1996 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

WHEN TRYING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, THE PARK PAWL HUNG UP, CAUSING LOUD NOISE AND IT IS VERY HARD TO GET OUT OF PARK. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

STEERING MAKES NOISE.

DISC BRAKES ARE WARPING FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP WITHIN THE ABS BRAKES. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE DESIGN OF CAR HAS SMALL BRAKES. REPAIR WORK DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS ARE FILLING UP WITH WATER WHEN RAINING, COULD CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS/SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/STARTING PROBLEMS. *AK

TRANSMISSION DEFECT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION/ACCIDENT/INJURY.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER , THE THROTTLE PEDAL STICKS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. *AK

BLOWER MOTOR FAILED.

PLEASE SEND A REPORT OUT TO CONSUMERS, AND FIND OUT WHO ELSE IS HAVING THESE BRAKE PROBLEMS. I WENT TO FIRESTONE FOR A SECOND OPINION AFTER 5 TIMES AT FORD, THE MECHANIC TELLS ME HE SEES THIS OFTEN, MAINLY DUE TO PLASTIC CALIPERS HANGING UP, THEY SAY THE CALIPERS ARE FAULTY, WHICH CAUSE THE PADS TO GET EATEN UP AND ROTORS TO WEAROUT. FORD TURNED MY NEW ROTORS 3 TIMES, LEAVING ME, WITH ROTORS THAT AFTER WARRANTY I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE AT MY COST. ONLY WHEN I THREATNED ARBITRATION DID THEY REPLACE THEM.

DRIVING APPROXIAMTELY 55MPH WHEN THE TOP PART OF THE HOOD JUST FLEW OFF THE VAN. THIS IS A TWO PART HOOD AND THE BOTTOM PART WAS STILL LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT WHILE GOING 20-25 MPH. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR, BUT DID NOT GET REPAIRED BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

VEHICLE SHIFTS VERY HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS. *AK

THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BROKE OFF THE POST.

OVERDRIVE LIGHT FAILED.

ABS BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE BRAKING.

RIGHT OIL PUMP GASKET FAILED.

UPON MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT SEND THE PROPER MESSAGE TO THE WHEEL SENSOR. *AK

OWNER JUST BOUGHT VEHICLE AND IS HAVING SEAT BELT PROBLEMS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, DEALERS DO NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST STEERING CONTROL WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION/ ACCIDENT.

ABS: APPLIED BRAKES ON BOTTOM OF SLIGHT INCLINE, VEHICLE STOPPED AT MUCH LONGER DISTANCE THAN NORMAL, EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK

SON WAS DRIVING ALONG APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND HIT A SHEET OF ICE AND THE VEHICLE JUST WENT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ABS BRAKES SEEMED TO HAVE LOCKED UP SUDDENLY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND USING CRUISE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE BECOMES HARD TO CONTROL, PICKING UP MORE SPEED. TA

HORN IS CONTINUALLY SHORTING OUT DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHICH IS ALSO CAUSING POWER WINDOW AND DOOR LATCH FAILURE.

FRONT WHEEL LUG NUT BROKE OFF CAUSING EXTREME VIBRATION.

REAR LIFTGATE LATCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVEN TIMES IN 1 YEAR, DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX. *AK

\VEHICLE HIT CURB AND WAS SIDESWIPED AT ABOUT 3MPH BACKWARDS. IMPACT BENT REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY, CAUSING OTHER PARTS TO FAIL. ALSO SHIFTED AXLE SO THAT TIRE JAMMED BODY AT WHEEL WELL. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. *AK

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED.

DT: WHEN THE OWNER BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1996 HE NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS HARD TO REMOVE FROM PARK. THE GEAR SHIFTER DEVELOPED A LOT OF PLAY. WHEN THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR SHOWED THAT THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE OR NEUTRAL. WHEN THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR SHOWED PARK. THE OWNER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE CAR MAY ROLL OUT OF GEAR BECUASE IT WAS USUALLY PARKED ON A SMALL HILL. THE OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1996.THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN 1997 WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. THE OWNER WAS UNSURE IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE OWNER STATED THAT EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION, THE VEHICLE ALWAYS HAD THE THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR PROBLEM. THE OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT THE CAR WAS HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THEN THE OWNER CHECKED AND SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE OWNER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK

TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION/ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWN HILL, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DURING AN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN CHEMICAL/ABRASION BURNS TO FACE AND EYE INJURY. *AK

ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKEN CAUSING FAILURE.

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED.

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL; ALSO STEERING FAILURE. *AK

THE CONSUMER'S TWO YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO UNDO THE TOP HALF OF THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT AND PROCEEDED TO WIGGLE HER LEGS OUT OF THE BOTTOM STRAP AND GET OUT OF THE SEAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING LEFT HAND TURN OMTO A SIDE STREET. *AK

TRANSMISSION GROWLS AND SOUNDS LKE IT IS GOING TO DROP/HIT THE GROUND; ALSO BRAKE PEDAL GETS MUSHY/SOFT, VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL. THERE IS ALSO LOSS OF STEERING POWER. *AK

A CHILD GOT TANGLED IN REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT, THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE AND WAS STRANGLING THE CHILD, THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE CRACKING OF THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. *AK

STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED.

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR AND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE SYSTEM. PADS/ ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FIVE OCCASIONS WITHIN FIVE YEARS. REOCCURRING PROBLEM OF A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM WHEEL WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

CONSUMER STATES ON OCCASION WHEN SET IN PARK IT WILL SOMETIMES POP OUT AND GO INTO NEUTRAL. *SLC

AXLE BOOT ON DRIVER'S SIDE RIPPED.

ELECTRONIC SWITCH FOR HATCH WARNING LIGHT FAILED.

DRIVERS SEAT FAILED.

THE VAN HAS ABS. WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VAN DOES NOT STOP.*AK

FAILURE OF THE BRAKES, LOSS OF POWER ASSIST CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. *AK

WHEN KEY IS REMOVED FROM IGNITION THE IGNITION CAN STILL BE TURNED OVER IF THE WHEEL IS NOT LOCKED. *AK

GEARSHIFT STICKS ON OCCASIONS.

ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN VEHCILE IS COLD AND FIRST STARTED, BRAKE HAS A SOFT PEDAL, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK *SLC

THE VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKES FAILED AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE VIBRATED AT HIGH SPEED. BRAKES SERVICED AT 20MILES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT EITHER HIGH OR LOW SPEEDS ABS BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP ON THEIR OWN. *AK