I had an '89 Sable 3.8L that went through two transmissions(~30k & 50k), AC compressor, and head gaskets until dumping it at 90k miles. Other posts mention the same problem for '87 model 3.8L powered vehicles. Ford obviously knows about these design defects and appears to have no commitment to correcting them as the same problems occur on '95 and '96 Windstars (probably on '97-'00 models so watch out). Make sure you get an extended warranty if you plan to keep it over the manufacturer's period. When you add the additional $4000 to the purchase price to account for these "maintenance" items it does not stack up as well against the competition. Too bad Ford has not bothered to correct these defects because it is an otherwise great vehicle. I think they would rather invest the energy into battling the consumer thinking that most people will eat the expense rather than redesigning two obvious faults. Sounds like another "Pinto" beancounter decision.
My '95 Windstar is at the dealership getting the head gasket problem fixed (about 72K)- classic stuff preceding it like check engine light, rough running, etc. My dealership said that Ford will help with $1,000 of the $1,400 repair. Maybe all this cool internet groundswell is having it's effect, not to mention the great work that some people are doing threatening a class action lawsuit.
I don't think that Ford Motor Company would like a featured story on "60 Minutes" regarding these problems, do you?
Being the proud(?) owner of a 95 Windstar with 95+k miles on it I do not like what I am reading. Like others I have had many, many problems with my van since I first took delivery. After driving for an hour or so at highway speeds the van refuses to accelerate and sometimes will slow to about 35 mph. I have had the vehicle to several dealers but no one has been able to find the problem. Letters to the Customer Assistance Centers with documentation of about 12 service calls went unanswered. A letter to the CEO resulted in a phone call (nothing in writing) and the caller apologized for my problems but said there was nothing they could do. After much complaining the caller said that the next time the vehicle went to the shop I should call her and she would have Ford enginnering look into the problem. She did say however that the assistance was not free and I would have to bear all costs associated with the help. Thanks a lot. I do not know what my next vehicle will be but I know what it will not be.
At approximately 11,000 miles the transmission stopped shifting. I had it towed to Colonial Ford, Danbury, CT for warranty service. They held it for a few days (they were nice enough to loan me a vehicle while they had the van). They 'cleared the memory on the computer that controls the transmission'. A week or so later the same problem happened again. I had to have it towed back to Colonial Ford again, where they had to fix the computer again.
At approximately 38,000 mile I began noticing oil spots in my garage. My local mechanic told me it was the main engine seal. I brought it in to Colonial Ford for service again. This time I was quoted a cost of $1200.00 to repair it. I believe that the engine had to be pulled to do this repair. After complaining vehemently to the Customer Assistance Center (and I am not sure what justifies their existence) , Colonial Ford's Service Manager , who in turn he was addressing the concern with some Regional Rep. ... Everyone finally agreed that I should be responsible for $190.00 and that Ford / The Dealer would cover the rest.
Now, at approximately 50,000 miles my transmission has to be replaced. The cost is $2400.00. The dealer will not assist, and I have been told that the Regional Rep will not assist. I once again called the Customer Assistance Center (CAC), and they (Debbie id # 2226) were absolutely no assistance. Not only did they not help, they would not put a supervisor on the phone and told me that my only course of action was to write to you, the CEO of the company.
I spoke with the Regional Rep, Laurie Leslie, on November 2. She stated that Ford will not assist in the cost of repair. I told her that I would like to speak with her manager, she said that she reports to Detroit, and that I could write the CAC. Once again, the CAC is useless.
At approximately 11,000 miles the transmission stopped shifting. I had it towed to Colonial Ford, Danbury, CT for warranty service. They held it for a few days (they were nice enough to loan me a vehicle while they had the van). They 'cleared the memory on the computer that controls the transmission'. A week or so later the same problem happened again. I had to have it towed back to Colonial Ford again, where they had to fix the computer again.
At approximately 38,000 mile I began noticing oil spots in my garage. My local mechanic told me it was the main engine seal. I brought it in to Colonial Ford for service again. This time I was quoted a cost of $1200.00 to repair it. I believe that the engine had to be pulled to do this After complaining vehemently to the Customer Assistance Center (and I am not sure what justifies their existence) , Colonial Ford's Service Manager, who in turn he was addressing the concern with some Regional Rep. ... Everyone finally agreed that I should be responsible for $190.00 and that Ford / The Dealer would cover the rest.
Now, at approximately 50,000 miles my transmission has to be replaced. The cost is $2400.00. The dealer will not assist, and I have been told that the Regional Rep will not assist. I once again called the Customer Assistance Center (CAC), and they (Debbie id # 2226) were absolutely no assistance. Not only did they not help, they would not put a supervisor on the phone and told me that my only course of action was to write to you, the CEO of the company.
I spoke with the Regional Rep, Laurie Leslie, on November 2. She stated that Ford will not assist in the cost of repair. I told her that I would like to speak with her manager, she said that she reports to Detroit, and that I could write the CAC. Once again, the CAC is useless.
I have a '96 windstar and just found out that I have a headgasket blown w/ only 57000 miles on it. I had to van in the shop for it, but ford said it was going to cost me 1400+ for the repairs. I have only had the van for 3 1/2 months, and am going to trade it off as soon as possible. I did not get a warranty w/ it. I am probably going to trade it for a '99 windstar. If I do I will get an extended warranty up to 100000 miles bumper-to-bumper if that is possible. Is this a good plan?
what are the specific reasons why the 3.8 v6 head gaskets fail? bad materials? or bad cooling system? cast iron block with aluminum heads dont help, but not a direct cause. and the axod transaxle, what is the cause for the failure? which part specificaly fails, that causes the entire unit to be almost useless? i am thinking of a 3.8l with the axod to commute with, a 1989 taurus lx wagon. if i can get some idea, of what makes the part fail, i can possibly "band aid" the problem, and perhaps let others know. currently i am thinking of attaching a 12v cooling fan controled by a switch to the external trans cooler under the car, to draw cool air across the thing at idle, and in traffic situations, with the flip of my toggle switch (i think a 12v computer cooling fan would work from radio shack). also thinking of changing to a synthetic trans fluid. thinking also of wiring up some sort of after run fan for the radiator, due to heat soak. to run after the engine is shut down, to cool the motor some, and the coolant. thinking of flusing the coolant to hell and back, and replacing with the dex cool 100k 5yr coolant, along with a bottle of water pump lubricant. hello ford techs? let me know what you think so far.
It was identified as "incompatible metals" between the head gasket and the head. So I guess you can say it's bad materials. The real problem is that Ford knew about this as early as 1989, yet it took them until 1996 to correct the problem. If you are buying a used '89, check the maint history to see if the headgasket has blown. Big problems occur if the things blew out at highway speeds, that could damage other engine components, and the only "band aid" for those is a new engine.
thanks for the info. i will def. check with prev. owner to see if ever any prob. with head gaskets, or the axod trans. does anyone have any idea what it is that makes the axod transaxle fail? if i get this taurus, i think i will get my taurus repair guide out, and start tearing down the engine, to the heads, and replace them darn gaskets with some non oem manufactured ones. helluva job to do yes, but if i dont possible failure is headed down the road anyway, and the engine may be in its path of destruction.
phooey on all that work, i decided i wont have to fool with that crap if i go for the lexus es250 used. it cost the same as the used taurus, so i will take the lexus and the relentless persuit of profection anyday over the taurus... sorry ford.
Edmunds has the most car problems I have seen. If enough people post their problem on this site. They will surely do something about your problem.
"Government engineers analyze the problem. If warranted, the manufacturer is asked to conduct a recall. If the manufacturer does not initiate a recall, the government can order the manufacturer to do a recall.
We do not have to receive a set number of reports before we look into a problem. We gather all available information on a problem. Your report is important to us."
Edmunds has the most car problems I have seen. If enough people post their problem on this site. They will surely do something about your problem.
"Government engineers analyze the problem. If warranted, the manufacturer is asked to conduct a recall. If the manufacturer does not initiate a recall, the government can order the manufacturer to do a recall.
We do not have to receive a set number of reports before we look into a problem. We gather all available information on a problem. Your report is important to us."
AM AMAZED AT WHAT I HAVE READ HERE ABOUT 3.8L head gasket problems...we own a 93 sable 3.8L that developed head gasket leak at 63k miles...cost $1,250 to repair...also always had mysterious transmission problems as spelled out in all these posts...nobody can identify exact prob...also had to replace leaking motor mounts at our expense, after recall period ended...Can't believe Ford isn't taking a more consumer friendly approach on this, for instance voluntarily telling me they have had problems w/ head gaskets and offering to repair ours when it started leaking...FORD, please pay attention to this: Am going to buy mini van in next month or so to replace this Sable, but now will probably look at Caravan intead of Windstar as a result of what I have learned here on the internet about what I can expect w/ problems...normally, I would dismiss the comments from others as them being "disgruntled", but I have experienced these things myself! I mean, we woul han onto the 93 for two more years if it hadn't become so unreliable...Also, bought a used 94 sable last year identical to the 93 we have already, and am now worried about it, but actually don't care as much cause of how little I paid for it...its almost a disposable car at this point...anybody have any feedback on comparing Caravan to Windstar?
AM AMAZED AT WHAT I HAVE READ HERE ABOUT 3.8L head gasket problems...we own a 93 sable 3.8L that developed head gasket leak at 63k miles...cost $1,250 to repair...also always had mysterious transmission problems as spelled out in all these posts...nobody can identify exact prob...also had to replace leaking motor mounts at our expense, after recall period ended...Can't believe Ford isn't taking a more consumer friendly approach on this, for instance voluntarily telling me they have had problems w/ head gaskets and offering to repair ours when it started leaking...FORD, please pay attention to this: Am going to buy mini van in next month or so to replace this Sable, but now will probably look at Caravan intead of Windstar as a result of what I have learned here on the internet about what I can expect w/ problems...normally, I would dismiss the comments from others as them being "disgruntled", but I have experienced these things myself! I mean, we woul han onto the 93 for two more years if it hadn't become so unreliable...Also, bought a used 94 sable last year identical to the 93 we have already, and am now worried about it, but actually don't care as much cause of how little I paid for it...its almost a disposable car at this point...anybody have any feedback on comparing Caravan to Windstar?
I have in my hand, Ford TSB 99-13-1 dated 6/28/99 on Engine oil mixed with coolant/coolant loss. Its a three page document if anyone needs more info on it, they can email me at Rooneyms@aol.com with a fax number and I can fax it to you.
It covers the 96-97 Thunderbird, 96-98 mustang, WINDSTAR, 97-98 E150,f250,f150 and 96-97 cougar.
"Issue Engine coolant may be leaking into the engine oil on some vehicles. The internal coolant leak may be difficult to identify. This may be caused by the lower intake manifold side gaskets and/or front cover gaskets allowing coolant to pass into the cylinders and/or the crankcase.
Action Revised lower intake manifold side and front cover gaskets have been released for service. Refer to the following text and Application Chart for details"
I've talked with a mechanic at Ford who says the intake gasket was redesigned with this fix because it wasn't able to withstand the heat. If you redesign something, doesn't that mean the first one wasn't designed properly? And shouldn't anyone who has to replace an engine because of this error, be reimbursed? (I know, I'm talking to the choir) It sounds like this may be Verse 2 of the head gasket problem. It may answer why the 96/97 Windstar are having problems even after the head gasket was redesigned.
As I'm searching the net tonight (12/13/99) looking for information on the 2000 Windstars, I just happened to fall unto this chatroom. When I started reading I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing - I had just picked up my 1996 Ford Windstar 3.8L van from the Ford dealer for the very exact problem y'all have been writing about!
Would you believe that I have had this van at the Ford dealership since September 30th!!!! My wife and I were heading to Northern Wisconsin for a little R & R when the van blew up! After sitting for almost 2 hours waiting for a tow truck, we headed to the local Ford dealership in Portage, Wisconsin, about 15 miles north of where the van crapped out. This is about 2 1/2 hours from our home. The dealer's service manager was kind enough to look at the van for us (it was almost quitting time). Upon examination, I was told that the engine block heater plug (?) blew out. When I asked what caused it, they gave no explanation. After an hour the plug was replaced and the engine was started up and within a couple of minutes it blew out the new plug. I was then told that my engine had a blown head gasket. So it started, $120.00 shot down the drain... and it wasn't fixed.
The dealer had my van for almost a month before he got around to fixing it. I had to drive north to pick it up, and didn't get more than an hour and change down the road and the engine light went on. Contacting the dealer that next week he told me that he didn't know what could have caused this and we agreed to take it to my local Ford dealer in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. They looked at and determined that there were more problems. I then called the Ford dealer that had supposedly fixed it and made them come and pick it up and drive it back to their shop. After a few more weeks of screwing around, they determined that there must be something wrong with the cylinder head, so off it came again! After pulling it apart it was determined that one of the valves wasn't seating properly - why it happened, I never did get any explanation. So a few more weeks in the garage.
We drove back the 2 1/2 hours to pick it up and this time only got about 45 minutes down the road when the "check engine" light came on again. So another trip down by the dealer to pick up the van! They kept it this time for sever more weeks to determine that there was a cracked vacuum hose - figured it happended because of all the times they took the damn engine apart!!!
I just picked it up two days ago and so far the light hasn't gone on. However, now I have a crazy brake light coming one whenever it feels like it for no apparent reason. So again, tomorrow I will call my local dealer to check it out! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the head gasket thing, but why does it now pop up after they've had the van for months and months. Remember, I had the orginal problem on September 30th, and picked it up on December 11th! Gee, it's only taken over 2 1/2 months for a little repair job! And almost $1,500.00 for the repair.
Oh ya, I do have an extra vehicle that we've been driving during this mess... guess what it is - a 1996 3.8L Ford Taurus!!!!! I had just placed an ad in the newspaper to sell this vehicle when my van broke down, and after $170.00 to detail it for sale, and $150.00 in ads, I had to pull the ad so we could use the car. (Another $320.00 down the drain.)
Almost forgot, I too called Ford Motor Company after a friend of mine who is a service manager at a Ford dealer in Illinois told me about the head gasket problem and that they've changed dozens and dozens of them, I got absolutely nowhere with them. The lady on the phone was pleasant, but gave me no help at all. And, she acted like this was the first time she'd heard it!!! Ummmmmm.
Anyway dear 3.8L Ford motor buddies, after my lovely experience and reading all of your lovely Christmas greetings on Ford's problem, I can tell you that not only am I going to sell the Taurus, the van is going ASAP. I was originally thinking about replacing it with a 2000 Windstar (before I started reading these emails), but I'm so fed up with Ford, and believe me, my family have been extremly loyal Ford owners since the 30's, I think maybe I'll go back to Honda. Their new Odyssey looks like a real winner!!! I owned a 91 Honda Civic and it was one of the best cars I've ever owned. I think it's time to try another.
One last thing, I was told by a very good source that works with Ford (that service manager friend of mine from Illinois) that Ford is so damn big they don't care about the individual buyer. Well, now I believe him since I'm living the hell of the 3.8L mess! Good riddens to them. If they can't step forward and accept the fact that they screwed up and stand behind their products, then we as consumers should not stand, but get our feet to do the walking.... right down the block to their competitors, I am.
Sorry for the long letter, but I felt it important to give you all another example of how the big boys in Detroit can stick it to the little guy. Sort of like the government...
I think your message will be what I email and fax to the Ford executives tomorrow. Each day, I am sending them tidbits from the internet, hoping they will realize what a big mistake they make. But I guess they figure for everyone of us loyal customers they run off, there's another sucker born every minute...
The following is a letter from GM concerning head gasket problems on 1992-1993 Cavaliers:
Dear General Motors Customer:
As the owner of a 1992 or 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier equipped with a 2.2L engine, your satisfaction with our product is of the utmost concern to us. Your vehicle was provided with a new vehicle warranty, which covers certain parts of your vehicle for a specified period. These warranties are of considerable value to you if you should experience problems with your vehicle.
This letter is intended to make you aware that some 1992 and 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier models with 2.2L engines may develop a failure of the Cylinder head gasket that allows coolant to leak from the cylinder head gasket To engine block joint. Early evidence of this would be a loss of coolant in the coolant reservoir and an odour of coolant from the engine compartment, or a low coolant lamp. There may also be visible coolant deposits at the cylinder head to engine block joint.
General Motors of Canada Limited is, therefore, taking the following action:
We are providing owners with special coverage. If the above-mentioned condition occurs within seven(7) years of the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 160,000 km, whichever occurs first, your vehicle will be repaired for you at no charge.
This special policy applies only to repairs requiring cylinder head gasket replacement as a result of cylinder head gasket failure that results in an engine coolant leak. It does not cover engine damage from continuing to operate the engine in an overheated condition after loss of coolant.
This is not a recall campaign. Do not take your vehicle to your GM dealer as a result of this letter unless you believe that yourvehicle has the condition as described above. Keep this letter with your other important glove box literature for future reference.
If you have already paid for some or all of the cost to have the Cylinder head gasket replaced and in-service time was less than seven(7) years and 160,000 km, you should contact your GM dealer. You may be eligible for partial or complete reimbursement costs if genuine GM parts were used in the repair/ If the work was done by someone other than a GM dealership the amount of reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost GM to have it completed by a GM dealership. Please provide your dealer with your original paid receipts or invoices verifying the repair, the amount charged, proof of payment, and the date of payment of those charges by March 1, 1997.
Repairs and adjustments qualifying under this Special Policy coverage must be performed by your GM dealer.
*** end of letter ***
GM offererd a 7 year, 100K mile warranty for the problem. Ford extended the warranty to 5 years or 60K miles. And, they didn't notify all the owners...some sort of "selective notification" was used.
Ford should look at how GM handled a problem...the above example may be one of the reasons that my charts show few complaints for GM in the NHTSA database...they took care of the customers.
Growing up my family always bought Ford cars and we had good luck with them. In 1995 I bought my first Ford vehicle and it has more major problems than any other vehicle I have owned since 1995. The Head Gasket went 3 times, which was covered under warranty and recall. The radiator went bad on the last Head Gasket which I was able to convince them was a result of the Head Gaskets so this was covered by the recall. We have a constant problem with door ajar alarm which goes on even when the doors are all shut and locked. Now at 72K the transmission went out and it looks like this is going to cost me big time and we don't even have the vehicle paid for yet. I can see why it has such a good safety rating. It's never on the road long enough to be in an accident. I do have to admit that the service department is friendly and helpful. But I purchase a vehicle in hopes it would be reliable enough to take my family on short trips. My confidence in Ford products has been shaken up from this experience and I will think twice before I buy another Ford Product.
While driving, head gasket blew on 3.8l v-6 motor on my 94 Mercury Sable. The coolant passed through the engine out the exhaust, the engine thereby overheated and seized.Learned that there was a "silent" recall from Ford about this. Contacted Ford. He acknowledged this is their problem, however, they say the time for the "extended"warranty evoked by this problem expired 12/98 or at 60k miles. The estimated repair is about $2000. It wasn't my action or inaction that caused this failure, and Ford acknowledges this and that their faulty head gasket caused this.
I replaced head gaskets on my 93 T-bird (3.8 V6) and 95 Windstar. Send a letter to the CEO with a copy to William Ford. Got a reply that said the vehicles were beyond the warranty period, and while customer satisfaction was a high priority with them, they can't cover everything forever.
Ford claims they "weren't aware of any problems" with the 3.8 V6...and you are not alone in having the head gasket fail twice...check out this web site to find that you are in good company:
We too purchased a Ford Windstar(95) thinking that the tried and true 3.8 V6 would be trouble free. At about 45K the first 2 head gaskets blew. We took it to our dealership and they "fought with Ford" to get the job covered. 30K miles later the impossible happened again! 2 more head gaskets were replaced and once again our dealership went to bat for us and covered everything. The engine is still not 100% and we are very suspicious about the longevity of this engine. We were considering purchasing another Ford but in light of all the problems we will be looking at other vans. In fact we are seriously looking at the Honda Odyssey.
I was the original owner of a '95 Windstar which held out till 65,901. Right after the head gaskets weren't covered by Ford. We talked to the area rep and they offered to sell me an extended warranty for just under $500.00, plus I'd have to pay 10% of the repairs. I walked away from Ford with a $600.00 out of pocket expense. After reading some of these horror stories, my decision to sell the beast was easy. I wanted to post this to inform other owners about the warranty option. This would have covered the transmission, too - which sounds like it would have been the next to go. Another Windstar victim in the shop at 75,000 miles was offered the warranty plus pay 20% of repairs. At least it beat the original quote of $2,000. Funny thing was how the new car guys at Ford would stand proudly before the Ford name, but then everyone else would hide behind the name. I laughed my way right over to the Honda dealer. Ford has lost a customer for life.
My 95 Windstar just blew the head gaskets on 12-29-99. It seems this is a absolute event for the 3.8 engine. The beast is now sitting in my driveway as I decide what to do with it. It really sucks that I just had the transmission replaced (another absolute event) in June.
