NHTSA Complaint #10047095 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

WE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR LX VAN. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MUFFLER, SO IN OCT 16,2002 I TOOK MY VAN INTO AL PACKER FORD AND HAD IT CHECKED. AT THE TIME WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION ALSO,THE VAN WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR AT STOP LIGHTS. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID , TO SAVE MONEY IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO HAVE THE MUFFLER DONE AT A MUFFLER SHOP, BUT THEY COULD CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID I NEEDED A OVERHAUL ON MY TRANSMISSION WHICH WOULD RUN BETWEEN 800.00 TO 2100.00. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY SO I DECLINED. THE VAN HAD ONLY 70,076 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. IT WAS NOW NOV. 2003 WITH ONLY 72000 MILES ON THE VAN AND HAD SAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THE VAN. SO I SHOPPED AROUND FOR A PRICE FOR MY TRANSMISSION AND MUFFLER. I WENT TO BRAKE WORLD IN ROYAL PALM BEACH ,SO THEY COULD GIVE ME A ESTIMATE. THEY TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE BETWEEN 2100.00 TO 2500.00, BUT THE SMELL WAS NOT COMING FROM THE MUFFLER. THEY SAID THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE GAS TANK AND I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I TOOK IT TO AL PACKER FORD AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE RECALL. THEY SAID IT DOESN'T SHOW ON THEIR COMPUTER. I TOLD THEM I HAD A DOCUMENT AT HOME OF A FUEL TANK RECALL 99S33C. THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN. ON JULY,2000 A FUEL TANK BRACKET WAS PUT ON, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY CHECKED FOR CRACKS IN THE GAS TANK. I HAD MY VAN IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE INTERVALS AT 59000 MILES, AT 66325, AT 70076 AND NOW AT 72000 MILES. NOT ONCE DID THEY FIND A CRACKED GAS TANK, BUT THANK GOD, BRAKE WORLD DID ! ISN'T FORD SUPPOSE TO CHECK YOUR VEHICLE ONCE IN WHILE FOR A KNOW DEFECT? COULD LEAK IN THE GAS TANK CAUGHT FIRE? *LA