1995 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE AND HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

THE LIABILITY OF A PREMATURE FAILURE OF A HEAD GASKET SHOULD RESIDE WITH THE MANUFACTURE, NOT THE CUSTOMER. *AK

I HAVE A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR WITH 68,000 MILES. IT STARTED WITH THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT GOING ON, AND I TOOK IT IN FOR A CHECK. I GOT A TUNE UP AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT TURNED OFF. AFTER TEN MINUTES, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND I WENT BACK TO THE MECHANIC . THREE DAYS LATER I WAS TOLD THE O2 SENSORS ARE BAD, THE HEAD GASKETS ARE BAD AND IT WILL COST ME OVER $2,000.00 TO FIX. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS OVER THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY. MY HUSBAND CALLED AS WELL AND GOT THE SAME THING. I TOOK THE CAR INTO OMEARA FORD TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKETS FIXED AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE WHICH WOULD COST OVER $4,000.00 . I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE...

HEAD GASKET LEAKING COOLANT TO ENGINE. *AK

THE REPORTED FAILURES ARE A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD THINK FORD WOULD COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THESE FAILURES. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BARRIED AT HOT, THEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OVER AND WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM TAIL PIPE. THEN VAN WOULD NOT RESTART. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEAD AND I DROVE IT FOR APPROX. 400 MILES WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED NOCKING AND THE TRANS. WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2 GEAR UNTIL IT GOT HOT THEN WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST I BELIEVE THE HEAD GASKET DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND TRANS. VAN IS UNDRIVEABLE AND STILL OWE FOR IT. *AK

NOTIFIED BY FORD SLIDING DOOR LATCH, HAD IT REPAIRED. THEN FRONT END DOESN'T STAY IN ALIGNMENT, HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING LOSS OF STARTER AND OTHER RELATED PARTS, TOTAL COST OF $1800.00 AT THIS TIME THE CAR ONLY HAD AROUND 50,000 MILES. DOOR LIGHT STAYS ON INDICATING THAT A DOOR IS OPEN WHEN ONE ISN'T. SOMETIMES GOES ON AND OFF AND BEEPS. INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. HEARD ON NEWS ABOUT RECALLS AND BUY BACK, CALLED FORD, THEY TELL ME ABOUT 3 OTHER RECALLS ON THE VAN,: HEAD GASKETS, HOOD SEPARATION, FEUL TANK MOUNTING (WHICH WILL ONLY REPLACE OR REPAIR IF THEY FEEL ITS NECESSARY). I LOOKED ON THE NET AND FOUND THAT THERE IS ALSO AN AIRBAG PROBLEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THESE AND ONLY RECENTLY BECAME AWARE OF THEM. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET A REFUND...

HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 83,00 MILES. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FORM TAILPIPE. COST OF REPAIR OVER $1000.00 PLUS RENTAL CAR AND LOST WAGES. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED, RECALL ON OTHER MODEL YEARS FOR COMPONENT, HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED. *MJS

OCT 99 HEAD GASKETS FAILED / MAR 00 TRANSMISSION FAILED BOTH REPLACED BY DEALER BOTH ARE SAFETY ISSUES AND HAVE TO BE CORRECTED BY FORD. DO WE NEED A MAJOR INJURY BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT EVERYTHING WRONG WITH THIS VAN. *AK

HEAD GASKETS FAILED PREMATURELY. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON 1995 WINDSTARS, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHEN FORD IS GOING TO REIMBURSE US FOR THESE COSTLY REPAIRS. *AK

WATER PUMP LEAKS COOLANT AND TIMING CASE COVER LEAKS ANTIFREEZE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. OTHER FAILURES INCLUDE LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS, IGNITION KEY LOCK, A/C, AND HEAD GASKET. *AK *ML

WORN HEAD GASKET

THE HEAD GASKET ON MY FORD FAILED AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REBUILT. I AM AWARE OF WHAT FORD IS DOING NOW WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTIES ON THESE WINDSTARS. HOWEVER, I HAVE A LETTER DATED 6/98 THAT STATES "ON VEHICLES FOR WHICH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE HAS EXPIRED, VEHICLES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM(ENGINE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT) THROUGH 12/31/98 REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. I WANT TO KNOW IF MY REPAIRS WILL BE COVERED AS MY ENGINE BLEW ON 12/31/98. I PAID FOR ALL REPAIRS MYSELF . *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED AN ANTI-FREEZE LEAK. CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS AND INSPECTION, ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. DEALER STATED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. TIME & COVER FAILED BECAUSE HEAD GASKET HAD MESSED UP THE WHOLE ENGINE HEAD, CAUSING IT TO CRACK. DEALER HAD TO ORDER WHOLE NEW SHORT ENGINE BLOCK. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND STALL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

OWNED VAN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. HEADGASKET PROBLEM, REPAIRED BY DEALER. NOW TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET IS SHOT. REPAIRS COSTING IN EXCESS OF $1400.00 NEEDED TO DO MAJOR TUNE UP DUE TO FLUIDS IN ENGINE COSTING US ANOTHER $250.00. WAS TOLD BY FORD DEALERSHIPS AND FORD CO. THAT THEY WONT HELP IN ANY WAY. VERY BAD BUSINESS TO NOT CONSIDER CONSUMER A PRIORITY. WORD OF MOUTH AND INTERNET CAN DO HARM TO A REPUTABLE COMPANY. WOULD LIKE FORD CO TO MAKE GOOD TO IT'S FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MILES DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE GASKET. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO ENGINE CYLINDER, CAUSING INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE POSSIBLY DUE TO AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE OF BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *AK *ML

INITIALLY TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NOV. '99 FOR FOLLOW-UP CHECK ON HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT FROM SEPT.'99 BECAUSE OF CHUGGING AND WHAT FELT LIKE ENGINE HESITATION. I SUSPECTED COMPLICATIONS FROM REPAIR WORK PERFORMED ON ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY COMPLAINT. NOW KNOW THIS WAS AN INITIAL INDICATION OF A PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT DISENGAGES AT STOPS WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP ENGINE REVS AND VEHICLE MOVES VERY SLOWLY, OR NOT AT ALL. WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED, HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE MOVED SLOWLY INTO SPEEDING TRAFFIC WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ONTO ROAD FROM A STOP. VEHICLE WOULD NOT FULLY ACCELERATE BECAUSE TRANS WOULD NOT ENGAGE (ENGINE RACING) AND A COLLISION WAS BARELY AVOIDED BECAUSE OF THIS. MY FAMILY WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH SPEED INTERSECTION WITH ONCOMING VEHICLES HAVING TO SWERVE OR STOP TO AVOID HITTING US. TRANS EVENTUALLY ENGAGED. HOWEVER,...

ENGINE HEAD GASKET AND THE TRANSMISSION WERE DEFECTIVE. THERE WAS NO HEAT INSIDE OF THE CAR, AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL, AND SLIPPED UPON SHIFTING GEARS. ALSO, THERE WAS A CLANKING AND KNOCKING NOISE. *AK

NOTICED THAT WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM EXHAUST, PULLED OVER AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST REPAIR FACILITY. THEY TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THERE WAS ANTI-FREEZE IN THE CYLINDERS. THE REPAIR FACILITY CONTACTED EASY CARE(EXTENDED WARRANTY) FOLKS AND THEY HAD THE MECHANIC OPEN UP THE ENGINE AND DROP THE OIL AND REPORT BACK TO THEM. THE REPAIR FACILITY AT THAT TIME TOLD EASY CARE THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE. EASY CARE SENT AN INSPECTOR AND HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. EASY CARE OPTED TO OVERHAUL THE ENGINE. THE DAY AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE DIED ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 65MPH AND I COULD NOT GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT SITS TO THIS DAY. EASY CARE WILL NOT AUTHORIZE ANY ADDITIONAL WORK NOR WILL IT REPLACE THE ENGINE. I AM STUCK...

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSED EXTENSIVE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM DAMAGE, HIDDEN WARRANTY FOR HEAD GASKET FAILURE, HOWEVER WARRANTY EXPIRED (98M01). YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AFTER NOTIFICATION, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAD TO PAY PORTION OF REPAIR EVEN THOUGH RECALLED. *MJS

WE ALSO HAD OUR HEADGASKET REPLACED THREE WEEKS AGO.I'M BEGINNING TO THINK WE BOUGHT A LEMON.

HEAD GASKET FAILED DUE TO BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN. YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING WHITE SMOKE AND OVERHEATING. AFTER VEHICLE COOLED OFF, IT WAS DRIVEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE BOLTS ON THE HEAD GASKET WERE FOUND TO BE STRETCHED. VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY THE SHOP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEADGASKET, WHILE ON TRAVEL, FAILED WITHIN ONE WEEK OF RECEIVING A SERVICE ADVISORY REGARDING THE PROBLEM. HEADGASKET WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT NO COST. CONCERNED ABOUT READING LARGE NUMBERS OF OTHER OWNERS WITH SAME ENGINE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. HEADGASKET FAILURE IS EXTREMELY PREMATURE COMPARED TO OTHER FORD AND OTHER ENGINES. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AFTER OWNER NOTICED VAN WAS LEAKING VAN WAS DRIVEN AROUND AND BEGAN TO SMOKE. AFTER CONTACTING SEVERAL MECHANICS, VAN WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE, AFTER BEING ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE. VAN WAS CHECKED FOR PROBLEMS, AND ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS FOUND TO BE BLOWN. ENGINE HEAD GASKET WILL BE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SUDDENLY OVERHEATED.BLOWN HEADGASKET. ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW ON THIS ENGINE AND THANKFULLY I WAS COVERED BY AN ADDITIONAL WARRANTY. THEY CHOSE NOT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BUT TO HAVE MY MECHANIC OVERHAUL IT. I GOT THE VAN BACK A WEEK LATER AND WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NOW THE MECHANIC IS TELLING ME THAT THE CRANKSHAFT IS BAD. THEY HAVE ALREADY PAID OUT 2200.00 AND WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH MORE THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY BEFORE THEY FIGURE OUT THAT REPLACING THE ENGINE IS THE WAY TO GO. *AK

THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT 4 TIMES AND THE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT. THEN THE ENGINE WENT OUT BECAUSE OF HEAD GASKET DAMAGE. WITH A TOTAL REPAIRS BEING $7,500.00 DEALER ONLY COVERED ALTERNATOR AFTER 4 MONTHES OF FIGHTING WITH THEM.

