NHTSA Complaint #716906 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED MY HUSBAND CONTACTED THE 800 NUMBER WITH FORD. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP WOULD NOT GIVE HIM A FORD'S REP NAME AND NUMBER TO CALL. THEY SAID HE COULD LEAVE HIS NAME AND NUMBER AND SOMEONE WOULD CALL HIM BACK. HE THEN CALLED BEN SATCHER FORD IN LEXINGTON BECAUSE IT IS CLOSE TO OUR HOUSE, AND I HAVE HAD SUCH PROBLEMS WITH BOB BENNETT AND THEIR SERVICE. BEN SATCHER WOULD NOT HELP US EITHER. THEY WOULD NOT PUT US IN TOUCH WITH A FORD REP. WE FINALLY DROPPED IT. THEN, ON CHRISTMAS EVE, WE HAD THE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS HAPPEN. WE WERE STRANDED IN RICHMOND, KY AT 12:10 AM ON I-75, WHICH IS 4 STATES AWAY FROM WHERE WE LIVE. ONCE THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY WAS OVER, WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET THE VAN WORKED ON AT A DEALERSHIP IN LEXINGTON, KY. THE SERVICE PEOPLE THERE TOLD US FORD HAD SPONSORED A PROGRAM ON THE HEAD GASKETS BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM EXPIRED IN DECEMBER 1998, SO WE WERE TOO LATE. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT CONTACT A FORD REP EITHER. THEY SAID WE HAD TO PAY OURSELVES AND TAKE IT UP WITH FORD. THAT BILL WAS $1800 AS WELL AS I HAD REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION THE YEAR BEFORE FOR $1800. I'M NOW OUT $3600 FOR THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE MILEAGE ON THE MINIVAN. WHEN WE FINALLY ARRIVED HOME IN SC, WE HAD A RECALL SITTING IN OUR MAILBOX FOR THE GAS TANK THAT CAN POSSIBLY CATCH ON FIRE. I TOOK THE MINIVAN IN TO BOB BENNETT TODAY FOR THE RECALL. I TOLD THEM THE VAN IS STILL NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY, PLEASE HELP ME OUT AND CHECK IT FREE OF CHARGE. I ALSO CONTACTED THE SERVICE MGR. AT BOB BENNETT LAST WEEK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO US WITH THE HEAD GASKETS, AND ASKED FOR THE FORD REP. I ASKED HIM FOR THAT NUMBER AGAIN TODAY. HE'S CLAIMING HE HAS A PHONE CALL IN TO HIM, BUT IT COULD BE 30-45 DAYS OR MORE BEFORE HE HAS CONTACT WITH THE FORD REP. HE BECAME QUITE BELLIGERENT WITH ME AND DID NOT WANT TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM THAT THE VAN IS NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY UNLESS HE CHARGES ME FULLY. HELP.