1996 Ford Windstar Engine Problems

THIS IS A SECOND CALL FOR HELP FORD CORPORATE WILL NOT EMAIL ME BACK. WILL NOT VERIFY IF PCM HAS BEEN UPDATED. THE VAN ONLY HAS UNDER 59,000 MILES ON IT . IT SHOULD NOT BREAK THIS BAD THIS SOON MAKES ME TELL ANYONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA AND CLARK HOWARDS TEAM. I DO NOT WANT TO CALL FORD UNLESS IT IS AGREED THE PHONE WILL BE RECORDED FOR COURT PURPOSES. I EVEN ASKED IS THE WOULD LET ME USE THE UPDATER. I SURE DO NOT WANT DON RICH FORD IN VILLA RICA EVER AGAIN. THEY STRIPPED THE SCREW. THAT SET MIN CLEARANCE ON THROTTLE PLATE. NO SHIFTS FUNNY AND SPUTTERS AND TERRIBLE NOISE IN OIL PAN AREA. ROD S KNOCKING. INTERNET HAS TONS OF COMPLAINTS OF PISTONS EXITING ENGINE OIL PAN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522986

Incident

Jul 2, 2013

Mileage

58,958 mi

DEAR FORD MY MOTHER AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET ANSWERS FROM THE DEALER AND SINCE THEY GAVE UP. BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIX IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. EVEN THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME. THE VAN A 1996 WINDSTAR WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT AND IT STARTED THE ENGINE STARTED STALLING, WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL LOSES POWER STEERING. MY MOM ALMOST WENT INTO A DITCH TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR. WITH LITTLE INTERNET SEARCHING FOUND HUNDREDS OF VANS WITH SAME PROBLEMS, AND APPEARS THERE IS NOT ONE RESOLVED. AND SINCE THIS HAS GONE ON FOR OVER A MONTH. THE LAST VISIT TO THE FORD DEALER IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE STALLING. . THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE IS NEW, AND MASS AIR FLOW IS CLEAN SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALSO. I CHECKED THE AIR FILTER WAS CLEAN, THE FUEL FILTER IS ORIGINAL SO I REPLACED IT. I STARTED LOOKING AT THE THROTTLE BODY, AND NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE PLATE SCREW WAS ALL GOUGED UP. WHILE I WAS SITTING IN DRIVE WAY WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND UNLESS FORD ENGINES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR 60,000 MILES, WITH ALL THE STALLING AND LOW ENGINE IDLE THAT KEEPS OIL PRESSURE IN THE ENGINE LUBRICATING THE CRANK SHAFT.!! SO WHEN ENGINE STALLED AT VERY LOW IDLE THERE WAS NO OIL GETTING THROUGH THE ENGINE. THIS ENGINE NOW HAS LOWER END KNOCK, WHICH I VERIFIED BY PULLING VAN ONTO FLOOR RAMPS, TEST DROVE AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM, IS CRITICAL. EACH TIME I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN ENGINE STALLED EVERY TIME, LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE FORD IS IGNORING THIS PROBLEM.. AND THIS ALSO ANSWERS WHY OTHER COMPLAINTS WERE ABOUT ENGINE FAILURES AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. THIS LETTER WILL BE PUT ON ALL SOCIAL NETWORKS, TO WARN OTHERS THIS COULD HAPPEN TO THEM BE AWARE. THEY SAID THE ECU/PCM COMPUTER WAS UPDATED. COULD NOT FIND UPDATE ON INVOICES, OR IN HISTORY I CAN ACCESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522406

Incident

Jun 4, 2013

Mileage

58,586 mi

BLOWS HEADGASKET EVERY35000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436510