As I think back on this I have own 3 Fords (1966, 1978 and the 1995) and everyone of them had transmission problems. I guess the saying Fix or Repair Daily is true. Ford has lost a customer forever after this last experience.
I just bought a new VW Jetta and love it. I have owned VW's and Toyotas and never had any major problems with them and look forward to long and reliable service from my new Jetta, something I never got from my Fords!
This week my Taurus with 66,400 miles is starting to have trans problems. Shifting in 4th and 5th gear is all of a sudden very abrupt and jerky. The rest of the gears are fine. I assume it's related to the previous posts, but does anyone have any ideas that it may not be related to the above posts.
It's interesting how all of these problems (according to the other posts) start happening around the 67,000 mark. Very suspicious. How much money can I expect to be out? I live in Tulsa and all Ford dealerships here are owned directly by Ford (Tulsa Auto Collection). Do you think that would help in me getting them to pay for the cost of repair?
I am not aware of ford offering any kind of assistance for transmission problems. Head gasket repairs on windstars ends at 60K miles, and the program for 94 Tauruses ended last may. Sorry.
I'm another former Ford customer that they've lost for life. Had an 86 Taurus wagon that had a multitude of problems, but the final straw was the tranny going out at 68K miles. This was 4 years ago. Ford couldn't seem to have cared less, and wouldn't help with the repair, so I called a tow truck and had the beast hauled away. Like many others, I headed over to the Honda dealer, and ended up buying an Odyssey van (the previous smaller model) and I haven't looked back since. In 4 years and 45K miles I haven't had *one* mechanical failure.
I can't help but think Ford does meticulous "wear engineering" on their parts, they seem to have it timed so they crap out just after the warranty runs out....
"Silent Recall 98MO1" that's the mystery recall everyone is referring to in all the previous messages. I too am a Sable '94 owner who has dumped $2000 dollars+ into fixing all the problems associated with the head gaskets cracking...from bearings deteriorating in my crank shaft($1,000 repair) to o2 sensors failing($350 repair) to the head gasket repair itself($1,200) I have tried to get names of people to write to at CAC they were so unhelpful I could not believe it. What a job they have, to just not give out any information....it was like they were there just to tell me they couldn't give me any information....what kind of customer service does Ford/Mercury have? My whole family are Ford buyers, but from now on not if I have anything to say about...my father just purchased a new Chevy after being a Ford customer for 35 years. I am still trying to get some monetary reimbursement however from what I've read here today, I might as well sell the car and just vow to tell this story to everyone I know who ever thinks about buying a Ford/Mercury product....for the rest of my life....I guess if I can get people not to buy Ford/Mercury I will get satisfaction...the old saying is true...One happy customer may tell 6 of his friends, but one unhappy customer will tell 60 of his friends and keep on telling....the internet is a wonderful thing..."Silent Recall 98MO1"
The head gasket in my '95 Mustang 3.8l V6 blew out at 59,000 miles. The mechanic said that they hadn't seen this problem in Mustangs. I was a bit suprised to find the exact failure in the engine type as a seperate topic in Edmunds. I haven't started trying to get Ford to pick up any if the tab yet. I'm not optomistic, but I will raise a stink.
Just for grins, ask the Ford dealer which plant produced the 3.8 liter engine that was used in the Mustang. Tell them you knew the Windstar engine plant, as well as the Taurus/Sable engine plant were having head gasket problems with their 3.8 engines.
Unless you got an extended warranty, forget about getting any assistance from Ford. I'm afraid you'll be in the same boat I am when the head gaskets blew in my 3.8L 93 T-bird. They "weren't aware" of any problems with those either. The best I could do was hit myself upside the head and say "Wow...I shoulda got a V8!"
I have a 97 Taurus 'Lemon'... I started a new topic called "Taurus & Windstar - Read Before You Buy". I've been doing a lot of research on this matter, and I'm just sickened by Ford!! And I grew up on Ford...My first car was an Escort, then I graduated to a Mustang convertible, now my 'lemon'!! Both my mom and dad own a Ford, and my brother owns two. But after I have shown them my research and told them of my experience... NO ONE in my family nor my friends will ever buy a FORD again!!! I don't understand how Ford stays in business!!
Well there's no class action lawsuit or hidden warranty for my problem however ya'll older models may still have an option.... go to http://members.aol.com/MKBradley/index.html . They're filing a class action lawsuit. GOOD LUCK!!
Believe it or not, I just learned about this web site. I am currently an owner of a 1997 Thunderbird and a 1996 Windstar. As I read the comments from all of you good people, I realize now that I am not alone. I have had to replace the transmission in my Windstar, and the speedometer panel. This required me to have my windstar out of service for over one month. I now have to have a leaky gasket changed on the Thunderbird. This has been quoted to costsd over $700.00. Again, this will require that the vehicle will be out of service for some time. I have been a Ford person for some time. I previously had an Explorer. I had problems with that vehicle also. I believe that I have finished my relationship with the Ford Motor Company. The horror stories that I have just read have convinced me that it is to my advantage to look elsewhere for a good dependable vehicle. I now will be looking at the Honda Odyssey.
There may be hope on your Tbird depending on what gasket. CAS called me yesterday after a legnthy meeting with Ford. They said that Ford told them they will be recalling 3.8L engines for 100% failure on the Front Cover Gasket. The Tbird is mentioned in the TSB on the front cover gasket. This means that if your gasket problem was a front cover gasket - YOU Should be reimbursed if you already fixed it!
I too recently took my 94 Ford Taurus w/3.8 into a Ford dealership to have them look at a small performance problem that had recently started. What I didn't expect was to be beat about the head and shoulders by 3 aspects of the Ford Motor Co.
I dropped my car w/Sil-Terhar whom informed me that my head-gasket needed to be replaced. I drove my car off the lot and it misfired all over the place (not the car I dropped off). When I confronted the service manager he told me it *was* my head gasket.
I was flabbergasted to think my car's original problem was a gasket and could only think that Sil-Terhar themselves must have caused the problem, why else would it run so bad?
The second day I talked with another service manager whom informed me that the plug was "bad" and Sil-Terhar would fix it at no cost to me (after laughing when I asked them was tests they performed on my engine to cause such a problem). They also informed me that they have enough business leaving me with the distinct impression of "we don't care".
Not only had Sil-Terhar must have damaged my plug upon inspection but they were more than happy to have me shell out $1400 based solely upon a visual inspection of a single spark plug.
Strike 1 againest Ford - their dealers.
I then took my car to a reputable (non-Ford) shop where they confirmed the head-gasket by running a chemical test on the coolant itself, a complete inspection of the engine itself, and a serious of follow-ups questions about the cars behavior.
He also informed me that the 3.8L had a reputation for the head gasket (Sil-Terhar also stated they worked on 3-4 heads a week).
Strike 2 againest Ford -- their product.
I then proceeded to talk Ford's customer care 800 number, what a waste of time. I first talked to someone that told me that there was no warranty or recall at this time. I asked to speak to someone in charge and I was told someone would contact me within 24hrs.
