1995 Ford Windstar 3.8 liter

Summary:

A massive lemon

Faults:

My head gasket blew out at 107,000 miles.

Windshield wipers won't stay on.

General Comments:

Ford Motor Company has refused to repair obvious defects on this vehicle despite my numerous attempts to work within their parameters.

Local Ford dealerships were extremely uncooperative.

My wife once had a Toyota than ran like a champ for years. We will probably go back to them.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st April, 2001

30th Apr 2001, 08:57

I also have a 1995 Ford Windstar. I have 120,000 on the vehicle and still owe 7,500 on it. The car is sitting at the dealership "needing a new engine" for which I have been quoted a price of 4,100 to replace.

The head gaskets were replaced (by recall) a year and a half ago. The dealership will reduce the repair cost by 10% (as a goodwill gesture), I have talked to Ford customer service twice at length and they are sorry, but there is nothing they can do because the vehicle is over the mileage limits for their recall. I'm still trying to decide what to do.

1995 Ford Windstar LX 3.8

Summary:

Ford-stration to the max

Faults:

Engine - Blown head gasket at 63,000 miles.

Engine knock at 88,000 miles.

Check engine light at 89,000 miles.

Rough running at 89,000 miles. Tune up doesn't help.

Transmission jumpy at 70,000 miles.

Right front wheel bearing bad at 68,000 miles (632.00 repair cost).

A/C quit ar 65,000 miles (power present, but the unit won't come on).

Auto lamp system turns lights on but not off.

Bladder for the lumbar support defective at 32,000 miles.

Brakes replaced at 35,000 miles/73,000 miles.

Presently on the third set of tires (last 2 sets - Michelin XS).

General Comments:

This was a somewhat expensive vehicle in 1995 ($31,000), to have so many major repairs and problems at 65,000 miles.

The vehicle was maintained for most of its history by the dealer according to the maintenance schedule. I had hoped that this would prolong the life of the vehicle. As it turns out this vehicle doesn't have any trade value, and apparently can't be fixed. Ford needs to offer something to compensate for this gross transgression of trust.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 6th April, 2001

1995 Ford Windstar LX

Summary:

Piece of junk!!

Faults:

Brakes replaced twice and need to be done again.

Head gasket replaced at 55,000 miles.

Passenger side window needs repairing - doesn't operate.

Sliding side door latch doesn't latch sometimes until the door is slammed really hard.

Power steering pump replaced.

Rear tires wear improperly and have been replaced with two new sets.. and it's not the tires that wear like that.. must be something in the rear end..

General Comments:

I have told anybody who listens that the Windstar is a piece of junk and not to purchase one!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th March, 2001

4th Jul 2001, 22:34

I have had all the usual problems, transmission, engine, head gaskets. That was last summer, 85,000 miles, now I have a new one, a wacky speedometer that makes the transmission shift crazy, they fixed it once for $400, then two months later back again with the same problem - a speed cluster. They said I had to wait 4 months for the part, finally the part came, the car would not run more than 5 minutes, and $550 later it still doesn't work. Their response, they guess that wasn't the problem as I waited over four months. It is finally time for court for me - I still owe $3000 for a car that spent 2 months last year in the shop and now has been sitting in my driveway for 5 months, Any suggestions about the speedometer??

KWILL65155 @aol.com THANKS.

1995 Ford Windstar GL 3.8

Summary:

Ford ought to be ashamed

Faults:

On a trip from NY to Tenn with about 43,000 on the vehicle, the check engine light came on. Turned out to be the O2 sensor.

Rear window motor on passenger side died. Cost $150 just to get a mechanic to shut it and leave it shut.

On tip from NY to NH, all hell broke loose. Thermostat started tacking past "H" and the speedometer started going crazy. Brought it to a dealer for the obvious head gasket repair and new speedometer. Was told the problem was the timing cover gasket (11 hours at $80/hour) and that they would also do the head gasket repair under the extended recall. I flipped, and they decided they could do the timing cover job in 8 hours. My mechanic recommended having water pump and thermostat replaced while they were at it. The speedometer would be $360 (rebuilt) plus two hours of labor. I told them to forget it. 5 minutes out of the parking lot, the check engine light comes on and the car starts running very rough. I went right back; they check it out, and found that they had cracked a plug in cylinder 6. They repaired it.

I was left $900 poorer, with an unrepaired wacky speedometer, and a real bad feeling from my experience with the dealer and from reading all these reviews.

General Comments:

Want to get rid of the car badly, but wouldn't wish its likely future on anyone.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 10th March, 2001