NHTSA Complaint #719053 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

PREMATURE HEADGASKET FAILURE ON FORD 3.8L ENGINE LEFT ME STRANDED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. VAN TEMPERATURE GUAGE ROSE RAPIDLY, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF ALL HEAT, REDUCED POWER, AND ILLUMINATION OF THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A POPULATED AREA, AND I WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION FROM THERE. THIS PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRING IN A REMOTE AREA UNDER SIMILAR TEMPERATURE & WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS. DEALER TROUBLESHOOTING YIELDED HEADGASKET FAILURE AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO #4 CYLINDER. VAN NOW NEEDS NEW ENGINE. PERSONAL RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN ENGINE DESIGN & MANUFACTURING PROBLEM PLAGUING FORD 3.8L ENGINES, YET FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE $3500 COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, OR TO ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE OCCURS. FORD'S OWN INSTRUCTION MANUALS LIST HEADGASKETS AS A 120,000 MILE MAINTENANCE ITEM. HEADGASKETS SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN THESE ENGINES, BUT COULD NOT OR WOULD NOT HELP RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I WAS ADVISED OF A FORD "PROGRAM" THAT EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEM TO 5-YRS, 60,000 MILES. THIS ALONE SEEMS LIKE FORD'S ACCNOWLEDGEMENT OF A PROBLEM, BUT IS CLEARLY NOT ADEQUATE FOR A 120,000 MILE PART. THE DEALER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT NOT ALL OWNERS RECEIVED THE NOTICE ON THE "PROGRAM" (I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYONE WHO DID), AND THAT THEY "ARE DEALING WITH A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF VERY-UPSET CUSTOMERS" BECAUSE OF IT. IN DAILY USE, THIS VAN IS ROUTINELY USED TO TRANSPORT SMALL CHILDREN, INCLUDING MY 10-YEAR OLD SON WHO HAS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, IS NON-AMBULATORY AND IS CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR. FORD HAS PRODUCED A WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-DOCUMENTED DESIGN/MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THESE ENGINES, AND IN DOING SO, HAS PLACED THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY (AND COUNTLESS OTHERS) IN JEOPARDY, YET REFUSES TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM, AND WORSE YET, TO ACT.