NHTSA Complaint #740871 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

RECALL ON SLIDING DOOR - PROBLEM EVER SINCE REPAIRED. REAR WIPER MOTOR DIED THREE TIMES AND WAS REPLACED. RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS. SINCE FORD DEALER REPLACED THEM, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS BLEW, REPLACED THOSE AT OUR EXPENSE (APPROX. $1000), THEN THE FRONT WATER PUMP GASKET BLEW AND REPLACED THOSE AT OUR EXPENSE (APPROX. ANOTHER $500), THEN THE ENGINE BLEW AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE CAUSE WAS WATER AND ANTIFREEZE GOT INTO THE ENGINE AND SPUN THE BEARINGS.... TOLD BY THE PARTS MANAGER THAT IT ALL STARTED BACK WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. FORD IS NOT BACKING THEIR ENGINE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, WAS NOT TOLD THE FIRST TIME WE CAME IN THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKET WOULD CAUSE MORE GASKETS TO BREAK UNTIL AFTER OUR SECOND RETURN TO THE SERVICE CENTER. SINCE THEN, WE AUTHORIZED THEM TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. FORD DOES NOT HAVE ANY ON THE SHELF BECAUSE THEY HAVE GONE THRU SO MANY OF THEM AND IT WOULD BE ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS WAITING PERIOD! MEANWHILE, WE WILL BE WIHTOUT A VEHICLE FOR TWO MONTHS AND IT WILL COST US ANOTHER $1,000.! AS FAR AS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WOULD MAKE A LOUD THUMPING SOUND WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED....HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THEREFORE, WE HAD TO PUT UP WITH THE LOUD SOUND, WHICH FRIGHTENED MY PASSENGERS AND MYSELF.