NHTSA Complaint #724105 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

I WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SMELL COOLANT WHEN MY '95 WINDSTAR WAS STOPPED AND WARM. I BROUGHT IT INTO TO THE DEALER TO CHECK OUT BECAUSE I WAS AWARE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ISSUES WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THE WINDSTAR (EVEN THOUGH I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY FORD MOTOR CO THAT THERE WAS ANY KIND OF "EXTENDED WARRANTY" OR RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKET). END RESULT WAS THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NOT LEAKING, BUT THE TIMING COVER GASKET WAS. BECAUSE I WAS AWARE THERE WAS THE POTENTIAL FOR THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE, I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE BOTH THE HEAD GASKET AND THE TIMING COVER GASKET. THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER THE "EXTENDED WARRANTY" BY FORD, HOWEVER THE TIMING COVER GASKET WAS NOT. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS SERVICE ISSUE FURTHER, I REALIZE THAT THE TIMING COVER GASKET FAILURE IS ALSO A VERY COMMON REPAIR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR. I AM LOOKING TO PUT PRESSURE ON FORD MOTOR CO TO STEP UP AND ADMIT THAT THE TIMING COVER GASKET IS ALSO OF POOR QUALITY AND SUBJECT TO FAILURE, AND AM HOPEFUL THAT AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY" OR "RECALL" WILL BE ISSUED ON THE TIMING COVER GASKET REPAIR AS WELL. *AK