A year ago, temperature gauge in car started to show that car engine was getting hot.had car looked at, and no problem could be found. Was cautious still, and kept my eye on gauge to make sure car never overheated. On way to work one day, the temperature gauge showd engine was overheating.pulled over to find coolant leaking. Had a friend look at it and found the coolant reservoir to be cracked, and coolant on a hose, so had those 2 items replaced. Car ran okay for awhile til I noticed a bit of white smoke coming out of exhaust pipe.(later told I was burning coolant-hence the white smoke). Had mechanic replace thermostat, radiator cap.etc. And again-had no problems for awhile until car one night car would not start. Had friend try it and car started for him. Proceeded home only to see a lot of white smoke coming out the back and again, car started to overheat. Pulled over, and found-again, coolant leaking. Had it towed to my mechanics home. He looked at car and deduced that I would need a valve job if he didnt find the head to be cracked. Had valve job done, new head gasket installed along with a new oxygen sensor-coolant burning out of tail pipe fried the sensor. Didnt have car for 3 wks, and had to pay $1700. For these repairs. & its not due to leaks of hoses. So am told that I may be burning the coolant which may cause some serious damage to the engine.(no external obvious leaks detected) found that there was a recall that affected my year, make & model of car, but this warranty has since expired.(was a 7yr/100,000 mi waranty) it expired in 2002 even though the problem occured 26,000 under the extended warranty Ford gave.supposedly, a letter was to be sent to those with my engine type(3.8L V-6) in may of '02. I never received such letter. A local dealer has informed me that there is nothing they can(or will) do to help atthis point due to the warranty expiration. Also, to poor salt in the proverbial wound, I work for Ford Motor Co., the manufacturer of the car...

- Oxnard, CA, USA

Whle driving vehicle started overheating, head gasket was blown, which caused radiator to crack.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

Vehicle is leaking coolant. Consumer has to add fluid about once every 20 miles. Contacted dealer, and the dealer cannot find the cause.

- Union City, GA, USA

My car was overheating and the check engine light came on. I took my car to the dealership and had to pay $49.95 plus tax and labor for a compression test. Upon completion of the test, I was told the radiator just needed flushing. I was still having problems with the car overheating. When I took it back to the dealership, I was told the coolant needed to be topped off. This should not have been needed if flushing was all that was needed the first time and if it was filled when the flushing was finished. Even after topping off the coolant it was still running hot, but suddeny the check engine light was no longer coming on. The problems started somewhere along 85,000 miles to 95,000 miles. I am not really sure of the mileage because suddenly can not find my service reports and the mechanics comments that go along with it. At 101,000 miles I was still having problems with the car overheating. Still, no check engine light comes on, though the temperature guage goes all the way to hot. Suddenly my car needs $1700 worth of work. The main cause of damaged is a leaky head gasket. Through doing research I have found that there was a recall of the head gasket. Problem is, the recall is no longer good after 100,000 miles. I find it a little too coincidental that I have had these problems for quite some time, but nothing major was wrong with the car until after the recall warranty was expired.

- Bordentown, NJ, USA

While pulling into gas station going 5 mph driver's airbag deployed. On August 7, 2001 while driving 50-55 mph passenger's airbag deployed, causing windshield to shatter. Vehicle taken to dealer, there was a leak in radiator core, fluid dripped on computer chip for airbag, corroded chip and shorted out. Damage to vehicle was $1500 to $ $2000. No injuries.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

Temperature gauge read hot, replaced upper lower radiator hose, thermostat, temperature sending unit, new water pump, and antifreeze, new serpentine belt, still overheats, steam pouring out of exhaust, apparently bad head gaskets!!! is there or will there be a recall or recourse I can take with Ford ? my car has received top of the line care since it rolled off the lot!

- Tampa, FL, USA

Engine is overheating during normal operation of vehicle, past 220 degree mark and rising. This is affecting operation of vehicle because vehicle stalls. A private mechanic examined vehicle and determined that aluminum heads may be the cause of overheating. Thermostat has been changed twice, and there were no leaks in engine.

- Pittsburgh, KS, USA

Head gaskets failed. I would start my car in the morning and notice the temperature gauge go up rapidly. The temperature gauge never went past normal and into the red, but it was much warmer than usual. During this time, no heat would blow. Then the temp would drop and warm air would blow. We changed the thermostat, temperature sensor, and had the radiator flushed(which did solve the problem for nearly a month). Nothing left but the head gaskets and maybe even a cracked head.

- Lancaster, OH, USA

Car would run hot. Took vehicle to mechanic, and they replaced thermostat and water pump.

