NHTSA Complaint #756970 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 40MPH. THE WINDSTAR BEGAN TO UNEXPECTEDLY SHUDDER AND MAKE A LOUD RATTLING NOISE. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHED AND THE VAN VIOLENTLY BUCKED. WE MANAGED TO GET TO OUR HOUSE. VAN WOULD NOT START AFTER TURNING OFF. DEALER CALLED AND VAN TOWED.DEALER CHECKED PROBLEM AND FOUND THE #5 PISTON HAD FAILED AND HAD CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE AND FAILURE. EST. REPLACEMENT COST $4,000. DEALER WAS NOT SURE IF THIS WAS RELATED TO THE EARLIER MODEL WINDSTAR 3.8L V-6 PROBLEMS CAUSING FAILURE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM FORD BUT THE DEALER SAID THEY MAY DECLINE TO ASSIST IN REPLACEMENT COST. I NOW HAVE A $16,000 BLUE PAPERWEIGHT. THE SUDDEN JERKINESS OF THE ENGINE FAILURE ALMOST CAUSED MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS TO RUN OFF THE ROAD . THE PISTON IN THE MOTOR DROPPED DOWN INTO THE OILPAN AREA. ENGINE NOW HAS TO BE REPLACED AT 48,692.MILES. DOING RESEARCH INTO YOUR DATABASE, FROM OWNERS OF 1995 WINDSTARS AND A FEW 1999 MODELS, I NOTICED A SIMILARITY IN DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND RESULTING ENGINE FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED, I AM THE SECOND OWNER. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW AS A LEASED VEHICLE. I BOUGHT IT AFTER THE LEASE WAS OVER. I HOPE YOU CAN INVESTIGATE THIS ENGINE FLAW/DEFECT WITH FORD AND I CAN GET SATISFACTION