1996 FORD WINDSTAR Unknown Or Other Problems

REPEAT OF A SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS 1996 FORD WINDSTAR (PURCHASED 1999). IT COST ME OVER $400 IN 1999 TO REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD AND NOW IT IS FAILING IN THE SAME MANNER - THE NEEDLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE PLACE UNTIL IT JUST PEGS OUT AT THE FAR RIGHT. I SUBMITTED MY LAST COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS PROBLEM IN DECEMBER, 2002 - REF#786265. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERS, PRIVATE REPAIR SHOPS AND EVEN YOUR AGENCY THAT THERE ARE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH FORD SPEEDOMETERS BUT THERE HAS YET BEEN ANY ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY FORD. A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE AND THERE IS NO WAY I SHOULD BE ON MY THIRD ONE AT 113,000 MILES (WITH A NEW ENGINE AND SUPERB MAINTENANCE RESORDS)! NOTE: IT IS NOT THE AIRBAG SWITCH THAT I HAVE ISSUES WITH AS IT SHOWS IN...

MISFIRING AND LOSING COOLANT. AM SURE IT IS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. FATHER-IN-LAW CURRENTLY IN DISPUTE WITH FORD FOR SAME MODEL/YEAR AND THEY WON'T REIMBURSE HIM. MAY ATTEMPT REPAIR MYSELF IF FORD UNWILLING TO RECALL OR PUT RIGHT. ALSO, SPEEDOMETER FAILURE INTERMITTENT OR INCORRECT READING.

ENGINE: HEAD GASKET FAILURE @ 62,218 MILES. NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH CYLINDER GASKET HEADS AND RESURFACE SAME. POWER DOOR: FAILURE OF POWER DOOR LOCK ON PASSENGER SIDE. TRANSMISSION: WAS REPLACED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. OTHER: IGNITION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. HAVE BEEN ADVISED ENGINE HAS A SLUDGE CONDITION DESPITE REGULAR OIL CHANGES PER FORD GUIDELINES.

OTHER IS THE HEAD GASKET WENT AND LEAKED OIL IN MY ENGINE CAUSING IT TO BE REPLACED. FORD DENIED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND I BELIEVED THEM UNTIL I READ YOUR WEB SITE ARTICLE ON THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH 1995 WINDSTARS. I CALLED FORD THIS MORNING AGAIN AND READ THE ARTICLE AND THEY STILL WILL NOT STEP UP TO THE PLATE ON THIS. NOTHING ELSE HAS GONE WRONG WITH MY CAR.

TIMING COVER GASKET FAILURE ALLOWED COOLANT TO MIX WITH ENGINE OIL. GASKET REPLACED BUT ENGINE DAMAGE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE. SPEEDOMETER WAVERS BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MPH AT 30 MPH, HEADLIGHT LENSES HAVE YELLOWED TO THE POINT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE USELESS. MOST FORD VEHICLES FROM 1990 TO 2000 HAVE THE YELLOWING HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AS A SAFETY PROBLEM.

THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INVESTIGATE A SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM ON FORD WINDSTARS AND ESCORTS. *PH *NLM *CB *JB

HEAD GASKET FAILURE . A COMMON DEFECT IN FORD WINDSTARS, THEY WERE COVERED IN THE PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS, BUT NOT THE '96 MODEL. FORD, SO FAR, WILL NOT COVER THIS. ALSO SPEEDOMETER "JUMPS" AROUND ABOVE 45 MPH. THIS TOO, IS COMMON IN THIS AND PRIOR MODEL WINDSTARS. REPAIRS ARE USUALLY $500 AND IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW HOW FAST THEY ARE TRAVELING. *NLM

IN ADDITION, THE FOLLOWING ARE WARRANTY/RECALL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED ON THIS VEHICLE. DT

CURRENTLY, THE VAN IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WE ARE AWAITING AN ESTIMATE ON THE HEAD GASKET. OUR WARRANTY EXPIRED ON AUGUST 31, 2002 AND FORD WILL NOT HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE TRANSMISSION IS ALSO BEING CHECKED AS IT HAS BEGUN LEAKING ONLY 10 MONTHS AFTER WE HAD IT REPLACED. OUR MECHANIC STATED THAT THESE ARE COMMONLY SEEN WITH THIS VEHICLE AND STATED THE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET IS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE FIRE RING. NO REASON WAS GIVEN AS TO WHY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN JANUARY OF 2002 AND TO WHY IT IS NOW LEAKING. DT

NO SUMMARY. DT

ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WAS REGISTERING HOT. TOOK TO DEALER ,AND THEY STATED THEATHEAD GASKET FAILED, AND VEHICLE WOULD NEED A REBUILT MOTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DOOR AJAR INDICATOR LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE, DOESN'T KNOW IF DOORS ARE OPEN OR NOT. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

THIS COMPLAINT CONSIST OF FOUR FAILURES THAT ARE ENGINE RELATED: (1) HEAD GASKET FAILED WHILE BEING DRIVEN, AND LEAKED FLUID ONTO HOT ENGINE. (2) TIMING GASKET FAILED ALONG WITH GASKET FAILING. (3) INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNERS FAILED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VAN IS UNDRIVABLE. (4) FAULTY MAIN ENGINE BEARINGS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT DISPLAYED, WHITE SMOKE BILLOWING OUT OF TAIL PIPE.*AK

MY WINDSTAR BLEW ITS HEADGASKET WITH 60K MILES ON IT- THE ENGINE NEVER RAN HOT---WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I TOOK IT TO DEALER--BLOWN GASKET 1800 DOLLARS--CHECKED INTERNET AND FOUND AT LEAST 200 PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM--CALLED FORD BUT THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

HAD ON NUMEROUS OCCASION TAKEN MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR FOR ENGINE LIGHT WAS TOLD PROBLEM FIXED ONLY TO HAVE LIGHT COME BACK ON. PROCEEDED TO HAVE ALL WORK DONE DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHILE SEARCHING FOR ADITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS KNOWN FORD MOTOR PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. IF THIS KNOWN BY THE COMPANY AS KNOWN DEFECT WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN TO RESOLVE THIS BESIDE HAVING THE CONSUMER TO ABSORB THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF FIXING A KNOWN MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.*AK

THE SUB-FRAME BROKE WHERE THE STRUT ARM CONNECTS IN THE FRONT( IN AREA OF THE STRUT ARM BUSHINGS. AT FIRST THOUGHT THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM AT LOOSE HEAT SHIELD. STRUT ARM RATTLES EVERYTIME VAN IECOUNTERS ROUGH PAVEMENT. THE SPEEDOMETER JUST WENT HAYWIRE. NEEDLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE PLACE. HAVE FOUND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT BOTH OF THESE FAILURES ARE A SAFTEY ISSUE. FORD MOTOR DOESN'T.*AK

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 4 HOURS FROM ALABAMA WITH 1 OR 2 STOPS WE STOPPED AT THE SC WELCOME CENTER FOR 5 MINUTES. WHEN WE RESTARTED THE ENGINE, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A NOISE. WE DROVE ABOUT 20 MILES, THEN HAD THE VAN TOWED TO FAIRWAY FORD IN ANDERSON, SC. WE WERE TOLD THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE AUTHORIZED A REPLACEMENT, BUT ASKED FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TO BE PERFORMED SO WE WOULD KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE OLD ENGINE TO FAIL. TO DATE, THAT INFORMATION HAS NEVER BEEN REVEALED TO US BY FORD. FORD CORP. HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE IN RETURNING PHONE CALLS, AND HAS BASICALLY TOLD US "TOUGH LUCK".*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

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

VEHICLE IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD AREA. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*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

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

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.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTL/SIMUTANEOUSLY COME ON AND CAUSE LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRACTICALLY, PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE,ALSO THE POWER WINDOWS WERE INOPERATIVE.*SLC

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

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. WE PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND HAD TO STEP OVER THE FLAMES COMMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. WITHIN 1 MINUTE, THE VAN WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AT WHICH POINT THE GAS TANK EXPLODED. THE VAN IS COMPLETELY BURNT DOWN TO NOTHING BUT A FRAME. FORD REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