PREMATURE HEADGASKET FAILURE ON FORD 3.8L ENGINE LEFT ME STRANDED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. VAN TEMPERATURE GUAGE ROSE RAPIDLY, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF ALL HEAT, REDUCED POWER, AND ILLUMINATION OF THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A POPULATED AREA, AND I WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION FROM THERE. THIS PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRING IN A REMOTE AREA UNDER SIMILAR TEMPERATURE & WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS. DEALER TROUBLESHOOTING YIELDED HEADGASKET FAILURE AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO #4 CYLINDER. VAN NOW NEEDS NEW ENGINE. PERSONAL RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN ENGINE DESIGN & MANUFACTURING PROBLEM PLAGUING FORD 3.8L ENGINES, YET FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE $3500 COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, OR TO ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BEFORE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE OCCURS. FORD'S OWN INSTRUCTION MANUALS LIST HEADGASKETS AS A 120,000 MILE MAINTENANCE ITEM....

THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF PROBLEMS WITH A HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC VEHICLE. 5 YEARS, 90,000 MILES HAVE REPLACED SO FAR: HEAD GASKETS, REAR SUSPENSION TWICE, FRONT SUSPENSION, IGNITION WIRES, O2 SENSORS TWICE, AND NOW INJECTOR AND FUEL PUMP. OVER $3,000 IN OUT OF POCKED EXPENSES OVER WHAT WAS COVERED ON EXTENDED WARRANTEE. VEHICLE IS NOT RELIABLE AND AM LOOKING TO TRADE IN ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN A FORD! AT FORD, QUALITY IS JOB NONE!

HEAD GASKETS FAILED AT 60,849 MILES. FORD WOULD NOT HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO EXCESS OF MILES. DEALER WANTED $1,000 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. WHEN WE CONTACTED FORD THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR US. WE PURCHASED THE VAN JUST 2.5 YEARS AGO. THE DEALER COMMENTED THAT IF WE HAD BOUGHT THE VAN BRAND NEW HE MIGHT CONSIDER TRYING TO HELP US. FORD SHOULD HONOR THE 120,000 MILES ORIGINAL LIFETIME STANDARD AND STAND BY "QUALITY IS JOB 1"!! WE ARE LOOKING TO CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT COMPANY SUCH AS DODGE. *AK

I WILL ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE ROD,CAMSHAFT & OIL PUMP AT ADDITIONAL COSTS

A PART OR BOLT BROKE OFF AND FELL IN TO THE OIL PAN WHICH CAUSED ENGINE PROBLEMS. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING IT CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO RED MANY TIMES, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD UNEXPECTEDLY. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 98M01 ON THAT PROBLEM. BUT, DEALER DID NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RECALL EXPIRED. CONSUMER RECEIVED TWO MORE RECALLS, 97S88 AND 99S33. *AK

BILLOWING SMOKE CAUSED HAZARD ON ROAD. *AK

PRIOR TO RECALL, DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET FAILED, CONSUMER (98MOI) WAS NOT RECEIVED NOTICE, NOW REPAIR DENIED BECAUSE OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD. YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKS ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE ENGINE. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. REPORT GIVEN BY MIKE PREVOST(FATHER-IN-LAW) PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER NFORMATION. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. NLM

THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE COOLANT BUBBLED, ALLOWING COLD AIR INTO VEHICLE WHEN HEAT WAS ON. THIS IS DUE TO A BLOWN OUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER SAID IT NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. *AK

1989 FORD TAURUS, SAME ENGINE SIZE, SAME PROBLEM AT 75,000 MILES. PRESENTLY OWN A 1999 FORD MUSTANG WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN/MANUFACTURE OF THIS ENGINE? NO TRAILER HAS EVER BEEN TOWED. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY CASUALLY NEVER FAST ACCELERATION, MOSTLY HIGHWAY TYPE DRIVING. I'VE NEVER IN 40+ YEARS OF DRIVING EVER BLOWN A HEAD GASKET BEFORE IN ANYTHING! TWO TIMES WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE - IS THIS COINCIDENCE, OR A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. WHAT CAN I DO SO AS TO NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MUSTANG? ALL THREE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSIONS WITH REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THANK YOU. *AK