NHTSA Complaint #705721 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

MY VEHICLE OVERHEATED IN JUNE, 1998 AND I ADDED ADDITIONAL COOLANT. IN APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS, I RECEIVED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE FROM FORD WHERE HEAD GASKETS ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE TYPE AND MAKE WERE FAILING PREMATURELY. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT (DELTA FORD, VICKSBURG, MS) ON 7/28/98 (INVOICE NUMBER 017128) AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET WAS STILL GOOD. MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REQUIRE COOLANT EVERY 2 - 3 MONTHS. THE PROBLEM RECENTLY HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE. I ADDED COOLANT TO IT ON 4/5/99 AND THEN AGAIN ON 4/17/99 - 368 MILES LATER. TODAY (4/17/99) MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IT DOES APPEAR THAT I HAVE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF DELTA FORD WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE FAULTY GASKET ON 7/28/98 WHILE THE REPAIR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM THAT CONSUMERS ARE EXPERIENCING. *AK