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

PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE #1 CYLNDER CAUSING A MISS FIRE AND THE VEHICLE TO RUN ROUGH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAD IT FOR A FEW DAYS, REPLCED THE SPARK PLUGS AND SAID IT WAS FINE. ON THE RIDE BACK FROM THE DEALER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THE DEALER THEN KEPT IT FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS AND FOUND THE COOLANT IN THE #1 SPARKPLUG WELL. BROUGHT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMNINED TO BE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. INTERMITTENT ENGINE WARNING LIGHT SINCE NEW. SELF RESET BEFORE CHANCE TO GET IT TO DEALER. AT APPROX 80K MILES SOLID ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. DEALER REPLACES OXYGEN SENSOR. STILL GOT INTERMITTENT ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. LATEST INCIDENT SOLID ENGINE WARNING LIGHT & BLUE SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE. DEALER INDICATES BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND WORN CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS AS A CAUSE & RESULT OF INCORRECTLY DESIGNED HEAD GASKET. INDICATES IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED WITH 1995 MODEL YEAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON DASHBOARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AND MECHANIC REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND OTHER PARTS. LATER, MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, SUBSEQUENTLY SINCE THE REPAIR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON TWICE.*JB

FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THE '96'S AS WELL AS THE '95'S. SAME ENGINE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS JUST EMISSIONS. NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT . HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT. REPAIRS ARE $1000.00. *AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT.STARTED TO LOSE ANTIFREEZE; THIS CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND INFORMED CONSUMER PROBLEM OF HEAD GASKETS CAN BE REPAIRED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO HAD A CHECK ENGINE PROBLEM DUE TO CYLINDER, FORD COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO CONSUMER HAS HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC TO RESET THE ENGINE WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON.*JB

I HAVE A 1996 WINDSTAR WITH JUST OVER 40,000 MILES - V-8 ENGINE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND I STOPPED DRIVING AND DROPPED THE CAR OFF AT THE DEALER. HE SAID IT HAS BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE, I FIND THAT THIS IS AN ENGINE PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS WITH WINDSTARS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ORDERED ON ALL FORD 3.8 ENGINES HAVING THIS PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. MY MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE MY FUEL INJECTOR AND GASKETS. ALSO HE SAID I NEED A NEW FUEL PUMP WHICH IS LOCATED IN MY GAS TANK BUT THAT I CAN WAIT TILL NEXT OIL CHANGE DUE TO EXPENCE. MY CAR ONLY HAS UNDER 40,000 MILES!!!!!

LOSS OF COOLANT AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO IS FORD CERTIFIED. TOLD OF RECALL ON WINDSTARS FOR THIS PROBLEM. O'MEARA FORD DIAGNOSED AS HEAD GASKET CRACK. RECALL WOULD NOT INCLUDE VANS AFTER 1995. OURS WAS MANUFACTURED IN MARCH OF 1996. CALLED FORD. THEY WOULD NOT HONOR OR REGARD THIS AS THEIR PROBLEM. RETURNED TO OUR PERSONAL MECHANIC. HE MADE REPAIRS AND FOUND ALL OF THE "OLD" PARTS AS USED IN VANS UNDER RECALL. HE REPLACED THE PARTS WITH THE NEWER DESIGN FORD NOW USES TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. COST TO US WAS EXTREME-$1600, WHICH WAS ALMOST $1000 LESS THAN WHAT O'MEARA FORD WAS ESTIMATING. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH FORD DEALERSHIP AND FORD MOTOR CO. NOT PLANNING TO EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. *AK

AT AROUND 62,000 MILES OUR VEHICLE'S "CHECK ENGINE " LIGHT CAME ON. WE BROUGHT IT IN TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. BASICALLY THEY TOLD US IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, AMONG OTHER MISC. PROBLEMS. WE WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE METHODS AND BROUGHT THE VAN TO ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC AT THIS PLACE NOT ONLY AGREED WITH PREVIOUS DIAGNOSIS BUT ALSO FELT THE WHOLE ENGINE SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED AND RECOMMENDED A TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF 3,800 DOLLARS. WE HAVE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY. (WE HAVE TH DOCUMENTS TO PROVE THIS.)*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ON/ OFF. CONSUEMR SENT VEHICLE TO A RADIATOR SHOP, AND THEY REFERRED HER TO DEALER. DEALER HAS TO REPLACE GASKETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE DESTROYED ENGINE. ANTIFREEZE WAS APPARENTLY LEAKING, IT HAS TO BE FILLED FREQUENTLY.*AK

ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON FOR A COUPLE DAYS, BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER. THEY STATED THAT ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO HEAD GASKET & THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT I MAY NEED A NEW ENGIENE. I DID NOT LEAVE VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THAT TIME BECAUSE I STATED THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO MY MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO HAVE HIM DO WORK ON VEHICLE. I CONTACTED MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE 3.8 LITRE ENGIENE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET. ON 3/19/ 01 DEALER CONTACTED ME WANTING TO KNOW IF I WOULD BE GETTING HEAD GASKET FIXED. I STATED THAT AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT CERTAIN 1995 3.8 LITRE ENGIENES WERE RECALLED AND THAT A CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS BROUGHT AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON 12/9/99 BECAUSE OF FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY & LOGGED COMPLAINT, BUT THEY STATED...

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES AND AT TIMES REMAINS ON. THE ENGINE HESITATES WHILE ACCELERATION. PER THE DEALER THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS DEVELOPED A SMALL CRACK WHICH ALLOWS COOLANT TO SEEP INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSE AN OCCATIONAL MISFIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AND WILL COST $1,800 TO REPAIR. PER NHTSA RECALL REPORT IN 1995 THE SAME ENGINE AND IN WINDSTARS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. ALSO SIMLAR ISSUE NOTED IN 1996 WINDSTAR COMPLAINTSS.

ENGINE CHECK CAME ON TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP TO HAVE DIAGNOSTICS RUN. WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A TUNE UP, NEW SPARK PLUGS AND CABLES, FUEL FILTER, AIR FILTER, FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED AND I ALSO HAD OIL CHANGED SINCE IT WAS TIME FOR IT. PICKED UP VEHICLE PAID 444.00 FOR THE SERVICE NEXT MORNING DROVE TO WORK, OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE OIL LIGHT FLICKERED ON. CHECKED OIL, IN MY PARKING SPACE WAS DARK SO ALL I COULD SEE IS THERE WAS FLUID AT THE CORRECT LEVEL. STARTED IT UP THAT EVENING TO GO HOME DROVE APROXIMATELY 40 MILES, STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON THE THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD HAD TO TOWED BACK TO THE SHOP THAT DID THE WORK. WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, OIL LIGHT...

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. ALSO, A LOT OF ANTI-FREEZE WAS MISSING TOO FAST, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT ANTI-REEZE WAS GETTING INTO CYLINDER.*AK CONSUMER RETURNED VEHICLE 1 WEEK LATER, REPLACED GASKETS AGAIN THEY WERE LEAKING.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. DEALER COULD NOT FIX DEFECT.*AK

PLEASE PROVIDE TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING DEFECT OF VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED, INFORMATION REQUEST. *AK

DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT/AUDIBLE ALARM GOES OFF AND REMAINS ON FOR EXTENDED TIME DESPITE ALL DOORS SECURELY CLOSED AND LOCKED. *AK

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

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...

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO FORD. THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT THEY CLAIM THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ONE OF THE SPARK PLUG WIRES "ARCHING". THEY COULD NOT OR WOULD NOT TELL ME WHICH ONE WAS ARCHING, BUT WERE WILLING TO CHARGE ME $320 TO CHANGE THE SIX WIRES AND PLUS. I PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CHANGED THE PLUGS AND WIRES MYSELF. A WEEK LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH CYLINDER NUMBER FOUR. IT WAS CRACKED. THEY MADE THE REPAIR AND A WEEK LATER I WAS OUT OVER A $1000. MY MECHANIC ALSO ADVISED ME THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME THIS RIGHT AWAY. FORD WAS WILLING TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS...