NHTSA Complaint #712419 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

TIMING COVER GASKET & SEAL FAILURE AND CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS FAILURE AT 48,834 MILES. SYMPTOMS WERE HESITATION/JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING & COOLANT LOSS. BOTH FAILURE SYMPTOMS BEGAN AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASING IN FREQUENCY FOR 1-2 WEEKS UNTIL "ENGINE WARNING LIGHT" CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH/COOLANT REPLACEMENT ABOUT 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO FAILURE, & NO PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AT THAT TIME. DEALER COVERED COST OF CYLINDER HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT, BUT DID NOT COVER TIMING COVER GASKET & SEAL REPLACEMENT($708.61). APPEALED TO CORPORATE LEVEL, ASKING IF THE COOLANT LEAKAGE MIGHT BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE KNOWN CYLINDER HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT, SAYING BOTH FAILURES WERE INDEPENDENT. I FIND IT ODDLY COINCIDENTAL & HARD TO BELIEVE THAT BOTH PROBLEMS INITIATED AT THE SAME TIME, BUT ARE UNRELATED.