NHTSA Complaint #769630 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON NOVEMBER 3, 2002 AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MCCAFFERTY FORD ON NOVEMBER 7, 2002. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE AND OUT THE TAIL PIPE AND "SHORTED" THE OXYGEN SENSOR WHICH CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO APPEAR. THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM IS $1,423 (WITH TAX). THEY ALSO CHARGED ME $137.69 FOR TWO HOURS LABOR TO FIND THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OF THE SYMPTOMS. I DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT FORD WINDSTARS AND HEAD GASKET FAILURES AND FOUND OUT THE 1994 AND 1995 WINDSTARS WERE RECALLED TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT, THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR 1996 EVEN THOUGH I FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON-LINE. I HAVE SPOKE TO MCCAFFERTY FORD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD H. MITCHELL ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002 AND HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO IF THE VEHICLE IS OVER 100,000 MILES. (WELL, MY VEHICLE WOULD OF BEEN LESS THAN 100,000 IF THERE WAS A RECALL EARLIER) I THEN CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TO GET AN ANSWER. FORD REPRESENTATIVE BILL (#2072) SAID THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON THE 1996 WINDSTARS, SO THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO (MILEAGE DIDN'T MATTER). I WAS TOLD TO KEEP MY RECEIPTS IN CASE THERE WAS A RECALL. I FOUND ONLINE THAT THERE ARE 1996 WINDSTAR OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED FOR FREE OR A FRACTION OF THE COST, BY THE DEALERS. OUR LOCAL MECHANIC (D&D AUTO SERVICE IN MECHANICSBURG) SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM OFTEN. ALSO, THAT THE HEAD GASKETS IN A MODERN CAR SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE (AT LEAST 120,000 MILES). WE ALSO GOT AN ESTIMATE FROM JACKSON'S AUTOMOTIVE (BECAUSE D&D DOESN'T DO EXTENSIVE REPAIRS) IN CAMP HILL TO REPAIR THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM FOR AROUND $800, WHICH IS OVER $600 LESS THEN MCCAFFERTY FORD'S ESTIMATE. DT