1996 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

ENGINE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF COOLANT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. *YH

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF COOLANT AND ENGINE OVERHEATING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON ITS 3.8L V6 ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE FRONT GASKET COVER IS DAMAGED AND NEEDS TO BE R EPLACED. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME THING ON 1995 MODELS. WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE TO REPAIR AT $2,000. THIS CAR HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. WE FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THE COST OF REPAIRING THE ENGINE.

LABORATORY OIL ANALYSIS INDICATES FAILED HEAD GASKET BASED ON GLYCOL AND ANTI-FREEZE CHEMICALS IN THE ENGINE OIL. *AK

WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER WAS WAVING BACK FROM 20 TO 90 MPH. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTICED TRANSMISSION PAN HAD METAL IN IT WHICH CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, NOTICED A FUME ODOR IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER NOTICED THAT COOLANT AND TIMING COVER WERE LEAKING FLUID ONTO HEAD GASKET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

MANIFOLD GASKET AND HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO USE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF COOLANT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED INJECTORS AND EGR PORTS WERE CLEANED, 2 MONTHS LATER WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING THICK WHITE SMOKE, THIS DEALER FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND THAT THE CONSUMER WAS 12 DAYS LATE FOR THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *SLC

MY 3.8L WINDSTAR WAS CHECKED AT 60K AT DEALER.AT 68K CHECK ENGINE LAMP STAYED ON. DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS HEAD GASKET FAILURE & INFORMED ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED.VEHICLE RECEIVED BACK AFTER REPAIR (NEW ENGINE) AFTER PAYING HEAVY & NOW HAS SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM

ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AFTER TIMING COVER LEAK.*AK

OUR 96 WINDSTAR HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED AND WE ARE OUT ALMOST $1500 TO REPLACE IT. FORD KNOWS OF THE PROBLEMS BUT HAS ONLY AGREED TO FIX THE 95 WINDSTAR AT THIS TIME. WE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IN ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS SUBJECT.

AT 45,000 MILES VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF COOLANT. TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT 3.8L V6 ENGINE HAD AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK *SLC

HEAD GASKETS ARE DESIGNED TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF A VEHICLE. THEY ARE NOT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ITEMS IN THE FORD OWNER'S MANUAL. FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 1995 WINDSTAR HEAD GASKETS TWICE (5 YEARS, 60K MILES AND THEN TO 100,000 MILES). EVEN THOUGH NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE ENGINE BLOCK WERE MADE ON THE 96 FORD WINSTAR, FORD HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRING THIS KNOW DEFECT ON MY VEHICLE. IN FACT IT APPEARS THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE CONDITION AS THEY ISSUE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN OCTOBER 1999 FOR THE 1996 WINDSTARS (TSB 90-20-7). THE COST OF THE REPAIR TO ME WAS $1,357.84. WHAT IS EVEN MORE TROUBLESOME TO ME IS FORD'S COMPLETE LACK OF INTEGRITY AND HONESTY BY NOT FULLY DISCLOSING THIS KNOWN DEFECT TO ITS CUSTOMERS. THIS IS AN INJUSTICE TO ALL AMERICANS WHO PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT. I HOPE YOU WILL HELP DO...

FORD HAS A HISTORY OF HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THE 3.8 ENGINE FROM 1995 ON.ALSO SPEEDOMETER CABLE HEAD HAS WENT OUT FOR THE 2ND TIME!*AK

WATER LEVEL LOSS IN RADIATOR DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

I AM DISSATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE FROM FORD ON MY 1996 WINDSTAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE SAME THING. THE ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING AT A QUICK PACE AND FORD RAN THE PRESSURE TEST. SAID IT WAS THE WATER PUMP AND GASKET THAT NEEDED FIXED. THIS WAS 2 WEEKS AGO. THEY TOLD MY BOYFRIEND [XXX] WHOSE NAME IS ON THE TITLE OF THE VAN THAT IT WAS FIXED. HERE IT IS 1/4/2001 AND AGAIN WE HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. RAN TEST AGAIN AND SAID IT WAS THE HEAD GASKETS AND #4 CYLINDER. WE ALREADY PAID $900 AND IT WASN'T FIXED THE FIRST TIME. NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE $1200 TO HAVE IT FIXED AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY MORE WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED THE FIRST TIME AROUND. ALSO FOUND OUT FORD HAS HAD...

