NHTSA Complaint #10010626 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

THIS INCIDENT STARTED WHEN I HAD NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF RADIATOR FLUID ON THE GARAGE FLOOR, AND A SLIGHT SMELL OF RADIATOR FLUID WHEN I RAN THE HEATER. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AGAIN IN NOVEMBER 2002. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE APPLE VALLEY FORD DEALER AND AFTER DIAGNOSING IT, I WAS TOLD THE NUMBER 4 SPARK PLUG IS STUCK AND THE GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ON THE TIMING COVER ON THE ENGINE (THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAK). THE DEALERS PROFESSIONAL OPINION WAS THE HEAD GASKET IS ALSO BAD, THE HEAD FOR THE #4 PLUG WOULD NEED REPLACING, AND COMBINED WITH THE NEED TO REPLACE THE TIMING COVER GASKET, THEY RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT $4,400. I DECLINED AND TOOK THE VAN TO ANOTHER LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO UNFORTUNATELY CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS AND INDICATED THERE WERE KNOWN PROBLEMS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS FOR ENGINE GASKET REPLACEMENTS WITH FORD WINDSTAR 3.8 LITER V6 ENGINES IN 1995. THEY ALSO INDICATED THEY HAD STARTED SEEING THIS SAME PROBLEM TURNING UP IN 1996 MODELS. THEY ALSO QUOTED A SIMILAR NUMBER & RECOMMENDED USING A JASPER ENGINE INSTEAD OF THE FORD ENGINE AS THE WARRANTY IS 75,000 MILES. I ALSO DECLINED AND THE VAN IS NOW SITTING PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE I CONTINUE TO MAKE CAR PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE I CAN NOT DRIVE FOR FEAR OF ENGINE FAILURE. *JB