1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

CONSUMER MUST HIT THE HORN AT EXACT SPOT WITH EXTREME FORCE BEFORE HORN WILL BLOW WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S POWER WINDOWS, AT FREEZING POINT UNDER 30 DEGREES WITH DRY FROST, WILL NOT OPERATE. CONSUMER MUST WAIT UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP. *AK

WHILE AT STOP LIGHT THE RPM IDLED HIGH THEN IDLED LOW AND RETRUNED TO NORMAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK.ET.

OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS ARE STOPPING AND ASKING ME IF MY HORN WORKS. APPARENTLY MANY OWNERS OF 1999 WINDSTARS ARE EXPERIENCING HORN FAILURES. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SOUND THE HORN. THE DEMMER FORD REP. (PHIL) SAID HE CALLED THE OAKVILLE ASSEMBLY PLANT AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. HE SAID A FIX MIGHT BE IN THE WORKS IN ANOTHER 90 DAYS--UNACCEPTABLE! *AK

VAN WAS RETURNED TO DEALER TO FIX A MINOR PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP AND JERK INTO GEAR. FORD ELECTED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THEN THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THE STEERING PROBLEMS AND REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. THEN DISCOVERED THE LOWER STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE. THEREFORE, THEY HAVE HAD MY NEW VAN IN THE SHOP FOR 3 WEEKS. *AK

PROBLEM WITH "PULSATING" OF BOTH EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WHEN ENGINE IS RUNNING. IN FOR REPAIRS AT DEALER ON 2-5-99, BUT NOT FIXED. BEEN TOLD PROBLEM IS WITH VOLTAGE REGULATOR. INVOICE OF REPAIRS SHOWS 'REPAIRED' WIRING AT ALTERNATOR. *AK

HORN FUNCTIONS IF CORRECT SPOT ON WHEEL IS HIT, BUT THE "SWEET SPOT" IS SMALL. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, PRESSING MOST AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT CAUSE THE HORN TO SOUND -A MAJOR POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE TAKING VEHICLE OUT OF "PARK POSITION" TO DRIVE POSITION THE VEHICLE REVVED, AND LUNGED FORWARD WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. *AK

THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN IN THE 1999 WINDSTAR. FIRST, THE HORN REQUIRES EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE IN ORDER TO GET IT TO SOUND. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE ONE NEEDS A QUICK SOUNDING OF THE HORN. SECOND, A LARGE AREA OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE ONE WOULD EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO SOUND THE HORN DOES NOT SOUND IT. SPECIFICALLY, THE AREA MOST LIKELY PRESSED IN AN EMERGENCY, THE UPPER PORTION OF THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL, HAS NO HORN ACTION. THE PART OF THE WHEEL TO WHICH I AM REFERRING IS TOP OF THE CENTER "HUB AREA" WHICH FACES THE DRIVER. I TOOK THE WINDSTAR TO CAMPUS FORD, OKEMOS, MICHIGAN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE "THEY ALL WORK THAT WAY." IN MY OPINION, THE HORN PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY THE AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL HUB THAT HAVE NO HORN ACTION, REPRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD TO VEHICLE OWNERS.

WHEN TRYING TO PUT GAS INTO THE TANK THE PUMP DOES NOT FIT PROPERLY. IF CONSUMER PUTS THE PUMP ALL THE WAY IN THE TANK, THERE IS AN AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF THAT KEEPS CONSUMER FROM PUMPING . TO PUMP GAS CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD THE PUMP 1/3 OF AN INCH IN THE TANK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALER OF PROBLEM. THE POWER DOORS CAN BE ACTIVATED BY A CHILD. THEY KEEP CLOSING & DO NOT STOP UNTIL THEY ARE CLOSED & LOCKED. CAN HAPPENS EVEN WHEN SOMETHING OR SOMEONE IS IN THE DOORWAY. *AK