NHTSA Complaint #10070667 — 1997 FORD WINDSTAR

I BOUGHT THIS 1997 FORD WINDSTAR IN MARCH OF 2003. THE VERY NEXT DAY I RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDENT CAR DEALER DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY RESET THE LIGHT. WITHIN A WEEK IT WAS ON AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY SAID IT WAS A FLUXATION IN THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND IT WAS MAKING THE LIGHT COME ON. THEY RESET IT. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER IT IS LOSING COOLANT SOMEWHERE AND RUNNING ROUGH, THEY CHECK IT AND NOW IT NEEDS 2 OUT OF 4 OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACED IM TOLD. THEY PAY FOR IT IF THEY TRULY FIXED IT BECAUSE ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS LATER I AM HAVINT THE SAME PROBLEMS SO THEY REPLACE THE OTHER 2 OXYGEN SENSORS, BUT CANNOT EXPLAIN THE COOLANT LOSS. EVER SINCE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SO I DECIDED TO GO TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER EVEN THOUGH I TRY TO AVOID DEALERS BECAUSE OF PRICES AND THEY CHARGE ME $58 TO TELL ME I NEED A HEAD GASKET, MY ABS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING, TIMING COVER IS LEAKING, BALL BEARING IS SHOT AND MY ANTIFREEZE LOOKS LIKE MUD. THIS IS ALL WROTE ON A SERVICE ESTIMATE I ASKED THEM FOR. IT WOULD COST ABOUT $1700 + TAX FOR THEM TO FIX. I HAVE READ THAT FORD KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE 95 WINDSTARS AND THE HEAD GASKETS AND OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OR MONEY TOWARDS A NEW CAR SO I FEEL THEY KNOW ALL WINDSTARS WITH THIS 3.8L ENGINE ARE FAULTY NOT JUST THE 95'S. I CALLED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME TOUGH LUCK BASICALLY. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE HEAD GASKETS IN ALL 3.8L WINDSTARS AND I WANT MY VAN FIXED.