACED IN THE EARLY MODELS OF THE 1996, AND THEN AFTER THE 3.8 L ENGINES WERE RECALLED THE NEWER 1996 WINDSTARS CONTAIN THE 3.0L ENGINE. WE FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIR AS IT IS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE 1995 WINDSTAR. *AK

VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

WHILE BACKING CAR OUT OF DRIVEWAY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SANK DOWN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , AND THEY SAID THE SPRING MOUNTING ON DRIVERS SIDE WAS BUSTED. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE IF IT WERE ON HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. ONLY ONE SPRING HAS BEEN REPLACED, SINCE THERE WAS ONLY ONE SPRING AVAILABLE. *AK *ML

CONSUMER HAS COMPLAINED TO MANUFACTURER ABOUT SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING & NOTHING WAS BEING DONE. CONSUMER COULDN'T DETERMINE SPEED, AND FELT THAT IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. CONSUMER INFORMED BY MECHANIC OF A TSB ISSUED BY FORD REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, WHICH CALLS FOR REPLACEMENT UNDER 3 YR WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE JUST AFTER 3 YEARS, AND DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK *ML

I TOOK MY WINDSTAR IN FOR 90,000 MILE SERVICE (A LITTLE EARLY) AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD AND I AM LOSING ANTI-FREEZE AS A RESULT. I FOUND IT ODD, SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. I DID SOME INVESTIGATION AND FOUND THE 1995 WINDSTAR'S WITH THE SAME ENGINE WERE GIVEN EXTENDED WARRANTIES TO COVER A "KNOWN" HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED AND HAS AN "UPGRADED" HEAD GASKET. I ARGUED THAT IF IN FACT IT IS UPGRADED, IT CERTAINLY IS NOT UPGRADED ENOUGH. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $800 TO $1200 TO MAKE THE REPAIR. I CAN SEE FROM MY RESEACH THAT MANY FORD VEHICLES WITH THIS SIZE ENGINE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURE. FORD SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR ITS CUSTOMERS.*AK

ENGINE COOLANT NEEDS FILLING EVERY 2-3 DAYS, TRANSMISSION SKIPS, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ALWAYS ILLUMINATED AND INTERIOR DOOR AJAR LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF. *AK

A MAJOR RECALL HAS OCCURRED WITH FORD COVERING THE REPAIR COSTS OR ISSUING $4000 CERTIFICATES TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE FOR 1995 AND EARLIER MODELS. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE HEAD GASKETS ON ALL FORD 3.8-LITER ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE AND THE NEW ENGINE DESIGN DID NOT HELP OR ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE WITH THE EARLIER VERSION. I FEEL FORD SHOULD INCLUDE THE 1996 WINDSTAR IN THE RECALL. 8AK

WAS PARKING VEHICLE ON A STREET AND PULLING UP INTO A CORNER PARKING SPOT, APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE KEPT ON ACCELERATING. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHEN DRIVING DOOR LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK UP. ALSO, DOOR PANEL WAS RINGING NOISE. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES ABRUCTLY 10 TO 25 MPH AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO JUDGE THE PROPER SPEED. FORD DECLINED TO HELP IN MATTER AND ACTED AS IF THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM OCCURRED IN MY DAUGHTER'S '96 WINDSTAR AS WELL AND REPLACED SAME AT HER EXPENSE FOR $550, FORD WANTED $880. *AK

VAN IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. ONLY 1 DRIVER, OVER 50 YEARS OLD. KEPT A MERC GRAND MARQUIS WAGON FOR 14 YEARS AND 250,000 MILES. TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED - LEAKED COOLANT. THIS IS VERY PREMATURE - SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN/FABRICATION PROBLEM, GASKET PROBLEM. OVER $600 TO REPAIR. WINDOW TRACK BECAME SEPARATED FROM DOOR - HAD TO BE REWELDED. OVER $150 TO REPAIR. SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN 4 YEARS OF MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING. DEFINITE ASSEMBLY PROBLEM. UNDECTABLE UNTIL NEARLY FULLY SEPARATED, AND OUT OF WARRANTY, AND EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS IN USING WINDOW. *AK

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY, SPEED ALWAYS ERRATIC. FAILS AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE DAY. UNKNOWN HOW MANY TIMES REPLACED ON VEHICLE. I BOUGHT IT USED. HAVE NOT YET TRIED TO PRICE THE REPAIR. LOOKING TO SEE IF ANY INFO ON HELP ON HOW TO HANDLE. THIS IS VERY INCONVENIENT.*AK

94-95 FORD WINDSTAR ENGINES ARE HAVING HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. WHEN I CONTACTED THEM THEY SAID IT WAS VANS MFG. FROM DEC 93 TO AUG 95 AND THAT MY 96 WAS NOT INVOLVED. JUST BECAUSE THE STICKER SAYS MY VAN WAS MFG. IN 96 DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE ENGINE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MFG AT THE SAME TIME AS A THE ENGINE FOR 94 OR 95 VAN. THEY ARE OFFERING MONEY FOR TRADE-IN OR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. IT SEEMS VERY COINCIDENTAL THAT THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THIS PROBLEM ON 94-95 VANS AND MY 96 HAS THIS PROBLEM. *AK

TORQUE CONVERTER BLEW. STRANDED VEHICLE. ALMOST CAUSED FIRE FROM SPEWING TRANSAXLE FLUID ONTO HOT ENGINE PARTS. *AK

WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE ENGINE RACED, AND UNEXPECTEDLY SURGED FORWARD. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CALIPER WAS HANGING UP CAUSING PREMATURE BRAKE FAILURE. YH

ELETRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED ONLY WHEN WASHERS WERE BEING USED, DOME LIGHT STAYED ON WHEN DOOR WAS CLOSED AND WON'T GO OFF.*AK

FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS ON ENGINE, RESULTING IN REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE. SAME ENGINE THAT FORD IS CURRRENTLY REPLACING IN 1994 AND 1995 MODEL YEAR WINDSTARS, FOR THE SAME REASON - PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS. FORD WILL NOT REIMBURSE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS OF THIS ENGINE, ALTHOUGH IT IS PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT IT HAS FAILED FOR THE SAME REASONS AS THE 1994 AND 1995 MODEL YEAR. FORD HAS ADMITTED TO THIS PROBLEM BEING PRESENT, YET IS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION FOR OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE INSTALLED IN NEWER MODEL YEARS. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILED AT 35000 MILES, THE NEEDLE JUMPS ALL OVER HAVE NO ACCURATE SPEED READING. THE SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRINTY BY MANUFACTURER. THE SPEEDOMETER BROKE AGAIN AT APP. 75000 MILES, THE SAME PROBLEM, THIS TIME THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT FIX IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH FEELS LIKE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR. THEN VEHICLE WILL MOVE SLOWLY WITHOUT A WARNING. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILED SENSOR AT NO COST. *AK.ET.

AFTER THREE FAIRLY RELIABLE YEARS AND ONLY 58,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD HEAD GASKETS BLOWN AND A TRANSMISSION THAT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN HAVING THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSTAR. I HAVE NEVER FELT COMPELLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A VEHICLE BEFORE. THE THOUGHT OF THIS CAR LEAVING MY FAMILY STRANDED ON A BUSY STRETCH OF FREEWAY (WHICH IT ALMOST DID) DUE TO A PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE AND FACTORY DEFECT IS INEXCUSABLE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET ANTI-FREEZE HAD LEAKED OUT, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK

LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE RESULTING IN ALL NEW SEALS, GASKETS AND HEAD GASKET, DUE TO FAILURE.

ENGINE REPAIRED AT CUSTOMER COST OF $1300.00 1995 WINDSTAR HAD ENGINE RECALL AND MANUFACTURER STOOD BEHIND PRODUCT. SAME BASIC CONFIGURATION IN THE 1996 MODEL. FORD SHOULD COVER. *AK

STITCHING ON PASSENGER SEATBELT COMPLETELY DETERIORIATED AT FLOOR HOLD DOWN. *AK

FORD IS COMING UP WITH SOME TYPE OF RE-EMBURSEMENT FOR THE 1995 WINDSTARS BUT HOW ABOUT THE 1996 WINDSTARS. WE ARE HAVING THE SAME HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS AS THE 1995S. *AK

FRONT END GROANS WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. WAS TOLD TIE ROD ENDS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *AK

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS WHILE GOING 50MPH OR FASTER. ALSO, MAKES RATTLING NOISE. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, OWNER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. THIS WAS DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER IS OFFERING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN VEHICLE IS IN DIFFERENT GEARS , DOOR AJAR CHIME WILL SOUND WHEN THE DOORS ARE ACTUALLY CLOSED. ALSO, THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE ABS SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HEAD REPLACED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP WITH ORIGINAL OWNER. NOW NEW ENGINE IS NEEDED BECAUSE A SECOND GASKET HEAD HAS CRACKED AND RUINED ENGINE. THIS DOES NOT SEEM REASONABLE WITHIN A FOUR YEAR PERIOD. FORD HAS DENIED CLAIM FOR REPAIRS.

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING COOLANT. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MANUFACTURER THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE MANUFACTURE IN CANADA, AND THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED TO THE US FOR 7 YRS/ 100000 MILES. *AK

RODS IN THE ENGINE BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. FORD SAID THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER READS NEAR 100 MPH WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ONLY TRAVELING AT SPEEDS BETWEEM 30 AND 70 MPH. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FAILURES OF SYSTEMS IN MY VAN. THE ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED, THE SPEEDOMETER IS OUT AGAIN. *AK

THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS FIRST NOTICED BY MYSELF DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION OF MY FLUID LEVELS AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHAT I NOTICED WAS WHAT APPEARED TO BE A COOLANT LEAK AROUND THE HEAD GASKETS. UNDER MORE CONSTANT SUPERVISION MY WIFE AND I OBSERVED OTHER SYMPTOMS WHICH INCLUDE A MORE CONSTANT DROP IN THE COOLANT LEVEL AND A LOSS OF HEAT WHEN THE HEATING SYSTEM WAS OPERATING. THESE SYMPTOMS SEEMED SERIUOS SO WE DECIDED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT HAS BEEN SERVICED. THROUGH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURING WITH MANY WINDSTAR OWNERS SO WE HAVE DECIDED TO FURTHER RESEARCH THIS MATTER WHICH IS HOW WE HAVE COME ACROSS YOUR SITE. PLEASE CONTACT US WITH ANY UPDATES YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *AK

VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN ON AN INCLINE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS A SOFT (SPONGY) BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH RESULTS IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING HARD OR PANIC STOPS. THIS WAS EMPHASIZED RECENTLY WHEN WE NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. THE LACK OF BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS IS NOT SO OBVIOUS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. WE HAVE REQUESTED THE DEALER TO REPAIR THIS, ORIGINALLY SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE, AND JUST A WEEK AGO WHEN THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. REPLACING THE BRAKE PADS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER SEEMS UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM RELATES TO YOUR EA 96026; AND I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS IN YOUR FILE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. *AK