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.