NHTSA Complaint #741379 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

WE PURCHASED OUR FORD WINDSTAR NEW IN 7/94 (IT WAS ANEARLY 1995 RELEASE). PROBLEMS BEGAN IMMEDIATELY WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL, DOOR CLOSURE SENSOR, ETC. THERE WERE ALSO OTHER NUISANCES SUCH AS THE SUSPENSION THAT HAD A BANGING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER ANY BUMP. THE DOOR SENSORS AND ENGINE COMPUTER WERE REPLACED. THE SUSPENSION PROBLEM WAS NEVER RESOLVED. THEN BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED (36,000 MILES) THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON (WHICH IT IS STILL ON 5 YEARS LATER). AFTER TRIPS TO THE DEALER AND A $500.00 TUNE-UP THE ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED-- WHICH IT NEVER WAS. AT THAT TIME YEARS AGO I TOLD THEM THAT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SEEM TO SHIFT PROPERLY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WENT ON VACATION THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. THEIR ANSWER WHIULE IT WAS "UNDER WARRANTY" WAS THAT THE ENGINE WAS ELECTRONIC AND THAT IF A SENSOR WAS BAD OR THE FUEL MIXTURE WAS NOT PROPER IT WOULD CAUSE THAT TO HAPPEN. THEY SAID THAT THE SENSORS DID NOT INDICATE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WE, HOWEVER, KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE CAR PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE , BUT AGAIN THE ONLY THING THEY COULD FIND IS THAT THE ENGINE INDICATED THAT IT WAS RUNNING "TOO LEAN". THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND EVENTUALLY WOULD GO OFF, BUT THIS HAPPENED MORE FREQUENTLY. FINALLY, THE CAR BECAME UNRELIABLE, AND WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. SURE ENOUGH IT WAS GOING BAD! THEY ESTIMATED TO FIX IT WOULD COST $2000+ I SAID THAT MY CONCERN WAS ALSO THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS PERHAPS IN FAILURE ALSO. THEY SAID THAT AGAIN THEY DIDN'T THINK SO. WITH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS, I WAS HESITANT TO PAY THAT MUCH TOO FIX THE HEAD GASKET. I THEN ASKED IF FORD WARRANTY WOULD PICK UP ANY OF THE COST. AFTER TALKING TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE THE ANSWER WAS, NO! SHORTLY, THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE FAILED AND I HAD IT TOWED TO AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC WHO AGREED TO FIX IT FOR $800-900. SINCE THAT TIME THE ENGINE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAM