1995 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM, RECALL COMPONENT HOWEVER OWNER DENIED RECALL REPAIR. (98M01) MJS

FORD NEEDS TO DO A COMPLETE RECALL OF ALL 1995 FORD WINDSTAR HEAD GASKETS. THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE PUT ME AND MY FAMILY INCLUDING 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN GRAVE DANGER. THE EVIDENCE IS OVERWHELMING. FORD NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND BE RESPONSIVE TO CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF FRUSTRATED 1995 WINDSTAR OWNERS NATIONWIDE. CAN'T SOMETHING BE DONE TO MAKE FORD ACCOUNTABLE?

HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON 95' FORD WINDSTAR. I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM FROM THOUSANDS OF WINDSTAR OWNERS. HOWEVER, FORD WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. INSTEAD, AN EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN ISSUED. THE VERBAGE STATES 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES. IT DOES NOT SAY "AND" OR "WHICHEVER COMES FIRST" IN A RECENT POLL ON AN INTERNET SITE, 67 PERCENT OF ALL GASKET FAILURES ON THE 95' OCCURED BETWEEN 60 AND 70 THOUSAND MILES.MY VEHICLE HADHEAD GASKET FAILURE, FOLLOWED BY AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM, HAPPENED WHILE MY WIFE WAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN. THEY WERE STRANDED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES UNDER TERRIBLE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FORD REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPAIRS, AS HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF OWNERS. FORD ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM IN THEIR ISSUED WARRANTY LETTER (98MO1). I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY 98' AND NEVER RECIEVED NOTICE OF THE LETTER, ALTHOUGH THE...

WHEN DRIVING UP THE HILL VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE. CONTACTED DEALER AND HE REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET. WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65MPH VEHICLE HESITATED AND JERKED AGAIN. STOPPED, AND USED FUEL INJECTION FLUID. CONTACTED DEALER AGAIN, AND REPLACED GASKET. *AK

VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. APPOINTMENT MADE FOR DEALER TO LOOK AT PROBLEM. APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR 11/10/99. ON 11/9/99 VEHICLE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER AND DEALER REPORTS THAT HEAD GASKET IS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT ENGINE HAS SEIZED, POSSIBLY REQUIRING NEW ENGINE. FORD SAYS IF PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED PRIOR TO 60,000 MILES REPAIRS WOULD HAVE BEEN FREE BECAUSE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. SINCE PROBLEM OCCURED AFTER 60,000 MILES, FORD WILL PAY NOTHING.

1995 FORD WINDSTAR 3.8 ENGINE FAILURE WITH HEAD GASKET. THIS FAILURE DESTROYED ENGINE, FORD HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET MATERIAL, AND THEY KNOW THIS AND HAVE EVEN POSTED A SERVICE BULLETIN 98M01. BUT IF YOU OVER THE 60,000 MILE FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU AND LOTS OF CONSUMERS ARE PAYING FOR THIS REPAIR $4,000-5000. I INVESTIGATED THIS WITH 12 SHOPS AND 6 TOW TRUCK DRIVERS AND AND ARE BEING TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER WON'T TELL CONSUMERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM OR SUPPORT THEM IF THEY ARE OVER THE 60,000 MILE MARK? MY VAN HAD BEEN IN FOR GENERAL REPAIR AND NOT ONE PERSON SAID ANYTHING TO ME ? PLEASE THIS PROBLEM IS COSTING CONSUMERS SO MUCH MONEY WHEN FORD SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS. THE MATERIAL USED FOR THESE HEAD GASKETS WAS BAD. FORD KNEW THIS AND WE HAVE TO PAY THE REPAIR BILL....

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL & ANTI-FREEZE ONTO THE ENGINE CAUSING FAILURE. *AK

WHILE VAN WAS BEING DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM, VAN JUST SHUT OFF. VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. VAN HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THIS HEAD GASKET PROBLEM IS SOMETHING FORD MOTOR CO. IS AWARE OF. IT IS EVEN LISTED IN THE OCT. ISSUE OF CONSUMER REPORTS. WE SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO PAY 1,000--2,000 FOR REPAIRS FOR THIER MISTAKE.

