NHTSA Complaint #747144 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

HAD MINOR COOLANT LEAK, TURNED OUT TO BE "FORD PROGRAM" ENGINE REPLACEMENT. JUST OVER 100 MILES LATER, TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL LEAKED OUT. DEALER CLAIMS UNRELATED TO ENGINE PROBLEM. NEVER HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM PRIOR TO ENGINE BEING REMOVED. TRANS WAS INSPECTED AS PART OF AAA SAFETY INSPECTION WHEN VAN WAS IN FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. SOME SORT OF SEAL LEAK, VAN STILL IN SHOP--HAVING TRANS REBUILT. NO PROBLEM BEFORE ENGINE ISSUE, MAJOR PROBLEM 7 DAYS LATER. FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THE TRANS SINCE IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND IF THEY DID NOT HAVE TO RIP THE ENGINE OUT, TAKE OFF THAT TRANS AND PUT NEW ENGINE ON, I PROBABLY WOULD BE DRIVING THE WINDSTAR TODAY. WE HAVE HAD REGULAR SERVICE, SPENT OVER $90 TO HAVE TRANS CHECKED LAST YEAR SO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LAST US. FORD WAS E-MAILED WHEN WE GOT THE VAN BACK FROM THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE NOT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING PROPERLY. E-MAILED A FEW HOURS LATER WHEN THE TRANS FLUID POURED OUT AND OTHER THAN THE AUTOMATIC RESPONSE SAYING THEY REC'D MY E-MAIL, I HAVE HEARD NOT ONE WORD FROM THEM. NOT MUCH FOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE! THE TRANS AND ENGINE ARE RELATED, AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW FORD CAN SAY THEY ARE NOT. NO PROBLEM BEFORE THEY RECONFIGURED UNDER HOOD TO PUT DIFFERENT SHAPE/SIZE ENGINE IN, PROBLEM AFTER.