NHTSA Complaint #767737 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

HAD OIL CHANGED AT GRAYLING FORD ON SEPTEMBER 25. AS SOON AS I PULLED IN, TECHNICIAN REMARKED HE SMELLED ANTI-FREEZE BURNING. HE CHECKED COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK AND FOUND IT EMPTY. ONE GALLON OF COOLANT WAS ADDED AT THAT TIME. HE STATED I SHOULD HAVE MY HEAD GASKETS CHECKED BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY CAUSE OF LOSS OF COOLANT IF I HADN'T NOTICED ANY LEAKAGE, WHICH I HAVEN'T. THE VAN HAS BEEN RUNNING GOOD. THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM, I.E. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON, NO OVERHEATING. I AM CONCERNED THAT ONCE REPAIR IS DONE ON SEPTEMBER 26, MECHANICS WILL FIND ENGINE DAMAGE LEADING TO A MORE COSTLY REPAIR. I STILL MAKE PAYMENTS AND THE ESTIMATED COST FOR JUST THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR IS OVER $1,000. ENGINE REPLACEMENT OR OTHER REPAIRS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS ESTIMATE. BECAUSE MY 96 WINDSTAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE COMPONENTS AS THOSE RECALLED FOR MODEL YEARS 94-95, I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD TAKE THE SAME ACTION AND RECALL/REIMBURSE OWNERS OF THE 96 MODEL WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. I HAVE OWNED NOTHING BUT FORD VEHICLES FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS AND FEEL MY SATISFACTION SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I LOOK FORWARD TO REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS REPAIR WHEN A RECALL IS ISSUED AND THAT CAN'T BE SOON ENOUGH. THIS IS THE SECOND DEFECT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH MY VAN. THE FIRST WAS A BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING. FORD SHOULD TAKE THE SAME ACTION WITH THE 96 WINDSTAR HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AS IT DID WITH THE COIL SPRING PROBLEM: RECTIFY IT WITH ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS. THIS MAY BE THE LAST FORD I BUY. I AM AFRAID TO TAKE IT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. ONE FOOTNOTE: I AM A NEWSPAPER REPORTER AND MAY WRITE ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE AS I DID WITH THE COIL SPRING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. PLEASE MAKE FORD DO THE RIGHT THING. NLM