- Porterville, CA, USA

Engine head gasket failed at 117,000 miles, causing damage to engine and a hole in radiator.

- Ft Washington, MD, USA

Engine light stay on, return car for repair, next day engine overheated; made a whining noise and smoke came out from engine. Return car for repair, advised needs new thermostat. Next day the car would not start, battery was dead. Towed car to Ford dealership, advised by service, may have a head gasket defect. Service checks and confirmed head gasket blown.

- Canoga Park, CA, USA

Radiator over heated and cracked, which caused my head gasket to blow and also cracked the head.

- San Mateo, CA, USA

The temperature gauge began to fluctuate between normal and hot. One second, you look at the gauge, it is normal, one second later it is hot. When you start the car cold, the antifreeze does not circulate, it goes into the reservoir bottle, and then comes out onto the ground. I have changed the water pump, the radiator cap, and the thermostat three times.it does have a driverside airbag, but it has never deployed.( dot number: Tire size: P3515 )

- Taylor, MI, USA

After replacing the themostat, waterpump, coolant, and flushing the cooling system, due to overheating, I brought my car to the dealer. They replaced my thermostat again, and flushed the coolant system again, and charged me $120. The car still overheated. I returned to the dealer and was informed it ws a head gasket. Repairs cost an additional $1150. Ford has admitted a defect on this engine yet will not extend the warranty to Mustangs. The dealer wouldn't even discount the final bill for his misdiagnosis the first time.

- Windsor, CT, USA

Service required included replacement of defective thermostat, engine cover, both head gaskets and complete remachining of engine

- San Bruno, CA, USA

Radiators are bad all over. No parts avail in S.E. usa. Plastic reservoir is cracking! help! nhsta!!

- Atlanta, GA, USA

9/17/99 had to have vehical towed off hwy. Because of fear of burning up engine. Water pump was replaced and radiator was sealed at a ost of $272.19. For the next 3/4 of a month I ran the vehicle without a thermostat on hot because we couldn't imagine the moter having problems with this few mileage on it. However, on 10/17/99 it again became very hot and I had to have it towed. I had the VIN # searched and it did not register as a problem engine, go figure! I had several friends send me articles as to the fact that Ford knew there was somthing wrong with these 6cylinder engine gaskets needing replaced, however the Mustangs were not cited as problem head gaskets. The way I understood it was mostly the aerostars, Contour, etc. Isn't that conveinant? so I kept the head gasket to show you the problem, and I'll bet it will look just like the failed head gaskets on these othe recalled vehicals, ie.aerostars, Sable, etc. As I have not the extra means to afford this kind of cost, I would appreciate being reimbursed $929.99 spent on reparing my Ford Mustang. I have bought many Ford and had way more miles on them and never had to replace a head gasket. I'll be anxious to hear from you. Thanks, candace

- Morton, IL, USA

Heater blowing cool air. Mechanic replaced radiator cap. Car overheated--replaced thermostat. Car still overheating--replaced radiator. Still overheating--replaced thermostat again. Still overheating--dealer says it is a cracked head gasket! all of this happened over a period of about ten days. This appears to be an epidemic among Ford 3.8L engines. Any help you can provide would be very much appreciated.

- Cambridge, OH, USA

While traveling on highway, the engine overheated and heat not working. No engine light came on. Was able to make it back home when the car stopped running. Took it to local mechanic who replaced thermostat, changed coolant and oil. Next day car still overheated and no heat. Took it to Ford dealership, who did same as mechanic with same result. They checked the water pump, noticed white substance in radiator. They recommended and replaced radiator. I was told head gasket is ok at this time. They released the car to me. I drove the car for a week, and temperature gauge fluctuated and heat very sporadic. Took it back to dealership, and they state I need new head gaskets. They will not refund money for radiator replacement. I contacted Ford motor, and they stated they will not refund money for radiator or pay for head gaskets.

- Eliot, ME, USA

The car overheated and had no heat inside on a drive home from our parents. When the vehicle was taken in, the first time, the dealership said it was a faulty thermostat. It was replaced, and on the way home, with no heat inside again, the car overheated. The second time it was taken in they said nothing was wrong. So I drove home once more in the cold car thinking it was ok, however there was no heat and the car once again overheated. On the cars third visit I was informed the head gaskets blew. No problem, only a week has passed without my car it's only $1200 to fix... also I found out that the Taurus and Windstar were recalled for faulty head gaskets. Hey, don't those cars have the same engine" made in the same two plants" sounds funny to me..... any help in this matter is appreciated.

- Columbus, OH, USA