1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

POWER STEERING PUMP UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS BY DEALER, FROM 28,000 MILES TO PRESENT. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM STILL EXISTS RIGHT NOW AND THE UNIT WOULD BE REPLACED AGAIN. *YH

I HAVE CONTACTED FORD TO SEE IF I COULD GET SOME HELP AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK

STARTING OVER A YEAR AGO MY PASSENGER REAR ELECTRIC DOOR STARTED POPPING OPEN WHIIE I WAS DRIVING (SEVERAL INCHES). I HAVE NOW HAD THIS IN FOR SERVICE TEN TIMES AND THE DOOR CONTINUES TO POP OPEN WHILE I AM DRIVING. 'FORD' SO FAR IS UNWILLING TO TAKE MY VEHICLE BACK OR LET ME OUT OF LEASE. I WILL BE APPLYING FOR ARBITRATION THIS MONTH, NOVEMBER, 2001.

WHILE TURNING AT A LOW SPEED, NOTICED A BUZZING NOISE. DROVE 4 MILES TO AGENCY WHERE VAN WAS PURCHASED. SERVICE TECH. STATED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. ADVISED NOT T DRIVE VAN HOME. NEXT DAY, THE TECH. STATED THAT THE POWER STEER. PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACE (COST OF $320.). TWO DAYS LATER, SAME PROBLEM BUT NOW WITH LEAKING FLUID. DEALER REFUSED TO TOW BACK TO DEALERSHIP, NO RENTAL CAR OFFERED. TECH. STATES THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS REPLACING - NO COST. AT SAME TIME, ADVISED TECH. THAT CAR "MISFIRES" AT START UP, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. CAR "SCOPED" AT A COST OF $60. REPLACED "AIR-INTAKE VALVE". AGAIN, TWO DAYS LATER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURS. AGENCY CURRENTLY FINDING PARTS TO REPLACE VARIOUS SENSORS. NO CAR FOR OVER ONE WEEK BUT DEALER HAS PROVIDED A RENTAL.*AK

THE MAJOR COMPLAINT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT, HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BOTH FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE DEALERSHIP - NEITHER OF WHOM HAS SEEN FIT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY EXISTENCE ON THIS PLANET. THE SEAT WILL NOT ADJUST (LEVER APPARENTLY HAS A PERPETUAL SHORT) - WHICH MEANS I CAN'T SEE COMFORTABLE OVER THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

THIS RECURRING PROBLEM CONTINUES TO FAIL WITHIN ONE TO TWO WEEKS AFTER THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED A NEEDED PART. EACH TIME I GET MY VEHICLE BACK IT WORKS FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED TIME AND THE PROBLEM COMES UP AGAIN. THEY REPLACE PARTS ONE BY ONE AND EACH TIME ANOTHER PART ON THE SYSTEM FAILS .ANOTHER ISSUE I BELIEVE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SERIES OF THIS ENTIRE VACCUM SYSTEM IS WHEN I AM DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 30 -35 MPH, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE LIFTER RATTLE . IT HAPPENS WHEN I NEED TO ACCLERATE TO GET ONTO THE HIGHWAY ALSO. I NOTICE WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (WHICH REQUIRES THAT A PART OR PARTS BE REPLACED FOR THE VACCUM SYSTEM), THE NOISE WILL STOP AND WON'T BE NOTICEABLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND EVENTUALLY THE LIGHT WILL COME ON AGAIN.THIS ISSUE OF THE LIFTER NOISE HAS NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE DEALERSHIP I AM TOLD THAT THEY CANNNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE NO ANSWER OR SOLUTION. THIS PROBLEM ALSO CAUSES THE COMSUMPTION OF GAS TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY. THE VAN WILL USE ONE EIGHTH TANK OF GAS ON A NORMAL DAY OF DRIVING WHEN , IF THE LIGHT IS ON, THE VEHICLE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY I WILL USE ABOUT ONE QUARTER TANK OF GAS. THE CONSUMPTION IS DOUBLED.

VEHICLE HAS HAD INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AT ANY SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 20-25 TIMES. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE. *AK

CONSUMER HAD JUST STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, AND WAS GENTLY ACCELERATING INTO THE INTERSECTION WHEN SOMETHING POOPED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER GO FOWARD, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE BREAKDOEN WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE WELD WHICH HOLDS THE DRUM AND THE SECONDARY SUN GEAR TOGETHER.*YD

I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, PUT VAN IN DRIVE, REACHED ABOUT 25MPH, VAN JUST LOCKED UP(TIRES DID NOT ROLL)...THREW ME FORWARD. I PUT THE VAN IN REVERSE, THEN BACK IN DRIVE, BUT IT STILL WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. BACKED BACK INTO DRIVEWAY AND CONTACTED FORD DEALER. AM NOW TOLD "THE TRANSMISSION IS BROKE". ON A CAR ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD MAKE THIS WRONG, RIGHT!*AK

AT 36,500 MILES POWER ASSIST PUMP FAILED TO OPERATE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL, AND WARRANTY EXPIRED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK