Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Ford 3.8 head gasket/trans failures--"secret warranty" Part 2
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I don't know if this will help or not, but in early '99, I bought a '93 Sable with the 3.8L engine. Under warranty, the head gaskets were replaced (supposedly with the new design.) One year later, they needed to be replaced again. I think the new design alone is not enough, but maybe all the other improvements that would only be seen in 3.8L engines produced after 1996 and the better designed head gasket working together will solve the problem.
It is also possible that a failed gasket at one point caused warped cylinder heads - in which case, it's unlikely that any new gasket will hold, until the head is replaced or machined flat again (if the latter is possible).
jvirginia - I looked up the web page you mentioned and that was very helpful as well.
Thanks again!
Lo and behold wouldn't you know it my engine started making a weird noise. I couldn't acclerate
Pull my car over and got towed to a local mechanic.Told me my engine was shot. For $5000 I could get a new engine with 3yr 75,000 mile warranty. Spoke to a local Ford dealer,I could get
a rebuilt engine for $3800 with a 2yr and 24,000 mile warranty.The van had only 75,500 miles. I was not aware of the extended warranty.Never received anything from Ford The Ford dealer didn't mention the warranty when I inquired about a new engine. Emailed Ford and waiting for a response back.Went out and purchased a 2001 Honda
Ody. LX. I will never purchase another Ford product again.
Lisa
Then take them to small claims court and claim that the transimissions were "not fit for the purposes intended". It's all a part of the "Implied Warranty of Merhcantablity" of the Uniform Commercial Code. Use the data you gathered to illustrate that Ford had big problems with their transmissions. Once it's "out of warranty", they will want to blow you off. Take them to court. You may just win, or, they may have a lawyer contact you to settle.
Dang, sometimes I hate this litigeous society, but sometimes ya just gotta do what you gotta do. And with Ford headgaskets and transmissions, I guess it's just the golden rule "do unto others". They want to screw you - so put the screws to them. Good luck.
Lisa
So you see it's not a simple "proof" one way or the other. You are probably more in the right than the dealer, but also maybe not entirely without some fault, too.
if you could get some kind of "dealer or factory" participation in the engine rebuild, I'd certainly settle for that if I were you...50-50 or some such.
I figured I was SOL because of the mileage. Maybe not, based on some of the posts.
As a very bizarre coincidence, I spoke with a Ford parts guy today. It had nothing to do with my Wind star initially. He's also a part time free lance photographer and I was calling him in that regard. Anyway, to make a long story even longer, he was very helpful and suggested the following:
1. Contact the dealer and have them run an OASIS report. That will bring up all the programs that are available for the car.
2. Have the dealer contact the regional Ford rep and get them to work out some sort of deal. If your car is over the 100k, like mine, you won't get a free ride, but you might get something. It all depends on how long you owned the car, where you had it serviced, how many miles over 100k it is and, probably, whether you treat them civilly or act like a jerk.
3. If the dealer doesn't cooperate (the jerk factor can work 2 ways), Call 800-392-FORD and ask them for a MORS report. That obligates Ford to call the regional rep, who contacts the dealership.
I'll let you know how it works out.
Good luck to all!
Peter
Thanks for all the tips.
Any thoughts as to running the car, using a Stop Leak type product in the coolant system, until the minivan just ups and dies for good? At a quoted $1900 repair bill I do not want to replace the cylinder head.
Thanks,
Ralph
Could you post the article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer here (ref: your post #127)?
The site has only a 14 day history.
Thanks,
Ralph
Thanks
page@netpluscom.com
I really appreciate it.
i will NEVER EVER buy a Ford or GM-made vehicle ever again!
DON'T BUY Ford...:
If you want a Reliable car, if you care about your Family's Safety, if you want Quality, if you Don't want to mess with Factory Recalls EVERY year!, if you don't like engine/transmission problems, if you don't like your trim\body panels falling apart, if you don't want to be Fixing your Car every WEEK...
Do NOT Buy a FORD!
I bought my 1995 Ford Windstar GL 3.8L V-6 brand new. I am original owner. I take GOOD care of ALL my vehicles. I enjoy cars, am an auto enthusiast, have raced/built/rebuilt all kinds of cars since I was 13 yrs old. I am proud of my rides and take great care of my stable of vehicles; I change oil Religiously every 3000 miles, rotate tires every 10K, flush radiators every summer, keep my engines so Meticulously Clean you could Eat off them!, wash my cars every other week.
But despite all the care and attention, the Ford Windstar has been one of the WORST!
It has gotten no less than 7 Factor Recalls in the first 3 years of ownership!
All sorts of Problems ranging from...:
* Defective factory Head Gasket.
* Hood Separation at high speeds.
* Gas Tank (plastic) needed Reinforcement for hot weather climates.
* Sliding Door needed reinforcement/welding.
* Transmission Oil pan leak.
* "Check Engine" light comes on ALL the time!
* Hesitation/Jerking/Loss of power at certain temperatures, elevations, engine speeds.
* Trim, body panels, weather stripping falling apart.
My friends, neighbors, co-workers, and I have ALL had nightmare stories about Fords... Taurus/Sable, Windstar, Aerostar, Mustang, Escort, Thunderbird, you name it!
OK, if you're just leasing/renting for a year or two, have at it, go and buy yourself a Ford Explorer with Firestone tires if you like.
It won't matter anyways, after a couple years it'll be someone else's problem not yours.
But if you plan to own the car for more than a couple years, Don't buy a Ford! It'll end up Owning YOU!
Spend a couple thousand extra and buy yourself a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc. Trust me it'll be worth it, because it won't be sitting on jackstands in your front yard in a few years.
If you buy a Ford you'll spend Thousands of dollars on repairs, recalls, wasted time, trouble, and headaches.
Fords are just huge money pits.
And, a tip for any 95 Windstar owners - if you're planning on getting your Windstar totaled (getting rear-ended at about 15 to 20 MPH should do the trick), move to Minnesota. Dealers have them on their lots up their for over $10,000. Studies are being conducted to see if cold weather effects the brain. Just show the insurance company what the "going rate" is, and they'll have to come up with the money. I found that little ditty after doing a search for 95 Windstars on Cars.com for vehicles within a 500 mile radius of Kansas City. I found several in Minnesota with dealers asking over 10 grand.
Like you I wasn't looking for a new van. Had all the same problems with this one that everyone one else appears to have had. The engine went just days before the initial head gasket recall. I paid to replace the engine--had it done at an independent garage. Took it in to file the paperwork at the dealership and let them fix another recall and while they had it they yanked the head and replaced the head gasket on the new engine without consulting me. Then, they had the nerve to file the claim making it impossible for me to file a claim on the legit repair. Ford wouldn't listen and didn't care even when they realized they had a dirty dealer. I still like the looks of the Windstar, but I don't need another headache.
Our accident was over Memorial Day and the van had $75,000 miles on it. Hope this helps you. Jvirginia was right, we were "lucky" to have it totaled.
I have noticed what looks like dripping coolant from the area of the reservoir tank but only one or twice. Can anyone tell me how to figure this out. My oil is clean and not cloudy. Thanks, Judi
I have found a good mechanic (not ford ) who is very honest.I guess the best thing to do is get it checked.I wonder if I have that much water going places it should not, if the motor will already be beyond hope.
As I said in my first post, my oil is not milky as others have reported. I have only noticed a drip a few times, after the A/C was on.I can't see that I am loosing that much to a leak. I just topped it up on Sun, it was dry today.
It seems this is quite a common Windstar problem. If I didn't own on it still I would trade it off.
Judi
She told me that under Recall# M09 (i think), head gaskets on '95 Windstars are covered for 7 years/100,000 miles whichever comes First.
So tonight after work i am towing my '95 Windstar in to the dealership. It only has 65,200 miles and I am original owner. I took great care of my Windstar but the head gaskets still blew.
About a month ago my Check Engine light was coming on Constantly, my engine began to chug/hesitate really bad, felt like it was running on only 3 cylinders, i noticed i was losing coolant fast (1 gallon per week).
Knocking/detonation on acceleration.
Now it is sitting on jackstands on my frontyard.
I will NEVER buy a Ford again. We want to get rid of this pile of garbage as soon as we can. It is just a huge money pit and taking up our time.
I hope it gets rear-ended like the other Windstar on this board.
$6000 from the insurance would be Great!
Ford did pay the full cost of the new long block plus the cost of a rental vehical. I was responsible for the mileage cost of the rental however. After three months and a summer vacation,the cost was still quite high. My advise, make Ford pay directly to the rental agency for the time it takes them to repair your vehicle. They wanted me to put it on my credit card at first, but a call to Ford's customer service center was all it took for the Ford Dealership to work out an agreement with the local rental company. Good Luck.