1995 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Coolingcooling Systemradiator Assembly Problems

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER AND OIL OR ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR THREE TIMES FOR A FAILED GASKET. THE ENGINE WON'T HEAT UP PROPERLY DUE TO THE THERMOSTAT BEING STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. NEW OXYGEN SENSORS HAD TO BE INSTALLED DUE TO BEING CONTAMINATED FROM THE COOLANT. *JG

VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SMOKE. IT WOULD OVERHEAT AND EMPTY FLUID FROM RADIATOR. GUAGES NEVER SHOWED THAT VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. ALSO, DRIVER COULD SMELL ANTI-FREEZE WHENEVER VEHICLE WOULD START TO OVERHEAT. THIS WAS ALL DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. *AK

RADIATOR FLUID WAS BUBBLING OVER, COMING OUT TAILPIPE AND SMOKING. HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT, AND ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF DAMAGE. FORD RELEASED A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR HEAD GASKETS. THERE WERE NO PRIOR PROBLEM WHEN LETTER WAS RECEIVED. VEHICLE WAS TO BE ONLY BROUGHT IN WHEN PROBLEM OCCURRED. ALSO, LETTER WAS BASED ON MILEAGE WHICH VEHICLE HAD EXCEEDED AT THE TIME OF PROBLEM. FORD WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING DEALING WITH LETTER. ROUNDED OFF IT WILL BE NEAR $4000 DAMAGE, TO BE REPAIRED. *JB

I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING WITH MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. I HAD IT IN MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR HAVE THE OIL CHANGED WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAD GONE CRAZY THAT MORNING. WE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND THE RADIATOR CAP THINKING THAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS DOING THE SAME THING SO I CONTACTED THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY GOT TO LOOKING AND FIGURED OUT THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BROKEN. I HAVE MY CAR IN THE SHOP GETTING THIS PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF. I FILL THAT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND OUT JUST TODAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL OF THESE VANS HEADGASKETS REPLACED FOR THE SAME REASON. I KNOW THAT THE TAURUS & MUSTANG HAD A RECALL ON THESE GASKETS AND THAT THEY ARE THE SAME...

HEAD GASKET WENT, REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BUT FORD WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RADIATOR OR TIMING COVER GASKET WHICH ARE BOTH DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE DAMAGE DONE BY THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE RADIATOR IS SEPARATING AT THE SEAMS DUE TO FUEL GETTING INTO IT FROM THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND THE TIMING GASKET IS ALSO DAMAGED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF FUEL INTO THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THEY WANTED US TO PAY $1,400 TO FIX EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE. HOW CAN I GET THEM TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE?

MY VAN FIRST LOST ITS HEATER SO WE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. WHEN THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, WE REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. WE TOOK THE VAN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE TOO MANY MILES ON THE VAN TO FIX IT. WE TOLD THEM NOT TO DO ANY CHARGEABLE WORK TO THE VAN, THEY DID ANYWAY. THEY CHARGED US $49 TO LOOK AT 3 OF THE CHECK ENGINE CODES. THIS VAN HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT IT FROM CHILTON'S AUTO SALES IN EDEN, NC. THE LIGHTS STAY ON, THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYING ON NOT TO MENTION THE ANNOYING BEEPING THAT ACCOMPANIES THESE LIGHTS. WE FINALLY TOOK THE FUSE AND SOME BULBS OUT TO KEEP THE LIGHTS FROM RUNNING DOWN MY BATTERY. HEAD GASKETS ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE AND SINCE ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF THE...

FAULTY THERMOSTAT CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

RADIATOR IS LEAKING. YH

I GOT MY 95 WINDSTAR FROM MY DAD 3 MONTHS AGO. HE HAD BEEN THE SOLE/ORIGINAL OWNER. THE HEAT GAUGE STARTED GOING WAY UP AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL ON JAN 20, 2000. IT WOULD GO UP AND DOWN SOMETIMES 8 TIMES IN A 30 MINUTE RIDE! I CHECKED THE EASIEST, AND LEAST EXPENSIVE THINGS FIRST - ENGINE COOLANT, RADIATOR, AND THERMOSTAT. BUT IT KEPT DOING IT. FINALLY, ON JAN 27, 2000 IT OVERHEATED AND STAYED HOT. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER (HELGESEN'S OF EVANSVILLE, WI) AND THEY GOT IT IN ON THE FOLLOWING MON. THE 31ST. THEY SAID IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET AND MENTIONED THE RECALL ON IT. I TALKED TO MY DAD, WHO BOUGHT THE VAN NEW AND IS VERY METICULOUS ABOUT SAVING PAPERS, AND MAINTAINING HIS AUTOMOBILES. HE SAID THAT HE NEVER GOT A RECALL LETTER ON IT AND CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HAD IT CHECKED...

EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH TEMPERTURE GAUGE GOING UP & DOWN., AND BLOWER EMITTIING COOL AIR INSTEAD OF HEAT. VEHICLE OPERATED VERY SLUGGISHLY. RADIATOR LEAKED AS WELL. VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT, AND THERE WAS A SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE SOME MAKE AND MODELS. SINCE VEHICLE HAD EXCEEDED MILEAGE REQUIRMENT, CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE DIAGNOSED AFTER COOLANT LOSS, TWO THERMOSTATS REPLACED IN 9 MONTHS, ENGINE MISS AT IDLE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, AND INABILITY TO REMOVE NUMBER 4 SPARK PLUG. ESTIMATE COST TO REPAIR $2126.60. NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED FORD WARRANTY TO 60,000 MILES.

I GRADUALLY LOST MY HEAT. I HAD TAKEN MY MINIVAN TO HAVE A THERMOSTAT REPLACED THE WEEK BEFORE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS. I HAD ALREADY SUNK $75.00 INTO IT BEFORE I TOOK IT INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECASUE THE PROBLEM WAS STILL HAPPENING. IT CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT AFTER THE THERMOSTAT WAS INSTALLED. I PAID APPROXIMATELY $1000.00 RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO HAVE MY HEAD GASKET REPLACED. I WAS REALLY IN A BIND FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR HAVING TO PAY FOR MY VAN. I ALOS WAS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR A WEEK. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN TO TRANSPORT TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND ALL THEIR SPORTS EVENTS. I WAS INCONVIENCED FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK. FORD OFFERED ME A "RENTAL" , BUT I WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY. I DECLINED. I HAVE WRITTEN TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOTTEN A RESPONSE. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP ME IN THE...

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND WATER CAME OUT OF TAILPIPE. ALSO LEAKING RADIATOR FLUID ON THE ENGINE BLOCK AND HEATER, CREATING TOXIC GASES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CONTACTED THE DEALER NOT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK

ENGINE OVERHEATING DUE TO FAULTY THERMOSTAT. MJS

FORD WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THERE IS AN ENGINE PROBLEM WITH THE FIRST YEAR MODEL OF THIS VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST $1500 TO HAVE SPARK PLUG WIRES, OXYGEN SENSOR, THERMOSTAT, AND HEAD GASKETS REPLACED. *AK

COOLANT SYSTEM PROBLEMS SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED - SENSORS, RADIATOR, HEAD GASKET. I THOUGHT I RECEIVED A RECALL CONCERNING HEAD GASKET IN 1998 FROM FORD - WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD TO COME BACK WHEN THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE DEALER KEPT THE LETTER THAT I RECEIVED FROM FORD DESPITE TWO ATTEMPTS OF HAVING IT RETURNED. A YEAR OR SO LATER THE HEAD GASKET FAILED ,AND I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL, BUT WAS UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENSION. (I WAS NOT TOLD THIS BY THE DEALER IN 1998) NOW THE VEHICLE IS PAST THE ALLEGED WARRANTY EXTENSION, AND FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS MY PROBLEM FURTHER. APPARENTLY THE RADIATOR IS POORLY DESIGNED. IT'S CHEAPER FOR ME TO HAVE IT REPLACED UNDER A THIRD PARTY WARRENTY THAN HAVE IT FLUSHED ONLY TO CLOG AGAIN. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN...

ENGINE OVERHEATED. AT 82,904 MILES, DEALER REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND HEAD GASKET ON 8/7/99. ON 10/29/99 WITH 86,411 MILES IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE JUST STALLED ON US75 N. DEALER NOW STATES THAT ENGINE IS BLOWN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

FAN CONTROL MODULE AND RADIATOR FAN MOTOR BURNED OUT. REBUILT ENGINE AND HUGO SENSORS. FREQUENT STALLING. REAR WIPER MOTOR, WATER PUMP, STARTER AND FUEL PUMP REPLACED.

