NHTSA Complaint #718474 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

TOOK MY VAN TO THE GARAGE FOR NEW HEAD GASGETS. ONLY TO FIND OUT IT NEED A NEW ENGINE. A FRIEND TOLD ME HE HEARD THAT FORD HAS KNOWN THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH 1995 WINDSTAR VANS AND THAT THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANITY TO 60,000 MILES. CALLED THE FOD GARAGE TO CHECK THIS OUT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TRUE. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM BUT I DIDN'T FALL UNDER THE WARRANITY WITH 80,000 MILES. WHEN YOU BUY A VEHICLE THEY SAY 80,000 ISN'T ANYTHING BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM THEY SAY "WELL, YOU HAVE 80,000 MILES." BEING UPSET THAT THIS WAS GOING TO COST ME $3,600.00 AND ONLY BEING NOT 5 YEARS OLD YET I DID SOME PHONE CALLING. FORD MOTOR WOULDN'T GIVE ME THE TIME OF DAY SO I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT. THEY CALLED THEIR REP. AND HE WOULD DO NOTHING. THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEARLERSHIP TOLD ME THEY PUT IN AT LEAST 6 NEW MOTORS A MONTH AND IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. USUALLY THE MOTOR GOES AFTER 60,000. SO FORD IS TRYING TO MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD AND EXTEND THE WARRANITY BUT NOONE BENIFITS FROM IT. ALSO THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ANYONE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM. SO IF YOU HAD YOUR OWN GARAGE TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WERE UNDER THE 60,000 MILES YOU WOULD HAVE PAID FOR IT ANYWAY. I ALSO CALLED OTHER DEARLERSHIPS AND THEY TOO CONFIRMED THAT THE 1995 FORD WINSTAR VANS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. FORD ADMITS IT BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT.