Our head gasket went just over 100,000 km. Ford is of no assistance. We put a rebuilt engine in - cost approximately $4000. Our Windstar was manufactured in September 95 - three weeks after warranty for 95's extended warranty ran out.
Unfortunately, since we got it back we worry - what will happen next, we also cannot afford to trade with this expense hanging over our head.
This happened in March 2001, we continue to make any contact we think may help. If you have a similar story, please comment. We need all the information and support we can get.
We have enjoyed having the Windstar until this year. The ride is very comfortable, if they can get the problems fixed we would consider another.
I had my head gaskets replaced 3 years ago after they failed and the engine failed today just 62,000 km later. I would assume the two are related.
Water everywhere. I did not know if there was an option to get the engine replaced at the time? I should have!
1996 Ford Windstar -- Blown timing cover gaskets; front-end clunking:
I, too, own a 1996 Ford Windstar that unfortunately shares two of the more costly repair problems associated with this vehicle.
In early December 2002 we took our vehicle in for service to a Ford dealership because of a recurring clunking noise in the front end that our independent garage couldn't find. Oddly, Ford was able to isolate the problem quite quickly -- defective radial arm bushings -- because according to the service adviser it was ``quite a common problem'' with the Windstar, though Ford has never to my knowledge issued a recall or warranty extension, even though it is a safety issue. Cost of repairs: $800 Canadian dollars.
I should have listened the little voice inside my head and put the vehicle up for sale or traded it on a new vehicle (not a Ford) because just three weeks later the hammer really fell.
In addition to the clunking noise on the first visit, the check engine light had come on. The Ford technician ran a diagnostic test and determined a computer chip needed updating.
The check engine light turned out to be a far more troubling and costly matter as the timing cover gasket and radiator had both failed.
Ford refused to acknowledge the problem with the Windstar was the same as the 1995 model year gasket defects and therefore declined to provide financial assistance in rectifying what is so obviously a manufacturer's failure. The dealership wouldn't even swallow the cost of pulling the oil pan to inspect the engine's bearings for damage from antifreeze before I spent $1,900 on repairs on what was potentially a completely ruined engine.
Ford has lost me as a customer and I will be sure to tell others of my situation. I wish I had read this Web site before buying this money pit on wheels!
We also had a left-rear wheel hub blow out while driving in the mountains in British Columbia.
I would like to also add a few lines. I am in the process of purchasing a 1995 ford windstar from my grandparents I had it exactly two weeks and all of a sudden it started overheating white smoke everywhere and then it wouldn't start. My brother in law whom is a mechanic took a look at it and guess what the head gaskets might be gone. I read all of these stories before I got the vehicle and I said to myself oh this won't happen to me and now look it only has 70,500 miles on it and then I went to get something out of the van and now my interior lights won't go off. So now we don't know what is going on with the van pretty crazy. I can't believe ford never recalled the vans for this problem. I sure hope after I fix this that nothing happens I just can't see for having so low mileage how things like this could happened very scary.
It has happened to me as well in 2008 on a 2001 Ford Windstar, would anyone know if a class action was ever considered against Ford?
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