Please Read Before Posting

[wiswind]

This message is posted for new, and long time members with the intent of helping us all get the most out of this very useful internet tool.

To help us all get the most out of this room, before posting anything, PLEASE do a search on your issue.
There is a VERY good chance that the information you need has been posted a few times, as there are a lot of windstars out there...and a lot of really great people who have posted information to help others....so you don't have to wait for someone to respond....you can get help right away.

TO DO A SEARCH:
Select "Search this Forum" from the toolbar that is on the far right side of the screen, just above the top post in the list of posts in the windstar room.
In the window that opens, enter a couple of general words to describe your question...... Example would be a OBDII code " P0301 " or " won't start "

From the results that come up, look for posts that are relative to your year, or near your year.
1995-1998 are very similar, 1995 not having the same intake manifold, with the IMRC.
1999 and newer are also very similar.
In other words, 1999 was a major change year.....including a totally different intake manifold.

Most windstars came with the 3.8L engine, not so many 3.0L engines.
The 3.0L is reported to be a pretty solid engine....but is different from the 3.8L in some respects.

WHEN YOU POST.....
Include the Year and Engine in your post title, and a few words that describe your problem.
PLEASE REPLY BACK with what solved the problem that you posted.
This provides more help to others than you can ever know....and builds a very nice data base of problem solutions.

EVERY vehicle should have an owner's manual that stays with the vehicle at all times.
It contains critical information that is specific to your vehicle that you may need out on the road.
It will also tell you the service intervals, correct fluids, spark plug gaps, etc.
If you do not have the original owner's manual, you can download one FOR FREE from this FORD site.
http://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenanc...ls/default.asp

If the link does not work, go to www.fleet.ford.com
Then go the the Maintenance tab and select owner manuals.

For GENUINE FORD authorized factory service manuals, HELM INC, is the official source.
You can purchase a 72 hour / 1 month / 1 year online subscription as well as paper manuals.
These are the same manuals that you can purchase through your FORD dealership.
http://www.helminc.com/helm/homepage.asp?r=


Online service manuals for some years are available by subscription through www.alldatadiy.com
Also, much of this information is available on the AutoZone website.

Hayes, Chilton's and other companies publish service manuals as well.

Please follow the Automotive Forums posting rules that we all agreed to when we joined...... http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...uidelines.html

While english is the language to be used, and we should try to use proper english, please be understanding of some members for whom english is not their first language.
I will not be jumping in and correcting language.....that is downright anoying....and it is against the "moderators rules".

Please understand that most members are NOT professional automotive technicians, but like myself, are working on their own vehicles.
This means, that, as an owner of a 1996 3.8L Windstar, this is what I am familiar with and as I don't have a rear heat unit, I don' have experience with that. but with all the great posts and visits by the good members of this forum..most anything you have that was put on at the factory will be covered.

As with anything on the interet, advice given is given with the intent to help others, but may not apply to your situation.
Posts are the opinions of those who posted them....and may or may not be the end solution to your problem.

A post "General Windstar Information" has been provided with general information on how many of the vehicle systems work...and a few common issues that are known to come up.
As it is a long post, you can scroll down to the subject that is of interest to you to get a understanding of that particular system.
The intent of providing common information in a very long post kept at the top of the windstar forum is to provide room to display as many of the newest posts as possible on the first page to users when entering this forum.

When a vehicle is not working, it is very frustrating, and it is hard to keep that out of our posts, so please keep this in mind when posting.
The people who respond really do want to help...and most of us, myself included, have been there, so we feel your frustration.

Another thing that will be helpful, if you start a post with a problem...stay with only that problem in that thread.
If...as is often the case, you find yet another problem, do a search on the new problem.
If you do not find the information you need, start a NEW thread.

If you plan to make repairs to your vehicle yourself, a good repair manual is needed.
The best would be a FORD authorized Factory Repair Manual.
Autozone has free online repair guides for some years of windstar, available from their website.
Do a search on " Repair manual " for some recommendations of what other members have found to be good.