1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE FORD WINDSTAR DOES NOT HAVE THE SWITCHABLE RETRACTOR SEATBELTS INSTALLED ON THE EXTERIOR, REAR LAP AND SHOULDER BELT COMBINATION SEATBELTS; ALTHOUGH FORD PAPERWORK SHOWS THAT AS STANDARD FEATURE IN THE 1999 WINDSTAR AND THE OWNER'S MANUAL ON THIS VEHICLE SAYS THAT THIS TYPE OF SEATBELT IS INSTALLED. THE MANUAL DESCRIBES THE METHOD OF INSTALLING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT AS THOUGH THIS TYPE OF SEATBELT IS INSTALLED (PAGE 130 - 142 IN OWNER'S MANUAL). IF THE INSTALLATION OF THE CAR SEAT IS MADE ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL THE CAR SEAT WILL NOT BE SECURE. THIS IS BECAUSE AN EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR IS USED ON ALL SEATS IN THE WINDSTAR. I VERIFIED THIS WITH DOREE COLLETT AT 312-324-8914 (A CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY CONSULTANT). THE INSTALLATION OF THE CHILD SEAT IN THE REAR WINDSTAR SEATS CAN BE MADE SAFE WITH A LOCKING CLIP UNTIL THE CORRECT SEATBELTS ARE INSTALLED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURERS CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMEROUS TIMES. I WAS TOLD THE OWNER'S MANUAL IS ONLY A GENERAL GUIDE AND THAT IT WILL NOT TELL ME WHAT IS ON THE VEHICLE. THIS MAY BE TRUE, BUT CAR SEAT INSTRUCTIONS DIRECT OWNER'S TO REFER TO VEHICLE OWNER MANUALS FOR INSTALLATION AND AS I'VE STATED PREVIOUSLY - FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS WOULD DIRECT A PERSON TO MAKE AN UNSAFE INSTALLATION OF CAR SEATS. (NOTE: IT TOOK ME A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND PERSISTANCE TO EVEN BEGIN TO GET HELP FROM FORD ON THIS ISSUE. I AM NOW USING THE LOCKING CLIP, BUT I AM CERTAIN OTHER KIDS ARE SECURRED IAW THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND ARE NOT SAFE). FEEDBACK ON MY REPORT/ANALYSIS OR ACTION BEING TAKEN WOULD BE APPRECIATED.. *AK

THE HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO USE WHEN NEEDED DUE TO LOCATION. IT WOULD FAIL TO WORK WHEN BUTTON IS PUSHED. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC NO PROBLEM WITH HORN. *AK

WHILE THE VAN WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, REAR WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE JUST BLEW OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. WINDOW WILL BE REPLACED UNDER OWNER'S INSURANCE. OWNER CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE GLASS. *AK *ML

WINDOWS FOGGED, VISIBILTY LIMITED, WATER POURED FROM DASH ONTO FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR

FUEL TANK HAS 26 GALLONS AND TANK ONLY TAKES 21 GALLONS. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE GAS IS GOING SOMEWHERE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HAD TO BLOW THE HORN, IT DIDN'T WORK. CONTACTED DEALER ,NOTHING COULD BE DONE. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO TAKE EYES OFF THE ROAD TO FIND A SPOT ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO SOUND THE HORN. *AK

AN INTERNAL LEAK IS CAUSING BUBBLES WITHIN POWER STEERING, AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF DEFECT, BUT CANNOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON AND IN PARK, THERE WAS LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND CAR APPARENTLY ENGAGED IN GEAR AND PROCEEDED TO GO OUT OF THE GARAGE, DRAGGING MS DAVIS . CAR WENT SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AND THEN STOPPED ON AN INCLINE. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STILL ON, AND THE INDICATOR SHOWED IN PARK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SUGGESTED TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHEN USING THE POWER BUTTON TO CLOSE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR, IT DOESN'T CLOSE ALL THEY WAY. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

THE GRACO INFANT CAR SEAT/CARRIER, MODEL# 8458 HH, WILL NOT ATTACH SAFELY TO THE CAR SEAT BASE WHEN THE UPPER POSITION SHOULDER STRAP LOCATIONS ARE USED TO SECURE THE INFANT. WHEN THE UPPER SHOULDER STRAP LOCATION SLOTS ARE USED, THE STRAPS ARE JOINED BY A METAL JUNTION TO THE TIGHTENING STRAP, FORMING A "Y". BECAUSE THE SHOULDER STRAPS ARE TOO SHORT, EVEN WHEN USED WITH A SMALL INFANT (<13 LBS) AND WITHOUT BULKY CLOTHING, THIS JUNCTION PIECE AND THE "Y" FORMED BY THE TWO SHOULDER STRAPS AND THE TIGHTENING STRAP INTERFERE WITH THE MAIN LATCH MECHANISM TO THE CAR SEAT BASE. THE RESULT IS THAT THE CAR SEAT CAN APPEAR TO BE LOCATED IN THE SEAT BASE PROPERLY, BUT UNLATCHED. FURTHERMORE, DUE TO THE INTERFERENCE OF THE STRAPS AND THE LATCH MECHANISM, THE SHOULDER STRAPS BECOME DISPLACED TO ONE SIDE OF THE LATCH HOUSING/PROTRUSION UNDERNEATH THE CAR SEAT. THIS RESULTS IN UNEVEN TENSION ON THE SHOULDER STRAPS SECURING THE CHILD IN THE SEAT -- I.E., ONE SHOULDER STRAP IS TIGHT WHILE THE OTHER IS LOOSE. THE MODEL OF THE GRACO INFANT CAR SEAT IS 8458 HH, SERIAL # IS MM0519990643, MANUFACTURE DATE: 05199, SHOULDER STRAPS NUMBER F12217, LOT ID 175191-02, 263630, APR 99 (AS SHOWN ON THE TAG). I CONTACTED GRACO AT THEIR CUSOMTER ASSISTANCE PHONE NUMBER (888 224-6549) ON 10/25/99. THE GRACO REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE "AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM" AND THEY BELIEVED THEY WERE "WORKING ON IT" BUT SHE HAD NO INFORMATION ON WHETHER OR NOT A SERVICE/REPLACEMENT PART(S) WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AND WHEN GRACO MIGHT HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! OUR NEWBORN SON IS APPROXIMATELY 2-1/2 MONTHS OLD, AND THIS PROBLEM HAS RENDERED THE INFANT CAR SEAT UNSAFE AND USELESS. EVEN IF THE CAR SEAT IS USED WITHOUT THE BASE TO AVOID THE LATCH INTERFERENCE PROBLEM, THE STRAPS WILL NOT FIT EVENLY ON THE CHILD AND WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH LENGTH TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHILD DURING WINTER MONTHS WITH BULKY CLOTHES OR AS HE GETS LARGER!