I have a concern that I need to communicate to you along with a request regarding my 1997 Windstar van.
For some background, these events all started almost 1 year ago. I was at the dealer in response to a recall regarding the front coil springs when the dealer informed me that they had noticed some external seepage starting from the engine front-end gaskets. At this point the vehicle had about 150,000 km on it. Due to the sensitivity of this area (coolant/oil) I had the gaskets changed within a week. At the time of the change it appeared that they had been changed in time however about 5 months later my mechanic (non-Ford) informed me that he was starting to hear some knocking leading him to think that perhaps there had been some leakage past the gasket. At that time he predicted that I would have to change the engine within 1 year.
I know that Ford had problems with engine gaskets failing on the 3.8 litre engines in 95-96 and some into 97 model years before corrective action was made. As I investigated my situation it was clear that this has been an extensive problem for Ford. Technical service bulletins #98-7-4 (Apr 98) concerns new gasket sealant, #99-20-7 (Oct 99) concerns engine coolant loss/oil contamination, and these were followed by several other bulletins relating to coolant and oil recommendations. When I purchased the Windstar consumer reports ratings were high but unfortunately as these vehicles started to age the amount of issues that surfaced have moved the ratings to below average.
Anyway, after learning this I contacted the Ford customer care centre and had a file started explaining all of the above events & information. The customer care representative said that I needed to take the vehicle to a Ford dealer to get a confirmation of the knocking observed by my mechanic. In early spring this year I took the Windstar to the who did not report hearing a knocking (did not confirm the sound). Based on the dealer findings I did not pursue assistance at that time but waited to see how things would go. As a side note, I was disturbed by the customer care representative’s attitude that at almost 5 years old and 150,000 km the vehicle’s life is almost over – I don’t know anyone purchasing a vehicle who’s expectations are this low. With technology that is available today there is no reason why a maintained vehicle cannot reach 250,000 to 300,000 km.
The knocking sound gradually increased and I had noticed that the oil light was starting to flicker at idle when loaded (transmission in gear with air conditioning on). I had the van into my mechanic to get the sway bar replaced and was informed that the bottom end bearings were getting very noisy and engine failure was not far away. Based on my previous experience with the customer care line I just took the vehicle back to the Ford dealer and asked for their assessment. The ford dealer confirmed that the engine bearings were going and the engine needed replacement quoting a cost of $5,100. At this point the vehicle now has 168,300 km.
I am a Quality Supervisor at a major international OEM automotive parts manufacturer and as a result keep myself aware of events in the automotive sector. Also, due to my position I am involved in manufacturing Quality and participate in warranty/field claim investigations. My customers have expectations, as do I on the performance and service life of major vehicle systems.
We have enjoyed driving our Windstar but are completely frustrated by the amount of engine problems we have experienced. This vehicle has been well maintained and I have kept up with all needed repairs that just add to the frustration. Over the past year I have spent approximately $2,500 on engine related concerns (front end gaskets, variety of sensors, water pump, etc.) in an effort to achieve maximum life. I have owned several vehicles that I have driven to the 200,000 – 300,000 km range and have never had to do any major engine work, in fact I have never had to replace an engine before. This added another $5000+ to the total.
I feel strongly that the failure of my engine was a direct result of premature gasket failure that allowed coolant to seep into the oil. The warranty had expired but based on the established gasket issue with the 3.8 litre engine I requested that Ford as a gesture of good faith provide financial assistance to cover a portion of the replacement cost for the engine, they of course declined. As a matter of fact they stopped responding to me all together on this issue.
The complete lack of attention to customer service and taking responsibility for design faults has made my experience with Ford so negative that I would never purchase another Ford and have on many occasions discouraged my friends and Associates from buying a Ford.
