NHTSA Complaint #757994 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

ENGINE FAILED IN A CATASTROPHIC MANNER-- WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HWY - APPROX 35 IN COMMUTE TRAFFIC, ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED RUNNING ROUGH- WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON-- A STEADY LIGHT INDICATING THAT SERVICE IS NEEDED. THE FLASHING ENGINE LIGHT SUGGESTS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS AND TEMP APPEARED NORMAL. NOT HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN 10 MILES W/ THE CONDITION REMAINING THE SAME, I EXITED THE HWY AND MY ENGINE MADE A TERRIBLE NOISE THEN THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY ON A HWY OFF RAMP-- I MANAGED TO START IT AND DRIVE ABOUT 300 YDS TO PARKING LOT. I NOW KNOW THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100,000 OR 7 YEARS WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. MY CAR IS 7 YRS OLD, BUT HAS 115,000+ MILEAGE. BY LOOKING AT YOUR DATA BASE, THERE ARE SEVERAL FAILURES OF THIS TYPE. WHY WAS THE WARRANTY EXTENDED TO ONLY 100,000 MILES? WHY WASN'T THE PROBLEM FIXED AS IN A RECALL? MY ENGING FAILED SO ABRUPTLY-- I'M GRATEFUL NOT TO HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT!*AK