NHTSA Complaint #709516 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

HEAD GASKET FAILED WITHOUT WARNING OR PREVIOUS PROBLEM (I.E. NO OVERHEATING, NO POOR HEATER OPERATION, ETC.). CAUSED VAN TO START RUNNING VERY ROUGH. ALMOST STALLED IN SEVERAL MID-INTERSECTIONS AFTER STOPPING, WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO REAR-END COLLISION. MANAGED TO MAKE IT SAFELY HOME (LESS THAN 3 MILES). ENGINE TEMPERATURE HAD INCREASED, BUT WAS STILL CLEARLY WITHIN "NORMAL" ZONE OF INDICATOR. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART LATER IN THE EVENING. TOWED TO LOCAL SERVICE STATION. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, ADVISED TAKING IT TO DEALER. DEALER'S "ENGINE PERSON" BOOKED SOLID AND UNABLE TO LOOK AT IT UNTIL 8/10 (TWO WEEKS!). HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALER (C&C FORD, HORSHAM, PA) WHICH CONFIRMED BLOWN HEAD GASKET, AND SAID IT HAD A SEIZED ENGINE WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ESIMATED COST: $4600. FORD'S "OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM" EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 60,000 MILES, BUT DID NOT ADVISE OWNERS TO BRING IN VANS TO BE CHECKED FOR DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET SHOW THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A MAJOR PRODUCT DEFECT ABOUT WHICH FORD IS AWARE BUT REFUSES TO COMPENSATE OR WARN OWNERS (I.E. OWNERS ARE NOT ADVISED TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET CHECKED). THIS DEFECT CAN CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND STALLING, WHICH CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND/OR SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS. SEE HTTP://WWW.PRIMECUTSOFBLUEGRASS.COM/WINDSTAR3.HTM FOR OTHER REPORTS. I'LL BE ADDING MINE AS SOON AS I SEE WHETHER FORD WILL PAY FOR THE REPAIR. (SO FAR, THEY ARE REFUSING.)