1997 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

MY TIRE PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED TO FIRESTONE AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO BLAME LOW AIR PRESSURE OR NOT TO RESPOND AT ALL I HAVE REPLACED ALL THE FIRESTONE TIRES ON MY MOTORHOME WITH ANOTHER BRAND, OUT OF 8 TIRES, FIVE CAME APART, I WOULD SUGGEST ANYONE WITH A FIRESTONE TIRE PROBLEM, TRY A DIFFERENT BRAND( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/75/16 )

THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S REAR STARTED TO SWERVE INTO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. CONSUMER PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDERS AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 75MPH AND FRONT COIL SPRING ON DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE PUNCTURED TIRE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT IN CONTROL. FORD DEALER HAD HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THIS, AND WOULDN'T STAND BEHIND PROBLEM.*AK TIRE WAS REPLACED ON WARRANTY AND THE STRUT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *YH

WHILE DRIVING FRONT END COIL SPRING BROKE, CONSUMR LOST CONTROL AND ALMOST HIT TWO CARS.*AK

INSIDE SLIDE DOOR LOCK IS BROKEN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK SPEDOMETER HEAD BROKE. *YH

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN. HE TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING THAT BROKE. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE COIL SPRING FAILED BY SHEARING, CAUSING TIRE TO PUNCTURE WHILE CAR WAS PARKED. IF CAR HAD BEEN MOVING, THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE CAUSED A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE. LATER ON, NOTICED LOSS OF STEERING. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO FRONT COIL SPRING FAILURE. OWNER SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

VAN LOST POWER ON ACCELERATION AND STOPPED. THE FRONT DRIVE WHEELS LOCKED-UP. DEALER DETERMINED PLANETARY GEAR IN TRANSMISSION BLEW. MANUFACTURER PAID FOR THE OUT OF WARRANTY (BY 4 MONTHS) REPAIRS. NOTE FORD HAS HISTORY OF PLANETARY GEAR FAILING (MY 91 TAURUS). *AK

FRONT DRIVERSIDE TIRE WENT FLAT, FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING HAD BROKEN IN TWO PIECES AND PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE.

HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 27,888 MILES, AND ALSO AFTER THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. I ALSO FOUND A BEER CAN SMASHED BETWEEN MY SPARE TIRE AND THE FRAME OF MY VAN. THIS IS THAT WAY IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY. WHAT KIND OF QUALITY IS THIS. ARE PEOPLE DRINKING ALCHOHOL WHILE WORKING ON ASSEMBLING MY VAN. NOW I STUCK WITH THIS SORRY FORD PRODUCT. THEY NEED TO BUY MY VAN BACK AND REPLACE WITH A NEW ONE. *AK

CONSUMER CAN HEAR A CRICKLING NOISE. CONSUMER HEARD ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION OF SUSPENSION AND FEARED IT MAY BREAK AND PUNCTURE A TIRE.*AK

AT 60000 MILES SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED, AND CONSUMER COULD NO LONGER READ THE SPEED ON VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED SPEEDOMETER CABLE. *AK *TT

VAN LOST POWER AND STALLED. TOOK TO SERVICE CENTER AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE MAIN BEARING SPUN AND CRACKED BLOCK. SINCE WARRANTY WAS OVER ON MILEAGE, NEITHER THE DEALER NOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL WARRANTY OR EVEN LOOK AT IT. WAS TOLD IT WAS "LACK OF MAINTENANCE" THAT CAUSED PROBLEM. *AK

SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AND OR REGISTERS INCORRECT SPEED, DEALER SAYS SPEEDOMETER HEAD IS DEFECTIVE, ESTIMATES REPAIRS AT $350. AFTER RESEARCHING NHTSA, I FIND OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. A VEHICLE THIS NEW SHOULD NOT EXPERIANCE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *AK

WHILE TRAVELLING AT SPEED OF 55 MPH, SPEEDOMETER STARTED CHATTERING ERRATICALLY AND FLUCTUATING FROM 55-90, THEN STOPPED AND INDICATED CORRECTLY. PROBLEM HAS SINCE SHOWN UP CONSTANTLY AND WILL NOT INDICATE CORRECTLY ABOVE 40 MPH EVERY TIME. CRUISE CONTROL HOLDS AT CONSTANT SPEED (BY TACH RPM). DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF SPEEDOMETER AT COST OF $550 PARTS + LABOR -- OR -- THE SPEEDOMETER CAN BE REFURBISHED, REQUIRING THE VAN TO BE KEPT AT THE DEALER FOR UP TO 2 WEEKS AT A COST OF $260 PARTS + LABOR. *AK