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...

THE VALVE GASKET FAILED, LEAKING COOLANT OUT PER THE DEALER, I HAD BEEN GETTING CHECK ENGINE LLIGHT WARNINGS FOR SOME TIME 1 YEAR WHEN ON LONG TRIPS, SEVERAL MECHANICS HAD LOOKED AT THE CAR AND DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. FORD HAS RECALL 98-MO1 COVERING THE VALVE GASKETS, EXTENDING THE WARRANTY UP TO 50,000 OR 5 YEARS. I WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY PROBLEM, AND FOUND OUT AFTER BEING BILLED BY THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS TOTALLING 2138.06 (AMONG OTHER PROBLEMS). I FEEL THAT BEING LEFT IN INGNORANCE OF ANY VALVE GASKET PROBLEMS CERTAINLY LIMITED MY ABILITY TO PROPERLY DEAL WITH A PROBLEM THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING FOR SOME TIME. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT MY CAR MIGHT HAVE A VALVE GASKET FAILURE SO EARLY IN IT'S LIFE. FORD SERVICE ADVISES ME THAT AFTER 50,000 I AM ON MY OWN, EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMIT THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM...

SEVERAL MINOR ENGINE COMPONENTS (O2 SENSORS, COOLANT LINES, COMPUTER, ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON & OFF) FAILED OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD FOLLOWED BY THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, ABOUT 100 MILES LATER THE ENGINE FAILED. THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, THE VAN LOST POWER AND THE SPEED STARTED FLUCTUATING. THIS WAS ON A HIGH SPEED, BUT NO SHOULDER BRIDGE, SO SLOWING DOWN COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T THIS TIME. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED TOWING THE VAN TO THE GARAGE, AND AFTER REVIEW THE ENGINE WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

MY CONCERN IS PRIMARILY AIMED AT ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM IDENTIFIED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR THE 1995 FORD WINSTAR. IN MARCH OF 1999, MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE DRIVING IN THE CAR WHEN THE HEAD GASGET BLEW! THE ENSUING REPAIRS RAN OVER $2,486.00. BELIEVING THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED I HAD A PRIVATE MECHANIC FIX THE CAR. UPON REALIZING THAT FORD HAD MANUFACTURED A FAULTY PART I REQUESTED A REFUND FOR MY REPAIR BILLS. FORD HAS REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE MY CLAIM, INDICATING THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I BELIVE THIS UNSAFE SITUATION WAS DIRECTLY A RESULT OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE FAULTY HEAD GASKET PLACED INTO MY CAR BY FORD. THE OTHER COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FAILING HEAD GASKET. I WISH TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GROWING NUMBER OF CONSUMERS LODGING COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOUR ASSISTANCE...

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT CRANKSHAFT FAILURE. *AK

TRANSMISSION GOING TO FAIL SOON; DEALERSHIP FAILED TO DIAGNOSE IN 1997 UNDER OEM WARRANTY. HEAD GASKET BLEW, DEALERSHIP REPAIRED AT NO COST. GASOLINE SMELLS DURING AND AFTER DRIVING. *AK

FAILURE OF FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. ORGINAL WAS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND WAS REPLACED WITH A STEEL PISTON. WORK DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP DUE TO THE DEALER REFUSING TO COVER THE COSTS. ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS, ELECTRIC HARNESS, IGNITION WIRING

