While traveling on highway, vehicle started slowing down. Consumer was able to pull over to shoulder and oil or antifreeze was leaking from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle has been in for repair three times for a failed gasket. The engine won't heat up properly due to the thermostat being stuck in the open position. New oxygen sensors had to be installed due to being contaminated from the coolant.

- Cinnnnamiason, NJ, USA

Vehicle would intermittently smoke. It would overheat and empty fluid from radiator. Guages never showed that vehicle was overheating. Also, driver could smell anti-freeze whenever vehicle would start to overheat. This was all due to faulty head gaskets.

- West Grove, PA, USA

Radiator fluid was bubbling over, coming out tailpipe and smoking. Head gaskets blew out, and engine has to be replaced because of damage. Ford released a warranty extension for head gaskets. There were no prior problem when letter was received. Vehicle was to be only brought in when problem occurred. Also, letter was based on mileage which vehicle had exceeded at the time of problem. Ford was not willing to do anything dealing with letter. Rounded off it will be near $4000 damage, to be repaired.

- Sylvan Lake, MI, USA

I just wanted to find out about a problem that I am having with my 1995 Ford Windstar. I had it in my local repair shop for have the oil changed when I told them that the temperature gauge had gone crazy that morning. We replaced the thermostat and the radiator cap thinking that might be the problem. The next morning it was doing the same thing so I contacted the repair shop and they got to looking and figured out that the head gasket had broken. I have my car in the shop getting this problem taken care of. I fill that this problem needs to be looked into because I have found out just today that there has been several of these vans headgaskets replaced for the same reason. I know that the Taurus & mustang had a recall on these gaskets and that they are the same engine that I have in my Windstar (just turned sideways). If you would please just let me know if there is anything that I can do that will keep someone else from getting stuck with a repair bill like I am about to.

- Calera, AL, USA

Head gasket went, repaired under warranty but Ford will not take responsibility for the radiator or timing cover gasket which are both directly involved in the damage done by the head gasket failure. The radiator is separating at the seams due to fuel getting into it from the blown head gasket and the timing gasket is also damaged by the introduction of fuel into the coolant system. They wanted us to pay $1,400 to fix even though it was the defective head gasket that caused the damage. How can I get them to repair the damage done?

- South Plainfield, NJ, USA

My van first lost its heater so we replaced the thermostat. When that didn't fix the problem, we replaced the water pump. We took the van to the local dealership after receiving the recall and was told there were too many miles on the van to fix it. We told them not to do any chargeable work to the van, they did anyway. They charged us $49 to look at 3 of the check engine codes. This van has had numerous problems since I bought it from chilton's auto sales in eden, nc. The lights stay on, the door ajar light staying on not to mention the annoying beeping that accompanies these lights. We finally took the fuse and some bulbs out to keep the lights from running down my battery. Head gaskets are supposed to last the life of a vehicle and since all the other parts of the van seem to be getting along good I don't think my van's life is over no matter how many miles it has on it. Thanks for any help

- Reidsville, NC, USA

Faulty thermostat caused the check engine light to illuminate. Nlm

- Tulsa, OK, USA

Radiator is leaking.

- South Elgi, IL, USA

I got my 95 Windstar from my dad 3 months ago. He had been the sole/original owner. The heat gauge started going way up and then back to normal on Jan 20, 2000. It would go up and down sometimes 8 times in a 30 minute ride! I checked the easiest, and least expensive things first - engine coolant, radiator, and thermostat. But it kept doing it. Finally, on Jan 27, 2000 it overheated and stayed hot. I called the local Ford dealer (helgesen's of evansville, wi) and they got it in on the following mon. The 31st. They said it was the head gasket and mentioned the recall on it. I talked to my dad, who bought the van new and is very meticulous about saving papers, and maintaining his automobiles. He said that he never got a recall letter on it and certainly would have had it checked out if he had. In fact, when I got the van from him, he gave me his whole file of info on it, which consisted of the original sales & order papers, and oil change receipts, but no repairs or recall info of any kind. I will be calling Ford tomorrow as I just found a web site with the recall # and phone # on it tonite. Obviously, I am not the only one with this problem! thank you for your "ear"... sue herman

- Evansville, WI, USA

Experienced problems with temperture gauge going up & down., and blower emittiing cool air instead of heat. Vehicle operated very sluggishly. Radiator leaked as well. Vehicle is being serviced by a Ford dealership. Dealer informed consumer that the engine head gasket had blown out, and there was a service program for the some make and models. Since vehicle had exceeded mileage requirment, consumer would have to pay for repairs.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

Head gasket failure diagnosed after coolant loss, two thermostats replaced in 9 months, engine miss at idle, check engine light on, and inability to remove number 4 spark plug. Estimate cost to repair $2126.60. Not covered by the extended Ford warranty to 60,000 miles.

- Gahanna, OH, USA

I gradually lost my heat. I had taken my minivan to have a thermostat replaced the week before because that's what I thought the problem was. I had already sunk $75 into it before I took it into the Ford dealership becasue the problem was still happening. It continued to overheat after the thermostat was installed. I paid approximately $1000 right before christmas to have my head gasket replaced. I was really in a bind for christmas this year having to pay for my van. I alos was without transportation for a week. I have three children to Transport to and from school and all their sports events. I was inconvienced for an entire week. Ford offered me a "rental", but I would still have to pay. I declined. I have written to Ford customer service and gotten a response. They are not willing to help me in the least bit financially.

- Willard, NY, USA

While driving on the highway engine check light kept coming on. Vehicle began to overheat and water came out of tailpipe. Also leaking radiator fluid on the engine block and heater, creating toxic gases inside the vehicle. Contacted the dealer not under extended warranty.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

Engine overheating due to faulty thermostat. Mjs

- Swansea, IL, USA

Coolant system problems since vehicle was purchased - sensors, radiator, head gasket. I thought I received a recall concerning head gasket in 1998 from Ford - when I went to the dealer I was told to come back when the head gasket failed. The dealer kept the letter that I received from Ford despite two attempts of having it returned. A year or so later the head gasket failed, and I was told by Ford that the head gasket was not covered by a recall, but was under a warranty extension. (I was not told this by the dealer in 1998) now the vehicle is past the alleged warranty extension, and Ford will not address my problem further. Apparently the radiator is poorly designed. It's cheaper for me to have it replaced under a third party warrenty than have it flushed only to clog again. I purchased the vehicle in October 1996 and have replaced the front tires in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

- Tarentum, PA, USA

Ford will not recognize there is an engine problem with the first year model of this vehicle. The Ford dealer said it would cost $1500 to have spark plug wires, oxygen sensor, thermostat, and head gaskets replaced.

- Tewksbury, MA, USA

Engine overheated. At 82,904 miles, dealer replaced thermostat and head gasket on 8/7/99. On 10/29/99 with 86,411 miles in rush hour traffic, the engine just stalled on US75 N. dealer now states that engine is blown and needs to be replaced.

- Marietta, GA, USA

Fan control module and radiator fan motor burned out. Rebuilt engine and hugo sensors. Frequent stalling. Rear wiper motor, water pump, starter and fuel pump replaced.

- Grand Forks, ND, USA

Since 1997 we have replaced 4 heater cores, 2 radiators, head gaskets twice, we are facing repairs again only a few weeks after replacing the 3rd heater core. Damage unknown at this time. We wish to sell this minivan, but feel it would be unfair to burden an unsuspecting consumer with this poorly designed vehicle.

- Columbia City, OR, USA

On 12/21/98 (50,795 miles), our Windstar had been bucking and began overheating. We had the transmission serviced, the thermostat replaced, and the coolant flushed. On 12/27/98 we began to emit white smoke from the exhaust. The following day it was towed to Ford which replaced a blown head gasket under recall. However, we had to replace with a re-built transmission at a cost of $1,993 since we were over 50,000 miles. A transmission leak repaired on 5/17-18/99 (56,866 miles) under warranty. On 8/7/99 we had our gas tank replaced at a cost of $445 due to what the technician called a stress fracture - an inherent defect.

- Chandler, AZ, USA