1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE VAN BEGINS TO SURGE (RPMS JUMP FROM 500 TO 1200) AND THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON THEN THE VAN DIES. THIS OCCURS APPROXIMATELY ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK. ON A MORE ROUTINE BASIS, THE VAN DOES A MILD SURGE AND THEN WHEN YOU STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GO IT ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO DIE AND THEN LURCHES FORWARD. THESE PROBLEMS ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE VAN IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP AND IDLING FOR MORE THAN A BRIEF MOMENT (SUCH AS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN THAT TAKES A MINUTE TO BE ABLE TO GO.) THIS MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A SERIOUS PROBLEM BUT AS THE DRIVER I WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THAT. WE HAVE PRESENTED OUR CASE TO THE FORD DISPUTE BOARD AND THEY FOUND IT NOT TO BE A "SAFETY" PROBLEM (I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT). WE HAVE TRIED TO DEAL WITH BOTH CORNING FORD AND RED BLUFF FORD WITH NO SUCCESS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE CONSUMER CAN BE RAILROADED AND IGNORED WHEN THEY TRY TO GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE SET UP TO AVOID SUCH MESSES AS THESE. ALL I WANT IS OUT OF THIS VEHICLE BEFORE I GET IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY VAN DECIDED NOT TO GO AND SOME OTHER DRIVER DIDN'T KNOW I HAVE A LEMON AND HITS ME. *AK

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 5 INCIDENTS WHEN GOING FROM PARK-REVERSE, PARK- DRIVE AND WHEN CORNING THE ENGINE RPM'S WILL GO TO MAXIMUM FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. IT WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AFTER THESE INCIDENTS AND WAS REVIEWED BY A LOCAL FORD REPRESENTATIVE. HOWEVER, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE INCIDENT AND THEREFORE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IN REVIEWING YOUR DATABASE I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS CASE WHERE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED. ITS ONLY A MANER OF TIME BEFORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR. PLEASE HELP US TO GET THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. THANK YOU. *AK

WHEN NEW, THE HORN ON THIS VAN WOULD ONLY WORK IF YOU PUSHED RIGHT ON THE HORN ICON, WHICH IS IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IN A PANIC SITUATION, PUSHING ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE SQUARE INCH RIGHT OVER THIS HORN SYMBOL WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE HORN HONKING AND POSED A SAFETY/CRASH HAZARD MULTIPLE TIMES. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THIS MODEL TO ONLY HAVE THE HORN WORK IN THAT ONE SMALL SPOT. WHEN RETURNED FOR NEXT WARRANTY SERVICE I MENTIONED THIS AGAIN, AND THIS TIME THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE HORN/AIR BAG UNIT. AFTER REPLACEMENT, NOW THE UPPER LEFT QUADRANT OF THE SURFACE WORKS TO MAKE THE HORN BLOW, BUT THIS IS STILL A SAFETY HAZARD IN A PANIC SITUATION WHEN MOST COMMONLY MY RIGHT HAND IS USED TO HIT THE HORN AS WARNING - IN MOST CASES THE HORN STILL DOESN'T WORK. WHEN I COMPLAINED AGAIN, THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN AN ACCIDENT IS IMMINENT AND YOU CANNOT HONK YOUR HORN QUICKLY (HAVING TO FIRST REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE ON THE SURFACE YOU MUST PUSH!)... THIS CANNOT BE NORMAL!!!!! ADDITIONALLY, IN A PANIC SITUATION WHEN THE REFLEX IS TO HONK A WARNING, WHEN THE HORN DOESN'T WORK MY ATTENTION IS DIVERTED FROM THE INCIDENT AT HAND IN TRYING TO FIND THE SPOT TO MAKE THE HORN WORK. UNACCEPTABLE (BUT ONE OF SEVERAL QUIRKY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING POWER STEERING MODULE GOING OUT AT 40,000 MILES, AND INSIDE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING FAN FOR REAR AREA GOING ON AND OFF MYSTERIOUSLY EVEN WITH MASTER CONTROL TURNED OFF, AND WITH ACCOMPANYING CLICKING SOUND IN RELAY UNDER DASH ON LEFT. LEMON !!!

DURING SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WITH THE ENGINE AT IDLE, AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ENGINE SURGES DURING THE SHIFT. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES TO APPROXIMATELY 9-10 MPH. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR-ACCIDENTS AND PANIC STOPS IN PARKING LOTS AND STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC. DURING NORMAL ACCELERATION WITH A PARTIALLY OPEN THROTTLE, THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEHAVED IN THIS WAY SINCE IT WAS NEW. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID RESERVOIR IS LOCATED OUT IN HOOD THAT DEFROSTER CANNOT GET TO IT. THEREFORE, IN BAD SNOWY CONDITIONS WINDSHIELD WIPER RESERVOIR WILL FREEZE UP, AND CONSUMER CANNOT USE IT WHEN NEEDED, SUCH AS WHEN ICE AND MUD IS SPLASHED ONTO WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.*AK

VEHICLE WAS IDLING WHILE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE SURGED AND ACCELERATED FORWARD HITTING A BOAT MOTOR THAT WAS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. *SLC

HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION OR NEEDS VERY HIGH EFFORT. USELESS IN EMERGENCY AVOIDANCE. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT IF THEY RELY ON THIS HORN.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY SLIDING DOOR OPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE THREE TIMES, AND PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PRESS. IT TAKES EXTREME PRESSURE FROM DRIVER FOR HORN TO BLOW. ALSO, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE RIGHT SPOT TO PUSH. VEHICLE WAS MADE WITH A DEFECT. HORN HAS NOT WORKED.*AK

HORN DELAY EQUIVALENT TO A DELAY IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. UPGRADED BY FORD FROM OUTGARIOUSLY SLOW TO TERRIBLELY SLOW. USELESS IN A PARKING LOT. INEFFECTIVE IN TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF LACK OF TIMELY RESPONSE. A HORN IS A SAFETY DEVICE USED AS WARNING SYSTEM. IT IS INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT IS TIME DELAYED EVEN AFTER AN UPGRADE. I GET ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED EVERY TIME I TRY TO USE IT.