1998 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY), THE VEHICLE WOULD START JERKING VIOLENTLY FROM THE REAR TO THE FRONT WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINTS, BUSHING, INTAKE GASKETS, SPARK PLUGS, AND LOWER CONTROLS ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE ALREADY PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,131 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FLAME COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE CONTACT USED WATER TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAME. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO REPORTED TO THE SCENE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT ONCE HE TURNED ON THE HEATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,816.

ON JULY 3, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WITH MY FAMILY. WHILE WAITING FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL TO CHANGE, WE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VAN. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO GET WORSE UNTIL FLAMES APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS SUMMONED BUT THE VAN WAS EVENTUALLY DESTROYED BY FIRE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD PUT OUT THE FIRE. PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, THE VAN WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGES WERE NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY MALFUNCTION. *TR

1998 FORD WINDSTAR, 3.8 ENGINE. I HAVE PROBLEMS IT STARTED STALLING WHEN I STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP, SUDDENLY THE CAR STOPPED. ALSO WHEN IT WAS IN THE PARKING . MECHANIC MADE THE TUNE-UP BUT STILL DOING SO, NOW IT IS DOING A WHITE CLOUD OF STEAM, IF I ACCEL, IT COMES WORST, SHOULD I WAIT FOR A RECALL OR IT'S A NORMAL PROBLEM? *TR

OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN ERUPTED IN FIRE WHILE OFF AND PARKED IN DRIVE WAY. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN THAT DAY. THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE DASH ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND SPREAD SO QUICKLY THAT THE VAN WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

ON JUNE 13TH, 2009, MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN CAUGHT FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE IS A RECALL OF THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL RELATING TO ELECTRICAL FIRES UNDER THE HOOD. I WANT FORD TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE AND THE LOSS OF MY VEHICLE. ABOUT 5500 HUNDRED DOLLARS. *TR

MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO START 1998 FORD WINDSTAR WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO ISSUE FROM BENEATH THE HOOD. SHE IMMEDIATELY REMOVOVED HERSELF AND DOG WHEREUPON THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BUT EVERYTHING FOWRWARD OF THE FIREWALL WAS MELTED DOWN. THE WINDSHIELD HAD EXPLODED AND THE INTERIOR SUFFERED SMOKE DAMAGE. EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL WAS AN ENTIRE LOSS. THIS REPORT IS FILED AFTER LEARNING THAT NHTSA IS INVOLVED IN INVESTIGATION OF MORE THAN 130 OTHER REPORTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE. WE WISH TO LEARN IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE OR CLASS ACTION SUIT AVAILABLE TO US. *TR

I OWN AN 1998 WINDSTAR 3 LITER ENGINE. ON APRIL 16,2008 I PARKED MY CAR (NOSE DOWN HILL) DURING A RAIN STORM. LATER THAT EVENING I NOTICE THE RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I THEN UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. THE NEXT MORNING I JUMP STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT BRIEFLY TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY AND NOTICED A SMELL OF HOT OR BURNING WIRES. I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED POOLING WATER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER THE ENGINE DRIED COMPLETELY THE SMELL WENT AWAY. WHILE NO FIRE RESULTED I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED. I READ THE STORY CONCERNING YOUR INVESTIGATION OF THE WINDSTAR AND THOUGHT IT RELEVANT. *TR

TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN, WITH 220,000 MILES ON IT, CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE PARKED, AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. WE HAD BEEN CAREFULLY FOLLOWING THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. DURING THE WEEK BEFORE THE FIRE, WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT ALWAYS TURNING OFF WHEN WE EXITED THE VAN. *TR

NO PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSTAR BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNATTENDED WHEN THE OWNER WAS ALERTED BY OTHER RESIDENTS THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. THE SMOKE WAS WHITE IN COLOR AND COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT AREA OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AT THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE FIRE HAD MADE ITS WAY THROUGH THE FIRE WALL INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT EVIDENT BY THE HEAVIER BURNING IN THAT AREA THERE IS A V-PATTERN NOTED ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE RADIATOR POINTING TO THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE BREACHED THE FIRE WALL AT THE AREA WHERE THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND STEERING COLUMNS COME THROUGH INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CAUSE WAS RULED UNDETERMINED. *TR

CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACE 3 TIMES. AGAIN IT IS SHOT. THIS CAUSES THE VAN TO STALL AND HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH IDLE. CAUSES TO STALL USUALLY WHILE STOPPED, SOMETIMES HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION. ALSO: HAD TO PULL ABS FUSE DUE TO PEDAL NOT DEPRESSING. WORKS EXCELLENT WITHOUT ABS. ALSO:TRANSMISSION DOESN'T UPSHIFT WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH SPEEDS/RPM'S. HAVE TO LET OFF GAS AND REPRESS FOR VAN TO SHIFT TO NEXT GEAR. *TR

MY HEAT WOULDN'T COME ON SOMETIMES, THEN THE HOT LIGHT CAME ON. HAD IT IN THE SHOP 2 TIMES, EVERYTIME SAID IT WAS FINE, ONLY CHANGING OUT TEMP GAUGE. DEC 2005 3RD TIME TOOK IT IN, SAME PROBLEM ONLY OIL LIGHT WOULD ALSO FLICKER AT LOW IDLE PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT. TOOK IT BACK IN AND TOLD THEM THEY HAD TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG, IT HAD BEEN GOING ON TOO LONG. TOLD THEN HEAVY RESIDUE ON OIL CAP, COULD SEE DARK MARKS AROUND EXHAUST PIPE. LOOSING RADIATOR FLUID SLOWLY. I AM NO MECHANIC BUT ALL I RESEARCHED SHOWED HEAD GASKET. TO MAKE STORY BRIEF, THEY TOLD ME SAME DAY ALL WAS OK, COMPUTER READ FINE. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT SATISFIED AND TO KEEP TESTING. TOOK 3 DAYS, THEN THEY CALL ME TO SAY THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED. OF COURSE MY EXTENDED...

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT MY HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN ON MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. I READ UP ON THIS AND SAW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FORD AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM NOR DO THEY OFFER YOU A SOLUTION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE. *JB

FOUND LOT OF WHITE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. LEFT AT REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND MENTIONED THAT IT IS HEAD GASKET DAMAGE. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAS SEEN LOT OF SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH 3.8 L FORD WINDSTAR GL MINIVANS. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO SINCE IT MIGHT COST ABOUT $2,000 TO FIX. *JB

VEHICLE LOSS COOLANT GRADUALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I NEVER SAW ANY LEAKS UNDER THE VEHICLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CAR WAS ABRUPTLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BUT WE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING SMELL, WE ALSO HAD BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO EVALUATE BUT HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CULPRIT. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON OCT19TH AND SPRAYED COOLANT AND STEAM WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A PHYSICAL INDICATION THAT THERE TRULY WAS A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY IN THE SHOP AT MY EXPENSE TO REPAIR THE HEAD GASKET, INTAKE MANIFOLD AND TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET.

TOOK VAN IN TO HAVE ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND COOLANT REPLACED. REPAIR SHOP SAID THE HEAD GASKETS WERE GONE. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY SAID SORRY BUT NO HELP WAS AVAILABLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. BILL TO REPAIR ESTIMATED AT 1400 USD. VAN HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND GIVEN GOOD SERVICE. DON'T THINK HEAD GASKETS SHOULD LEAK AT 76000 MILES.*AK

AT APPROXIMATELY 57,600 MILES MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR DEVELOPED AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL GARAGE AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LEAK AT THE TIMING COVER GASKET. I HAD THIS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $1453. TWO WEEKS LATER, AS I WAS DRIVING TO A BASEBALL GAME, MY CAR BEGAN TO STALL. IT WAS HARD TO START, AND THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLICKERING WHEN THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND THERE WAS A LOUD RATTLE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NORMAL, NO RATTLING SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE,ETC. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY LOCAL GARAGE. MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE RATTLING NOISE AS COMING FROM THE LOWER BEARINGS, THE ENGINE BEARINGS WERE FAILING AT 57,800 MILES!!!! I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE WINDSTAR AND ASKED THEM IF THERE WERE ANY...

HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON 3.8 LITER V-6 ENGINE

AT 55,000 MILES MY 1998 WINDSTAR WITH THE 232 CUBIC INCH ENGINE, YOU GUESSED IT, BLEW A HEAD GASKET. AFTER READING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH PREVIOUS MODELS, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH FORD HAS MORE PROBLEMS A"HEAD" (SORRY HAD TO). WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE TO HELP THE OTHER CONSUMERS MAKE COMPLAINTS SO WE AREN'T OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR REPAIR COSTS THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A FORD PROBLEM? WHAT STEPS CAN I TAKE TO GET FORD TO COVER THE COSTS OF THIS REPAIR? SINCERELY, *TR

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. FAULTY HEAD GASKET DESIGN IN MY OPINION ABS/TRACTION CONTROL UNIT. CURRENT PROBLEM TSB STATES THAT FUEL TANK MANUFACTURED WITH INCORRECT DEPTH - FUEL PUMP WIRING IS RUBBED UNTIL ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURS - AND FUEL PUMP FUSE BLOWS - VEHICLE IS THEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC, IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION ETC. FORDS RECOMMENDED FIX IS TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND PUMP ASSEMBLY HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING TO THE COST OF THE REPAIRS CAUSED DUE TO THEIR FAULTY DESIGN.

THIS VAN HAS ALL THE DEFECTS AND COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THEGOVT. RECALLS THE NHTSA SITE AND OTHERS IHAVE TOO MUCH INFO TO PUT ON THIS SITE IF THERE IS ANYONE I CAN SEND MY COMPLAINT TO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IAM PUTTING IT BACK INTO THE SHOP AGAIN IVE BEEN THRU A NIGHTMARE ALONG WITH TRYING TO ASSURE MY 4 KIDS THAT THEY WERE SAFE IN THIS VAN THANKYOU ANGELA WALLACE AND BY THE WAT THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THIS VAN WILL NOT COOPERATE AT ALL

HEAD GASKET BLEW. NEVER RAN HOT. ALWAYS SERVICED ON TIME. TALKED TO OWNER AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO IN TURN HAD ME TALK TO THE SERVICE MGR. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING FORD WOULD DO ABOUT IT. HE NEVER CALLED ME BACK, SO I CALLED HIM AFTER A WEEK. HE SAID HE LEFT A MESSAGE ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE. I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWERING MACHINE...THEN HE TELLS ME THE ONLY PROBLEMS WITH THE 3.8 ENGINES WAS IN THE T-BIRDS, NOT THE WINDSTARS. BY THIS TIME I HAVE ALREADY LOOKED ON THE NET AND SEEN THE PROBLEMS ARE WITH THE WINDSTARS AS WELL. HE THEN TELLS ME TO COME IN AND TALK WITH THE OWNER. I HAD ALREADY TAKEN OFF WORK TO DO THIS. I NOW HAVE THE VAN AT MY MECHANIC TO BE REPAIRED. I WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY A FORD...

A/C OCT. 99 $168.98, DEC. 99 $134.40 SUSPENSION JULY 01 $664.61, DEC. 99 $515.85, JUN 01 $61.78, BODY JUN 01 $443.61 OTHER CD PLAYER JUN 01 $19.50 AND $366.86 TURN SIGNAL JAN 02 $161.04 DOME LIGHT JAN 02 $84.02 JAN 02 $89.72 DOOR OCT 99 $134.52, MAR 03 $285.07 STEERING SEPT.02 $258.82, MAR. 03 569.32 COMPUTER CONTROLS SEPT. 00 $106.02 ENGINE JAN 02 $784.75 COOLANT SMELL (FOUND FRONT COVER GASKET LEAKING) SEPT. 02 85.95 (TOLD THROTTLE BODY WORN OUT, SOLD ME UPDATE COMPUTER SOFTWARE, SEAMS TO RUN BETTER) CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A/C SYSTEM INTERMITTENT. MECHANIC FOUND ENGINE PROBLEM, SAYS MAIN BEARINGS OR CRANKSHAFT BAD, POSSIBLY DUE TO COOLANT IN OIL SYSTEM FROM JANUARY 02 PROBLEM

ON OCTOBER 1, 2003 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 23,956 MILES. IT NEUTRALIZES AT 10 MPH OR HIGHER. CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I COULD BRING IT IN FOR REPAIR. THEY WOULD NOT COOPERATE WITH PROVIDING ME THE NAME AND MEANS OF CONTACTING THE ZONE REP. REPAIR COST AT $1800.00 WITH TRANSMISSION SHOP.

WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VAN, WE ALSO BOUGHT A DIAMONDKOTE WARRANTY ,FOR 499.99$ AND TOLD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THAT IS WAS A GOOD WARRANTY.WE THEN FOUND OUT THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD THE WARRANTY AND PLAZA FORD LINCOLN WILL NOT HONOR IT, WE CAN'T EVEN GET A REFUND, SO WE SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT DIAMONDKOTE AND THIS PERSON TOLD US THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD THE WARRANTY AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A REFUND EVER SINCE,EITHER FROM PLAZA FORD LINCOLN OR DIAMONDKOTE. I HAD INTENTIONS OF SUING FORD MOTOR COMPANY TWO YEARS AGO WHEN MY HUSBAND TOOK MY TWO DAUGHTERS TO HALIFAX, BECAUSE MY 8 YEAR OLD HAD CANCER AT THE TIME, SHE HAD A APPOINTMENT AT THE I.W.K HOSPITAL AND IT WAS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THAY WERE NOT KILLED WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENTION SPRING BROKE IN WHICH CASE MY...

THE HEAD GASKET ON MY 1998 FORD WINSTAR 3.8L ENGINE HAS FAILED AT 90,000 MILES, WELL SHORT OF WHAT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED. IT APPEARS THAT FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR OLDER 3.8L ENGINES WHICH HAVE HAD HEAD GASKET FAILURES, BUT NOT FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. I AM REGISTERING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE EVENT THAT OTHER FORD OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

HEAD GASKET FAILED.*AK

1998 WINDSTAR HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *MR THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE COOLANT WAS LOW AND HAD IT TO TOPPED OFF. THE COOLANT LEVEL CONTINUED TO FALL. THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO CHANGE EITHER FLUID DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 95' MODELS BUT IT APPEARED THAT FORD DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. REFER TO ODI# 10028678 *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE STARTED IDLING HIGH AND RUNNING ROUGH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE COOLANT FLOWING THROUGH THE CYLINDERS CAUSED A MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM. *YH