3.8L ENGINE. HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 1995 WINDSTARS WITH 3.8L ENGINE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH; A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE CME OUT OF TAILPIPE. RADIATOR WAS LOSING ANTIFREEEZE EVERY DAY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC WOULD NOT LOOK AT VEHICLE. CONTACTED FORD MANUFACTURER & CSR INDICATED NOT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, NO REPAIR WILL BE DONE. TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP & WAS PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. WAS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON HEAD GASKETS, BUT MANUFACTURER WAS GOING BY VIN. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK CAR INTO DEALER'S SHOP FOR A BROKEN SPEEDOMETER, AND MECHANIC NOTICED A HEAD GASKET LEAK. ALERTED CONSUMER TO SOME RECALLS ON THOSE VEHICLES, BUT THEY HAD A DIFFERENT YEAR. *AK

FORD WINDSTAR (1996): A LOCAL MECHANIC SAID THAT OUR ROUGH IDLE, ENGINE LIGHT, AND SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE INDICATED A HEAD-GASKET PROBLEM. HILL AND SANDERS FORD SERVICE STATION CHECKED FOR PRESSURE LEAKS, BUT COULD ONLY SUGGEST THAT IT WAS BAD PLUGS CAUSING THE "MISFIRE CODE" IN THE COMPUTER. AFTER $318, WE GOT NEW SPARK PLUGS AND A RESET WARNING LIGHT. WITHIN A WEEK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE ROUGH IDLE AND SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE REAPPEARED. WE RETURNED IT TO H&S AND MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE PREVIOUS, WITH A NEW SYMPTOM OF DISCOLORED ANTIFREEZE IN THE OVERFLOW CONTAINER (OIL COLOR). H&S SAID THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS A RESULT OF A "MISFIRE CODE" BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHY. THE ONLY THING H&S DID WAS FLUSH THE RADIATOR FOR $100, AND ADMITTED THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IT COULD BE. A FEW DAYS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME...

THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN ON OUR MINI VAN. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID THAT MOST WINDSTARS ARE COVERED ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED BY FORD DUE TO MANUFACUTERING DEFECTS. HOWEVER, FOR SOME REASON, OUR VAN IS NOT COVERED. EVEN THOUGH IT HAS DONE JUST WHAT THE OTHERS HAVE DONE, OURS IS NOT "THEIR FAULT." I CALLED THE FORD HOT LINE AND TALKED WITH SUZETTE, WHO WAS VERY FRIENDLY, BUT SHE OFFERED NO HELP OTHER THAN CONTACTING YOU. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *AK

WE NOTICED A LEAK OF SOME SORT OF FLUID AND BROUGHT THE WINDSTAR TO OUR DEALER. WHAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT WAS THAT THE TIMING COVER GASKET WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 52000 MILES. THIS COSTED US $904 AND I AM NOT SURE IF IT'S RELATED TO PRIOR '95 GASKET PROBLEMS.

AT THE 90,000 CHECKUP THE MECHANIC SAID OUR TIMING COVER GASKET IS LEAKING AND ANTIFREEZE IS COMING THROUGH. IF IT IS NOT FIXED WHOLE ENGINE WILL SEIZE UP. SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEMS OF THE 1995!*AK

ENGINE NEVER OVERHEATED BLOWN HEADGASKET AND WATER IN THE CYLENDER THREW A ROD WHEN I STARTED IT UP. *AK

LIKE THE 95'S, IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN. HEAD GASKETS BLOWN AT 64K MILES.*AK

HEAD GASKET BLOWN, REQUIRES ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *AK

MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR BLEW A HEAD GASKET WITH ONLY 76125 MILES. COST FOR REPAIR WILL BE 1333.25 . AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ,MY WINDSTAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE BLOWN HEADGASKET PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. FORD HAS ISSUED A SERVICE RECALL ON EARLIER YEARS.*AK

CONSUMER HAD SEEN WATER LEAKING FROM ENGINE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE BEFORE TO DEALER TO BE REPAIRED, AND DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY HEAD GASKET WICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THIS IS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH FORD'S 94 AND 95 WINDSTARS. IN CONTACTING FORD'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, THEY INDICATE THAT THESE EARLIER VEHICLES ARE NOW COVERED BY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE NHTSA HAS DETERMINED THAT FORD WAS AT FAULT; HOWEVER, THEY INDICATE THAT NHTSA HAS MADE NO SIMILAR RULING ON THE 1996 MODEL. I HAVE ASKED FORD FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE DEFECT THAT WAS FOUND IN THE 1994 AND 1995 MODELS AND THE DATE BY WHICH A SPECIFIC, CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN TO ENSURE AGAINST SIMILAR FAILURE IN SUBSEQUENT MODELS. THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER INDICATES THAT THE DEALER IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS ISSUE. MY QUESTION TO THE NHTSA IS WHETHER YOU CAN ASSIST IN DOCUMENTING THE SPECIFICS OF THE DEFECT AND THE TIMELINE WITHIN WHICH FORD TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO YOUR SATISFACTION? IT...

HEAD GASKET LEAKING INTO ENGINE. COOLANT ENTERING CYLINDER AND CRANKCASE, PRODUCING STEAM OUT OF THE EXHAUST. CONTACTED FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR ESTIMATE AND WAS QUOTED $600+ FOR LABOR AND ADDITIONAL COST FOR PARTS. HAVE DISCOVERED THROUGH THIS WEBSITE AND OTHERS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD 3.8L V6 ENGINE AND THAT FORD HAS HELPED WITH COSTS ON 1995 VEHICLES, BUT NOT 1996. SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH ONLY 79000 MILES ON VEHICLE, AND SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON, MANUFACTURER SHOULD COVER COSTS. LAST FORD I WILL OWN.

HEAD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACE, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED TO BLINK. TAKEN INTO MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD TO BE REPLACE ALONG WITH A FEW OXYGEN SENSORS. IS GOING TO COST APPROX. $1,800. FORD TOLD US THAT THE 96'S WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THESE PROBABLY STILL HAVE THE SAME BAD PARTS.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE WHICH CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, FORD REFUSES TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER EVEN THOUGH THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS A KNOWN CONDITION. *MJS

HEAD GASKET FAILURE, MISFIRING, 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON', LOOSING COMPRESSION, NO REPAIRS ARE COVERED, FORD WINDSTARS PRODUCED UP UNTIL THE END OF 1995 ARE BEING RECALLED FOR THIS SAME DEFECT, MY WINDSTAR (BUILD 1/2/1996!!) IS NOT COVERED. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY (I READ ABOUT THE DANGER OF SUDDENLY LOSING SPEED) AND YES, I AM ANGRY ABOUT BEARING THE COST OF REPAIR. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

3.8L V-6 BLOWN HEAD GASKET 1996 FORD WINDSTAR KNOWN PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER A WEEK BEFORE BEING STARTED. WAS DRIVING FOR AWHILE & NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF REAR EXHAUST. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED THAT HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. PRIOR TO HEAD GASKETS BEING BLOWN, BEEN PUTTING WATER INTO THE SYSTEM TO COOL IT DOWN.*AK

DUE TO HEAD GASKET WHICH HAD A CRACK AND CAUSED THE OIL AND THE ANTI FREEZE TO LEAK AND MIX TOGETHER. DEALER HAD TO WELD THE HEAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN ON 3.8 LITER ENGINE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE PARTS. *AK

HEADGASKET REPLACEMENT.SAME PROBLEMS W/ OTHER WINDSTARS-FORD WON'T FIX.

