This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I own a 1995 Ford Windstar the paint is blistering off in huge pieces. Ford says it is not their problem, paint should not peal from a car like this it is blistering off in sheets. I have read that Ford is paying for painting only if the customers are really loud about complaints. I have also read that many complaints have already been sent here. This automobile has been a nightmare with defects and recalls. Anyone in the automotive business laughs when they here what kind of car I own. 10 years to pay it off, 3 head gaskets later rebuilt trans engine heads warped from factory coils springs breaking electrical malfunctions, paint lifting off the vertical sides, brake problems....the list goes on and now Ford no longer lists the Windstar on their site. They have changed the name to free star I wonder why?
Vehicle overheated. The cylinder head gasket was replaced. While traveling, the vehicle overheated on three occasions. When the third occasion occurred, the mechanic found the main head gasket was cracked.
While driving at 55mph engine started knocking. Vehicle was forced to pull out of the road. Independent shop diagnosed the problem as a engine head gasket failure.
At 48000 miles the vehicle was recalled by manufacturer due to coolant leaking into the engine. The dealer rebuilt the entire upper part of the engine. Now the vehicle is stalling intermittently without warning while driving. Dealer diagnosed that the stalling was due to a drop in oil pressure which shut off the fuel pump in turn shutting down engine.
On 1/3/03 check engine light came on. Took it to Ford dealer that had replaced the first engine at 67,000 due to head gasket failure. Dealer notified me that head gasket had failed again with 124,000 miles this time. After dealer took engine apart to check the problem, dealer notified me to tell me now its the whole engine that needed to be replaced. This would be the second time with in 124,000 miles. Ford would not cover under recall warranty. I was told it would be 3,000 dollars to fix. After I refused dealer costs at 3,000 dollars dealer wanted 800 dollars to put engine back together still not fixed had van towed home with engine in boxes. Have paper work from dealer that shows they never had permission to take engine apart. They only had approval to do a diagnosis test.
After start up and driving about 10 to 15 minutes, temperature gauge needle indicating engine is hot. Dealer diagnosis is the head gasket. Ts head gaskets, thermostat and spark plugs had to be replaced.
Blown head caskits at 62,000 miles which Ford fixed at no cost due to defect and now again at 92,000 miles it has happened again and they will not do anything about it since the extended warranty of 7 years or 100,000 mile whichever comes first since it is 7 years old. They know it is their problem and they have examined the vehicle and verified blown head caskets for the 2nd time
While driving home from work the check engine light lit up and the temperature gauge spiked into the red zone. The next morning I took the car to my mechanic who later informed me that the head gasket had failed, coolant had leaked into at least one cylinder and the timing chain. I contacted Ford because I had received a notice of an extension to the warranty for this very problem. However Ford only extended the warranty to 7 years and 100,000 miles. This vehicle has 98,000 miles on it and is 8 years and 3 months old. As a result Ford will not service the car under the warranty extension. My mechanic tells me that this is a problem with this particular Ford engine and that he has had to replace the head gasket on numerous vehicles witht his engine.
1995 Ford Windstar engine head gasket failure - Ford will not admint to a defect in quality. This van now sits in my driveway for over a year and no one will fixit for under $3500. Problem is that because of the defects in this van, the value of it is $1000. I also put two transmittions into it, water pumps, thermostats, radiator and no one informed me of a potental defect with the head gaskets
My ex-1995 Ford Windstar has 77,000 miles showed a overheating problem. Ford affiliated dealer (young Ford in rochester, mi) said it was fixed by replacing a water pump. But overnight the same overheating appeared. Next time the dealer said it was a head gasket problem, when Ford was contacted to be told it was under recall twice but my car could not be covered due to expired recall warranty (7 years or 100,000 mile whichever comes first). I fixed and sold it because I do not want to drive a car from unreliable manufacturer.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lithonia, GA, USA