1996 Ford Windstar from North America - Comments

I have purchased a 96 Windstar GL 3.0 about 5 years ago and the check engine light came on 5 minutes after leaving lot. Dealer said they would not take it back and found out they cleared the codes daily. I have had all the same problems, replaced head gasket 4 times, rebuilt transmission, replaced door sensors, and all still goes wrong. Now I cannot even reregester if in Portland Oregon due to DEQ. It will cost me another $800 to $1000 dollars to fix. I am low income single dad with 3 kids and 2 go to OHSU Hospital for appointments and I cannot afford another car. Ford should be made to replace our vehicles with other brands or refund us on our purchase prices plus repair costs. I agree a class action lawsuit is in order.

I am very glad I came across this message board as I also own a 1996 Ford Windstar with the 3.8 engine. Compared to some here I have been fortunate, but that luck may now be coming to an end.

My Windstar has about 96,000 miles on it and is now experiencing the engine light problem for the first time though my rear window motor on one side has not worked for quite awhile. For years I have been smelling anti-freeze when inside the vehicle at times and have had the problem of anti-freeze seeming to disappear and not knowing where it has gone. I recently left the vehicle at an airport for a week and upon my return noticed the start to be very rough and had the engine light come on and stay on. Drove it home, ran fine and then took it to a garage. The garage checked the computer message which said a cylinder had miss fired, reset the engine light and suggested a tune up. As they could not do the tune up at that time I drove it home. The engine light was fine. Left the vehicle at the airport again for a week while traveling and same thing again, very rough start, then run fine, engine light now on again. I was going to have the tune up done, but having read what I have read here I think I will save myself some future aggravation and get rid of it, time for a new one and it won't be a Ford! Thank you for all the previous posts.

Sounds like you had better get a compression test, can we say "head gasket"??

I am the proud owner of a 96 Windstar with 135000 miles on it. I was very happy with the vehicle until I found out that the head gasket that it needs will cost me $3000.00 if the heads are not bad, and god only knows what if they are.

I have heard horror stories of how DIY's are really difficult. Guess I will just call the scrapyard.

Was Edsel rehired back to Ford and designed this crate???

"17th Feb 2008, 02:57

I have purchased a 96 Windstar GL 3.0 about 5 years ago and the check engine light came on 5 minutes after leaving lot. Dealer said they would not take it back and found out they cleared the codes daily. I have had all the same problems, replaced head gasket 4 times, rebuilt transmission, replaced door sensors, and all still goes wrong. Now I cannot even reregester if in Portland Oregon due to DEQ. It will cost me another $800 to $1000 dollars to fix. I am low income single dad with 3 kids and 2 go to OHSU Hospital for appointments and I cannot afford another car. Ford should be made to replace our vehicles with other brands or refund us on our purchase prices plus repair costs. I agree a class action lawsuit is in order."

Seems to me that you have a case to sue them. I believe that most states have at least an implied warranty that somebody can't sell you a piece of junk that they know is a piece of junk. Even if they won't fix it like a regular warranty, it seems like if you talk to a District Attorney you could have either gotten your money back or sued them for repairs. You're climbing the wrong tree with Ford, build a case against the used car dealer who sold you a piece of junk.

"For years I have been smelling anti-freeze when inside the vehicle at times and have had the problem of anti-freeze seeming to disappear and not knowing where it has gone."

If you smell it inside the vehicle it most likely enters the venting system through a leak related to the heater core or the heater hoses. If it simply disappears slowly without puddles under the car, it's most likely the lower intake manifold gasket failing. Head gasket is a possibility as well.

The most important thing is not to let it go on for years!

Same story... 96 Ford Windstar with 3.8 eng. 96,000 miles, I have already replace head gasket twice. Service engine light is on again. Ford gave me same story... 96 is not covered.

Really too bad, we also love the van... but we will never buy another Ford.

As for the other ploblems, also sounds familar. Struts bad, motors on rear windows went out..etc. I have had both front brake lines fail. put my foot on the brake, and you could feel it explode. brake fluid all over the driveway.

I purchased my 1995 Ford Windstar in the summer of 1996 with about 16,000 miles on it.

In January of 1997, enroute to Orlando Florida, the check engine light came on. Even though under warranty - this cost me 225.00 because this item was not covered.

At almost 67,000 miles (prior to my extended warranty expiring) the car was in and out the the shop with engine problems.

Finally in the the summer of 1998, the engine "blew up" and almost ran off the road and over the cliff where there is a rock quarry below off I-80. When the tow truck driver appeared, I was covered in tears and dust from the cars speeding by. He confessed to me that my car "had a bad history " and that I was lucky to have survived without having or causing an accident.

I had to fight with Ford to give me a free rental for my inconvenience-and a "brand new" 3.8L 1996 crappy engine that would be just as crappy as the 1995 one. Sadly, I still own this unsaleable hunk of metal-due to life related issues - and coupled with the fact that this was my first car that I could call mine. With that - I have replaced 2 transmissions, rebuilt the engine with 3 busted gaskets, and blocked cylinders, faulty spark plugs, that stupid constant door ajar light (it's a lifelong ghost that lives in my car), 2 broken sway bars, a horrible twice soldered exhaust system, and now I believe a brand new leaking head gasket!

The car has 165,000 miles on it. That's Ford tough.

1996 Ford Windstar 3.8 Litre LX

Seems that everyone here is having the same problems, mine disappearing antifreeze overflow always empty, head gasket problems replaced, now heads are cracked and needs more work van in the shop again, it's a continuous nightmare. Has Ford taken any responsibility? Would join class action suit if there is one. It's obvious there is a problem and they should take care of it, these vehicles are not cheap to start with, and you pay extra for quality; not the case here.

If anyone has had any luck contact me ladyjayne777@aol.com

Good points about the vehicle; lots of room, comfortable, but no good if you can't drive it and it's unreliable. It might as well be sitting on my couch with a wheel in my hand.

I just bought a 96 Windstar 1 and 1/2 weeks ago. Guess what happened today... Head gasket went!!! I feel used and cheap, I wish I would have known about these problems before giving him my money.