NHTSA Complaint #715239 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

APRIL 1999, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB TOMES FORD IN MCKINNEY SINCE THE ENGINE WAS SMOKING. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $1001. A LETTER FROM FORD INDICATING POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET HAD BEEN RECEIVED 1 YEAR EARLIER, BUT THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE GASKET DID NOT NEED REPLACED. WHEN IT DID FAIL, WE WERE PAST THE 60,000 MILES INDICATED BY FORD AS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE THERE WAS STILL SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER (BOB TOMES). THEY INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. SINCE THEY HAD INITIALLY SAID THAT THE SMOKING WAS DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET, WE SOUGHT A SECOND OPINION AT A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP (ECONOMY TRANSMISSIONS OF MCKINNEY). THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $1353 (05/07/99). APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MONTHS LATER, THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THEN APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH LATER, THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AGAIN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THEN, I'VE NOTICED THESE SAME TWO PROBLEMS LISTED ON SEVERAL WEB BULLETIN BOARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN. IN FACT, 2 CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS ARE BEING PREPARED TO BRING AGAINST FORD AT THIS TIME. I WILL PROBABLY SUBMIT MY NAME TO THOSE LAWYERS. (SEE WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS UNDER LEMONS OR MINIVANS). OBVIOUSLY, THIS SITE HAS OVER 2,000 COMPLAINTS LISTED FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. IN COMPARISON, MY 1992 TOYOTA CELICA HAS JUST OVER 50 COMPLAINTS LISTED. IT WOULD SEEM LIKE FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THESE 2 PROBLEMS FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS CONTINUED TO IGNORE THE COMPLAINTS. MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACTED THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED AT THE LACK OF COOPERATION RECEIVED. I WILL REGISTER A COMPLAINT WITH THEM, ALTHOUGH I SINCERELY DOUBT THAT IT WILL BE OF MUCH VALUE. THIS IS A CASE WHERE OUR GOVERNMENT COULD BE OF EXTREME VALUE TO THE CONSUMER. PLEASE DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND NECESSARY. THANK-YOU.