SINCE 1997 WE HAVE REPLACED 4 HEATER CORES, 2 RADIATORS, HEAD GASKETS TWICE, WE ARE FACING REPAIRS AGAIN ONLY A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPLACING THE 3RD HEATER CORE. DAMAGE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. WE WISH TO SELL THIS MINIVAN, BUT FEEL IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO BURDEN AN UNSUSPECTING CONSUMER WITH THIS POORLY DESIGNED VEHICLE. *AK

ON 12/21/98 (50,795 MILES), OUR WINDSTAR HAD BEEN BUCKING AND BEGAN OVERHEATING. WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED, THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED, AND THE COOLANT FLUSHED. ON 12/27/98 WE BEGAN TO EMIT WHITE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. THE FOLLOWING DAY IT WAS TOWED TO FORD WHICH REPLACED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET UNDER RECALL. HOWEVER, WE HAD TO REPLACE WITH A RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $1,993 SINCE WE WERE OVER 50,000 MILES. A TRANSMISSION LEAK REPAIRED ON 5/17-18/99 (56,866 MILES) UNDER WARRANTY. ON 8/7/99 WE HAD OUR GAS TANK REPLACED AT A COST OF $445 DUE TO WHAT THE TECHNICIAN CALLED A STRESS FRACTURE - AN INHERENT DEFECT.

FIRST OVER-HEATING PROBLEM WAS TAKEN TO THORNTON FORD ON 4/23/99 @ 57,687 MILES AND RADIATOR WAS DIAGNOSED AS HALF PLUGGED BY THORNTON ON 5/28/99 (~59,600 MILES). RADIATOR REPLACED ON 6/8/99 AND BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACED ON 7/1/99. HEAD GASKET PROBLEM FINALLY DIAGNOSED ON 7/13/99 AT 62,144 MILES. DID NOT RECEIVE A COPY OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY LETTER FOR SERVICE PROGRAM NO/ 98M01. DEALER ONLY PAID ONE-HALF OF HEAD GASKET REPAIR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOW OVER 60,000 MILES ALLOWED ON THE EXTENDED COVERAGE.

CAR FIRST RAN HOT ON 2/4/99. FORD WOULD NOT PAY SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HAD AN INDEPENDENT TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS. PICKED UP CAR - CAR RAN BAD. RETURNED CAR TO GARAGE WAS TOLD THAT CRANKSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS WERE BAD. ELECTED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IN LIEU OF REPAIRING. CAR OK FOR 3 MONTHS. RAN HOT AGAIN. REPLACED THERMOSTAT. CONTINUED TO RUN HOT. TOOK IT TO HILLARD FORD IN ARLINGTON TX. HILLARD CHECKED IT OUT FOR A WEEK. COULD NOT GET IT TO OVERHEAT BUT REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND AN IGNITION MODULE. HAVE HAD CAR FOR 3 DAYS. CAR OVERHEATED, AGAIN. HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSTAR. *AK

VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING 65MPH AND WAS MAKING WEIRD NOISES. GAUGE INDICATED OVERHEATING. PULLED INTO GAS STATION. AFTER VEHICLE BEEN RESTARTED & DOWNSHIFTED, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED IN REAR. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER NEXT DAY *AK

MY WINDSTAR RECENT ENGINE FAILURE WAS PRECEEDED BY THE "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING INDICATOR COMING ON AS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. UPON OPENING THE HOOD I WAS IMMEDIATELY EXPOSED TO A DOUSING OF BOTH BOILING WATER & STEAM ESCAPING FROM THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW RESERVOIR WHICH OVERFLOWED ITSELF FROM THE HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTION. I RECEIVED PAINFUL BURNS ON BOTH MY HANDS AND FACE. *AK

ON 12/22/98 VEHICLE OVERHEATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE CLOSEST SERVICE STATION FOR FEAR OF DAMAGING THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE STATION REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN, IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP THAT REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. UPON HEARING "HEAD GASKET" REMEMBERED THE WARRANTY LETTER. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT DEALER SAID FORD WOULD NOT COVER. THE CONDITION DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER WAS INDEED EXHIBITED WITHIN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD, BUT FORD REFUSED THREE TIMES TO BACK EXTENDED WARRANTY.

HEAD GASKET/RADIATOR/THERMOSTAT AND HEATER CORE FAILED.

RADIATOR FAILED, CAUSING DRIVER TO SMELL ANTIFREEZE.