NHTSA Complaint #720476 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

THE FIRST TIME MY ENGINE FAILED IT WAS WITH THE HEAD GASKETS WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER...I WENT OUT TO MY VAN AFTER WORK AND TRIED TO START MY VAN AFTER IT STARTED IT IMMIDIATLY OVERHEATED AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I TRIED TO START IT AGINE AND THEN I NOTICED THE ENGINE ACTING UNUSAL...GOT OUT AND NOTICED THE ANTIFREEZE COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE...I TOOK IT TRAIGHT TO MY MECHANIC WHO IS A BLCOK AWAY HE THEN DISCOVERD THE PROBLEM AND CONTACTED FORD WHO THE FIXED THE HEAD GASKETS. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH DOEW THE INTERSTATE AND NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT ON THEN NOTICED A VERY LOUD NOISE AND PROCEDED TO EXIT . MY ENGINE THEN FAILED AND I WAS STUCK ON THE OFF RAMP. I HAD THE VAN TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED IT AS A BLOWN ENGINE DUE TO A BAD OIL REGULATER AND PUMP WHICH IN TURN BLEW THE ENGINE DUE TO THE COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. MY MECHANIC CONTACTED FORD TO HAVE THEM PAY FOR A REPLACE ENGINE TO NO AVAIL..HE DIAGNOSED THE THE PROBLEM WITH THE OIL REGULATOR DAMEGED DUE TO THE COOLANT PREVIOUSLY FLOWING THROUGHTHE ENGINE DURING THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE . I AHVE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPALCED AT A PRICE OF 3000. ND HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR ONE WEEK AND THEN STRUGGLE WITHOUT TRANSPORTAITON THERAFTER..FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH WHILE WE LOOKED VERY HARD FOR AN ENGINE WHICH SEEMED UNUSALLY AHRD TO FIND. *AK