1998 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED TO SECOND GEAR, AND CONSUMER HAD TO DRIVE IN SECOND GEAR.*AK

AFTER HAVING TWO TIRES CHANGED, CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE BADLY WHEN GOING OVER 50 MPH, AND STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO STEER BECAUSE OF VIBRATION. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER IT WAS TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS RECALL 97V097000 CONCERNING TRANSMISSION.*AK

MASTER CYLINDER HAS PREMATURELY FAILED AT ONLY 52,000 MILES WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES, THERE IS A NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR PART AT MINIMUM OF 30 DAYS. *AK AT TIME OF REPLACEMENT, DEALER ALSO REPLACED ABS PUMP DUE TO IT BEING FAULTY AS WELL. *SLC

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WHILE DRIVING 5MPH. NOTICED RUBBING AGAINST TIRE WHICH WAS BECOMING FRAYED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP , AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT PROBLEM WAS DEFINITELY FRONT COIL SPRINGS, BUT DID NOT REPLACE THEM. OWNER WORKING WITH DEALERSHIP.*AK

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A FLAW IN THE METAL. 2-3 INCHES ON EACH BROKEN END OF THE COIL SPRING WAS RUSTED. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TIE ROD AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 35000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STRUT WAS RUINED AND FORD PAID FOR ALL REPAIRS. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS ISSUED RECALL 00V168000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00S14 FOR DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. VEHICLE WAS MADE IN ACCORDING TO CANADIAN STANDARDS. FORD WANTED CONSUMER TO SIGN A STATEMENT SAYING THAT THEY WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT NOT DISCONNECTING VEHICLE, IT COULD CATCH ON FIRE. CONSUMER JUST WANTED IT REPAIRED.*AK CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THAT LIGHTS BE FIXED AND NOT BLOCKED. *SLC

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND RUPTURED FRONT RIGHT TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT INFORMED CONSUMER FOR REASON OF DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

EA-00-027 ; FRONT COIL SPRING WHICH IS PART OF SUSPENSION, BROKE. THIS, IN RETURN, SPLIT AND CUT TIRE,CAUSING TIRE TO GO FLAT. *AK

AFTER COMING TO COMPLETE STOP AND APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL AGAIN, VEHICLE WILL NOT RESPOND. ENGINE REVVS, BUT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS 2-3 TIMES, THEN VEHICLE WILL MOVE FORWARD AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE, CANNOT FIND PROBLEM.*AK

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYED ON EVEN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, DUE TO DOOR SWITCH FAILURE. *YH

VAN PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE SIMULTANEOUSLY CAUSING FRONT OF VEHICLE TO DROP 5 INCHES AND NEARLY PIERCING SIDEWALLS OF BOTH FRONT TIRES. *AK

STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, UPON ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. ENGINE REVVED AS IF IN NEUTRAL. ALSO OCCURRED AS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP TO MAKE A TURN. PRESENTED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION OF BEING PUT INTO THE PATH OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. TURNING ENGINE OFF AND THEN BACK ON WOULD ALLOW TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AT 43,621 MILES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER FOUR DAYS IN SERVICE AND A COMPLETE NEW TRANSMISSION, WITHIN 12 HOURS NEW TRANSMISSION DEVELOPED AT LEAST TWO SERIOUS LEAKS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON. THE UNIT IS SEALED AND CAN NOT BE SERVICED BY THEM. I AM WAITING TO HEAR IF I NEED ANOTHER COMPLETE NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. LOCAL MECHANICK HAS NOY SEEN A BROKEN SPRING SINCE THE 1960"S. I KNOW OF OTHER FORD PRODUCTS THAT HAVE HAD SPRING PROBLEMS. *AK

TOOK IN THE VEHICLE FOR A ROUTINE TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH WITH REMOVING THE PAN AND REPLACING THE FILTER, ETC. AT THE LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP, THEY DISCOVERED PIECES OF METAL (PIECES OF A RING & AN ACCUMULATOR PART) IN THE PAN WHEN IT WAS REMOVED. SERVICEMAN SAID THAT IT HAD PROBABLY BEEN LIKE THAT WHEN WE PURCHASED. THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A DEFECTIVE PART. HE HAS SEEN MANY WINDSTARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. (OUR RELATIVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 1997 WINDSTAR) HE HAS SEEN 1995-2001 WITH THESE SAME PROBLEMS. HE SAID IT WILL COST FROM $1400 - $4500 IF THE DEALER REPAIRS THE PROBLEM. I AM GOING TO CONTACT THE DEALER TODAY AND POSSIBLY THE FORD COMPANY AS WELL. *AK

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND IMBEDDED ITSELF IN LEFT WALL OF TIRE WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. *AK THERE WAS VERY LOUD GROANING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT END COLLAPSED SOON AFTER BECAUSE THE FRONT LEFT TIRE HAD DEFLATED AS THE RESULT OF THE COIL SPRING BREAKING AND SLASHING THE TIRE. *YH

BROKEN FRONT SPRING. *AK FRONT STRUT SPRING BROKE CAUSING GROANING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHELL AREA, BROKE SPRING ALSO CAUSED THE VAN TO LEAN TOT HE LEFT. NLM 4/12-01

EA00027; LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, CAUSING TIRE TO RIDE IN FENDER.*AK *SLC

VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED FROM 4TH GEAR TO 3RD GEAR AND LOWER WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. DEALER'S RESPONSE WAS THAT IT DID NOT HAPPEN. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 59-V719-855. *SLC

VEHICLE LOSS, FIRE UNDER HOOD, CLAIM 59-V719-855. *JG

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P215/70R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/70R15 )

COST TO OWNER WAS $562.48 .COMPLAINT IS W/PRODUCT (FORD) NOT WITH DEALER WHO CHECKED RECALLS & DID NOT FIND ONE ...EVEN THO IT WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION. SERIOUS PROBLEM W/NO BRAKES AND VERY EXPENSIVE REMEDY FOR VEHICLE THAT IS LESS THAN 3 YRS OLD!

COST TO OWNER WAS $562.48 .COMPLAINT IS W/PRODUCT (FORD) NOT WITH DEALER WHO CHECKED RECALLS & DID NOT FIND ONE ...EVEN THO IT WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION. SERIOUS PROBLEM W/NO BRAKES AND VERY EXPENSIVE REMEDY FOR VEHICLE THAT IS LESS THAN 3 YRS OLD!*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COULD SHIFT GEAR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLIP SHIFTING. *AK

CONSUME R WAS TRAVELING A LOW SPEED MAKING A TURN AND THERE WAS A MOANING SOUND LIKE A GRINDING NOISE, ALIGNMENT WAS OFF PEAK. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.-*AK

THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING SLOWLY AND MAKING A TURN. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE. A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO RACK AND PINION STEERING. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 97V165001; HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION S BLOWN I FIND THAT ODD FOR A 3 YR OLD CAR WITH LESS THAN 65K MILES AND WELL MAINTAINED ON MY PART. FORD HAS OFFERED NO FINANCIAL HELP. *AK

PASSENGER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND SHE WAS APPROACHING A MAJOR HIGHWAY ON RAMP, AND HEARD A BOOMING NOISE. SPRING BROKE AND PIERCED LEFT RIGHT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS.*AK THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE CAUSE OF THE SPRING BREAKING WAS COLD TEMPERATURE RATHER THAN CORROSSION. HOWEVER, THE CONSMER ALSO INDICTED THAT SPRINGS WERE BREAKING ONLY IN AREA OF HEAVY SALT ROADS. *YH

WHILE DRIVING VAN APPROACHING A MAJOR HIGHWAY THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE WITHOUT ANY WARNING CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TO BE SLICED OFF IT'S RIM. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VAN BUT WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY CONTROL IT. WHEN THE SPRING WAS EXAMINED THERE WAS NO RUST ON THE OUTER PORTION OF IT. IT WAS COATED COMPLETELY WITH FACTORY PAINT. IT DID HOWEVER SHOW SIGNS THAT IT CRACKED PRIOR TO IT BREAKING AS THERE WAS A VERY SLIGHT AMOUNT OF RUST 3/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH ACTUAL CROSSSECTION OF THE SPRING. OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING IN SALT BELT STATES. I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE TEMPERATURE RELATED AS IT IS COLD IN ALL THE SALT BELT STATES. IT IS APPARANT THAT THIS SPRING MAY BE TOO BRITTLE AND THE COLD WEATHER MAKES IT WORSE. THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS WHEN IT SLICES THE TIRE OFF THE RIM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE PICTURES OF SPRING AND TIRE.ARENTATENT THATTURE RELATED BREAK.

WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT OR WHEN MAKING AN U TURN ABOUT ANY MPH STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. THEN, ENGINE WILL STALL. DEALER SAID THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. *AK

TRANSMISSION (REPLACEMENT) STICKS IN 2ND GEAR JUST LIKE ORIG. DID AT 4400 MILES. ORIG. STUCK IN SECOND AT 4400 MI. AND WAS REPLACED. REPLACEMENT HAS ROUGH SHIFT AND OTHER PROBLEMS REPORTED TO YOU BY OTHERS. FORD TRANS. HAVE A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED!! *AK

FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE VAN WAS PARKED. SEE NHTSA EA00027 AND PE00024. *AK

THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED ABRUPTLY WHEN BRAKING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SLICED THE SIDEWALL OFF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE (BLOWING IT OUT), SEVERED THE MCFERSON STRUT AND DROPPED THE VEHICLE TO THE PAVEMENT. IF THE FAILURE HAD OCCURED 100 YARDS LATER AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE HIGH SPEED CONNECTOR (WHICH IS A SWEEPING RIGHT TURN) THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE FLIPPED INTO THE ON-COMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. SINCE SPRING BREAKAGE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN RECORDED ON WINDSTARS SINCE THE MODEL INTRO. IN 1996, WHY HAS THIS NOT PROMPTED ACTION FROM FORD??

AFTER REVIEWING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION OF THE FORD WINDSTAR ON VARIOUS WEB SITES, I AM STRONGLY ENCOURAGING THE NHTSA TO LOOK IN THE CONTINUING FAILURE OF FORD TRANSMISSIONS IN THE FORD WINDSTAR.

A FIRE HAD DEVELOPED UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE 1 MONTH AFTER HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT AND APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT PROPERLY. WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED VEHICLE WOULD STOP. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT GEARS BROKE OFF. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET IS DIAGNOSIS AFTER NOTICEABLE LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE AND HEAT IN VEHICLE.

WHILE WARMING VEHICLE UP, IT SURGED FORWARD AND THEN BACKWARD, IT RAN OVER CONUMER'S TOES AND THE DOOR HIT CONSUMER IN FACE, VEHICLE DRAGGED CONSUMER FOR ABOUT 6 FEET BEFORE IT STOPPED, IT ALSO TOOK OUT 2 POSTS OF THE DECK, CONSUMER STATES A RECALL REGARDING THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE WAS RECEIVED AND FEELS THIS MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS STILL AT DEALER AWAITING REPAIRS. *SLC

MY CONCERN IS WHY ALL FIVE STUDS THAT HOLD THE WHEEL ON BROKE AT ONCE, RESULTING IN LOSE OF STEERING. THE BODY SHOP AND THE INSURANCE AGENT COULD OFFER NO GOOD REASON FOR THIS FAILURE, THEY SAID MAYBE THE LUG NUTS WERE OVER TIGHT. NOW I'M CONCERN ABOUT IT HAPPENING AGAIN TO ANOTHER WHEEL IF SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE. *AK

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE'S A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE.*AK

# 4 CYLINDER WAS CHECKED BY FORD DEALER AS DEFECT, BUT IT WAS HEADGASKET PAID $300.00 FOR COMPUTER CHECK WRONG INFORMATION, CAR KEPT STALLING BEFORE AND AFTER INSTALLATION DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE WHILE MAKING TURNS OR SUDDEN STOPS. *AK

NHTSA RECALL 01 V 199 000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 01S19 CONCERNING FRONT COIL SPRING CORROSION, CONSUMER STATES DEALER, WALLY EDWARD FORD, PORT HENRY, NY; PHONE# 518/546-9911 IS REFUSING TO HONOR RECALL NOTICE. *AK THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SAYS THE DEALERSHIP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY RECALL REPAIRS. CONSUEMR HAS COMPLAINED OF THE TRANSMISSION AND NO DEALERSHIP WITHIN A 100 MILE RADIUS WILL ATTEMPT TO ACCESS THE PROBLEM. *JG

FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED TIRE WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK