NHTSA Complaint #769671 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

9/12/02 HEAD GASKET FAILED ON 1995 WINDSTAR 3.8L ENGINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO NORTH LARSEN FORD IN EMPORIA, KS FOR REPAIR. LEFT HEAD GASKET REPLACED AND TEST DROVE ON 9/16/02. TECHNICIAN FOUND OIL LEAKING AT LEFT HEAD GASKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED HEAD AND REPLACED GASKET A SECOND TIME. VEHICLE WAS READY AND RELEASED TO MY SPOUSE 4:00 PM, 9/19/02 WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS SERVICED AND READY. FORD DECLIINED TO COVER FAILURE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR HEAD GASKET FAILURES DUE TO VEHICLE ORIGINAL PURCHASED IN 1994 AND WARRANTY LIMITED TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. REPAIR COSTS WERE BILLED TO ME AT $1491.73 AND PAID ON RELEASE. SPOUSE LEFT EMPORIA, KS WITH VEHICLE AT 6:00 PM 9/19/02 AND DROVE TO 550 MILES TO DENVER, CO. SEVEN MILES NORTH OF GOLDEN, CO ON I-70, VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING AND ENGINE STARTED TO CLATTER. HIWAY PATROL STOPPED TO ASSIST AND WHEN ENGINE OIL WAS CHECKED NO OIL LEVEL WAS REGISTERED ON DIP STICK, METAL FRAGMENTS WERE PRESENT AND CRANKCASE WAS SMOKING. HIWAY PATROL TOOK SPOUSE TO BUY OIL AT WHICH TIME 4 QUARTS WERE ADDED TO OBTAIN PROPER FILL LEVEL. VEHICLE THEN DRIVEN TO STEVINSON'S FORD IN GOLDEN, CO. STEVINSON'S FORD SERVICE DEPT. INSPECTED VEHICLE AND FOUND ROD BEARING FAILURE. SERVICE DEPT. ESTIMATED $2,500-3,500 FOR REPAIR. MY FAMILY (SPOUSE AND 5 CHILDREN) WERE ENROUTE TO OUR NEW RESIDENCE IN RICHLAND, WA AND STRANDED WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. SERVICE MANAGER DETERMINED FAILURE WAS DUE TO LOSS OF OIL AND IDENTIFIED PROBABLE CAUSE AS IMPROPER FILL OR LEAKAGE FOLLOWING SERVICE/REPAIR. CIRCUMSTANCES FORCED PURCHASE OF NEW VEHICLE WITH 1995 WINDSTAR AS TRADE-IN. DEALER ALLOWED $4,000 FOR TRADE. PURCHASE PRICE FOR 1995 WINDSTAR WAS $7,500 ON 3/1/02 RESULTING IN A LOSS OF $3,500 AS A RESULT OF ENGINE FAILURE. $3,500 PLUS $1491.73 FOR INITIAL REPAIRS LEFT ME WITH A NET LOSS OF $4,991.73 DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND IMPROPER SERVICE . FORD DEALERSHIP HAS DECLINED TO WARRANT REPAIR OR COMPENSATE ME FOR LOSS. DT