NHTSA Complaint #741269 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

FORD REFUSES TO LISTEN TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMPENSATION, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DID NOT RECEIVE SERVICE AT A FORD GARAGE. WE DID NOT KNOW OR EXPECT THE HEAD GASKET TO HAVE BLOWN. WE WERE STRANDED ON A SUNDAY MORNING IN ONTARIO, SOME 650 MILES FROM HOME. WE WERE TOWED TO THE ONLY SERVICE FACITLITY OPEN ON A SUNDAY (CANADIAN TIRE) WHO COULD POTENTIALLY GET US BACK ON OUR WAY. WE NEVER EXPECTED A MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM TO OCCUR AT 57,709 MILES. WE FEEL FORD SHOULD COMPENSATE US FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKET, AS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WAS RECALLED ON THE 1995 WINSTARS. APPARENTLY THE 1996 WINDSTARS HAVE THE SAME HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AS THE 1995S, BUT HAVE NOT YET BEEN RECALLED. JUST BECAUSE WE WERE NOT AT A FORD DEALER OR GARAGE SHOULD NOT LET FORD OFF THE HOOK FOR OUR EXPENSE INCURRED ON A DEFECTIVE PART. *AK