Incident

Nov 1, 2001

Mileage

40,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR VAN 3.0 L IN JUNE 2010. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE FROM DAY 1 TO CURRENT MOST DANGEROUS IS THE BLOWING SPARK PLUG WHICH HAS BLOWN OUT 2 TIMES FORCING ME TO DRIVE IT TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE PARKED FOR REPAIR FIRST TIME BLOW OUT WAS 7 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE REPAIRED BY A MECHANIC NOW 2000 MILES LATER AGAIN BLEW OUT FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR IGNORING SUCH A HUGE HAZARD THIS COULD SERIOUSLY IGNITE FUEL FUMES AND CAUSE A MAJOR FIRE, EXPLOSION WHILE SOME ONE IS DRIVING WITH THERE CHILDREN TO FIND A REPAIR SHOP UNAWARE OF THE DANGER AND DAMAGE THIS COULD CAUSE, SECOND ISSUE IS A FAILING SHIFTING MODULE OR TRANNY AND THIS HAS HAPPENED ALOT DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VANS TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO A 1ST OR 2ND GEAR CAUSING EXTREME CHANGE IN SPEED AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WE HAVE ALMOST BEEN REARENDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THIS ISSUE, VESSIL MUST BE PULLED OVER AND TRANS RESET BY SHIFTING TO PARK AND SOMETIMES SHUTTING OFF THE VEHICLE AND STARTING IT AGAIN.FORD DEALER GAVE US A 3000. ESTIMATE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND TOLD US WE WOULD CONTINUE TO REPLACE TRANS APROX EVERY 70,000 MILES THIS IS A CHUMP WAY TO BUILD CARS AND THEY HAVE MANAGED TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF REPAIRS THAN SALES I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD AGAIN SAFE OR NOT. FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECLAIM ALL THESE DANGEROUS VEHICLES AND REPLACE ALL MONEY SPENT ON REPAIRS AND PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLES DUE TO ENDANGERING AND THERE IS NO WAY THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10401099

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

125,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE STAYS ON AFTER TUNEUP ... DOES NOT LOSE SPEED ... RUNS ROUGH AFTER ACCELERATING AND DOESN'T NOT OVERHEAT ....WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10399436

Incident

Jul 13, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR GL (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED AND THE ENGINE ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE CALLED BUT NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10369110

Incident

Dec 3, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WENT TO GO TO THE STORE MAY 26TH, 2010 6:30 - 7:00 PM, I GOT IN MY VEHICLE WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I PROCEEDED TO GO DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WHICH ITS A LONG DRIVEWAY AND I STARTED TO SMELL A FAINT SMELL OF PLASTIC BURNING AND I GOT TO THE ROAD AND I STARTED TO GO AND I DECIDED I SHOULD MAYBE PULL OVER TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING ON THE OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE CAUSING SMELL THEN WHEN GOT BACK IN CAR SAW THE STEAM COMING FROM HOOD AND I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND HAVE MY BOYFRIEND TAKE A LOOK BEFORE I LEFT. WHEN GOT TO HOUSE SAW LITTLE STEAM BUT NOTHING BIG, TURNED OFF VAN AND GOT MY DAUGHTER FROM CAR SEAT AND WALKED INSIDE HOME NOT BUT 5 MINUTES LATER MY OTHER DAUGHTER RAN SCREAMING OUT HER ROOM, MOM THE VANS ON FIRE. WHEN OPENED THE DOOR THE FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF THE HOOD AND TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, WHILE OTHER HALF GOING FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT MOTOR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WITHIN 5 MINUTES GOT FIRE OUT WITH 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. NOTHING INDICATED BEFORE FIRE OTHER THEN THE FAINT SMELL THAT I SMELLED WHILE GOING DOWN DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE CAME FROM THE WIRING AND IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSE IF ME AND MY DAUGHTER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO US WHILE ON THE ROAD IT COULD OF SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED US. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE VAN YET CAUSE I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THE VAN AND THE FIRE WASN'T COVERED. I ALSO DO NOT FINANCIALLY HAVE THE MEANS TO FIX THE VAN MYSELF SO I AM WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION RIGHT NOW! MY BOYFRIEND DID FEEL AFTER LOOKING AT VAN THE FIRE STARTED WITH THE WIRING OVER THE TOP OF THE CENTER OF THE MOTOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10334773

Incident

May 26, 2010

Mileage

152,515 mi

MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING AND BURNED UP WITHIN 10 MINUTES. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FIRE DANGER RECALL UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT IT ON THE NEW A FEW DAYS AFTER THE EVENT. THE ONLY ACCESSORY THAT WAS ON WAS THE AIRCONDITIONING WHICH WAS WORKING PROPERLY. I NOTICED A SMELL FOLLOWED BY SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE AND THE SMOKE INTENSIFIED FOLLOWED BY FLAMES. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED (5 MINUTES) FLAMES WERE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THICK BLACK SMOKE HAD FILLED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE HAD COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE ENGINE AND HAD BEGUN TO BURN INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DASHBOARD HAS MELTED ALONG WITH PARTS OF THE ROOF AS FAR BACK AS THE MIDDLE SEATS. UP TO THE EVENT THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING NORMALLY WITH NO PROBLEMS. I HAD NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY FORD ABOUT THE RECALL AND ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT ON THE NEWS A FEW DAYS AFTER THE EVENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE CAR WAS CONSIDERED "TOTALED" BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10288975

Incident

Oct 1, 2009

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE SMOKE CEASED; HOWEVER, THE HOOD CAUGHT FIRE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AGAIN. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10228302

Incident

Dec 2, 2007

Mileage

135,000 mi

ROUGH IDLING, "HICCUPPING" WHILE DRIVING, NO HEAT--WENT IN FOR A TUNE UP AND THERMOSTAT AND WAS TOLD ITS THE HEAD GASKET.*CN

NHTSA ID

10213764

Incident

Jan 4, 2008

Mileage

58,101 mi

I OWN A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR WITH A 3.8L V-6 ENGINE. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 72,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP WITH A BLOWN HEAD GASKET THAT WILL REQUIRE A NEW LONG-BLOCK MOTOR AND POSSIBLY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BECAUSE ANTIFREEZE/OIL WAS PASSING THROUGH IT DUE TO THE GASKET FAILURE. I'M CURRENTLY LOOKING AT A $5,800 BILL TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. MY QUERY TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY RESULTED IN A RESPONSE THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME...THAT THERE ARE "NO WARRANTIES, RECALLS OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAMS" ON MY VEHICLE. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THERE ARE A TON OF COMPLAINTS OF BLOWN HEAD GASKETS IN THE 1996 FORD WINDSTAR, BUT FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FORD WAS HIT WITH CLASS ACTION SUITS REGARDING THE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND EVENTUALLY AGREED TO EXTEND THE 1995 WINDSTAR WARRANTY PERIOD. HEAD GASKETS SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 72,000 MILES. MY VEHICLE HAD ALL OF THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED WHEN THEY WERE DUE. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF A NEGLECTED VEHICLE FROM A MAINTENANCE PERSPECTIVE. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE SERVICE REP HAS TOLD ME THAT IF THEY CAN'T GET A RE-BUILT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, IT WILL PROBABLY BE NEXT WEEK BEFORE THE REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED. NEXT WEEK IS CHRISTMAS. THIS WAS MY FIRST FORD PRODUCT THAT I PURCHASED. IT WILL BE THE LAST. ANY COMPANY THAT HAS THIS MUCH DISLOYALTY TO ITS CUSTOMERS CAN NOT EXPECT ANY LOYALTY IN RETURN. THEIR ACTIONS SPEAK VOLUMES TO THE LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL IN THEIR PRODUCT, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, QUITE FRANKLY, ANY SENSE OF COMMON DECENCY. A PROPER HEAD GASKET WOULD HAVE COST THEM PROBABLY UNDER $10.00 WHEN THE ENGINE WAS BUILT. IT IS NOW COSTING ME $5,800 TO FIX THEIR INAPTITUDE AND INCOMPETENCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212195

Incident

Dec 14, 2007

FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS I NOTICED LOSS OF COMPRESSION DURING ACCELERATION AND OCCASIONAL KNOCKING SOUND FROM BACK OF ENGINE. WITHOUT TEARING ENGINE APART IT SEEMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND ALLOWED FLUIDS INTO THE ENGINE. CONFIRMED ROD BEARING FAILED AT 94,000 MILES. CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE NOW. *AK

NHTSA ID

10196701

Incident

Jul 14, 2007

Mileage

94,000 mi

I HAVE A 3.8 ENGINE THAT HAS HAD TO HAVE HEADS REPAIRED/REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME THE ENGINE NOW REQUIRES REPLACING, IT HAS BEEN AT GARAGE FOR 2 YEARS. DUE TO COST INVOLVED IT IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE RO REPAIR. IT HAS OVERHEATED IN ALL CASES AND THE SECOND TIME IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A FAULTY FORD WATER PUMP MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSE. I HAVE NOTIFIED FORD AND DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT RESPONSE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176984

Incident

Aug 27, 2004

Mileage

120,000 mi

HEAD GASKET FOR 3.8L V6 FORD ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE. FORD RECOGNIZES THIS FOR PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS (1994-1995), BUT DOES NOT FOR MY MODEL. FORD HAS TSB FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR THEIR DEALERS AND SERVICE CENTERS, AS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 1996 - AND 3.8L ENGINES OF THAT TIME ACROSS THEIR PRODUCT LINE ACCORDING TO CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, THIS IS A PART THAT SHOULD NEVER NEED CHANGING. FURTHERMORE, ACCORDING TO A FORD DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, FORD AT 7 YEARS AND 78K MILES DO NOT WANT TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. THE DEALER I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT THIS CAR WAS PAST ANY DEFECT RECALL AND WAS PAST TIME TO TAKE ACTION WITH FORD. (THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THEIR CLIMATE CONTROLS ON THIS MINIVAN AS WELL, AS THEY CEASED TO FUNCTION - AND THAT IS ANOTHER ITEM THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL UNLESS DEFECTIVE.) IN ANY CASE, THE HEAD GASKET IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR/REPLACE, AND SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED DURING THE LIFETIME OF A VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169403

Incident

Sep 27, 2006

Mileage

83,200 mi

FORD WINDSTAR 1996. I HAVE SEEN THAT MANY OF THESE MODELS AND PREVIOUS YEARS AS WELL HAVE HAD SEVERE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. HEAD GASKET REGULARLY FAILS AT AROUND 80,000 MILES. NASA SAYS A HEAD GASKET SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 120,000. FORD DOES NOT CARE. FORD DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I AM BASICALLY SCREWED BECAUSE NOW I DON'T HAVE A CAR. I STILL OWE ON IT BUT IT DOESN'T RUN. $2,000+ TO FIX IT AND IT WILL PROBABLY FAIL AGAIN. THE HEAD GASKET GOING OUT CAUSED THE UPPER 02 SENSOR TO GO BAD. IT ALSO SPRAYED THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER CAUSING IT TO FAIL THUS ALERTING ME TO A PROBLEM, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE. AT NO TIME WHILE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE HAS IT EVER OVERHEATED EVEN SLIGHTLY. HEAT WAS NOT THE CAUSE, IT WAS FAULTY FROM THE BEGINNING. CAR AUTO SAFETY HAS REPORTED 429 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WINDSTAR! *JB

NHTSA ID

10162354

Incident

Jun 6, 2006

Mileage

80,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE DIED AT 21,000 MILES. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED AT 21000 MILES. THERE WERE NO FAILURES THAT LEAD TO THIS INCIDENT. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

10161101

Incident

Jun 15, 2006

Mileage

21,989 mi

I HAVE A 96 FORD WINDSTAR WITH A 3.8 LITER ENGINE AND ONLY 80,000 MILES. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS FOR INSTALLING FAULTY HEAD GASKETS ON THESE 3.8 LITER ENGINES. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE ENGINES HEAD GASKETS FOR EARLIER MODELS AS WELL AS MINE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151040

Incident

Feb 19, 2006

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING US GREAT PROBLEMS, IE: LOSS OF CAR TO DRIVE, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. THE 1995 WINDSTAR'S HAD A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWED FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS ISSUE. WE BOUGHT OUR 1996 WINDSTAR ON FEBRUARY 16, 1996 AND WE ARE NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE OR RESOLUTION RE: THIS FAILURE AND DEFECT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10146950

Incident

Jan 3, 2006

Mileage

67,000 mi

VEHICLE HAD CONSTANT ENGINE PROBLEMS ALONG WITH OTHER PROBLEMS THAT SURFACED AND ENDED ITS LIFE CYCLE. *LA THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED COOLANT LEAKS, HARD STARTING, ELECTRICAL NOISES, RADIO NOISES, VIBRATION UPON ACCELERATION ALONG WITH THUMPING NOISES, ERRATIC DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATION, INTERMITTENT DOOR AJAR LIGHT, BEARING NOISE AND THE ENGINE BLEW OUT PREMATURELY. *SC *JB FROM A NORMAL SITTING POSITION THE CONSUMER COULD NOT SEE THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. IT WASN'T UNTIL HE DROPPED SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR AND LOOKED UP THAT HE SAW THE LIGHT ON. *NM

NHTSA ID

10074121

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

FORD WINSTAR HEAD GASKET PREMATURE FAILURE

NHTSA ID

10122443

Incident

Jan 2, 2004

1996 FORD WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE.*MR CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A MAJOR FAILURE WITH THIS ENGINE. THE CONSUMER'S FORD WINDSTAR IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALER AWAITING SOME SORT OF ANSWER FROM ANY GOVERING BODY. *BF

NHTSA ID

10122650

Incident

May 1, 2005

I BROUGHT MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND WAS TOLD TIE RODS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. , THEN, NEXT DAY, THEY PHONED AND ADVISED ME THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THE PAN WAS FULL OF SHAVINGS, ALSO, POWER STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING, AND INTAKE GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT. , A TOTAL OF $5000 TO FIX THIS VEHICLE. I BOUGHT IT AT 118,000 MILES, AND THIS HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER OWNING IT FOR ONE YEAR. CURRENTLY, IT HAS 134,000 MILES, AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN. I PARKED VEHICLE THEN STARTED IT AFTER BEING PARKED FOR A WEEK. HEARD A NOISE FROM FRONT, AND THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. I DO BELIEVE THAT PAUL CORNIES, THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED VEHICLE KNEW THAT THEY WERE SELLING ME A LEMON. IT HAS CAUSED ME A LOT OF HARDSHIP AS I NO LONGER WORK DUE TO HEALTH REASONS. I FILED FOR DISABILITY INSURANCE, AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD A PREEXISTING DISEASE , AND REFUSED TO PAY THE INSURANCE. CURRENTLY, I HAVE A JUNKER IN MY DRIVEWAY THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX , AND A BILL FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS, SINCE I STILL OWE FOR IT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10118128

Incident

Apr 5, 2004

Mileage

134,000 mi

DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF LEAKING HEAD GASKET. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117092

Incident

Feb 18, 2005

Mileage

132,000 mi

1996 FORD WINDSTAR HEAD GASKET FAILURE LEADING TO COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INDICATION. AFTER THE VAN SAT FOR ONE WEEK WE STARTED IT AND THE HEADGASKET BLEW ALLOWING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

10112709

Incident

Jan 17, 2005

Mileage

83,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR AND FIVE DAYS LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD A BAD ENGINE (BLOWN HEAD GASKET). IT LEFT MYSELF AND 6 CHILDREN STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10110124

Incident

May 25, 2004

Mileage

96,200 mi