NHTSA ID Number: 743101
Incident Date: 2001-03-16
Manufacturer's Name: Ford
Motor Company
Vehicle/Equipment Make: FORD
Vehicle/Equipment Model: WINDSTAR
Model Year: 1996
9999 If Unknown Or N/A
Vehicle Identification Number: 2FMDA5149TB
Vehicle Mileage At Failure:
Vehicle Speed:
Number Of Occurrences: 1
Was Vehicle Towed: No
Consumer Location: LOUDONVILLE, NY
Summary of Complaint
ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON FOR A COUPLE DAYS, BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER. THEY STATED THAT ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO HEAD GASKET & THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT I MAY NEED A NEW ENGIENE. I DID NOT LEAVE VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THAT TIME BECAUSE I STATED THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO MY MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO HAVE HIM DO WORK ON VEHICLE. I CONTACTED MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT THE 3.8 LITRE ENGIENE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET. ON 3/19/ 01 DEALER CONTACTED ME WANTING TO KNOW IF I WOULD BE GETTING HEAD GASKET FIXED. I STATED THAT AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT CERTAIN 1995 3.8 LITRE ENGIENES WERE RECALLED AND THAT A CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS BROUGHT AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON 12/9/99 BECAUSE OF FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY & LOGGED COMPLAINT, BUT THEY STATED THAT THEIR WERE NO RECALLS ON 1996 FORD WINDSTARS SO THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. ONCE I COMPLAINED TO DEALER THAT THEIR WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGIENE THEY OFFERED ME A 6 YEAR WARRANTY FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF PURCHASE OR 100,000 MILES WHICH EVER CAME FIRSTON TRANSMISSION & ENGIENE UP TO $2,000.00 WITH $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I TOOK THIS OFFER WITH DEALER BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE 1 VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS OFFER, THE ONLY REASON THE DEALER OFFERED ME THIS DEAL WAS BECAUSE I INFORMED THEM THAT THIS PARTICULAR ENGIENE HAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. DEALER ORIGINALLY QUOTED THAT WORK ON HEAD GASKET WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1,500 FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIRS OR APPROXIMATELY $3,000.00 FOR NEW ENGIENE. EVEN THOUGH I WILL HAVE PAY $500.00 OUT OF POCKET, I BELIEVE THAT THE DEALER OR FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE HEAD GASKET REPAIRS BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGIENE SINCE 1988. I HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE ON THE INTERNET @ WEBSITE WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_WINDSTAR_1996_GASKETS.HTM THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 1996 FORD WINDSTARS 3.8 LITRE ENGIENE AS I HAVE. I APPECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE. *AK
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Complaint 743101 Documents
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CRASH: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH
FIRE: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FIRE
INJURIES: 0
NUMBER OF PERSONS INJURED
DEATHS: 0
NUMBER OF FATALITIES
Was Medical Attention Required: No
Was Incident Reported To Police: No
Date Of Incident: 2001-03-16
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Added To File: 2001-04-05
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Complaint Received By NHTSA: 2001-03-26
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Purchased: 1996-02-01
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Was Original Owner: Yes
Product Type: Vehicle
V = Vehicle T = Tires E = Equipment C = Child Restraint
Specific Component's Description: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Anti-Lock Brakes: Yes
Cruise Control: Yes
Number Of Cylinders:
Drive Train Type: FWD
[AWD, 4WD, FWD, RWD]
Fuel System: F
FI = Fuel Injection TB = Turbo
Fuel Type: Gas
BF = BiFuel CN = CNG/LPG DS = Diesel GS = Gas HR = HybridElectric
Vehicle Transmission Type [Auto, Man]:
(DOT) Department Of Transportation Tire Identifier:
Tire Size:
Location Of Tire:
FSW = Driver Side Front DSR = Driver Side Rear FTR = Passenger Side Front PSR = Passenger Side Rear SPR = Spare
Type Of Tire Failure:
BST = Blister BLW = Blowout TTL = Crack OFR = Out Of Round TSW = Puncture TTR = Road Hazard TSP = Tread Separation
Was Defective Tire Repaired:
Was Part Original Equipment:
Date Of Manufacture:
(YYYYMMDD)
Type Of Child Seat:
B = Booster C = Convertible I = Infant IN = Integrated TD = Toddler
Installation System:
A = Vehicle Safety Belt B = Latch System
Dealer's Name:
Dealer's Telephone Number:
Dealer's City:
Dealer's State:
Dealer's Zipcode:
SOURCE OF COMPLAINT CODE:
CAG = Consumer Action Group CON = Forwarded From A Congressional Office DP = Defect Petition,result Of A Defect Petition EVOQ = Hotline VOQ EWR = EARLY WARNING REPORTING INS = Insurance Company IVOQ = NHTSA Web Site LETR = Consumer Letter MAVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MIVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MVOQ = Optical Marked VOQ RC = Recall Complaint, Result Of A Recall Investigation RP = Recall Petition, Result Of A Recall Petition SVOQ = Portable Safety Complaint Form (PDF) VOQ = NHTSA Vehicle Owners Questionnaire
Incident State Code:
Vehicle Operator's Name:
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