NHTSA Complaint #752872 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

IN 1999 I BOUGHT A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR, WHICH I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH EVER SINCE. THE LATEST PROBLEM IS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. MY VAN CURRENTLY HAS 104,000 MILES ON IT, AND WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS WHEN IT HAD 88,000 MILES ON IT. I QUESTIONED IF HEAD GASKET WAS BAD, WHICH THEY DENIED AND PREFORMED OTHER REPAIRS. IN AUGUST 2001 I STARTED LOSING ANTIFREEZE AND TOOK THE VAN TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO SAID THE VAN WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I THEN PROCEEDED TO WRITE A LETTER TO JACQUES NASSER THE PRESIDENT AND COPIED SUCH TO VARIOUS OTHER EXECUTIVES. FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. MY VAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT INSTEAD FORD CHOSE TO WAIT AND HOPE THE HEAD GASKET WOULD NOT BREAK UNTIL IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AS IT IS NOW. SUCH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS IS FORD'S PROBLEM. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER TRYING TO SUPPORT THE HOUSEHOLD BUT I HAVE NO VEHICLE TO GET TO AND FROM WORK AND AFTER THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, I WAS LAID OFF FROM MY JOB. HAVING NO VEHICLE MAKES IT EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND A NEW JOB, AND WITHOUT A NEW JOB I CAN NOT AFFORD THE COSTS FOR THE REPAIRS, WHICH I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE IN GETTING FORD TO FIX MY VAN. FORD HAS ALREADY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THE HEAD GASKETS TO 100,000 MILES/ 7 YEARS, BUT SUCH IS NOT ENOUGH AND NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED. *AK