NHTSA Complaint #715131 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

COOLANT SYSTEM PROBLEMS SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED - SENSORS, RADIATOR, HEAD GASKET. I THOUGHT I RECEIVED A RECALL CONCERNING HEAD GASKET IN 1998 FROM FORD - WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD TO COME BACK WHEN THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE DEALER KEPT THE LETTER THAT I RECEIVED FROM FORD DESPITE TWO ATTEMPTS OF HAVING IT RETURNED. A YEAR OR SO LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED ,AND I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL, BUT WAS UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENSION. (I WAS NOT TOLD THIS BY THE DEALER IN 1998) NOW THE VEHICLE IS PAST THE ALLEGED WARRANTY EXTENSION, AND FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS MY PROBLEM FURTHER. APPARENTLY THE RADIATOR IS POORLY DESIGNED. IT'S CHEAPER FOR ME TO HAVE IT REPLACED UNDER A THIRD PARTY WARRENTY THAN HAVE IT FLUSHED ONLY TO CLOG AGAIN. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 1996 AND HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES IN 1997, 1998 AND 1999. *AK