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

HEADGASKET REPLACEMENT.SAME PROBLEMS W/ OTHER WINDSTARS-FORD WON'T FIX.

HAVE HAD THE MINIVAN IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR SYMPTOMS OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ONLY TO FIND PROBLEM AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS "CLUNKED" WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THIS IS A DAILY PROBLEM THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT "FIND". WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVERNIGHT IN NOVEMBER. WE DON'T THINK THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD HAVE BEEN SO FRAGILE.

WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF TAILPIPE & ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING, MASTER CYLINDER FROZE UP AND CAUSED SMOKE AND DAMAGE TO BRAKE SYSTEM ON 3 WHEELS, ABS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON, IN FOR REPAIRS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND LIGHT WAS DISCONNECTED BY DEALER, ENGINE LIGHT ON: O2 SENSOR REPLACED, SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO REGISTER SPEEDS, DRIVERSIDE WINDOW GOES DOWN WHILE DRIVING, REPLACED BY DEALER, DOOR OPEN LIGHT TURNS ON RANDOMLY, SLIDING DOOR FAILS TO LOCK WITH ELECTRIC LOCKS. WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT?

SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED ALL OVER DIAL WHEN CAR WENT OVER 30 MPH; TRANSMISSION JUST FAILED WHILE CAR WAS BEING OPERATED, IT FAILED TO SHIFT AND DID NOT MOVE WHILE IN TRAFFIC; BRAKES FADE WHEN COMING TO A STOP ALL THE TIME (I HAVE REQUESTED REPAIRS REPEATEDLY, TOLD NO PROBLEM DETECTED); CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL 6-8 INCHES WHEN PARKED ON AN INCLINE; REAR SUSPENSION CREAKS WHEN GETTING IN AND OUT OF CAR; SEVERAL LEAKS IN ENGINE HAD TO BE REPAIRED (GASKET??). *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. VAN LOST SPEED AND STARTED OVERHEATING. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OFF HIGHWAY. VAN DIED HAD TO BE TOWED. TOLD IT WAS CRACKED HEAD DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGE. WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY CLAIM.. SPEEDOMETER FLIPS AROUND, ESTIMATE REPAIR COST IS $475. WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSEE TO PAY.

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, STAYS ON ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. THIS CONTINUED FORM JANUARY TO JULY WITH VEHICAL GOING IN TO SHOP AS MUCH AS 5 TIMES IN ONE DAY . SAYVILLE FORD ON LAST ARRIVAL SAID HEAD GASKET FALURE AS IN ALL WINDSTARS FROM 1995 AND 96. THEY SAID THIS IN JANUARY AND EVERY VIST AFTER THAT UNTIL THE LAST ONE WHEN WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF EXHAUST. THEN THEY SAID REPLACE HEAD GASKETS. AT THIS TIME THEY FOUND THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER ROD BENT AND I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. THEY STILL HAVE THE VEHICAL AND WANT ME TO PAY FOR DAMAGES I WILL NOT SEEING THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT IN THE BEGINING. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY WOULD NOT STEP IN SAYING THE DELERSHIP AND THE CAR IS MY PROBLEM. I EVEN ASKED FOR THE FACTORY REP TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND WAS...

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED IN MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR DUE TO A RECALL THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF BECAUSE FORD IS ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE 1995 MODEL. I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD DEALER THAT MY ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT. FORD IS REPLACING THE ENGINE, THEY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 6 WEEKS ALREADY AND NO END IN SIGHT. THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY WILL GIVE ME A 2 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE BUT IT APPEARS FROM THE 1995 RECALL THAT IT SHOULD BE A 7 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *AK

VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, NO PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE. CONSUMER ASKED MECHANIC WHY CAR WAS STARTING SO ROUGHLY, AND MECHANIC SAID IT NEEDED A HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS ON THE FORD WINDSTAR 1994/ 1995. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ENGINE NEEDS REPLACEMENT DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK