NHTSA Complaint #744584 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

RE: FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY ON FORD WINDSTAR 3.8L HEAD GASKETS (FORD NOTICE 00M09). MY 95 WINDSTARS HEAD GASKET BLEW AND HYDRO LOCKED MY ENGINE AT 81,000 MILES. THE PROCESS PUMPED A LOT OF COOLANT THROUGH MY BLOCK AND OUT THE EXHAUST AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEVERELY OVER HEAT. SAWGRASS FORD (SUNRISE FL (954) 851-9100) HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT WANTS $1176 TO COVER THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL WORK: RESEAL LEAKING COOLANT AT TIMING COVER $784. TUNE-UP $110. THERMOSTAT AND GASKET $85. FLUSH COOLING SYSTEM $74. ENGINE POWER FLUSH $120. I HAD JUST FLUSHED AND REPLACED COOLANT AND HOSES WITHIN THE LAST 10,000 MILES. THERE WERE NO LEAKS IN THE ENGINE. (MY GARAGE FLOOR IS CLEAN!) I BELIEVE THAT HAD THE HEAD GASKET NOT BLEW, THIS OTHER WORK WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE 00M09 EXTENDED WARRANTY WORK. THE ONLY REASON THE COOLING SYSTEM AND ENGINE WOULD NEED FLUSHED AT THIS POINT IS BECAUSE THE CYLINDERS FLOODED WITH COOLANT WHEN THE GASKET BLEW. THAT ALSO FOULED THE PLUGS. THE OVERHEATING DAMAGED THE THERMOSTAT. THE OVERHEATING IS ALSO THE LIKELY CAUSE OF DAMAGE RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE TIMING COVER. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND WAS TOLD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY COVERS THE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. THE OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER REPAIRS. (EVEN IF THE BLOCK FROZE OR THE HEADS WARPED!) THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE ME A COPY OF THE 00M09 EXTENDED WARRANTY. I WILL HAVE FORD DO THE WARRANTY WORK AND TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR THE ADDITIONAL REPAIR. ANY HELP TO HAVE FORD COVER THIS ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IS APPRECIATED.*AK