1995 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, AND THE VEHICLE JUST STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. *AK

ACCELERATION FAILED.

WHILE WAITING AT STOP SIGN, VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR & ROLLED DOWN A HILL. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE ON HWY, SEEMS LIKE ITS IN NEUTRAL & STOPS. HAD PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD & FORCIBLY SHIFTED GEAR. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP & TOLD TRANSMISSION PRESSURE WAS CAUSING IT TO JUMPOUT OF GEAR. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR REVERSE AND DRIVE GEARS. WHEN THEY PUTTING VEHICLE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, VEHICLE FAILS TO MOVE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED.

SLIDING DOOR RATTLE NOISE. MJS

AIR BAG MONITOR FAILURE WITHOUT CAUSE, CAUSING INTERIOR FANS AND AIR CONDITIONING TO MALFUNCTION, RESULTING IN WINDOW FOGGING UP.526377 DUP OF 525160; POSTED ON 09-07-1999. *AK

AIR BAG MONITOR MODULR CONTROLS SEVERAL UNRELATED FUNCTIONS IN ADDITION TO ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE TO TRIGGER THE AIR BAGS IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, AN INTERNAL COMPONENT FAILURE OF THE MONITOR GIVEN AN UNPREPARED DRIVER THE SIGNAL THAT THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS MAY BE IMMINENT. ALSO OTHER UNRELATED ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS STOP OPERATING, SUCH AS THE INTERNAL FANS WHICH CAUSE THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP, CREATING A VISIBILITY PROBLEM. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH PISTONS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JUMP INTO NEUTRAL GEAR.

TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE AND LUNGE.

BLOWN HEAD GASKET.

IN ADDITION TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATING/ AC, DOOR LOCKS, WIPERS AND DOOR SENSORS. MY WINDSTAR ALSO HAD THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET WHICH WAS PART OF A VOLUNTARY RECALL BY FORD. THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF THIS MODEL IS WELL KNOWN. ADDITIONAL ANECDOTAL INFO CAN BE OBTAINED THROUGH THE CAR TRACKERS WEBSITE ON INTERNET. THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE 95 WINDSTAR IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AT FORD, HOWEVER NO RECALL HAS EVER BEEN ISSUED.

AT STOP SIGN VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED OR ACCELERATED, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES HARD TO STOP VEHICLE. HAPPENED ALSO WHILE ON VACATION, VEHICLE JERKED & SURGED FORWARD. WILL BE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATED A SENSOR WAS REPLACED, AND A VALVE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. *JB

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHEN GOING 45MPH. WHENEVER GAS IS GIVEN ENGINE WOULD RACE & THEN SLAM INTO GEAR (3RD GEAR) AFTER STOPPING & THEN TAKING OFF. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED ALUMINUM ENGINE CYLINDER WAS CRACKED. *AK

THESE TWO INCIDENTS LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THE ABS SYSTEM AND THE ORGINAL MASTER CYLINDER MAY HAVE FAILED. OUR FAMILY DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, AND WILL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD MINIVAN. *AK

HAD PARKED VEHICLE & LEFT RUNNING IN GARAGE & SHUT DOOR; RETURNED & VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT. PUT FOOT ON BRAKES & DID NOT RELEASE; FINALLY SHIFT LEVER BROKE; TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED SAFETY TRANSMISSION SWITCH JAMMED. HAD IT REPLACED.

INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WINDOWS FROM THE DRIVER'S CONTROLS. DRIVE ASSEMBLY AND ELECTRICAL REGULATOR REPLACED ON THE RIGHT SIDE WINDOW, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED.

FIRST HAD PROBLEM WITH COOLING SYSTEM. CAR GOT HOT ABRUPTLY ON MORE THAN 4 OCCASIONS. WATER BOTTLE WAS NORMAL ON LAST 3 TIMES.. ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING HEAD GASKET SO STOP LEAK ADDED AND PROBLEM STOPPED. ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER THE ROD BEARINGS LOCKED UP. COST $1700 TO FIX. OUT OF WARRANTY BY 2000 MILES. FORD SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AS THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF SAME PROBLEM AND BELIEVE IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE MODEL YEAR DESIGN. CAN YOU HELP PLEASE?

IN JULY OF 1997, MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED THE BEGINNINGS OF A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING THE VAN AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, AND CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, WHICH WAS ON AN UPHILL INCLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN "DRIVE" BUT I NOTICED THAT IT WAS STARTING TO ROLL BACKWARDS (WHICH I KNOW IS INDICATIVE OF A TRANSMISSION FAULT). IF I HAD NOT REACTED QUICKLY, I WOULD HAVE CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE WHICH WAS LOCATED BEHIND ME. I QUICKLY CALLED RICART AUTOMOTIVE FROM THE NEAREST PUBLIC TELEPHONE, AND ARRANGED FOR A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE REGISTERED 15583 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, ONLY BECAUSE THE ODOMETER HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED, UNDER WARRANTY. IF YOU ADD THE MILES ON THE PREVIOUS ODOMETER, THE TOTAL WAS 51713 MILES. I HAD TO PAY $1776.60 FOR A RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION, SINCE THE TOTAL MILEAGE PUT THE VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY. I ASSUMED THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK, BECAUSE OF THE OUT-OF-WARRANTY SITUATION, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS BEING PURSUED AGAINST FORD FOR THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I NO LONGER OWN THIS LEMON, HAVING REPLACED IT WITH A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR, WHICH, I UNDERSTAND, MAY HAVE TRANSMISSION (AND POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS)OF IT'S OWN. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DISHEARTENING TO ME, TO SAY THE LEAST. *AK

UPON APPLICATION OF BRAKES VEHICLE CLANGS/RATTLES AT LOW SPEED WHEN GOING UPHILL. ALSO REPLACED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/DRUMS/CALIPERS AND BLOWN OUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

VEHICLE GOES INTO NEUTRAL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL EVENTUALLY KICK INTO GEAR AFTER TRYING TO ACCELERATE, WITH A HARD JERK.

ENGINE WILL NOT ACCELERATE AFTER HOURS OF DRIVING, HESITATES AND BUCKS WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON, UNABLE TO RECTIFY.

SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

BRAKE LIGHT FAILED.

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *MJS

ABS BRAKES MAKE A PULSATING NOISE AND CRUNCHING SOUND, AND CAUSE AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE SENSOR, BUT CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. TRAVELLING SPEED RANGED FROM 35-45 MPH. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT TWICE AND HEAD GASKET REPLACED TWICE. WHEN TRANSMISSION GOES BAD SLIPS STALLING TIME TO PULL OUT. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS DELAY COULD CAUSE AXIDENT

IE98080, THE COOLANT IS LEAKING FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET WHICH MAY RESULT IN A FIRE, ENGINE SIEZED WHILE DRIVING AND ENGINE PROBLEMS RESULTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY

ACCIDENT INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

ONCE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN TRYING TO GO FORWARD THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES DOESN''T MOVE. HAVE TO SOMETIME PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK IN DRIVE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK

2 YEARS AFTER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW, THE DOOR CHIME WOULD NOT TURN OFF NOR THE DOME LIGHT. I STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT INSPECTED AND WORKED ON OVER 10 TIMES AND NO ONE CAN FIX IT. *TR

REAR VIEW MIRROR ADHESIVE FAILED, CAUSING MIRROR TO FALL OFF.

I HAVE ALSO EXPIRIENCED EMISSION PROBLEMS, ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER, BRAKES VIBRATING, CAR RATTLING, SLIDING RECALL.

A 3-YEAR OLD CHILD GOT IN VAN AND PULLED ON THE GEAR SHIFT, THE VAN SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND HIT A TREE. VAN HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR 3 MONTHS, AND THE DEALER STILL HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS JUST NORMAL. *YH

WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND TRYING TO GO AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT GO INTO GEAR. WHEN FIRST PRESSING ON THE GAS, IT HESITATES ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND THEN JUMPS INTO GEAR ANYTIME VEHICLE STOP., THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING VEHICL. , DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

DOOR OPEN INDICATOR WILL NOT GO OUT EVEN WHEN DOORS ARE SECURELY CLOSED. SUSPECT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH BACK DOOR (HATCH) INDICATOR. INDICATOR WILL EVENTUALLY TIME ITSELF OUT (OFF). HOWEVER, WARNING TONES SOUND INDICATING THAT I SHOULD CHECK ON THE PROBLEM. FRONTIER FORD "FIXED" THE PROBLEM ONCE BUT THE PROBLEM RECCURRED WITHIN A MONTH'S TIME. *AK

FOWARED CLUTCH PISTON FAILURE ALLOWS VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS UNTIL TRANSMISSION ENGAGES.

ENGINE BLEW THE HEAD GASKETS AFTER OVERHEATING & WAS REPLACED 11 JUN 97. AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES, SAME PROBLEM EXISTED & THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW AGAIN AFTER OVERHEATING ON 19 AUG 97. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS REPAIRED AGAIN. THE LAST TIME ON 22 JUN 99, THE ENGINE BLEW THE HEAD GASKETS AFTER OVER HEATING. HAD LOST OF POWER & HEATING. WAS REPLACED. *AK

J

DRIVING W/2 CSS IN MIDDLE REAR; VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SHORT; SLAMMED ON (ABS) BRAKES; MIDDLE SEAT BELT BUCKLES CAME APART & BOTH CSS CAME LOOSE & BOTH KIDS (9MOS. & 3 YRS) FLEW FORWARD & HIT THEIR HEADS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN SHE PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE THE VAN ROLLED OVER IN REVERSE, RUNNING OVER ICE CHEST AND TWO BAGS OF GROCERIES. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING UP INCLINE HILL THE ENGINE SLOWS DOWN, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED FUEL MODULE 4 TIMES. *AK

HORN ASSEMBLY IS INOPERATIVE WHICH IS A SAFETY FEATURE. DEALER STATED NEEDS TO PUT A NEW AIRBAG SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FIX THE HORN PROBLEM. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSED FIRE. YH

WE HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FOUR TIMES. WE NOW HAVE A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH MY 3.8 LITER FORD WINDSTAR ENGINE. THE REASON I COULD NOT PROVIDE THE VIN # IS BECAUSE MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AT THIS MOMENT BEING REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE COST FOR THE REPAIRS IS APPROXIMATELY $2,500. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

DURING REAR IMPACT AT 45MPH, THE PASSENGER 'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT DASH AREA. *AK

RIGHT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. OWNER NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE FOR THE FIRE.THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK