Received an extended warranty notice on head gasket. When van began overheating and using coolant I took it in to have the head gasket checked. It was found to be bad and replaced under warranty. However, mechanic also inspected timing cover gasket and found it was also leaking but not covered under warranty. I was unable to afford the repairs for the timing cover gasket and mechanic advised it would be ok to drive if I watch coolant level until I can get this fixed. Ford customer service representative stated that the I would have to pay for this repair as it was not covered by the extended warranty. Transmission problems became apparent when the vehicle started shifting roughly and then could not be put in reverse. Transmission required rebuilding.

- Little Rock, AR, USA

Timing cover gasket is a $30 part that cannot be reached unlees the motor is taken out for an additional $750. In labor. This is outrageous because of the way Ford built the Windstar. They advertise Ford built tough and built to last. This is the second failure of a gasket on this car. It doesn't seem that it is built to last. Ford should be made accountable and should cover this repair.

- Holmdel, NJ, USA

Went ten miles, stoped for 30 minutes. Restarted and the head gaskets blew.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

Anti- freeze is leaking from the front of the engine at the head gasket. This is the third occurrence of this problem. The two prior gasket failures were repaired at the dealorship where I purchased the vehicle, at no charge. I was informed by the Ford customer assistance center that the warranty for the head gasket had been extended to 100,000 miles. However my vehicle has 118,000 and is no longer covered.

- Detroit, MI, USA

Head gaskets blew, leaking timing belt gasket, blown speed sensor, transmission problems

- Natick, MA, USA

Transmission has never worked properly. Hard shifts between gears, and reverse gear fails intermittently. Have had to Ford many times in last 5 years (when under warranty) and they refused to look at or fix saying "that's the way it's supposed to be" (don't think that's true since there are days I can't back my van up). Ford has never owned up to this problem. The 1995 Windstar is a lemon with multiple problems and should be taken off the road. Other problems are a leaky engine head gasket and spongy/faulty ABS brakes.

- Columbia, PA, USA

The ABS brakes were inspected three times by the dealer under warranty and the problem was not solved, and the brakes continue to act erratically. Engine head gasket was replaced by Ford under its warranty in 1998 but it continued to leak small amounts. The timing chain gasket is now leaking. The transmission was replaced at our expense in February 1999 (we've reported it here earlier) all these problems are well known by Ford, but except for the head gaskets, it has stonewalled us and other customers about the repairs. The transmission and the ABS are definite safety hazards, and the engine damage that can result from the gasket failures can leave people stranded without notice.

- Wauwatosa, WI, USA

I bought this vehicle used in July 1997 with 32,000 miles. Since that time, I have had the brakes repaired three times and they still squeak. The airbag module had to be replaced four months after purchase, luckily under federal warranty. Then in June 1999, I had to replace the fuel tank because the straps caused it to crack. Ford would not do anything to help because there was no recall. In January there was a recall for the exact same problem, but only in certain counties in certain states, not NJ, Ford would not bend, despite my letters and phone calls. In late March 2000, my airbag light came on again as did my ABS light. My brakes needed to be fixed again. Since my airbag was fixed over 12 months ago, it was not covered. My engine check light came on April 11 and stayed on for two days, then turned off. We were planning a trip to wash, DC, so I brought it to fullerton Ford for service on 4/25. They informed me that it needs head gaskets (which it was recalled for) and $1,400 worth of other work, not affiliated with the airbag light, or the engine check light. The engine check light was for a camshaft positioning sensor that is a $50 part, with $150 worth of labor, also want me to have a timing cover gasket replaced at $815, a temp gauge at $82, an engine flush for $99.95, a water pump at $140 parts only, $40 for drive belt, and misc. Labor at $111. My complaint is this. I dropped the car off on 4/24 for a 4/25 appt., they hadn't looked at it at 4:00 on 4/25 and wanted me to pick it up and bring it back the next day. When I protested, they looked at it and said it would need head gaskets. They said the Ford rep would be out the next day and that he would also consider my gas tank complaints. On Thursday, 4/27, they said the work would be done "hopefully" by 5/5. today, 5/2, one week after dropping off the van, they are telling me I won't have it back until 5/12 or 5/19 at the earliest!!!! because they are too backlogged with vehicles."?"

