10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 6
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 1
- Average Mileage:
- 3,042 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Coolant leaked into bearings from previous blown engine head gasket.
- Powell, TN, USA
Engine head gasket failure.
- Powell, TN, USA
Head gasket failure. Never received notice of problem extending warranty to 60000K. Ford says out of warranty and will not assist. Dealer repaired at very high rate of failure and repairs about 1 a week. Said nothing he could do to assist.
- Fort Wayne, IN, USA
Engine head gaskets have blown out prematuraly. Dealer has been notified.
- Bountiful, UT, USA
Vehicle with a 3.8L engine experienced blown head gasket while traveling at highway speed of 55 mph. Dealer notified, and informed consumer that repairs would be done at consumer cost.
- Shepherdsville, KY, USA
Although I'm not the original owner, I have received recall notices and other literature from Ford regarding this vehicle. Yet I have never been notified of any problem with the head gaskets failing. However, I now have come to find that this is a known problem that Ford has acknowledged in recall 98-MO1. I have never received this, and now the dealership I've taken the car to says it's too late. The forementioned letter from Ford indicates the warranty on this problem expires after 5 years or 60K miles. Not whichever comes first! this car came into service 3/31/95 (according to york Ford) so the 5 yrs has not expired. Hopefully this complaint does not fall on deaf ears, I'm at my wits end in trying to deal with Ford on a problem that they acknowledge. Thanks for your time.
- Swampscott, MA, USA
Head gasket blown causing $3460 in repars> Ford refuses to acknowledge any fault.
- Wilmington, NC, USA
Took my van to the garage for new head gasgets. Only to find out it need a new engine. A friend told me he heard that Ford has known this is a problem with 1995 Windstar vans and that they extended the warranity to 60,000 miles. Called the fod garage to check this out and they told me it was true. They confirmed that this was a problem but I didn't fall under the warranity with 80,000 miles. When you buy a vehicle they say 80,000 isn't anything but when you have a problem they say "well, you have 80,000 miles." Being upset that this was going to cost me $3,600 and only being not 5 years old yet I did some phone calling. Ford motor wouldn't give me the time of day so I called the dealer where I bought it. They called their rep. And he would do nothing. The service manager of the dearlership told me they put in at least 6 new motors a month and it is a big problem. Usually the motor goes after 60,000. So Ford is trying to make themselves look good and extend the warranity but noone benifits from it. Also they never notified anyone that this was a problem. So if you had your own garage take care of the problem and were under the 60,000 miles you would have paid for it anyway. I also called other dearlerships and they too confirmed that the 1995 Ford winstar vans had a problem with the engine. Ford admits it but will not take responsibilty for it.
- Boiling Springs, PA, USA
Failed head gaskets.
- Floyds Knobs, IN, USA
3.8 liter engine; head gasket has blown at 80,000 miles due to defective material.
- Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Engine head gasket has cracked, causing safety hazard. Dealer and Ford have been notified.
- Foster City, CA, USA
There was an improvement campaign for the gaskets on the engine that applied up to 60,000 miles. Consumer was over 60,000 miles, and had this work done before finding out about the campaign. The dealer has been contacted.
- Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Head gasket blown. Coolant leaked into crank case resulted in bearings needed to be replaced.
- Powell, TN, USA
My understanding is that head gaskets should last the life of the engine, a failure at 72,000 miles is not acceptable. I believe Ford should cover this component since so many 3.8 liters have this problem.
- Leonardo, NJ, USA
The pressure relief valve broke. Had to relace the timing cover since this is wear the pressure felief valve is located. This was done 3000miles after the engine had to be replaced due to the head gaskets going. I was told that this valve should of been replaced at the time that the engine was to avoid having to tear it apart running up labor costs.
- Gilbert, AZ, USA
The oxygen senor was not working after I picked up my van from the dealership after they had just replaced my engine. This was done due to the head gaskets failing. I was told this was not related. But the oxygen sensor was working before the engine service was performed. I thought this was covered under the 80000 mile warranty on the emissions system. I was told it wasn't by the dealership.
- Gilbert, AZ, USA
Engine head gaskets failed.this caused the engine coolant to leak into the engine. This resulted in the engine overheating, which then caused the block to crack. Had to have a small block put on. Plus all the various other components that went along with replacing a block.
- Gilbert, AZ, USA
Engine blew a head gasket. Also, while consumer was driving he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood.
- Tewksvryburg, MA, USA
Engine head gasket have blown out, causing engine to overheat. Dealer and manufacturer have been notified.
- Willimington, NC, USA
- Walnut Hill, IL, USA