NHTSA Complaint #748541 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

COOLANT LEAKED INTO ENGINE CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE BLOWING THE HEAD GASKETS AND CRACKING THE ENGINE BLOCK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS A COMPLETE POWER LOSS IN THE STEERING AND BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE IN THE VAN AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. FORTUNATLY THEY WERE NOT ON THE INTERSTATE OR MAJOR HIGHWAY BECAUSE THERES NO TELLING WHAT THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THIS CASE. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A RECALLED PROBLEM FOR THE 94 AND 95 YEARS FOR THE SAME MODEL THAT I HAVE BUT NOT THE 96. THIS IS NOT JUST A PROBLEM WITH WINDSTAR BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WITH THE MUSTANGS AND LINCON TOWN CARS WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN ERROR WITH-IN THOSE YEARS IN QUESTION WITH MANY FORD MODELS. THIS WILL COST ME NEARLY $4500 TO REPAIR AS QUOTED FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP AND IT COST ME $80 JUST TO TELL ME SOMETHING I ALREADY PAID FOR AT GOODYEAR, I NEED A NEW ENGINE. SEEING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THIS MODEL I WOULD APPRIECIATE IT IF YOU COULD TELL FORD TO CONSIDER RECALLING THE OTHER AFFECTED MODELS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT BUT REFUSE TO ADMIT.*AK