NHTSA Complaint #712071 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

IN JUNE OF 1998, WHILE WE WERE LIVING IN FAYETTEVILLE, AR, WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY STATING THAT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HEAD GASKETS IN THE '95 WINDSTARS. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED FOR AN OIL LEAK (AT SPRINGDALE FORD IN SPRINGDALE, AR). THEY SAID THEY SAW NO PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT IT. WE FAITHFULLY HAD THIS VAN SERVICED AT SPRINGDALE FORD WHILE WE LIVED IN AR. WE MOVED TO IOWA IN JAN. OF THIS YEAR. WE THEN BEGIN SERVICING THE VAN AT BOB ZIMMERMAN FORD IN CEDAR RAPIDS. THIS SUMMER WE SPENT ABOUT $700 ON REPAIRS AGAIN, BUT NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET. THEN IN AUG, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE, RUINING IT. WE NEEDED THE VAN, AND WERE FORCED TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN AT A COST OF $4000. AFTER TRYING TO PURSUE HELP FROM BOB ZIMMERMAN AND SPRINGDALE FORD AND ALSO FROM FORD DIRECTTLY, WITH NO LUCK, I BEGAN RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET. WE FOUND CASE UPON CASE OF THE ENGINE/ HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES. WE JUST TRADED THE VAN IN 2 WEEKS AGO, RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I AM INTERESTED IN GETTING REIMBURSED FOR ALL OR PART OF THE $4000 DAMAGE. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT FORD KNOWS OF THE DEFECT AND ALSO KNOWS THAT IT WILL FAIL, NOT IF IT WILL FAIL.