1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING ON AND OFF. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY LOW. DROVE 8 MILES TO AUTOMOTIVE STORE, PURCHASED FLUID AND REFILLED. PROBLEM ALLEVIATED FOR TWO DAYS, THEN OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AGAIN. DISCONNECTED BATTERY TO RESET SYSTEMS. TWO WEEKS LATER OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AGAIN. NOTICED RPMS WERE UP TO 3 AT 69 MPH. TOOK VAN TO OUR MECHANIC, WHO TOLD US THE OVERDRIVE WAS FAILING. HE THEN REFERRED US TO LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED THE OVERDRIVE WAS FAILING AND ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO TOLD US FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE UP TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION. THEY OFFERED NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. PRICE 1,800 FOR NEW TRANSMISSION, NOT INCLUDING LABOR. WHEN DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, ENGINE BEGAN STALLING AT LOW IDLE SPEEDS. ENGINE DIES DURING TAKE OFF OR ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS. OUR MECHANIC INSPECTED VAN AND COULD FIND NO ENGINE FAILURE PROBLEMS. SUSPECTS ASSOCIATION WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VAN IS HIGH MILAGE, BUT HAD 66,000 MILES WHEN WE BOUGHT IT IN 2000. HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH FORD WINDSTAR TRANSMISSIONS. IN READING SOME OF THE OTHER OWNERS' STORIES, I FEEL VERY LUCKY MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT SLOWLY AND GAVE US WARNING. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET KILLED BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE TO MAKE FORD CORRECT THE PROBLEM? CONSIDERING MOST MINIVANS ARE USED TO TRANSPORT FAMILIES, IT SEEMS THAT IMMEDIATE ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN TO CORRECT AN OBVIOUSLY LIFE-THREATENING PROBLEM. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IF WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SHIFT GEAR ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED TS

CONSUMERS NOTICE A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM STEERING AFTER MAKING TURNS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND NOTICE A HOSE NEED TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

PLASTIC FUEL INTAKE WAS DEFECTIVE REPLACED WITH METAL, SHOULD BE MADE WITH METAL. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL SHIMMY HEAVILY AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

TRANSMISSION "LURCHED" INFREQUENTLY FROM DAY OF PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A WINDSTAR. TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN TRAFFIC. NO ACCIDENT OCCURED BUT EASILY COULD HAVE. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WITH WARNING THE IDLE GETS DISCONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND BECAMES INOPERATIVE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

MASSIVE POWERSTEERING /RACK AND PINION LEAK , DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ANY SPEED. MR

I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT HE TRANSMISSION STILL SLIPS. THE LAST VAN I HAD DID THE SAME THING IT WAS A 1998 WINDSTAR. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND IN 3 MONTHS I HAD TO HAVE THE WHOLE THING REBUILT. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*768017

BAD IRMC, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A $200 DEDUCTIBLE, THEN VAN HAD TO GO BACK TO SHOP (ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON) NOW OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR SHAFT IS BAD , THAT WILL BE ANOTHER $200 DEDUCTIBLE/UNABLE TO AFFORD A RENATL CAR DUE TO REPAIRS... TS