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Ford 3.8 head gasket, AXOD transmission failures Windstar Taurus Sable - Ford secret warranty?

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Comments

  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    If you took the H/G refund, you forgo the $4K option. If you've got less than 100K miles on it, you can hope for a second HG failure and get the 4K plus the buyback. So - do you feel "lucky"?

    You might talk to a dealer about "going to bat" for you for some sort of "customer loyalty" rebate. But don't hold your breath - despite the fact that I owned 3 Fords when my 93 T-bird blew a gasket, customer loyalty meant nothing to them. Sorry I can't offer any other ideas.
  • ekrzyckiekrzycki Member Posts: 2
    ... but at the time I wasn't aware of the option and was never told of the option. Weren't they supposed to ask you "refund or incentive"? I definitely know which way I would have gone. Going by this scenario -- nobody qualifies for the incentive. Automatically refund your money towards repair and then tell you that you are not elgible because they refunded your money. Something's not right here.
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    Ask the dealer if you can get the 4K (or is it 3K)offer if you GIVE BACK the refund. Never hurts to ask.
  • jpankajpanka Member Posts: 2
    Had several conversations today with various Ford departments (800#, dealer sales manager and service manager, and dealers policies and procedures #(they were not supposed to give me this #)). They confirmed that the buy back is exclusive of the purchase of my next Ford. Am now waiting for check from Ford plus my $3,000 CFC which I'll probably perforate and put on a roll. Thanks to all in this forum and cartrackers.com for the insight and advice on how to handle the dealer and manufacturer. Keep up the fight. This van is a dog that should be put out of its and our misery at Ford's expense.
  • schatterjschatterj Member Posts: 1
    I had taken my car for maintenance work to a ford dealer when they found the leak in head gasket. Following recall-related repair and another $1100 for other repairs such as water pump, stabilizer bars, etc., the car is back to the dealer with a blown engine. It has 72,000 miles and is in good repaired condition. I am given tow options, a rebuild engine (6-8 weeks) or $3900 for the car plus $3000 certificate for a new one. My question is how would a rebuild engine perform given that the same engine had the problem to begin with? Can the dealer put another engine well enough to match with other parts so that the car functions properly. Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.
  • ilovefarmingilovefarming Member Posts: 17
    I can only tell you my experience with a "new" rebuilt engine from Ford. Installed in my 95WS after the original engine blew at 47K on vacation (familiar story). Within a month, the car is leaking coolant again, losing coolant, etc. etc. This was all before the rest of the world became aware of the Windstar disaster via the news media. So we dumped it for a Toyota Sienna. Best decision we ever made. I think Ford was starting to breathe easier on the Windstar front until the Firestone tire story hit the fan. I hope they get taken to the cleaners.
  • lucidilucidi Member Posts: 1
    I just wanted to post because way back when I had my 95 windstar we had the same headgasket problem. I demanded that ford either fix it or come get my car. I e-mailed them directly from Hoover's lists of VIPS. I have been contacted numberously by NHTSA (National Highway and Safety) regarding the problems with the Windstar. They had asked that when possible to ask people to contact them. They would be going after Ford for knowing about the problem. They will also help you make sure that Ford stands behind their promise. NHTSA has an 800 number. The more calls they get helps push towards an out and out recall on the vehicles and not just little postcard reminders.
  • robocroboc Member Posts: 1
    Are 1996 Windstars with 3.8l engines included in Fords buy back / "silent Recall" At 90K on the clock and 7 payments to go I need new head gaskets. I can say without a doubt, this will be my last ford. My '95 Taurus has 110k with a 3.0l engine is it a ticking time bomb?

    P.S. Both the Windstar had it's tranny replaced at 36K (right after the warranty ran out) and the Taurus' tranny was replaced at 25K I guess that is why F.O.R.D. stands for Found On Road Dead !!!!!
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    96's arent included, but there have been enough failures reported to the NHTSA that you MIGHT have some luck lobbying Ford for a reimbursement. The head gasket problem is for 3.8L engines only. The taurus head gasket should be okay.
  • scbaveryscbavery Member Posts: 2
    My 95 WS died a month ago and I finally pick up my new SE tomorrow! I know...am I crazy??? I'm trying to get every penny out of Ford that I can. 2 Dealers have told me about a $500 rebate that you have to print out online but I can't find it anywhere!!! Has anyone heard of this or am I getting the runaround again?
  • rockercrockerc Member Posts: 1
    http://www3.buyerconnection.com/BuildYourOwnFord/home.asp?sBrand=ford&?sBrand=ford scroll down to windstar and put in your zip code. a screen should pop up about it voila! hope this helps!
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Try Helm.com
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Would anyone know or care to estimate the percentage of at-risk vehicles that have actually suffered HG failure?

    I'm the original owner of a '92 Taurus 3.8L with 87K miles on the clock. This is no longer our primary car & spends days at the railroad station & weekends running errands. We have a hard time putting 5K miles/year on the car. Because the car has been pretty good repair-wise, on the whole, I'd like to keep it. (Why spend $15K or more on something that will only pull railroad station duty?)

    How likely is it that my car will suffer HG failure?

    Thanks!
  • ezaircon4jcezaircon4jc Member Posts: 793
    We had a '91 Sable with the 3.8 and got rid of it 6 weeks ago, due to fear of the head gasket problem, with 173k on the odo. I had 2 seperate mechanics tell me that the HG is a very common problem and the repair is quite expensive, $1200 to $1500 here. As the car was the Wifeys, doing around town runs, we decieded to unload it while it was worth $$$ on a trade-in. BTW we got $1500 for it in So. Cal. We were also told by both the trans is, at best, a 100k unit. Ours was rebuilt at 99k under the recall. Good luck with your decesion.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    I'd be happy to get 99K from my Taurus. At the rate of 5K/year, that would give me at least 2 more years of service.
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    We have to move to a new topic in order to keep our discussion server happy. Just keep on talking Here

    Your host, Bruce
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I want to correct the link for the continuation discussion - here is the correct link: Ford 3.8 head gasket & AXOD transmission failures Windstar Taurus Sable - Ford "secret warranty?" Part 2.
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