IN 7/99 A 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT' CAME ON AFTER A LONG TRIP [BOCA RATON, FL TO CHARLOTTE, NC] AN OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY A FORD DEALER[YOUNG FORD, 704-598-2599] IN 10/99 THE 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT' CAME ON AGAIN. WALLACE FORD [DELRAY BEACH, 561-278-0303]WAS INFORMED OF THE PREVIOUS SENSOR REPLACEMENT, AND REPLACED ANOTHER SENSOR. NO OTHER INDICATING LIGHTS HAD COME ONE AT ANY TIME. ON NOV. 14 THE CAR WAS ROUGH ON STARTUP, THEN RAN OKAY. ON NOV. 16 THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WALLACE FORD HAS FOUND A HEADGASKET FAILURE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET HAS INDICATED OVER 200 OF THE SAME FAILURES FOR THIS MAKE & MODEL YEAR. I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD HAD A 'PROGRAM' FOR THIS IF THE MILEAGE WAS UNDER 60K. MY UNDERSTANDING IS A RELATIVELY EASY CHECK COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT IS ESTIMATED AT $2100 TO REPAIR AT THIS TIME. NEITHER DEALER, WHEN...

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE 1ST. TIME WAS 1 YEAR AGO. MY VAN WAS MAKING A TICKING OR KNOCKING SOUND. THIS WAS RIGHT AFTER THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET WHICH WAS RECALLED. I ASKED THE FORD DEALER WHO DID THE WORK IF THE SOUND COULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD NO IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW SHORT BLOCK. I HAD BOUGHT A WARRANTY FROM THE PERSON I BOUGHT THE VAN FROM FOR $430.00 WHICH WAS FOR $2500.00, I ONLY HAD ABOUT $1900.00 LEFT ON IT. I GOT AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT $3500.00 TO DO THE WORK FROM FORD. ICOULD NOT AFFORD TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY. I ASKED IF THEY COULD FIX THE PARTS THAT WERE BROKEN WIHT THE AMOUNT THAT WAS LEFT ON MY WARRANTY. THAT IS WHAT...

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO BE ABSORBED INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

FORD ISSUED A PSEUDO "RECALL" BUT HAS NOT PAID FOR REPAIRS *AK

THIS IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET IN THE WINDSTAR - WHAT I'VE LEARNED TO BE A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM. I THINK FORD SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THIS SINCE IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW,CAUSING WHITE SMOKE TO EMINATE FROM TAILPIPE AND ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN DESTRUCTION OF ENGINE. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEAD GASKETS, AND HAD A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE INSTALLED. MY TRANSMISSION AND POWER STEERING RACK ALSO FAILED BEFORE THIS. WHAT NEXT? *AK

WE REPLACED THE HEADGASKETS AT 38,000 AND HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD AT (72,000) THAT THE HEADGASKETS WERE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SET OF FAULTY HEAD GASKETS, AND THAT FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM EVENTHOUGH THEY HAD THE LIMITED "RECALL" PROGRAM ON HEADGASKETS. IT IS TOO RISKY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN SHORT TRIPS. DUE TO VAST NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE RESALE IS HORRIFIC AND WE ARE STUCK WITH A CAR WE CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP AND CAN'T AFFORD TO SELL. *AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON ANYTIME I DROVE ON AN TRIP OVER 60 MILES. AFTER HAVING IT CHECKED OUT AND CHECKED OUT, I COULD NEVER GET AN ANSWER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. FOUND OUT LATER THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET BEING BAD AND DUMPING ENGINE COOLANT THROUG THE EXHAUST WHICH IN TURN DESTROYED THE CATATLYTIC CONVERTER AND SENSOR. HOWEVER THE COMPUTER WOULD NEVER GIVE THE CODES THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. WHILE CHECKING THIS PROBLEM OUT, I HAD IT IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT KNEW OF FORD'S TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND STATED THAT THIS WINDSTAR HAD ALL THE SIGNS OF A LEAKING ALUMINUM PUMP IN THE TRANSMI. COST WAS JUST UNDER $1000. STILL THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. A GUY SAID TO CHECK THE EXHAUST, SO I HAD THE EXHAUST CHECKED AND FOUND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR HAD MELTED DOWN. HAD THEM REPLACED, STILL THE PROBLEM WAS NOT...

THE #4 ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. APPARENTLY, FORD HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECALL THE 95 WINDSTAR'S TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY SENT SOME PEOPLE A 98MO1 LETTER STATING SO. HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ANYONE WHO'S VEHICLE HAS OVER 60,000 MILES OR IS 5 YEARS OLD. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM. *AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A TUNE-UP WHICH I DID. IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM AND I STARTED HAVING TO PUT MORE AND MORE WATER IN IT. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WHICH HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED. I WANTED TO CONTACT YOU BACAUSE I NOW KNOW HOW BAD THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND I THINK FORD SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE CONSIDERING HOW MUCH IT COSTS, I THINK IT SHOULD HOLD UP MUCH BETTER THAN THIS. *AK

ROUGH ENGINE, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON. HEAD GASKET LEAKING ONTO #4 PLUG AND CYLINDER. *AK

VEHICLE STARTED STEAMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPES, AND BLOWING WATER OUT OF THE RADIATOR. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT FORD WOULD COVER UP TO 5 YRS. OR 60,000 MILES, IF THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, HOW CAN THEY PUT A CAP ON THIS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY VANS FROM 95 WE WERE LUCKY WE WERE NOT ON THE HI

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE 65MPH ENGINE HAD OVERHEATED AND BLEWOUT. HAD CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HAD IT TOWED TO A GARAGE. INFORMED BY MECHANIC IT WAS NOT A CRACKED ENGINE B LOCK. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WIDESPREAD FAILURE OF 1995 WINDSTAR 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKET... ME THIS TIME.

PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE DUE TO FACTORY DEFECTIVE GASKETS (FORD SERVICE PROGRAM # 98M01)

HEADGASKET BLEW AND CAUSED MOTOR TO BE RUN WITH ANTIFREEZE IN THE #1 CYLINDER. MOTOR GONE...

HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER, ROUGH RUNNING, WHITE SMOKE OUT EXHAUST, AND STRONG COOLANT SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND ENGINE.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

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.

OUR MINI-VAN BLEW A HEAD GASKET AND HEAD WAS CRACKED. THESE DEFECTS WERE KNOWN TO FORD WHO REAPIRED THEM THRU DECEMBER 1998 HOW CAN FORD LIMIT REPAIR OF A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT?

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON & OTHER COMPONENTS TO MALFUNCTION. *YC

WE HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT MANY OWNERS OF 95 WINDSTARS COMPLAIN ABOUT - BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE OUR VAN IN THE SHOP AND WILL BE PAYING ABOUT $5,000 IN REPAIRS FOR BOTH PROBLEMS. FORD BRUSHED US OFF SINCE OUR CAR IS OVER THE 60,000 MILE POINT.

AS THE OWNER OF A 95 FORD WINDSTAR WITH THE 3.8L MOTOR, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD EXTENDING WARRANTY COVERAGE DUE TO PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AT 59,482 MILES I HAD THE 95 WINDSTAR SERVICED AT BATTLEFIELD FORD, SPECIFICALLY ASKING THEM ABOUT THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM TO MAKE SURE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF PROBLEMS. THE DEALER PERFORMED THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE AND GAVE MY VEHICLE A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. ON 28 OCT 99, AT 1030 PM ON A DARK ROAD, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW ON MY VEHICLE WITH NO WARNING. FORD HAS REFUSED TO FIX MY VEHICLE. EVERY DEALER I HAVE SPOKEN WITH WILL NOT REPAIR THE HEAD GASKET ON WINDSTAR'S, THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE MOTOR AT A COST OF $6,000.00 DOLLARS. UPON INSPECTION OF THE CYLINDER HEADS IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CASTING NUMBERS WERE FOR A FORD TAURUS, NOT A...

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND VAPORS FROM THE COOLANT CAME INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ALSO, VEHICLE'S ENGINE STARTED STUTTERING. THIS WAS DUE TO BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

CAR WILL NOT CRANK DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS ON 1995 3.8L ENGINES BUT STATE THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS FAILURE SINCE THE CAR HAS OVER 60,000 MILES. $1000 REPAIR BILL IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A KNOWN DEFECT IN FORD'S PRODUCT. BOTH DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE STATE MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THE CAMPAIGN FORD HAD CONCERNING THEIR HEAD GASKET PROBLEM.

OUR ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING DURING THE LAST WEEK ON DEC. '98. DUE TO THE HOLIDAYS, WE WERE UNABLE TO GET IT INTO OUR PERSONAL MECHANIC UNTIL 1/9/99, AT WHICH TIME HE DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE AS HEAD GASKET FAILURE. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL DEALER, WHO SAID TH

I UNDERSTAND THAT A VERY HIGH % OF THESE ENGINES HAVE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE FORD COMPANY HAS MADE A REPLACEMENT GASKET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED ON MY VEHICLE (I PAID FOR THE REPAIR) BUT A FRIEND OF MINE HAD THE SAME REPAIR DONE THIS PAST APRIL WITH 52000 MILES ON AND FORD COVERED HIS REPAIR UNDER A RECALL LETTER. WITH THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS PROBLEM, FORD SHOULD COVER ALL COST.

ON FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 29, 1999 MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR BLEW IT'S 3.8 LITER V-6 ENGINE HEAD GASKET. AS I DROVE THE CAR IT BEGAN TO EMIT CLOUDS OF STEAM FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT HAD A VERY HEAVY CHEMICAL VAPOR SMELL. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MY ENGINE VIBRATING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGHLY. UPON CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD I NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT OVERFLOW CONTAINER WAS DRY. I CHECKED MY OIL AND FOUND THAT IT HAD ANTIFREEZE IN IT. THESE ARE THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET.

WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN. HEARD A FUNNY SOUND, RESTARTED VEHICLE AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT HIGH. TOWED TO DEALER, AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AND NEEDED TO HAVE THE ENGINE FLUSHED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND REPLACED HEAD GASKET. OIL LIGHT WAS COMING ON. DEALER SAID THAT VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS. STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL AND VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN STOPPING, THEN SHUT OFF. *AK

DRIVING CAR TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN CHECK ENGINE LITE COMES ON. VEHICLE STARTS ROUGH IDLE AND WIFE NOTICES WHITE SMOKE FUMING OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE. KNOWING THAT 95 WINDSTAR 3.8L HAS A REPUTATION FOR BLOWN HEAD GASKETS SUSPECTED THAT WAS WHAT OCCURED. COMPLEATED TURN AND GOT CAR SAFETLY OFF THE ROADWAY, CALLED FOR TOW TO NEAREST FORD DEALER. DIAGNOSIS, BLOWN HEAD GASKET, CAUSING HYDRO-LOCK DURING DIAGNOSTIC TEST . SOLUTION . REPLACE ENGINE WITH LONGBLOCK DUE TO COOLANT DAMAGE TO CRANKSHAFT AND CYLINDERS AND BLOCK. NO WARNING AND THIS CAR HAS BEEN PROFESSIONALLY MAINTAINED. OIL AND COOLANT WERE CHECKED THE DAY BEFORE AND WERE AT PROPER LEVELS. COOLANT CHANGED 07/99. SOLUTION ENGINE REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. NO PROPERLY MAINTAINED CAR SHOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF FAILURE,ESPECIALLY DURING FIRST 100,000 MILES. AM PURSUING THIS WITH FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE HOT-LINE WITH LITTLE SUCESS. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

HEAD GASKET FAILED. HAD TRIED TO GET PROBLEM LOOKED AT DURING WARRANTY PERIOD, WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT REPAIR WOULD NOT BE MADE UNTIL PART FAILED. WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER REPAIR , WHEN FAILURE OCCURED.