46 hours later I called again and complained. An hour later "Annette" called back. I explained the problem with my car, and their dealer, and that this was my 4th Ford product. I also told her that I was looked to buy a mini-van and her decisions could seriously affect my future Ford purchases.
She told me repeated that Ford would offer no assistance and that was Ford's FINAL statement on the matter (but she *was* documenting everything).
I asked to talk to her supervisor or someone who could make an informed decision and she: would NOT pass my name to anyone else would NOT have anyone contact me would NOT provide the name of anyone else.
Strike 3 -- Ford's customer service
I have always felt strongly about Ford products but never again.
You see...I knew about the head gasket problem and mine just blew about a week and a half ago, but luckly it didn't go completely. After blowing out of my exhaust for a few minutes it would stop, only to blow smoke out after it sat for a while. Well, I ran too the auto parts store and bought me 2 BIG containers of sealer, poured them in and ran the van with the heater on and then ran to Nissan where I bought a Nissan Quest. Of course I didn't tell them about the problem and I am sure they are now feeling the pain. You know what...I dont even care that I burnt them because they try to burn us every chance they (the dealers)get. As for Ford, (and I hope they are reading this)....I will NEVER buy another Ford product ever. They new about the problems that everyone is complaining about and could care less about us because their is NO accountabilty. Period !!! The only way we the people can get back at them is to take our buisness elsewhere.
I'm one of the lucky ones who bought an aftermarket extended warranty from GEICO and saved myself a lot of money. In addition to the regular maintanance, lots of brake work, and a few uncovered repairs our 93 SABLE Wagon with less than 70,000 miles has had the following: - New head gasket (with associated other things that fail) - New water pump - New radiator fan - New power steering pump - New transmission - New power antanae - Blown AC - (not covered due to failure of a non covered hose) - New rack and pinion gear - Frequent and unsuccessful attempts at alignment to fix tendency to pull right (at 2 different dealers as well as independant shops) - Broken $1 part in steering column causing $400 repair so car could be turned off. - New belt idler
This car replaced an 87 Accord which was wrecked. I thought I'd give FORD a try. Never again for their automobiles. I do however own a 98 F150 which has been great so far - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this won't be the lemon the SABLE was.
We purchased a used windstar in 1996 with 18000 miles. At 71000 miles, the head gaskets went. Spirit Ford in Dundee, Mi. honored the recall and repaired the gaskets in one day. We were very pleased with their dealership. Unfortunately, one year later and 84000 miles we are again losing coolant and I can only hope that they will take care of us again for the same problem.
Boy, I thought I was the only one. I took my van in for the head gasket recall and they told me I didn't need it so they didn't replace them. then 7 months later I had the van in to this same dealership for an oil change (Balise-Wilbraham, MA) and they told me I had better hurry and get a $1200 head gasket job or maybe even a $3000 new engine block because those head gaskets were leaking. I wrote to Ford CEO and, of course, I got the pat answer from customer service that I was past warranty (12/98). I had the van in 7/98 for the recall!! So, like the rest of you, I am stuck and looking for a new van. I put some BARS into the radiator and it sealed the gasket for the moment. FORD SUCKS!!! I wish we could start a class action suit about those head gaskets. Ford knew about them and refused to fix them. I kept up my part of the warranty and they didn't uphold theirs!! Buyer beware!!
I had the head gasket of my windstar repaired by Ford under their recall program. Thirteen months and 11000 miles later I started losing coolant again. This time Ford states that it is my timing chain cover gasket and they gave me a quote of $850.00 to fix it. I did some more checking and learned that Ford has a recall on the same engine for the same repair for mustangs and T-birds. Apparently they do not believe that the problem applies to Windstars. I did some more checking and several mechanics have told me that one has to loosen up the top of the timing chain cover to get the heads off to replace the head gaskets and that the Ford mechanics probably caused the leak. Does anyone have any ideas on this or has anyone experienced similar problems?
I was beginning to think that we had the only Windstar with this problem. As we "speak" the van is again sitting in the shop, with the mechanics rubbing there heads. I won't bore you with the details from the start because we all know them. But after the engine was rebuilt which took 3 weeks. We drove the car to Indiana and blew the WHOLE ENGINE there. The car was down there for another 3 weeks or so. They wound up replacing the engine with what we were made to believe was a brand new long block. Well guess what we are still having the same problems. I will keep you up to date with what the outcome is. I too had many a fight with FORD customer service area. We had to get a car to come home with from Indiana, when I called The dealer who did the work they said they couldn't pay for it, so I called CS, they said they could not pay for it. I asked them how they would have suggested we get back and their response was WE WOULD HAVE PRAYED FOR YOUR SAFE RETURN. They want nothing to do with the customer, they only want to deal with the dealer. I am joining the class action lawsuit, and urge everyone to do the same. We can't let FORD think that treating their customers like this is O.K.
Beginning of 2000, my head gasket blew on my 95 Windstar with 60,500 miles. My mechanic gave me estimate of $ 1500, but recommended I have Ford try to fix it since it was just over the 60,000 mile coverage.
We called Ford Customer Care, who told us that at 60,001 miles, Ford would charge FULL price for new head gasket. I called back the next day and was told that Ford would offer me a "Financial Incentive" if, in fact, it was the head gasket that blew. He stated that depending on inspection of my van's head gasket, Ford may pay one-half, 75%, or even the entire amount, since Ford is well aware of the head gasket problems on the 95 Windstar and I was just over the warranty miles.
I towed my van towed to the nearest dealer, who informed me that they have NEVER heard of Ford offering a financial incentive. They told me that I am over the 60,000 mile warranty, and would have to pay in full for new head gasket. They told me that the person at Customer Care had NO BUSINESS making that statement to me. They stated that Customer Care is there only to refer customers to the closest dealers.
Two days later, Ford called and told me that they would replace my head gasket, timing cover gasket, water pump, hoses, etc for the price of an extended warranty, that being $ 495. They told me my oxygen sensors were blown (2 x $75) and that my radiator was needing attention, both of which were not covered under this price.
After stumbling across these postings while my van was in the shop (3 weeks), I went out van shopping the next day. Within two days, I leased a Toyota Sienna, and traded in my Windstar.
Like many others on this site my 93 FORD blew a headgasket which caused my engine to blow at a replacement cost of $3,700. The car only had 52k miles on it. Spoke to the dealer and the FORD customer service center. The dealer basically said that he was "not denying" that there was a problem with the 3.8 liter engine but there was nothing they could do. They also recommended calling FORD customer service ctr, like everyone else has said here they were no help. They even acted like they never heard that there was a problem. I guess they had not been given a copy of the six page letter from the Center for Auto Safety that detailed this very problem and demanded that FORD do something about it. The LA Times recently did an article on this problem when a nationally known auto specialist found the there was a problem with the HG's.
I also wrote FORD and received a call from the great customer service ctr which gave the standard "we'll document everything but right now there is nothing we can do"
I'm thinking about joining a class action suit, but there is one thing I can do which is NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN, and I will also strongly discourage family and freinds from doing so.
By the way I also own an Isuzu Oasis/Honda Oddessey for 3 years not one problem. They did send me a recall that notified me that I will have to bring the car in after 50K for service on the emission system, but they will give me a free oil change and tune up. Now that is customer service.
Bottom Line - If you thinking about buying a FORD product don't do it. They may be cheaper than honda and toyotas but you will end up saving time and money in repairs.
Can anyone explain to me what the symptoms are for a blown or blowing head gasket? I have a 95 windstar and I want to know what symptoms this can cause. Thanks
A Cleveland newspaper is looking for victims of the Ford 3.8L headgasket problem OTHER THAN WINDSTAR OWNERS. It has been doing stories on the problem and is investigating why some cars owners are getting treated better than others. If you have a Ford car other than a Winstar with a 3.8L engine and have blown your headgasket, please email catanese@worldnet.att.net. Please note if you are in the Cleveland area.
In BOTH my 93 T-bird and 95 Windstar (aren't I a lucky guy?), the biggest clue was that the Jiffy Lube kept adding coolant at every oil change. Oh, if I knew then what I know now! At any rate, check the coolant level in the overflow tank, If it needs to be added, keep checking it. In our Windstar, were on vacation and my brother checked under the hood. He added coolant, drove about 200 miles, checked the coolant before we headed home, and had to add coolant again. 600 miles later, the head gaskets had to be replaced.
Also, if your "Check Engine" light comes on, it's your head gasket. DON'T let the dealer tell you it's the oxygen sensor (our mistake). Replacing the oxygen sensor will get the light to turn off for a while, but that's a pretty sure sign that your gaskets are getting ready to go. Also, it's a whole lot better if you can get them replaced before they blow out on the highway. Ford won't cover the cost of other damage caused by the gasket failure. If your over 60K miles, they won't cover your head gaskets either.
I just bought a used '98 Windstar with 42,000 miles on it last week. I just found this site today. Man, am I in for trouble or what?
Do I understand correctly that the engine and transmission are under warranty for 60k miles? I couldn't find any transmission warranty coverage in the owner's manual. Where can I run to and get the engine and transmission checked? Seems like NOT a local Ford dealership!
You might or might not have a problem. The newer 3.8L engine is supposed to have an updated head gasket design in them (or at least that is what I was told when I got my headgaskets replaced for free about a year ago.) They told me the new design is much more durable, and should last the rest of the life of the car.
The Center for Auto Safety is asking anyone who had a head gasket problem on the 3.8 V6 Ford engine to write their State Attorney Generals office. Ford should not be allowed to get away with producing a faulty engine for 6+ years. Ford needs to do the right thing, as GM and Toyota did for similar problems... provide an extended warranty for at least 7 years and 100,000 miles. I urge you to take the time to write. Together we can make a difference.
I just spent $1400. getting the head gaskets fixed on my '94 taurus with 65,000 miles on it. I have decided to trade it in before more goes wrong with it. The Ford dealer told me I would need a new engine at a cost of abou $4,300. I took it to another place and he replaced the head gasket and said it would be fine. If Ford knows about this problem,something should be done.
Comments
I don't think that Ford Motor Company would like a featured story on "60 Minutes" regarding these problems, do you?
At approximately 38,000 mile I began noticing oil spots in my garage. My local mechanic told me it was the main engine seal. I brought it in to Colonial Ford for service again. This time I was quoted a cost of $1200.00 to repair it. I believe that the engine had to be pulled to do this repair. After complaining vehemently to the Customer Assistance Center (and I am not sure what justifies their existence) , Colonial Ford's Service Manager , who in turn he was addressing the concern with some Regional Rep. ... Everyone finally agreed that I should be responsible for $190.00 and that Ford / The Dealer would cover the rest.
Now, at approximately 50,000 miles my transmission has to be replaced. The cost is $2400.00. The dealer will not assist, and I have been told that the Regional Rep will not assist. I once again called the Customer Assistance Center (CAC), and they (Debbie id # 2226) were absolutely no assistance. Not only did they not help, they would not put a supervisor on the phone and told me that my only course of action was to write to you, the CEO of the company.
I spoke with the Regional Rep, Laurie Leslie, on November 2. She stated that Ford will not assist in the cost of repair. I told her that I would like to speak with her manager, she said that she reports to Detroit, and that I could write the CAC. Once again, the CAC is useless.
I will never by another Ford again.
At approximately 11,000 miles the transmission
stopped shifting. I had it towed to Colonial Ford,
Danbury, CT for warranty service. They held it for
a few days (they were nice enough to loan me a
vehicle while they had the van). They 'cleared the
memory on the computer that controls the
transmission'. A week or so later the same problem
happened again. I had to have it towed back to
Colonial Ford again, where they had to fix the
computer again.
At approximately 38,000 mile I began noticing oil
spots in my garage. My local mechanic told me it
was the main engine seal. I brought it in to
Colonial Ford for service again. This time I was
quoted a cost of $1200.00 to repair it. I believe
that the engine had to be pulled to do this After complaining vehemently to the Customer
Assistance Center (and I am not sure what justifies their existence) , Colonial Ford's Service Manager, who in turn he was addressing the concern with some Regional Rep. ... Everyone finally agreed that I should be responsible for $190.00 and that Ford / The Dealer would cover the rest.
Now, at approximately 50,000 miles my transmission
has to be replaced. The cost is $2400.00. The
dealer will not assist, and I have been told that
the Regional Rep will not assist. I once again
called the Customer Assistance Center (CAC), and
they (Debbie id # 2226) were absolutely no
assistance. Not only did they not help, they would
not put a supervisor on the phone and told me that
my only course of action was to write to you, the
CEO of the company.
I spoke with the Regional Rep, Laurie Leslie, on
November 2. She stated that Ford will not assist in the cost of repair. I told her that I would like to speak with her manager, she said that she
reports to Detroit, and that I could write the CAC. Once again, the CAC is useless.
I am now drafting a letter to the Ford CEO.
I will never by another Ford again.
"Government engineers analyze the problem. If warranted, the manufacturer is asked to conduct a recall. If the manufacturer does not initiate a recall, the government can order the manufacturer to do a recall.
We do not have to receive a set number of reports before we look into a problem. We gather all available information on a problem. Your report is important to us."
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/
"Government engineers analyze the problem. If warranted, the manufacturer is asked to conduct a recall. If the manufacturer does not initiate a recall, the government can order the manufacturer to do a recall.
We do not have to receive a set number of reports before we look into a problem. We gather all available information on a problem. Your report is important to us."
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/
It covers the 96-97 Thunderbird, 96-98 mustang, WINDSTAR, 97-98 E150,f250,f150 and 96-97 cougar.
"Issue
Engine coolant may be leaking into the engine oil on some vehicles. The internal coolant leak may be difficult to identify. This may be caused by the lower intake manifold side gaskets and/or front cover gaskets allowing coolant to pass into the cylinders and/or the crankcase.
Action
Revised lower intake manifold side and front cover gaskets have been released for service. Refer to the following text and Application Chart for details"
I've talked with a mechanic at Ford who says the intake gasket was redesigned with this fix because it wasn't able to withstand the heat. If you redesign something, doesn't that mean the first one wasn't designed properly? And shouldn't anyone who has to replace an engine because of this error, be reimbursed? (I know, I'm talking to the choir) It sounds like this may be Verse 2 of the head gasket problem. It may answer why the 96/97 Windstar are having problems even after the head gasket was redesigned.
As I'm searching the net tonight (12/13/99) looking for information on the 2000 Windstars, I just happened to fall unto this chatroom. When I started reading I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing - I had just picked up my 1996 Ford Windstar 3.8L van from the Ford dealer for the very exact problem y'all have been writing about!
Would you believe that I have had this van at the Ford dealership since September 30th!!!! My wife and I were heading to Northern Wisconsin for a little R & R when the van blew up! After sitting for almost 2 hours waiting for a tow truck, we headed to the local Ford dealership in Portage, Wisconsin, about 15 miles north of where the van crapped out. This is about 2 1/2 hours from our home. The dealer's service manager was kind enough to look at the van for us (it was almost quitting time). Upon examination, I was told that the engine block heater plug (?) blew out. When I asked what caused it, they gave no explanation. After an hour the plug was replaced and the engine was started up and within a couple of minutes it blew out the new plug. I was then told that my engine had a blown head gasket. So it started, $120.00 shot down the drain... and it wasn't fixed.
The dealer had my van for almost a month before he got around to fixing it. I had to drive north to pick it up, and didn't get more than an hour and change down the road and the engine light went on. Contacting the dealer that next week he told me that he didn't know what could have caused this and we agreed to take it to my local Ford dealer in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. They looked at and determined that there were more problems. I then called the Ford dealer that had supposedly fixed it and made them come and pick it up and drive it back to their shop. After a few more weeks of screwing around, they determined that there must be something wrong with the cylinder head, so off it came again! After pulling it apart it was determined that one of the valves wasn't seating properly - why it happened, I never did get any explanation. So a few more weeks in the garage.
We drove back the 2 1/2 hours to pick it up and this time only got about 45 minutes down the road when the "check engine" light came on again. So another trip down by the dealer to pick up the van! They kept it this time for sever more weeks to determine that there was a cracked vacuum hose - figured it happended because of all the times they took the damn engine apart!!!
I just picked it up two days ago and so far the light hasn't gone on. However, now I have a crazy brake light coming one whenever it feels like it for no apparent reason. So again, tomorrow I will call my local dealer to check it out! I'm sure it has nothing to do with the head gasket thing, but why does it now pop up after they've had the van for months and months. Remember, I had the orginal problem on September 30th, and picked it up on December 11th! Gee, it's only taken over 2 1/2 months for a little repair job! And almost $1,500.00 for the repair.
Oh ya, I do have an extra vehicle that we've been driving during this mess... guess what it is - a 1996 3.8L Ford Taurus!!!!! I had just placed an ad in the newspaper to sell this vehicle when my van broke down, and after $170.00 to detail it for sale, and $150.00 in ads, I had to pull the ad so we could use the car. (Another $320.00 down the drain.)
Almost forgot, I too called Ford Motor Company after a friend of mine who is a service manager at a Ford dealer in Illinois told me about the head gasket problem and that they've changed dozens and dozens of them, I got absolutely nowhere with them. The lady on the phone was pleasant, but gave me no help at all. And, she acted like this was the first time she'd heard it!!! Ummmmmm.
Anyway dear 3.8L Ford motor buddies, after my lovely experience and reading all of your lovely Christmas greetings on Ford's problem, I can tell you that not only am I going to sell the Taurus, the van is going ASAP. I was originally thinking about replacing it with a 2000 Windstar (before I started reading these emails), but I'm so fed up with Ford, and believe me, my family have been extremly loyal Ford owners since the 30's, I think maybe I'll go back to Honda. Their new Odyssey looks like a real winner!!! I owned a 91 Honda Civic and it was one of the best cars I've ever owned. I think it's time to try another.
One last thing, I was told by a very good source that works with Ford (that service manager friend of mine from Illinois) that Ford is so damn big they don't care about the individual buyer. Well, now I believe him since I'm living the hell of the 3.8L mess! Good riddens to them. If they can't step forward and accept the fact that they screwed up and stand behind their products, then we as consumers should not stand, but get our feet to do the walking.... right down the block to their competitors, I am.
Sorry for the long letter, but I felt it important to give you all another example of how the big boys in Detroit can stick it to the little guy. Sort of like the government...
Good night and Merry Christmas!
Dear General Motors Customer:
As the owner of a 1992 or 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier equipped with a 2.2L engine, your satisfaction with our product is of the utmost concern to us. Your vehicle was provided with a new vehicle warranty, which covers certain parts of your vehicle for a specified period. These warranties are of considerable value to you if you should experience problems with your vehicle.
This letter is intended to make you aware that some 1992 and 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier models with 2.2L engines may develop a failure of the Cylinder head gasket that allows coolant to leak from the cylinder head gasket To engine block joint. Early evidence of this would be a loss of coolant in the coolant reservoir and an odour of coolant from the engine compartment, or a low coolant lamp. There may also be visible coolant deposits
at the cylinder head to engine block joint.
General Motors of Canada Limited is, therefore, taking the following action:
We are providing owners with special coverage. If the above-mentioned condition occurs within seven(7) years of the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 160,000 km, whichever occurs first, your vehicle will be repaired for you at no charge.
This special policy applies only to repairs requiring cylinder head gasket replacement as a result of cylinder head gasket failure that results in an engine coolant leak. It does not cover engine damage from continuing to operate the engine in an overheated condition after loss of coolant.
This is not a recall campaign. Do not take your vehicle to your GM dealer as a result of this letter unless you believe that yourvehicle has the condition as described above. Keep this letter with your other important glove box literature for future reference.
If you have already paid for some or all of the cost to have the Cylinder head gasket replaced and in-service time was less than seven(7) years and 160,000 km, you should contact your GM dealer. You may be eligible for partial or complete reimbursement costs if genuine GM parts were used in the repair/ If the work was done by someone other than a GM dealership the amount of reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost GM to have it completed by a GM dealership. Please provide your dealer with your original paid receipts or invoices verifying the repair, the amount charged, proof of payment, and the date of payment of those charges by March 1, 1997.
Repairs and adjustments qualifying under this Special Policy coverage must be performed by your GM dealer.
*** end of letter ***
GM offererd a 7 year, 100K mile warranty for the problem. Ford extended the warranty to 5 years or 60K miles. And, they didn't notify all the owners...some sort of "selective notification" was used.
Ford should look at how GM handled a problem...the above example may be one of the reasons that my charts show few complaints for GM in the NHTSA database...they took care of the customers.
I can see why it has such a good safety rating. It's never on the road long enough to be in an accident. I do have to admit that the service department is friendly and helpful. But I purchase a vehicle in hopes it would be reliable enough to take my family on short trips. My confidence in Ford products has been shaken up from this experience and I will think twice before I buy another Ford Product.
this. Contacted Ford. He acknowledged this is their problem, however, they say the time for the "extended"warranty evoked by this problem expired 12/98 or at 60k miles. The estimated repair is about $2000. It wasn't my
action or inaction that caused this failure, and Ford acknowledges this and that their faulty head gasket caused this.
