NHTSA Complaint #743091 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP FOR LEAKING HEAD GASKET PER EXTENDED WARRANTY LETTER (00M09). EXTENSIVE COOLING SYSTEM DAMAGE CAUSED AS RESULT OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER QUOTED $1,500 WORTH OF WORK THAT WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. VEHICLE DRIVEN IMMEDIATELY TO INDEPENDANT CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR REMAINDER OF REPAIRS (LESS THAN 3 MILES DOOR TO DOOR). DEALER QUOTE MORE EXPENSIVE AND INCLUDED WORK THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY (REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION PAN GASKET-GASKET WAS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD). ENGINE FAILED SAME DAY WORK WAS COMPLETED (DRIVEN LESS THAN 20 MILES). REPLACEMENT ENGINE ON 5 WEEK BACKORDER FROM MANUFACTURER. ENGINE REPLACEMENT FAILED 3 DAYS AFTER WORK COMPLETED. SECOND ENGINE REPLACEMENT PERFORMED BY ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED LEAKING FLUID AND WITH CLAMPS AND HOSES DISCONNECTED (HAD TO BE RETURNED AGAIN). FORD HAS ACKNOWLEGDED PROBLEM AND EXISTENCE OF $4,000 COUPON PROGRAM TO OWNERS FOR REPAIRS. HOWEVER, BEST FORD STILL WILL NOT HONOR PROGRAM. HAVE SPENT 15 WEEKS AND MORE THAN $5,000 TO HAVE VEHICLE RETURNED STILL RUNNING ROUGH.*AK