- Bridgewater, NJ, USA

Recall 99S33 says "Windstar may be exposed to very high ambient temperatures in my area and they have determined that the rmined that the fuel tank in my vehicle may crack as a result of temperatures. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could potentially cause a fire. Dealer will installed a revised fuel tank strap and a specifically designed fuel tank brace designed to eliminate the potential for fuel tank stress cracks on the Windstar. In the care where the fuel tank is already leaking from a stress crack, a replacement tank will be installed at no charge. My question is - if the cracks are caused from very high temperatures, how can a fuel tank strap and a fuel tank brace eliminate potential fuel tank stress cracks on this vehicle. Seems this procedure may stabilize the fuel tank but has nothing to do with stress cracks caused by high temperatures. My automobile is in shop as I previously wrote today for blown head gaskets, and Ford and dealership are refusing to honor their extended warranty. I do not wish to jeopardize myself or my passengers under the false pretenses that a strap is going to make a difference to a defective fuel tank that is susceptible to cracks under excessive temperatures which are the conditions that normal in the gulf coast area. Please let me know how this strap and brace will prevent future leakage from temperatures and potential fire.

- Magnolia, TX, USA

The consumer has had two head gaskets failures, the second failure caused damage to the engine.

- South Elgi, IL, USA

Head gasket failed causing coolant loss. Nlm

- Mount Hore, WI, USA

We have replaced the transmission four times. We now have a head gasket problem with my 3.8 liter Ford Windstar engine. The reason I could not provide the VIN # is because my car is in the shop at this moment being repaired. The approximate cost for the repairs is approximately $2,500.

- Phenix City, AL, USA

Engine head gasket blew out, and water was getting inside the engine.

- Madnolias, TX, USA

After further investigation of this problem I have learned that this blown head gasket on Windstar 1995 was an owner notification. Well, I never received this notification and had I would have taken my vehicle to the shop to go over. I undertand that Ford has changed its limitation from 60,000 to 100,000. I do not understand that if they are having so many problems with the head gaskets so now I am reading all the horrible stories and how people were treated. It concerns me that they have ommited that there is a problem and why should owner be penalized and expected to take the loss because of a faulty problem with the Ford head gasket. I have 1979 Ford Bronco which has over 200,000 or even alot more and we have never done anything to this vechicle accept replace the clutch and we bought it brand new. I feel that the Ford Motor Company has a responsiblilty to the owners of the Windstar to stand up and take the responsbility, again why should I be penalized and expected to pay for something they new would possibly happen sooner or later. I am not sure why I got mileage out of my vehicle before this happen. Maybe because I took very good care of my vehicle and serviced it regularly. I put on a lot of miles a year. I am a sales person who is on the road 6 days out of the week on business. And again I did not receive owner notification. I would like for this information to be recorded and reported to whom ever it takes to stand up and take notice of the responsibility that the Ford Motor Company should stand behind their products or not be in the business to manufacture something that they will not accept responsibility on when a problem occurs.

- Swoope, VA, USA

Recall #98-MO1 on a 1995 Ford winstar - contacted for motor company because I have 122,000 miles on my vehicle that will not pay to have my head gasket fixed. If I had received a recall I could have had my vehicle checked prior to the 100,000 miles. My question is if this a recall why do they have a right to put mileage limitation on this. If the head gasket is a problem on the winstar (95) then they need to be repaired at the Ford companies expense. Just because maybe I maintained my vehicle better and it took longer for this to happen I do not know! why should I be punished for their faulty head gasket. I feel that it should have been their responsiblity to notify all owners of 1995 Windstar that this needed to be replaced. It is not like I bought this used, I purchased directly from the dealership so they should have all my information, plus I have it financed with the Ford Motor Company. I need help to see that this is corrected.

- Swoope, VA, USA

The head gasket failed while driving to the airport. Average speed 35 mph. The transmission slips while taking off. From a stop.

- North Las Vegas, NV, USA

I kept burning out brakes every 6 months until the whole brake line blew up caused from heat. Mechanic said brake line melted due to placement next to heat from catalytic converter. A very serious manufacturers default. Potential fire and fatality safety issue! line needs heat resister shield next to converter. Head gasket blew but dealer claims recall only goes to 100K miles and won't cover blown engine. Just paid van off now the engine is gone! expected more than 5 years out of it. The van should be recalled!

- Loomis, CA, USA

Engine failure due to head gasket defect. Vehicle was towed to dealer. Dealer informed us that the recall had expired. We told them that we weren't the original owners therefore did not receive the notice; they told us 'tough'. we attempted to escalate the problem and three days later a 'supervisor' left us a msg. On our answering machine telling us Ford will do nothing! they had our main source of transportation for almost 30 days while we struggled to save enough money to pay for the repairs (~$1200). Computer failure incident: We took the vehicle in for the replacement of a 'dpf sensor' that was discovered after the head gasket repair and before we picked up the van. Now we were told the main computer was gone and the code wasn't coming up saying the dpf sensor needed replacing. $530 later, we take the van home and the check engine light comes on (dpf sensor problems??); the van has leaked fluid all over our parking pad; the vehicle is stuttering when pressing the gas pedal after a stop; a transmission wire that controls the vehicles ability to go into park, reverse, neutral, etc. Has come loose and we are afraid to take it back to Ford. Ford is going to refund us our $1200 for the gasket work, but what about the trauma they put their customers through" what about the loss of work time encountered due to the vehicle having to be at the dealer for a month" they owe us more than just a refund! if they had fixed their admitted error in the first place, we wouldn't have had to suffer without our vehicle for so long. I'm not going to be satisfied with just the refunding of the cost of the work (which I was informed yesterday that it may take 6-10 weeks instead of the normal 4 weeks due to the high volume of refunds they have for this problem) we have been beyond inconvenienced. Something has to be done in the favor of the many, many, many folks that have suffered at the hands of Ford. Hopefully, NHTSA can get the ball rolling.

- Canton, GA, USA

This minivan was my worst nightmare. After having the head gaskets checked and transmission serviced at 58702 miles my gaskets went @ 66940, transmission @68420, engine replaced at 71843 miles. All this happened at our busiest time of year. My daughter is a softball pitcher and the tranny went on my way to a rural town tourny, the engine went over 100 miles from home on our way to state tourney which we sent our daughter with the coach. But we missed it. After having the enginge replaced with a used one pulling into my driveway my poer steering went and the car caught fire from the fluid spraying onto the engine. The original hose was used with the replacement engine. New hose was routed a different way so the hose wasn't so close to the exhaust pipe. I was lucky this happened in my driveway. All this happened within a few months and Ford or the dealership were not helpfull. I sold the van and will never buy another Ford.

- Oregon City, OR, USA

This is the second time this engine has started to smoke heavy. I paid once before to have a new head gasket and heads put in. Ford send out a letter for defected heads and gaskets before. I called up Ford after receiving this letter and was refunded my money for head job. 7 months later this same van, just quit running so I took it to a Ford dealership. They just said it was a loose clamp, and send me on my way. That same day the engine check light came on, the reason for this I don't know because everytime I told them about the light, they just tell me it's a sensor. I never could get this fixed since I bought the van. Now this van is smoking from the tailpipe again with the problem as before so I called Ford again and was told ther was nothing they could do for me since they already reimpursed me my money once before. All I want is to get problem fixed, considering Ford knows that this problem on this specific van exists.

- Portland, TX, USA