NHTSA Complaint #713791 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

A HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE CAR AT 69,000 MILES CAUSING ADDITIONAL REPAIRS, I.E: PLUGS, AIR FILTER, COOLANT ETC. THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME THAT THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN APPARENT ON THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE ON THE WINDSTAR, TAURUS AND SABLE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAS PERFORMED SERVICE ON THIS PROBLEM AT THE RATE OF 2 AUTOMOBILES PER WEEK SINCE LAST YEAR, AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET ON THOSE VEHICLES UNDER 75K MILES AT NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER UP UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 1998. BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE REOCCURRING PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES AND HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL RECALL, WE HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION AND THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. THE COMPLAINT IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THERE IS AN APPARENT DEFECT WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE INVOLVING THE SAME HEAD GASKET, AND THAT A REDESIGNED GASKET IS NOW BEING USED.. MY WINDSTAR WAS SERVICED ON JUNE 24, 1999 FOR A 65K MILE MAINTENANCE CHECK AT A COST OF $255 SHOWING NO APPARENT ENGINE DIFFICULTIES AND THEN I HAD TO INVEST ANOTHER $1,140 AT THE TIME OF THIS REPAIR 3 MONTHS LATER.