NHTSA Complaint #705497 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

WE PURCHASED OUR WINDSTAR FROM HERTZ SALES IN BOISE IDAHO IN MAY 1995 WITH ABOUT 15,000 MILES ON IT. WE TRANSFERRED THE REST OF THE NEW CAR WARRANTY TO OUR NAME. NEAR THE END OF NOVEMBER WE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD ABOUT HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. THE WORDING IN THE NOTICE, WHICH WAS NOT A NOTICE OF RECALL, LED US TO BELIEVE THAT ANY PROBLEM WE HAD WOULD NOT BE COVERED, AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD NOT HAD ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY 1999 THE HEATER QUIT WORKING. WE TOOK IT TO TWO LOCAL MECHANICS WHO ADDED COOLANT. WHEN THE HEATER STILL WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY ONE SAID THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. WE TOOK THE VAN TO MERIDIAN FORD IN MERIDIAN, IDAHO. THEY CHARGED US $2000 TO RDO THE HEADS. THEY DID NOT TELL US THAT REDOING THE HEADS MAY CAUSE THE MAIN ENGINE TO FAIL DUE TO DAMAGE FROM LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. ON APRIL 4, 1999 THE ENGINE FAILED AT 65 MPH FREEWAY SPEEDS. FORTUNATLEY WE WERE NEAR AN EXIT AND A TRUCKSTOP OR WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS DANGER ON THE FREEWAY. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO MERIDIAN FORD. AS OF TODAY, APRIL 10, THEY STILL HAVE THE VAN. THEY COULD NOT GET FORD TO PAY FOR ANY OF EITHER THE FIRST OR SECOND REPAIR. THEY WANT $2500 TO PUT IN A NEW SHORT BLOCK. WE HAVE FOUND OUT ON THE INTERNET THAT FORD HAS HELPED PAY FOR SOME REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH MILEAGE WAS ABOVE THAT INCLUDED IN THEIR NOTICE AND EVEN THOUGH SOME PROBLEMS OCCURRED AFTER THE DEC 31, 1998 DEADLINE FOR REMEDYING ANY PROBLEMS. WE TRIED TO CONTACT FORD OURSELVES THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OTHEREWISE AND WERE STONE WALLED AT EVERY STEP. THE PEOPLE WERE RUDE AND DEMEANING IN THEIR MANNER. WITH THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE 1995 WINDSTARS IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM FAULTY HEADGASKETS. FORD KNEW THEY WERE FAULTY. THEY SENT A SLICK WORDED NOTICE AT THE END OF THE YEAR DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND GAVE ONLY A VERY SHORT TIME TO ACT BEFORE THE YEAR END DEADLINE. WE WANT FORD TO MAKE IT RIGH