1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WE PARKED THE CAR AT RUBY TUESDAY PARKING LOT AND WE WENT INSIDE TO EAT AND EARLY DINNER. LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES PEOPLE STARTED SCREAMING TO CALL 911. THEY SAID CAR ON FIRE. WHEN I LOOKED OUT AT THE WINDOW, MY 96 FORD WINSTAR WAS ON FIRE AT THE FRONT PART, ENGINE AREA OF THE VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE HAD TO PUT DOWN THE FIRE. GOOD NEWS, NOBODY WAS HURT. WOULD YOU PLEASE LOOK IN TO IT? THANKS SIONE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR WITH MY FOUR CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE, THE REAR AXLE ARM CRACKED IN HALF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. WE WERE LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OFF OF THE HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 55 MPH DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, NOR DID WE HIT ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE MECHANIC WHO HAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AXLE. THE COST WILL BE OVER $1,000. WE HAVE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE.

DT: CONTACT STATED ON JULY 19, 05 WHILE PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY AND FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AND IT RAN INTO THE GARAGE. CONTACT PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE DID NOT RESPOND. WHEN SHE COMING TO A STOP THE ENGINE WAS RACED VERY FAST, AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED ABNORMALLY LOUD. CONTACT SPOKE WITH SOMEONE AT DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY DID NOT TOLD HER ANYTHING AS OF YET. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. *AK

REPEAT OF A SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS 1996 FORD WINDSTAR (PURCHASED 1999). IT COST ME OVER $400 IN 1999 TO REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD AND NOW IT IS FAILING IN THE SAME MANNER - THE NEEDLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE PLACE UNTIL IT JUST PEGS OUT AT THE FAR RIGHT. I SUBMITTED MY LAST COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS PROBLEM IN DECEMBER, 2002 - REF#786265. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERS, PRIVATE REPAIR SHOPS AND EVEN YOUR AGENCY THAT THERE ARE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH FORD SPEEDOMETERS BUT THERE HAS YET BEEN ANY ASSISTANCE OFFERED BY FORD. A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE AND THERE IS NO WAY I SHOULD BE ON MY THIRD ONE AT 113,000 MILES (WITH A NEW ENGINE AND SUPERB MAINTENANCE RESORDS)! NOTE: IT IS NOT THE AIRBAG SWITCH THAT I HAVE ISSUES WITH AS IT SHOWS IN THE EQUIPMENT SECTION. I COULD NOT FIND THE RIGHT OPTIONS UNDER EQUIPMENT FOR A SPEEDOMETER.

DT: 1996 FORD WINDSTAR WAS PARKED WHEN AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED. THE CONSUMER FELT THE AIR BAG MAY HAVE EXPLODED. THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR CHECKED THE VEHICLE TO COVER EXPENSES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. FORD INVESTIGATORS PICKED UP THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE INVESTIGATORS. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. TWO YEARS AGO AROUND JUNE 7 2003 WHILE DRIVING THE VAN ALL WEEKEND, WHEN THEY GOT OUT OF THE VAN AND WALKED INTO A STORE, WERE NOT INTO THE STORE FOR 10 MINUTES AND SOMEONE SAID THAT THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. HAD PROBLEMS WITH ABS LIGHT COMING ON, AND THEY TRIED TO HAVE THIS FIXED. WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THIS FIXED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY COVERED IT. SHE BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS FROM THE DEACTIVATION OF CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. *AK

DT: WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS HIT BY A TURKEY AND THE TURKEY CAME IN THE CAB OF VAN. CALLER WAS INJURED. WINDSHIELD SHATTERED AND GLASS WENT EVERYWHERE. THE TURKEY CAME IN THROUGH A BIG HOLE. CALLER WANTED TO KNOW IF WINDSHIELD WAS MADE OF SAFETY GLASS. INSURANCE COMPANY TOOK THE VAN, AND CALLER HAD NOT YET HEARD FROM INSURANCE COMPANY. CALLER HAS NOT TALKED TO DEALER OR MANUFACTURER.*AK *SB *NM

1996 FORD WINDSTAR - FRONT SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED TIRE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS JUST LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY. I DREAD TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELLING AT ANY SPEED. THE SPRING PUNCTURED AND WENT INTO MY TIRE - I COULDN'T REMOVE THE TIRE. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO REFERRED ME TO A DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND THE SPRINGS WERE BOTH REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ALONG WITH A NEW TIRE. HOWEVER, THIS WAS A RECALL AND I ONLY KNEW ABOUT IT FROM WORD OF MOUTH. FORD SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME OF THE PROBLEM. THIS TYPE OF FAULT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS HAPPEN TO A FORD TAURUS AS WELL.

WHILE DRIVING, A SUDDEN ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED IN A 1996 WINDSTAR. THE FORD DEALER (SOUND FORD, RENTON WA) STATES THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE CRUISE CONTROL CUTOUT SWITCH. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE BURN PATTERN THAT THIS WAS INDEED THE CAUSE. THE SINGLE OCCUPANT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED USING A DRY CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM A LOCAL MERCHANT (WESTMARINE, SEATTLE, WA). THE FORD DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE SO FAR TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE (IT'S BEEN OVER THREE WEEKS).

MODERATE LEAK OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED AFTER FILLING UP THE TANK. WE BROUGHT THIS TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE TOP OF THE TANK WAS CRACKED. THE TANK NEEDS REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR GL. THIS WAS PURCHASED IN 1995. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE 1995 RECALLS I NOTICED THAT THE 1995 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN TO A FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE.