1996 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

NOTICED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON IN DECEMBER 2001. LOOKED IN MANUAL AND SAID NEEDED TO COMPLETE 3 COOLED COMPLETE CYCLES, BUT LIGHT DIDN'T GO OFF. STARTED LEAKING COOLANT AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD GO TO HOT. HEATER WOULD BLOW OUT COLD AIR. TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT HAD A CRACKED BLOCK AND THAT FORD HAS HAD THESE SAME PROBLEMS WITH PREVIOUS YEARS. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP OUT. AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING FORD COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY WILL BE WILLING TO HELP. PLEASE FOLLOW UP WITH ANY INFORMATION. AT THIS POINT MY FAMILY OF 5 IS DRIVING AROUND IN A SMALL PICK UP TRUCK BEAUSE I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VAN SINCE TOLD IT COULD STOP ON ME AT ANYTIME AND CAUSE EVEN MORE DAMAGE.*AK

HEADGASKET PROBLEMS NEED NEW ENGINE, JUST LIKE THE 1995 RECALL BUT FORD WONT HONOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 1996. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 3.8L V6 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON, RUNNING ROUGH AND LOSS OF COOLANT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

A HEAD GASKET FAILURE UNDER 80,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING WHILE DRIVING,.DEALER NOTIFIED , AND REPLACED WATER PUMP AND THE TIMING COVER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DEALER INFORMED THAT ENGINE SHOT A BEARING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMNATION.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT HEAD GASKET BLEW UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE ABS LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WERE ON. THE DEALER MECHANIC REPLACED SPEED SENSORS AND THEN TOLD ME THE COMPUTER WAS ALSO BAD. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE MAIN SEAL WAS LEAKING AND SAID THAT FORD HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 3.8L V6 ENGINE. HE TOLD ME I SHOULD GET RID OF THE CAR. *AK

GASKET FAILURE LEAKED COOLANT INTO ENGINE OIL DAMAGING ENGINE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD, AND VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTFREEZE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK DEALER FOUND HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, REPLACED HEAD GASKET AND THERMOSTAT, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE AIR CONDITIONING LEAKS, BRAKES MAKING GRINDING SOUND, DEALER FOUND ANTI-LOCK SENSOR FAILED, REAR FENDER IS RUSTED ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TT

VEHICLE IS RIDING EXTREMELY ROUGH, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STEERING VEHICLE. MECHANIC STATED HEAD GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

TOOK IN FOR SERVICE AS A RESULT OF NO HEAT. LOSS OF COOLANT, OIL PRESENT IN COOLANT, LEAK OF OIL AND WATER AT TIMING COVER SEAL, LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND SUSPECT ENGINE OIL COOLER. AUTO REPAIR SHOP INDICATES THAT IT HAS A CRACKED BLOCK AND WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE.

THESE 3.8 L ENGINES ARE KNOWN FOR BLOWN HEADGASKET PROBLEMS, AND FOR FORDS LACK OF STANDING BEHIND ITS SO CALLED QUALITY PRODUCTS , I'M NOT A BELIEVER OF THAT : THATS WHY I WILL NEVER OWN A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN. *AK

ON DECEMBER 13, 2001 MY WIFE RETURNED FROM A VISIT WITH HER MOTHER IN GALESBURG ILLINOIS. AS USUAL SHE PARKED OUR 1996 FORD WINDSTAR IN THE GARAGE. SINCE MY SON AND I HAD TO MAKE A TRIP TO IOWA CITY THE NEXT DAY, I DECIDED TO FILL THE VAN UP WITH GAS. UPON TRYING TRYING TO START THE VAN I NOTICE THAT THE HEAT GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VAN WAS OVERHEATING. I QUESTION MY WIFE ABOUT THIS AND SHE SAID THAT THE VAN HAD NOT SHOWN ANY SIGNS OF OVERHEATING ON THE WAY HOME. I TOOK THE VAN TO DENNISON FORD IN BLOOMINGTON ILLINOIS ON DECEMBER 17, 2001 AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATEL $1700.00 TO REPAIR. ON DECEMBER 22, 2001 I AUTHORIZED DENNISONS TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. I GOT THE VAN BACK THE SAME DAY. ON FEBURARY 1,...

ACCORDING TO JERRY'S FORD LINCOLN MERCURY, AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER IN LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, MY ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. THERE WERE 2 PASSENGERS, AGES 15 AND 16, AND MYSELF, THE DRIVER IN THE CAR AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. I CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BUILD DATE OF MY ENGINE WAS 12/19/95 AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN BUILT IN THEIR OAKVILLE PLANT IN ONTARIO, CANANDA. ORSON, FORD EMPLOYEE BADGE #2092 ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON ENGINES BUILT IN 1995 WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT THAT NO 1996 VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL. HE STATED THAT FORD WOULD NOT OFFER ME ANY ASSISTANCE, GOODWILL OR OTHERWISE, WITH THIS DEFECT AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT WILLIAM CLAY FORD, JR. IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN IF I WISHED TO PURSUE THE MATTER...

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *TT

AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPLACED HEAD GASKESTS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

1996 FORD WINDSTAR WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKET. SAME ENGINE AND PARTS AS RECALLED 1995'S. WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY. NO ASSISTANCE FROM FORD. HAVE READ 100'S OF INTERNET ACCOUNTS OF SAME PROBLEM. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFTEY HAZARD. *AK

I HAVE A 1996 3.8L WINDSTAR WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURE. I SEE THAT THE 1995'S WERE RECALLED BUT NOTHING SO FAR ON THE 1996'S. THESE ARE THE SAME ENGINE ALL THE WAY TO 98. FORD COMPANY WILL DO NOTHING SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY. I WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE MANAGER TO SELL THE VEHICLE TO SOMEONE AND NOT DISCLOSE THE MECHANICAL PROBLEM. I CALLED THE MAIN COMPANY AND THEY TOOK MY INFORMATION BUT SAID THERE IS NO PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH 1996 WINDSTARS. I POINTED OUT THAT THEY NEED O CHECK THE INTERNET IF THEY WANT SOME FEEDBACK. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BECAUSE OF IT'S SAFETY RECORD TO TRANSPORT MY WIFE AND KIDS. NOW, AFTER LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET, I KNOW THIS ENGINE IS NEITHER SAFE NOR RELIABLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BUT THE COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. I'M JUST...

ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE AT INTAKE MANIFOLD & HEAD GASKET. SINCE WE BOUGHT,BEEN HAVING MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON & VARIOUS WORK DONE AT DEALERSHIP. ON 11/3/01 INTAKE GASKET REPLACED FOR WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE & ENGINE LIGHT ON. RETURNED 12/7/01 FOR ENGINE LIGHT ON & 02 SENSOR REPLACED. 1/3/02 HEATER BLOWING COOL AIR- DEALER STS HEAD GASKET BAD. CORPORATE FORD REFUSES TO DO GOODWILL GESTURE/PAY.(MILEAGE TO DATE APPROX SINCE CAR STILL IN SHOP).

CONSUMER NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM UNDER VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. TECHNICIAN NOTICED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *YD

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. ROUGH IDLE. TUNE-UP PERFORMED. OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS NOW OFF. TWO DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS BACK ON AND ROUGH IDLE RETURNS. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR AND PLUG WIRES. NEXT DAY, DRIVING CAR AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE FALLS ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO COLD SIDE. HEATER BLOWING OUT JUST A LITTLE WARM. PRESSURE TESTED ENGINE. LEAKAGE IN A CYLINDER. UPON TEARDIOWN, HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGINE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 TO 55 MPH VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED FUEL FILTER. CURRENTLY, A YELLOW WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND HE REPLACED HEAD GASKET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SPEEDOMETER: SHAKES BACK & FORTH ON HIGHWAY . IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW SPEED TRAVELLING( UNLESS EQUIPPED WITH GOOD STOPWATCH & EXCELLENT MATH SKILLS). HEAD GASKET- FAILED .MUST BE REPLACED. DOES NOT MEET ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY CRITERIA. *AK

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM AS PREVIOUS YEAR MODELS CONCERNING ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THAT YEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THAT LATER MODEL YEARS SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *AK *YH

WE BOUGHT THIS VAN 07/25/00, SINCE THEN IT HAS HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT, AND TWO ENGINES, 0-2 SENSORS, HEATER PLUG, NOW THE PCM, WE HAVE ONLY DRIVEN OUR VAN FOR @ 6 MONTHS, ALL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AT DEALERSHIP, TODAY IS 11/24/01. AND OUR VAN IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AS I SUBMIT THIS. I HAVE COPY OF ALL RECORDS. THANK YOU, [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

1996 FORD WINDSTAR 3.8L HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT #4 PISTON

HEAD GASKET FAILED, AND THEN SOON AFTER ENGINE STALLED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

I HAVE A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR WITH ONE OF THOSE 3.8L ENGINES. MY PROBLEMS BEGAN WITH AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK RESULTING FROM HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. I HAVE JUST HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED IN MY VAN AND THE COST WAS $5000. I CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONSUMER NUMBER AT THE SUGGESTION OF A FRIEND WHO SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON HER WINDSTAR. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD REP. THAT MY WINDSTAR HAD THE WRONG VIN NUMBER TO BE RECALLED. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY SOME BAD 3.8L ENGINES ARE RECALLED AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY AND OTHERS ARE NOT. CAN YOU HELP? ALSO, THE NEEDLE ON MY SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES WILDLY AT SPEEDS OVER 30. I KNOW THAT THIS, TOO, IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH WINDSTARS.*AK

