NHTSA Complaint #716261 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

WE TOOK OUR WINDSTAR IN AT THE FIRST INITIAL FAILURE(12-2-97). THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD COME ON, SO WE TOOK IT TO THE FORD GARAGE CLOSEST TO OUR RESIDENCE. WE WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT SHOULD THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COME BACK ON THAT IT SHOULD RESET ITSELF IN A FEW DAYS.... NOT TO WORRY. THIS HAPPENED 6-7 TIMES AFTERWARD WITH THE LIGHT ALWAYS GOING OFF AFTER 3 COLD STARTS. BUT WHEN WE WOULD TAKE A LONG TRIP. IT WOULD START ALL OVER. IN OCT. OF THIS YEAR (1999) THE LIGHT CAME AND AND DID NOT GO OFF. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT IT, THEY SAID IT NEEDED A TUNE-UP. ($217.00) WE TOOK IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK IT BACK BECAUSE THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THE DEALER SAID IT NEEDED A NEW 02 SENSOR (APPROX. $100.00) THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. WE TOOK IT BACK. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE COMPUTER, WHICH THEY REPLACED AT NO COST. LIGHT CAME BACK ON. TOOK IT BACK. SAID THE ALTERNATOR WAS MAGNATIZED. NEW ALTERNATOR DIDN'T HELP. FINALLY THE TOLD US THAT IT POSSIBLY COULD BE THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. THEIR ESTIMATE IS $1200 WHICH WE CANT AFFORD. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 1995 WINDSTARS FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. BUT BECAUSE MY WINDSTAR IS A 1996 FORD IS UN-WILLING TO HELP. MY WINDSTAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAN OF 1996. SO I AM SURE THAT THAT ENGINE HAS THE SAME DEFECT OF THE 1995 ENGINE. I WANT TO STRESS HOW FUSTRATED I AM WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN THEIR STANCE ON THIS MATTER. THEY REALLY DON'T CARE HOW SAFE THE VEHICLE IS. *AK