Ford claims they "weren't aware of any problems" with the 3.8 V6...and you are not alone in having the head gasket fail twice...check out this web site to find that you are in good company:
http://home.att.net/~ccatanese/ford
There are lots of links for you and others to read up on "Job 1" at Ford.
Head gaskets in 3.8 V6's were a problem at Ford from the late 80's thru 1996. Check out the links, and good luck (but don't hold your breath).
As I think back on this I have own 3 Fords (1966, 1978 and the 1995) and everyone of them had transmission problems. I guess the saying Fix or Repair Daily is true. Ford has lost a customer forever after this last experience.
I just bought a new VW Jetta and love it. I have owned VW's and Toyotas and never had any major problems with them and look forward to long and reliable service from my new Jetta, something I never got from my Fords!
It's interesting how all of these problems (according to the other posts) start happening around the 67,000 mark. Very suspicious. How much money can I expect to be out? I live in Tulsa and all Ford dealerships here are owned directly by Ford (Tulsa Auto Collection). Do you think that would help in me getting them to pay for the cost of repair?
Comments/Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
I can't help but think Ford does meticulous "wear engineering" on their parts, they seem to have it timed so they crap out just after the warranty runs out....
Ford/Mercury shame on you!
Unless you got an extended warranty, forget about getting any assistance from Ford. I'm afraid you'll be in the same boat I am when the head gaskets blew in my 3.8L 93 T-bird. They "weren't aware" of any problems with those either. The best I could do was hit myself upside the head and say "Wow...I shoulda got a V8!"
Well there's no class action lawsuit or hidden warranty for my problem however ya'll older models may still have an option.... go to http://members.aol.com/MKBradley/index.html . They're filing a class action lawsuit. GOOD LUCK!!
I dropped my car w/Sil-Terhar whom informed me that my head-gasket needed to be replaced. I drove my car off the lot and it misfired all over the place (not the car I dropped off). When I confronted the service manager he told me it *was* my head gasket.
I was flabbergasted to think my car's original problem was a gasket and could only think that Sil-Terhar themselves must have caused the problem, why else would it run so bad?
The second day I talked with another service manager whom informed me that the plug was "bad" and Sil-Terhar would fix it at no cost to me (after laughing when I asked them was tests they performed on my engine to cause such a problem). They also informed me that they have enough business leaving me with the distinct impression of "we don't care".
Not only had Sil-Terhar must have damaged my plug upon inspection but they were more than happy to have me shell out $1400 based solely upon a visual inspection of a single spark plug.
Strike 1 againest Ford - their dealers.
I then took my car to a reputable (non-Ford) shop
where they confirmed the head-gasket by running a chemical test on the coolant itself, a complete inspection of the engine itself, and a serious of follow-ups questions about the cars behavior.
He also informed me that the 3.8L had a reputation for the head gasket (Sil-Terhar also stated they worked on 3-4 heads a week).
Strike 2 againest Ford -- their product.
I then proceeded to talk Ford's customer care 800 number, what a waste of time. I first talked to someone that told me that there was no warranty or recall at this time. I asked to speak to someone in charge and I was told someone would contact me within 24hrs.
46 hours later I called again and complained. An hour later "Annette" called back. I explained the problem with my car, and their dealer, and that this was my 4th Ford product. I also told her that I was looked to buy a mini-van and her decisions could seriously affect my future Ford purchases.
She told me repeated that Ford would offer no assistance and that was Ford's FINAL statement on the matter (but she *was* documenting everything).
I asked to talk to her supervisor or someone who could make an informed decision and she:
would NOT pass my name to anyone else
would NOT have anyone contact me
would NOT provide the name of anyone else.
Strike 3 -- Ford's customer service
I have always felt strongly about Ford products but never again.
- New head gasket (with associated other things that fail)
- New water pump
- New radiator fan
- New power steering pump
- New transmission
- New power antanae
- Blown AC - (not covered due to failure of a non covered hose)
- New rack and pinion gear
- Frequent and unsuccessful attempts at alignment to fix tendency to pull right (at 2 different dealers as well as independant shops)
- Broken $1 part in steering column causing $400 repair so car could be turned off.
- New belt idler
This car replaced an 87 Accord which was wrecked. I thought I'd give FORD a try. Never again for their automobiles. I do however own a 98 F150 which has been great so far - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this won't be the lemon the SABLE was.
I had the van in 7/98 for the recall!!
So, like the rest of you, I am stuck and looking for a new van. I put some BARS into the radiator and it sealed the gasket for the moment. FORD SUCKS!!! I wish we could start a class action suit about those head gaskets. Ford knew about them and refused to fix them. I kept up my part of the warranty and they didn't uphold theirs!!
Buyer beware!!
We called Ford Customer Care, who told us that at 60,001 miles, Ford would charge FULL price for new head gasket. I called back the next day and was told that Ford would offer me a "Financial Incentive" if, in fact, it was the head gasket that blew. He stated that depending on inspection of my van's head gasket, Ford may pay one-half, 75%, or even the entire amount, since Ford is well aware of the head gasket problems on the 95 Windstar and I was just over the warranty miles.
I towed my van towed to the nearest dealer, who informed me that they have NEVER heard of Ford offering a financial incentive. They told me that I am over the 60,000 mile warranty, and would have to pay in full for new head gasket.
They told me that the person at Customer Care had NO BUSINESS making that statement to me. They stated that Customer Care is there only to refer customers to the closest dealers.
Two days later, Ford called and told me that they would replace my head gasket, timing cover gasket, water pump, hoses, etc for the price of an extended warranty, that being $ 495. They told me my oxygen sensors were blown (2 x $75) and that my radiator was needing attention, both of which were not covered under this price.
After stumbling across these postings while my van was in the shop (3 weeks), I went out van shopping the next day. Within two days, I leased a Toyota Sienna, and traded in my Windstar.
I also wrote FORD and received a call from the great customer service ctr which gave the standard "we'll document everything but right now there is nothing we can do"
I'm thinking about joining a class action suit, but there is one thing I can do which is NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN, and I will also strongly discourage family and freinds from doing so.
By the way I also own an Isuzu Oasis/Honda Oddessey for 3 years not one problem. They did send me a recall that notified me that I will have to bring the car in after 50K for service on the emission system, but they will give me a free oil change and tune up. Now that is customer service.
Bottom Line - If you thinking about buying a FORD product don't do it. They may be cheaper than honda and toyotas but you will end up saving time and money in repairs.
your new host, Bruce
Also, if your "Check Engine" light comes on, it's your head gasket. DON'T let the dealer tell you it's the oxygen sensor (our mistake). Replacing the oxygen sensor will get the light to turn off for a while, but that's a pretty sure sign that your gaskets are getting ready to go. Also, it's a whole lot better if you can get them replaced before they blow out on the highway. Ford won't cover the cost of other damage caused by the gasket failure. If your over 60K miles, they won't cover your head gaskets either.
Do I understand correctly that the engine and transmission are under warranty for 60k miles? I couldn't find any transmission warranty coverage in the owner's manual.
Where can I run to and get the engine and transmission checked? Seems like NOT a local Ford dealership!