VEHICLE HAS LEAKED 2 1/2 GALLONS OF COOLANT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON, ANDVEHICLE IS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING. HEAT IS WARM BECAUSE COOLANT KEEPS LEAKING OUT. MECHANIC SUGGESTED TO REPLACE ENGINE HEAD BECAUSE LEAKAGE WAS RUINING THE ENGINE.*AK

THERE WAS PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEADGASKETS, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE AND INSIDE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. FORD PROVIDED NEW HEAD GASKETS AND SOMETIMES COMPLETE ENGINES FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 1995 WINDSTARS WITH 3.8L ENGINE, BUT DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 SAME MODEL ENGINE. SINCE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 1996 WINDSTAR 3.8L ON THIS WEBSITE, I FIND FORD'S DENIALS PRETTY HARD TO BELIEVE! THIS HAS CREATED A SERIOUS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, AND FORD HAS REFUSED TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY FOR THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART. I AM REQUESTED THAT YOU PROCEED WITH AN INVESTIGATION, AND WILL BE CONTACTING MY SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS STARTING TO MISS, AND GASKET WAS LEAKING WATER INTO OIL PAN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING MOTOR BLEW A HEAD GASKET WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER. CONTACTED DEALER, AND VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED.*AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW ON 3.8L ENGINE WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. CAUSED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE STARTER AND FLYWHEEL WHEEL BROKE.

ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING, ENGINE CHECK' LIGHT CAME. NOTICED OIL MIXED WITH COOLANT IN RESERVOIR. DEALER CONFIRMED HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

VAN HAD A FAILED HEAD GASKET (A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG WINDSTARS). THE FAILED HEAD GASKET, LEAD TO A THROWN ROD AND TOTALLED ENGINE TO THE TUNE OF $3600.00. WE HAD AT 89K MILES TAKEN THE VAN IN FOR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A STRANGE SMELL WAS NOTICED. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. 3 MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE BLEW. *AK

ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT. *AK

3.8 V6 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL AND RUNNING ROUGH; VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER AND INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

OIL CONTAMINATION. FOUND OIL IN THE COOLNAT. DEALER INSPECTION CONCLUDES THAT THIS IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. AN EXACT PROBLEM CAUSED A MAJOR RECALL FOR THE SAME ENGINE FOR THE YEARS 94-95. NO RECALL YET FOR YEAR 1996. GROWING AMOUNT OF REPORTS SHOW THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON THE 1996 MODEL THAT CARRIES THE SAME ENGINE. DEALER RECOMMENDS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK AT A COST OF $4000. I AM EXPECTING FORD TO PICK UP THESE CHARGES DUE TO THE REASONS STATED ABOVE.*AK

CONSUMER STATES NEW HEAD GASKETS WERE NEEDED AND VEHICLE HAD RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE, FORD WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL HELP, SO CONSUMER HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRADE VEHICLE IN. *SLC

THE TIMING GASKET COVER CRACKED. *YH

CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE 1995 WINDSTARS HAD BEEN ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE BUT WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HELP WITH THE COST OF REPAIR, THE CONSUMERS TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED PART. YH

WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE JUST LIKE INDICATED IN RECALL FOR 1995 VEHICLES. *AK *TT

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP AND WAS RED. HE PULLED OVER TO SHOULDERS AND LIFTED HOOD. CHECKED COOLANT, AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK HEADGASKET LEAK CAUSED THE TEMPRATURE GAUGE TO GO UP. *YH

TIMING COVER SEAL WAS LEAKING, UPON HAVING THIS PROBLEM FIXED, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE, ENGINE WAS REPLACED. *SLC

AFTER DRIVING TO STATE OF VIRGINIA AND PARKING IT FOR 5 DAYS. WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK

IT APPEARS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED "THE PROBLEM" WITH MY VAN. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS LODGED COMPLAINTS THE VEHICLE STARTED SMELLING LIKE IT WAS OVERHEATING. THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS CHECKD AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THEN THE ROUGH IDLE STARTED. THEN THE DEALER FOUND OUT THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BAD, AND A ROD WAS BENT AND THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AND IT ALL STARTED AT 60K MILES. THE PROBLEMS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE. MOST OF THE VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR ARE PROBABLY GETTING CLOSE TO THE RIGHT MILEAGE FOR THE GASKETS TO BLOW. FORD WILL HAVE TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION ON REPLACEMENT ENGINES BECAUSE EVERY VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW WELL IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT A COMPANY WOULD KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY LET THIS HAPPEN. AS LONG AS...

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK