NHTSA Complaint #711680 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

ON NOVEMBER 19 '98 I TOOK MY '95 FORD WINDSTAR VAN TO TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT. I TOOK THE VAN IN BECAUSE I HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD REGARDING A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME THE VAN HAD 59,000 MILES ON IT. I PICKED UP MY VAN THAT EVENING AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS O.K. ON SEPTEMBER 12 '99 THE VAN OVERHEATED AND A MECAHANIC TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. THE MECHANIC SAID HE HOPED THE HEAD WAS NOT CRACKED AND/OR THE MOTOR DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR ($2500 TO $3500 IF MOTOR DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR). I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, HARPER'S FORD, AND THE ASSISTANT SALES MANAGER SAID HE THOUGHT FORD WOULD REPAIR THE DAMAGE OR I WOULD "HAVE A GOOD LEGAL CASE". THE VAN NOW HAS 68,OOO MILES ON IT. WELL A WEEK LATER THE DELAERSHIP TELLS ME THAT THEY CAN NOT GET FORD TO RETURN THEIR CALLS. I CALLED FORD AND A MAN NAMED AL SAID THE RECALL EXPIRED DEC 31ST '99 AND MY VAN WAS BEYOND THE 60,000 MILES WARRANTY. AL SAID HIS DECISION WAS FINAL AND FORD WOULD NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. AL SAID THAT FORD HAD NO OTHER AVENUE FOR ME TO PURSUE EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT SATISFIED. I RE-CONTACTED HARPER'S AND THEY SAID THAT I SHOULD JUST WAIT TO HEAR FROM THEM. HARPER'S SAID THEY WOULD GIVE ME A PRICE BREAK REGARDING THE WORK THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE. I'M LOST, I GUESS I COULD TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN CIVIL COURT (PROBABLY TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS). THE REAL KICKER IS MY FAMILY, TWO SONS OF 4 YEAR OLD AND 1 YEAR HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FAMILY VACATION THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO START ON FRIDAY, 09-24-99. THE VAN IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE LARGE ENOUGH TO HAUL THE FAMILY. CANCELLED VACATION AND A BILL OF LEAST $1200.00. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE FORM HARPER'S NOR WILL I EVER BUY ANOTHER FORD. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN. THANKS