1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN OR BECOME STIFF. DRIVER HAS TO WAIT A FEW MINUTES IN ORDER TO TURN. DEALER SAYS THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER HAS REPLACED RACK AN DPINION BEFORE, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30MPH STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL AND IT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND GOT STUCK. CONSUMER HIT THE CURB, NO INJURIES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER 6 TIMES. THEY ARE ORDERING A NEW GAS PEDAL. *AK *ML

DUE TO THE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, OCCUPANT WITH A LARGE STANDARD FOOT SIZE CAN PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH MAY RESULT IN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON ITS OWN UP TO 15-20 MPH. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOES NOT HAVE TO BE APPLIED. ON OCCASION TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO BE BETWEEN GEARS.. *AK

WHEN MOVING REAR SEAT TO MIDDLE POSITION BEHIND DRIVER, THERE IS NO PLACE TO BUCKLE THE LAP BELT. IN THE REAR POSITION THERE IS, VEHICLE IS ADVERSTISED AND OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO SWAP MIDDLE AND REAR SEATING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.

RE: SLIDING DOORS- WILL NOT OPEN RELIABLY SINCE NEW- TROUBLE INTERMITTENT-DEALER LAKELAND FORD REPLACED DOOR SWITCHES WHEN I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE INTERMITTENT CONDITION(NOT EASY)DEALER CONTACTED FORD WHO TOLD THEM THAT THE DOORS WERE DESIGNED TO OPERATE THAT WAY TO CONSERVE BATTERY!(BELIEVE IT) FORD DESIGN ENGINEER SAID THE POWER TO THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES WAS CUT OFF AFTER 30 MINUTES OF NO USE TO CONSERVE THE BATTERY, FURTHER, THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED NO OTHER COMPLAINTS.. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT SO. THE VAN CAN SIT FOR 24 HOURS AND THE DOORS WILL OPEN , MOST OF THE TIME. RE HORN BUTTON: MOST PEOPLE USE THE PALM OR HEEL OF THE HAND TO OPERATE THE HORN. I HAVE HAD THREE CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SOUND THE HORN TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS. IT CAN ONLY BE OPERATED BY USING THE THUMB OR INDEX FINGER DIRECTLY OVER THE HORN SYMBOL. THIS CONSTITUTES AN AREA OF SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE SQUARE INCH. RE EMISSION CONTROL:ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THIS NOISE IS CAUSED BY ONE OF THE EMISSION CONTROLS UNDER THE HOOD. IT CAUSES A WHIRRING SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR AND MAKES A SQUACK LIKE A DUCK WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HAD IDENTICAL TROUBLE IN '96 WINDSTAR, TURNED OUT TO BE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION RELATED.*AK

NO FAILED COMPONENTS - MICE GET INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH FIREWALL - FIREWALL NOT SEALED?? NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

IF YOU PROCEED UPHILL AND COME TO A STOP TO PARK, I PLACE SET THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE BEFORE I PUT THE VAN IN PARK. WHEN I LEAVE I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PUT THE VAN IN DRVE OR WHICHEVER GEAR I NEED AND I GET AN EXTREMELY LOUD CLUNK AS IF THE TRANS. IS GOING TO FALL OUT. WHILE GOING UPHILL, ONCE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MPH AND A SECOND TIME AT 45 TO 50 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FOR A SECOND ALL TOGETHER. THEN IT JUMPED BACK INTO THE GEAR IT WAS IN PREVIOUSLY, NOT BERFORE ACTUALLY SLOWING DOWN AND ALMOST STOPPING. I BROUGHT THE VAN NTO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER TO BE LOOKED AT AND WITHIN A FEW HOURS THEY CALLED ME FOR PICK UP AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE, I'VE BEEN AROUND CARS ALL MY LIFE AND THAT SOUND IS NOT NORMAL AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ARE NOT NORMAL. I CALLED THE DEALER AND HE SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE IT MAY HAVE LOWW TRANNY FLUID. THAT HAS BEEN CHECKED AND THAT IS NOT THE CASE. I FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING THE RUN AROUND HERE AND AM NOT GETTTING ANY SOUND ANSWERS AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENS. I ALSO JUST FOUND OUT TODAY FROM THE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE WINDSTAR HAS MANY TECHNICAL BULLETINS OUT REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION. I FEEL A LITTLE LEFT OUT OF HTE CROWD HERE. I'LL BE TAKING MY FAMILY ON A VACATION BACK TO MINNESOTA AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEVAN WILL MAKE IT. AFTER ALL THATS WHY WE PAY FOR THE WARRANTIES NOW ISN'T IT. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND GUIDANCE WITH THIS ISSUE. *AK

ON THE 21ST OF DEC 99, MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN OUR WINDSTAR. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE HORN WERE USEABLE. THE WAY THE HORN BUTTON IS NOW YOU WILL HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME TRYING TO FIND THE EXACT SPOT TO PUSH TO GET THE HORN TO SOUND. WHEN TIME IS CRITICAL IN THE OUTCOME, SEARCHING FOR THAT EXACT SPOT ISN'T A PLAYER. THIS WAS THE CASE ON THE 21ST. WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL TRIED TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY HE HIT OUR VAN ON THE RIGHT SIDE CAUSING $6500 IN DAMAGE. PRIOR TO THE IMPACT SHE TRIED TO HIT THE HORN BUT COULD NOT FIND IT WHEN IT WAS NEEDED MOST. WE ARE ALMOST 100% POSITIVE THAT IF SHE COULD HAVE FOUND THE HORN SHE COULD HAVE SOUNDED IT, AND THE OTHER DRIVER WOULD HAVE SEEN HER COMING. LUCKILY MY 18 MONTH OLD AND 5 YR OLD DAUGHTERS WERE NOT WITH HER AT THE TIME. NOW I HAVE A $30,000 MINIVAN THAT WILL NEVER BE OF ANY VALUE AGAIN. SURE IT WILL BE FIXED, BUT WHO WOULD EVER WANT A VEHICLE LIKE THAT THAT HAS HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. I GUESS THATS MY LOSS THOUGH.

BRAKES FAILED AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP. PUT VEHICLE IN PARK WHILE MOVING, AND FINALLY STOPPED ON SIDEWALK, AT A SCHOOL WHERE THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN DESASTERIOUS.