NHTSA Complaint #712198 — 1995 FORD MUSTANG

CAR BEGAN OVERHEATING AND LEAKING COOLANT. TOOK TO WOODFIELD FORD FOR ANALYSIS/REPAIR. WAS INFROMED THAT FRONT ENGINE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING. PAID 1035.05 FOR REPAIRS. CAR STILL HAD OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. TOOK CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO THEN DISCOVERED HEAD GASKET LEAK. REFUSED TO PAY $900 FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL SHOP WHO REPLACED HEAD GASKETS FOR $838. FOUND OUT VIA THE WEB THAT MANY OTHER 3.8L FORD ENGINES HAVE EXHIBITED SAME PROBLEM, AND FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO COMPENSATE THE CUSTOMERS. THIS IS UNFAIR WHEN COMPARED WITH OTHER CARS OF SIMILAR STYLE - GASKETS DO NOT NEED REPLACED AT 30K-60K MILES. I AM ASKING THAT FORD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THE 3.8L HEAD GASKET DEFECT, AND REIMBURSE ALL CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS THEMSELVES IN THE ABSENCE OF THIS RECALL.