1996 Ford Windstar fuel system, gasoline problems

“THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL TANK. I REMOVED THE TANK TO SEE THAT THE TANK LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PINCHED AND DEVELOPED A CRACK. THE FUEL TANK IS PLASTIC SO I FOUND THIS TO BE ODD. I HAD TO PUT EPOXY ON THE TANK TO PATCH THE CRACK SO I COULD GET IT HOME AS I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WHEN I GOT HOME I STARTED LOOKING ONLINE FOR A TANK AND FOUND THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. I CALLED LAFAYETTE FORD AND EXPLAINED THE RECALL AND GAVE MY VIN #. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR IT MYSELF. IF I HAVE THE SAME VEHICLE OF THE RECALL AND THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE RECALL WHY DOES FORD NOT HONOR IT. THE RECALL STATES THE CRACK AT THE FRONT STRAP AREA AND THAT FORD WILL REPLACE THE TANK AND THE STRAP WITH A LONGER ONE AND A BUSHING. MY TANK HAS THE CRACK AT THE FRONT STRAP AND THE TANK WAS PINCHED BECAUSE THE STRAP IS TOO SHORT. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOCATED THE FAILURE AS A FRACTURE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 212,902.”

“1996 FORD WINDSTAR FUEL TANK HAS A CRACK IN IT AND IS LEAKING FUEL I SEE THE RECALL ONLY EFFACED 1995 WINDSTARS BUT APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED ON THE 1996 WINDSTARS BECAUSE MINE HAS A 3 INCH CRACK IN IT. I DO NOT KNOW IF SOME OF THE 1996 WINDSTARS WERE IN THIS RECALL. *TR”

“WHILE THE VAN WAS PARK, I NOTICE A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. I TOOK IT IN TO MY AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO BE FIXED. THE SHOP FOUND A CRACK IN FUEL TANK THAT WAS NOT THE RESULTS OF IMPACT DAMAGE. *TR”

“ON JUNE 7 I WAS OUTSIDE OF OUR HOME AND NOTICED I SMELLED GAS NEAR MY WIFE'S VAN. AFTER INSPECTING I SAW THE TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL. I TOOK THE TANK OFF AND NOTICED THERE WAS PRESSURE TO THE TANK FROM THE FRONT STRAP. THE PRESSURE CAUSED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A STRESS CRACK WHERE THE STRAP HOLDS THE TANK. IT APPEARS TO ME THE STRAP IS TOO SMALL FOR THE TANK. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THIS AND WOULD RATHER MY WIFE AND CHILDREN RIDE AROUND IN A GAS LEAKING DANGER MACHINE. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 95000 MILES AND I FEEL THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED HERE AS IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR. *TR”

“MY 1996 MERCURY VILLAGER DEVELOPED A FAILURE IN THE AIR FLOW SENSOR (PART $330) THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLS, INCLUDING STOPS ON THE HIGHWAY, THAT NEARLY RESULTED IN CRASHES. THE REQUIRED REPAIRS EXCEEDED $500. I KNOW FORD HAS A SIMILAR RECALL OUT NOW FOR THE 1997-2003 (/) MODELS). *TR”