NHTSA Complaint #714775 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON ANYTIME I DROVE ON AN TRIP OVER 60 MILES. AFTER HAVING IT CHECKED OUT AND CHECKED OUT, I COULD NEVER GET AN ANSWER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. FOUND OUT LATER THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET BEING BAD AND DUMPING ENGINE COOLANT THROUG THE EXHAUST WHICH IN TURN DESTROYED THE CATATLYTIC CONVERTER AND SENSOR. HOWEVER THE COMPUTER WOULD NEVER GIVE THE CODES THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. WHILE CHECKING THIS PROBLEM OUT, I HAD IT IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT KNEW OF FORD'S TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND STATED THAT THIS WINDSTAR HAD ALL THE SIGNS OF A LEAKING ALUMINUM PUMP IN THE TRANSMI. COST WAS JUST UNDER $1000. STILL THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. A GUY SAID TO CHECK THE EXHAUST, SO I HAD THE EXHAUST CHECKED AND FOUND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR HAD MELTED DOWN. HAD THEM REPLACED, STILL THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. MY MECHANIC HAPPENED TO BE TALKING TO THE PARTS DEPT AT A FORD DEALER AND THEY MENTIONED THE SECRET RECALL ON THE MOTOR. SO I CHECKED ON IT AND THEY SAID THE MILEAGE WAS TOO HIGH (KEEP IN MIND THAT THE VAN WAS DOING THIS WHEN I PURCHASED IT AT 82,000). MY MECHANIC PULLED THE HEAD OFF AND REPLACED THE FRONT HEAD GASKET WHERE THE #4 CYLINDER HAD BLOWN THE GASKET. HE REPLACED ALL FLUIDS. SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES LATER THE MOTORS MAIN BEARINGS WENT OUT DUE TO HAVING HAD ENGINE COOLANT MIXED WITH IT FOR SO LONG (TOLD TO ME BY THE SPRINGFIELD, IL FORD DEALER WHERE I WAS WHEN THE MOTOR BLEW AND BY THE SPRINGFIELD, MO FORD DEALER WHERE I LIVE). FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND I CAN GIVE YOU ADDRESSES OF HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM, AND THIS IS JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE WEB, HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? FORD CLAIMS TO HAVE SENT OUT RECALLS, BUT I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ONE NOR HAVE ANY OTHERS THAT I HAVE TALKED WITH EXCEPT FOR ONE GUY I WORK WITH. HE BOUGHT HIS VAN USED AND RECEIVED THIS RECALL. I HAVE GOTTEN A RECALL ON MY VAN HOOD SO THEY KNOW WHERE I LIVE. THANKS, DB.