SPEEDOMETER STARTED TWITCHING VERY LITTLE AT ABOUT 34,000 MILES. THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO SMALL. AFTER WARRANTY WAS OVER IT WOULD SWING WILDLY FROM 50 TO 110 MPH. ALSO MAKES A GRUMBLING SOUND. UNABLE TO DETERMINE SPEED . DEALER IS REPLACING SPEEDOMETER FOR @$600.00 AT THIS TIME. EDMUNDS AND OTHER CAR SITES HAVE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS JUST LIKE MINE. DEALER SAID THEY KNOW JUST HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT THIS PROBLEM...MUST BE LOTS OF EXPERIENCE. IF THIS IS HOW THEY BUILD THESE AND CHARGE ME A TON TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT, I WILL BE LLOKING FOR A HONDA OR TOYOTA NEXT. SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING...BEEN USING THE TACH FOR A LONG TIME MYSELF.*AK

BROUGHT VAN IN FIRST TIME AND GOT CHARGED $132.00 FOR THEM TO TELL ME NOTHING IS WRONG,PROBLEM KEEPS HAPPENING WHEN DRIVING . FORD WANT ME TO RETURN IT WHEN IT HAPPENS AND CANNOT DO THIS. ITERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. I DON'T WANT TO GET STRIANDED WITH MY 3 CHILDREN. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

NO SUMMARY

I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS BEHAVING ERRATICALLY AT ABOUT 41000 MILES. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $250 IF I WANTED IT FIXED. I SAID THAT I DIDN'T BELIEVE THE SPEEDOMETER SHOULD FAIL AT THAT LOW MILEAGE. THE MANUFACTURER CONTACTED ME ABOUT THIS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO (FINANCIALLY) TO HELP WITH THE REPLACEMENT. AT ABOUT 50000 MILES I WAS INFORMED THAT THE RIGHT TIE ROD END WAS WORN AND ADVISED IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. AGAIN, I PROTESTED BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILEAGE. I FINALLY HAD THE REPLACEMENT DONE FOR SAFETY REASONS AT MY EXPENSE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE AT A MILEAGE OF APPROX. 40000 MILES. NONE OF THESE DEFECTS WERE MENTIONED AT THE PRE-36000 MILE SERVICING I HAD DONE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THE DURABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, AND WILL PROBABABLY NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE AGAIN. FORD HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL IN HELPING WITH THE REPAIR COSTS ON THE VEHICLE AT THIS RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE.

NHTSA RECALL 97V-097000 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEAKING OVER CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND PROBLEM WITH STEERING LOSS. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ALONG WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE STAY LIT WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING USED. IT ALSO SEEMS THAT THE DOOR AJAR BUZZER TENDS TO KEEP SOUNDING WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A HINDRANCE WHILE DRIVING.

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT MANUFACTURER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS.*SLC

ALTERNATOR FAILED CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO COMPLETELY STOP WITHOUT WARNING. *YC

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE GOES INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT INDICATOR IS IN THE DRIVE POSITION. WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE MOVES UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER APPLYING GAS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

HAD SHACKING PROBLEM RIGHT AFTER PURCHASED AND DID NOT GET ANY SATISFACTION FROM DEALER. NOW THE FRONT SUSPENSION WENT OUT AND 2S ETS OF BALL JOINTS, AND DID NOT HAVE THE VAN SINCE JULY OF THIS YEAR. PLEASE CALL ME AT 920-899-9650 WE HAVE PUT ALOT OF MONEY INTO THIS VAN AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR MORE TO FIX OTHER ITEMS IN THE SUSPENSION. IS THEIR ANY RECALLS?

FORD HAS A TSB 98-22-1 REGARDING A FALSE NEUTRAL AFTER DRIVING. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS- VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN DRIVE. WHEN THROTTLE IS REAPPLIED THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES DOESN'T MOVE. BUT, IT SOMETIMES ABRUPTLY DROPS BACK INTO DRIVE. THIS HAS CAUSED A SUDDEN UNEXPECTED LURCHING FORWARD COMPLETE WITH TIRE SQUEALING. IT WOULD BE VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WITH THIS DEFECT. FORD ADMITS THIS DEFECT, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO FIX IT AFTER 3/36K WARRANTY.

MY VAN HAS BEEN PUTTING ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL WHEN I AM AT A STOP OR PULLING OUT OF A STOP. WHEN I HAVE WENT TO THE DEALERS IN DELEWARE (ON VACATION), PA. (ON VACATION) AND MY LOCAL DEALER, NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DEALER IN ROANOKE RAPIDS ,N.C. SAID HE WOULD RREPLACE SOME TRANSMISSION PARTS BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DID. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TO COMPLICATING. I AM MAD AND SCARED TO DRIVE MY VAN. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DID OF IF IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I TRAVEL TO PA. ALOT WITH MY 9YR OLD DAUGHTER BY OURSELVES AND NOW I AM SCARED TO DO THIS. HELP!!! NO ONE ELSE WILL!!! I CAN NOT EVEN GET IN TOUCH WITH FORD!!!

MY WINDSTAR ACCELERATED FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND SMASHED THROUGH OUR GARAGE DOOR VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN WE HIT THE FRONT WALL OF THE GARAGE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK OR DRIVE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD STOPPED TO LOOK FOR THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER. I COULD NOT STOP THE VERHICLE AS IT TOOK OFF AND DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST WE WERE GOING EXCEPT IT WAS VERY FAST AND THERE ARE BIG SKID MARKS ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. MY TWO KIDS WERE IN THEIR CAR SEATS IN THE BACK AND I WAS DRIVING. I BROKE MY HAND & HAD SOME BRUISES. THE KIDS WERE FINE. WE DON'T YET HAVE A MECHANIC'S REPORT SO I CAN'T BE SURE WHAT PART FAILED. IT MAY NOT BE THE ENGINE AS INDICATED ABOVE. *AK

THE WELDS ON THE WHEEL RIMS FAIL, AND THE RIM LEAKS AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER AND HE TOLD ME HE HAS NOT SEEN A HISTORY OF FAILURE, BUT THE TIRE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A LOT OF THE RIMS DUE TO LEAKS AT THE WELDS ON 1997 WINDSTARS.

WHY WOULD TIE RODS FAIL AT 47000 MILES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, NOTICED THE INDICATOR GAUGE FOR THE SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO REGISTER SPEED OF VEHICLE. THE INDICATOR NEEDLE KEPT BOUNCING UP & DOWN. WAS NOT STEADY. TAKEN VEHICLE TO MECHANIC FOR NOISE IN DASHBOARD. MJS *SLC

THE PART IS THE SPEEDOMETER WHICH HAS REPLACEMENT PART F682.17255.CB SUPPLIED BY THE FIRM ELECTRA-SOUND, INC., WEST PALMA, OHIO. ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART IS $54.00 DIAGNOSTIC; $166.66 FOR THE REPLACEMENT SPEEDOMETER; $65.00 FOR LABOR. PROBLEM: THE ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER BEGAN BEING "JITTERY" AT 20,000 MILES. AT 40,000 MILES, THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES WILDLY AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH AND MORE. SO, IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL SHOW SPEEDS ANYWHERE FROM 40 TO 110 MPH. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT SPEED YOU ARE TRAVELING!!! MECHANICS AROUND HERE HAVE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING THIS DEFECT IS COMMON IN SPEEDOMETERS USED IN WINDSTAR AND EXPLORER MODELS. THE DEALER THAT PROVIDED MY DIAGNOSTIC WORK SAID THERE IS A TWO-WEEK BACKLOG TO GET THIS PART. THE MECHANICS ALSO SAID THE FAILURE REASON IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A PLASTIC COMPONENT IN THE SPEEDOMETER. NOTE: THE RPM GUAGE, AND COOLANT TEMPERATURE GUAGE DO NOT SEEM TO BE AFFECTED. I THINK IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SAFETY DEFECT TO NOT KNOW WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING AT!!! PLEASE HELP...

FRONT BRAKES ARE SOFT.

FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 980318985A28 PARKING BRAKE WON'T RELEASE

2ND TRANSMISSION FAILURE: 1/26/99 @71,800 MILES. PARKED/WHEN STARTED, NO REVERSE OR FORWARD GEARS. REPAIRED: MULTIPLE PARTS: IE AX4N, AX4S, BEARING PUMP SHAFT/PLATE ETC. EXTENDED WARRENTY CLAIM DENIED/ $3,500.00 OUT OF POCKET/ TRANS, STILL DYSFUNCTIONAL & POWER STEERING DEFECTIVE AFTER LAST REPAIR. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED OUT OF STATE/REPAIRED OUT OF STATE. TOMORROW I HAVE TO TAKE VAN TO AKRON OH (WHERE LAST REPAIRED) HOPE THE TRANSMISSION &STEERING WILL GET ME THERE IN 1 PEICE!! PLEASE HELP!! (DON'T KNOW IF TRANS PROBLEMS RELATED TO RECALLED PARTS, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PUT INTO SERVICE UNTIL 10/97 & RECALL WAS 6/97. I HAVE EXAUSTED MY RESOURCES& WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP/ADVICE/DIRECTION. THOUGHT I HAD A FORD WARRENTY, BUT I WAS SOLD SOMETHING ELSE, UNFORTUNATELY.THANK YOU, SINCERELY, LINDA

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING AT THAT TIME, AND HAD NOT WORKED SINCE. *AK

STEERING LOCKED UP ON RIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS. BY FORCING THE WHEEL TO TURN, THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE POPPING SOUND AND THEN THE STEERING UNLOCKED AND FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SLIDER, IT WON'T WORK. *AK

STEERING FAILURE CAUSED A VEHICLE COLLISION.

CV JOINTS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL.*AK

MY WIFE HAS A DAMAGED SPINAL COLUMN DUE TO FLAWED NATURE OF VAN SEATS. OUR PRIVATE DOCTOR, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT STEVE MARSH FORD AT MILAN, TENNESSEE HAVE BOTH STATED THAT WINDSTAR VAN HAVE A FLAWED SEAT DESIGN. ALSO VIRTUALLY EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO WHO HAVE DRIVEN A WINDSTAR FOR LENGTHY PERIODS OF TIME STATE THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND PAINFUL. OUR SEAT WAS A SPECIAL SEAT DESIGNED TO MOVE FORWARD TO ALLOW FOR DRIVER SIDE ENTRY INTO VAN. THE SITTING PORTION OF SEAT IS FLAWED AND DURING PROLONGED DRIVING THE POSTERIOR BECOMES NUMB, PAINED AND IN THE CASE OF MY WIFE DAMAGED. THE VAN IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE AND HAS NEARLY GOTTEN MY FAMILY KILLED DUE TO FACT THE PAIN CAUSED BY THE SEATS CAUSES ON TO SQUIRM AND TRY TO MOVE THE BODY RESULTING IN LOSS OF SAFE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AND BUZZES IN DASH EST. REPAIR COST $350. *AK

NORM CONDITIONS 20 MPH STOP ABS ENGAGED,DELAYED STOP. NEAR ACCIDENT. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM, NOT REPEATABLE. ONE YEAR LATER PROBLEM RECURRED, AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER TO REPLACE LEFT WHEEL SENSOR. SEEMS THAT IF THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER DOESN'T THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIANS CANNOT FIND IT. SENSORS COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED EARLIER AS A PRECAUTION. OTHER PROBLEM- DRIVING 55 ON HIGHWAY AND TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED UNCOMMANDED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE EARLIER INCIDENT WITH THE DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. SENSOR IN GEAR SELECTOR WAS BAD. HOPEFULLY, NO UNDUE WEAR AND TEAR ON TRANSMISSION RESULTED FROM THE HIGHWAY DOWNSHIFT.

BRAKE PADS FAILED. YH

BRAKE PADS TWICE AND THE BRAKE ROTORS ONCE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ABS LIGHT AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT IN THE DASH BEGAN TO FLASH ON AND OFF. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE STAYING ON IN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENT. *AK

TRACTION CONTROL FAILED. YH

WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL, STEPPED ON ACCELERATOR TO ENGAGE PASSING GEAR, THE PASSING GEAR WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD SAFELY IN NEUTRAL. *AK