1995 Ford Windstar GL review from North America

Windstar 1995.

Antilock brake system Warning Light at 9692 miles - hardshell connector repaired.

Heater Fan squeaked - replaced at 11088 miles - dealer returned car without plugging in heater fan, so the owner completed the repair.

Sliding Door recall repair 905B73 at 9692 miles.

Check Engine Light at 16500 miles ($60 to reset computer)

Replaced O2 sensors as per Ford recommendation at 16689 miles.

Hood reinforcement recall repair 30003 miles.

Check Engine light failure at 33638 miles ($60 to reset computer)

Check Engine light failure at 35623 miles, Ford reset computer (cleared codes) and said they could not find a problem.

Check Engine light failure at 41058 miles, due to head gasket failure (owner asked Ford to check for hydrocarbons in the coolant). Head gaskets replaced, heads machined, spark plugs replaced.

Rough running engine and coolant loss 43822 miles due to failure of timing belt cover. Ford denied responsibility, so owner paid $626 for repairs.

Severe connecting rod bearing knock under mid-rpm acceleration at 50698 miles. After denying responsibility, Ford finally accepted owners explanation that the head gasket had probably failed at about 16,000 miles and that engine had driven with contaminated oil causing a premature failure of the connecting rod bearings. Ford replaced engine (with a rebuilt long-block engine) and owner paid for a replacement transmission ($1640)

Replacement transmission started slipping between first and second gears at 53001 miles. Ford replaced the transmission (car was at dealer for about 2 weeks to complete repair)

Front disk brakes squeak when taken from dealer after transmission repair. Front disk pads replaced and rotors turned at 53034 miles (owner pays).

Car starts rough until engine revved to higher rpm, owner suspects head gasket failure at 61390 miles. Ford dealer says they don't see any problem.

Car continues to start rough so returned to dealer at 63981 miles. Dealer says "90% of Fords that come in to our repair shop run rough when they are started cold" Dealer also says "it is not our fault that there is a design defect in this engine. The car was built by Ford and we are not Ford, we are 'Ford of Kirkland'". Dealer also suggested that the problem might be due to the engine being "out of balance". When challenged by the owner who wanted to know how the balance could change when the engine was revved, the dealer said "it was only a theory we had".

Taken to an independent carburetor and fuel injection repair shop (Carburetor Connection in Kirkland WA) at 64090 miles. The repair shop quickly diagnosed a head gasket failure with a chemical hydrocarbon test (15 to 60 parts per million hydrocarbons in coolant). Repair shop refused to charge for the diagnosis saying "it only takes about 5 minutes to do a hydrocarbon check".

Returned to Ford dealer for confirmation of head gasket failure at 64092 miles. Dealer said it took 2 hours of labor to confirm head gasket failure. Asked by owner, said it would consider helping pay for head gasket repair.

This car has been into repair shops 19 times in 64,000 miles!

There are serious problems with the aluminum heads and graphite composition head gaskets on the Ford 3.8 liter V6 engine!