1995 Ford Aerostar

FAILED HEAD GASKET IN 1997 COVERED BY FORD. BOTH HEAD GASKETS FAILED THIS MONTH, AFTER ADDING 50000 MILES, AND FORD WILL NOT DISCUSS REPAIRS. 3.8 L ENGINES IN SOME OTHER MODELS ARE COVERED BY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE FORD HAS RECOGNIZED A DEFECT IN THE GASKETS BUT WILL NOT CONSIDER MINE. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE IN ONLY 3 YEARS, 50000 MILES. *AK

I ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS FORM EARLIER TODAY, BUT I REALIZED I MADE SOME ERRORS ON THE FORM SO HERE IS AN UPDATED FORM WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION. AS I EXPLAINED ON THE FIRST FORM, THERE ARE TWO RELATED PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN OCCURRING WITH OUR FORD AEROSTAR MINI VAN. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS THAT THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY BECAUSE THE DOOR GUIDE-TRACK IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS BROKEN AT THE POINT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE VEHICLE BODY BEHIND THE LATCH STRIKE-PIN. WE HAD THIS REPAIRED IN DECEMBER OF 1998, BUT IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN ONLY 15 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST REPAIR. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE DOOR DEFECT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT COMES ON AND MAKES A TERRIBLE GRATING/BUZZING NOISE AND AT THE SAME T IME CAUSES ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE TURN SIGNALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, FAN , RADIO, ETC ALL FREEZE-UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING, AND TWICE THE IGNITION FROZE AND I COULD NOT START THE VAN. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE KEY AND RESTART IT TO GET EVERYTHING WORKING AGAIN. THESE ELECTRICAL FAILURES ARE CLEARLY LINKED TO THE SLIDING DOOR PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT IS FLASHING AND MAKING THAT GRATING SOUND WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED. *AK

THE SIDE SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE AND LATCH PROPERLY BECAUSE THE SIDE-TRACK DOOR-GUIDE IS MISALIGNED OR WEAK, CAUSING IT TO CRACK AND BREAK AT THE POINT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE VEHICLE BODY BEHIND THE STRIKER PIN. THIS CAUSES THE DOOR TO SAG SLIGHTLY, THUS PREVENTING PROPER LATCHING. ALSO, WHEN THE DOOR IS NOT LATCHED PROPERLY, THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT COMES ON AND SOMETIMES MAKES A LOUD GRATING SOUND BEHIND THE DASH RATHER THAN THE CHIME SOUND IT IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE. A FEW TIMES, WHILE THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT WAS BUZZING, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AS WELL. THE TURN-SIGNALS, FAN, RADIO, WIPERS. ETC., ALL FROZE UP AND WOULD NOT WORK, AS WELL AS THE IGNITION. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE KEY AND RESTART THE VAN TO GET EVERYTHING TO WORK AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY, THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE IS RELATED TO THE SLIDING DOOR MALFUNTION, SINCE IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED WHILE THE DOOR-AJAR LIGHT WAS FLASHING. WE HAD REPAIRS DONE AT OUR FORD DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO RECUR, SO THE DEALER CAN NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THESE DAGEROUS MALFUNCTIONS. *AK

CONTINUAL LOSS OF TORQUE OVER LAST SEVEN MONTHS. DEALER HAS ALWAYS SAID IT WAS THE SMALL ENGINE UNTIL ON 5-1-00 IT REFUSED TO TAKE OFF WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND HAD A LEAK COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. LEAK LATER STOPPED AND A CHECK OF THE FLUID LEVEL SHOWED IT TO BE NORMAL. RON CLARK FORD CHECKED IT OUT TODAY AND SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS WORN OUT AND ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT AT $2,800 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION THAT EACH TIME WE HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR A CHECK FOR THE SYMPTOM THAT LEAD TO THIS FAILURE WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG. *AK

RECALL 94V239000 FOR "SPARE TIRE CAN CONTACT BRAKE LINES" WAS FOR VEHICLE MFG. IN OCT AND NOV. 1994. MY VEHICLE WAS MFG. ON DEC. 8, 1994. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR IN AUG. 1999 AND JUST NOW FOUND OUT ABOUT THE 94V239000 RECALL. THIS SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. FORD IS NOT INTERESTED IN THIS PROBLEM, BUT SOME RESEARCH SHOULD BE DONE TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER VEHICLES BUILT AFTER NOV. 1994 HAVE FAILED. *AK