1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WE COLLIDED WITH A 1989 CHEVROLET TRUCK DRIVEN BY AN INTOXICATED DRIVER WHO PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF US IN A 45 MPH SPEED ZONE. WE WERE IN OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. OUR CHILDREN, AGES 18 AND 13 WERE SEATED IN THE QUAD SEATS BEHIND THE FRONT SEATS, AND ON IMPACT, BOTH SEAT BELTS FOR THEIR SEATS CAME UNDONE. *TR

I HAVE (HAD) A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR THAT TRANSPORTS NOT ONLY MY OWN THREE CHILDREN BUT TWO OTHER CHILDREN FROM TIME TO TIME. AFTER PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE ONE DAY THE REAR OF THE MINI-VAN MADE A HORRIBLE SOUND. I LOOKED OUT THE DOOR AND SAW MY REAR TIRE IN A VERY PRECARIOUS POSITION. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW I NOTICED THAT WHAT ONE WOULD THINK COULD NEVER HAPPEN, SURE AS '!@#$% DID, THE REAR AXLE WAS CRACKED IN HALF. I DID SOME SEARCHING ON THE NET AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT ALONE. FORD SAYS IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM (UNTIL SOMEONE'S FAMILY DIES) BECAUSE IT IS PAST THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY. THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE AXLE AND NOT ESCAPE. THIS EVENT CAUSES THE AXLE TO RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT. NOT VERY HAPPY HERE, BUT REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYONE GET HURT OR KILLED!!!!!!!! *TR

MY VEHICLE IS HAVING INTERMITTENT BRAKING PROBLEMS DUE TO THE ABS/ECM FAILURE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE OFTEN BRAKES NORMALLY BUT OCCASIONALLY BRAKES JERKY- STOPPING POORLY AT BEST. THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AS WELL. MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I NOW SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AMONG WINDSTAR VEHICLES, AND AS IT IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT WILL BE DONE TO REPAIR THESE ERRANT VEHICLES? IN THIS ECONOMY, I HAVE LITTLE MONEY FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PART! I AM A VERY CAREFUL DRIVER AND I LEAVE A GOOD DEAL OF BRAKING DISTANCE JUST IN CASE MY BRAKES ACT UP. AT LEAST UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO FIX THEM - OR FORD RECALLS MY CAR AND DOES THE RIGHT THING. *TR

THE SENSOR PART #SW-6351 GET FIRE UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER.5/7/08- IT APPEARS THE NHTSA IS STARING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKING A CAUSING FIRES! THIS IS CERTAINLY GOOD NEWS AND I'M SURE WILL SAVE LIVES. IF YOU HAVE A OLD DEACTIVATION SWITCH THAT LEAKED, PLEASE DO NOT THROW IT AWAY, WE MAY NEED TO COLLECT A FEW! *TR *GEM

1998 WINDSTAR, TRANSMISSION FAILURE, COMPLETE OVERHAUL , $1700.00 DOLLARS, THE VAN WAS BOUGHT FOR MY MOTHER, SHE'S 81 , THE VAN WAS THOUGHT TO BE DEPENDABLE AND LEFT HER ON THE ROAD. MECHANIC SAID THE PLANETARY GEARS WERE SHOT, NEW GEARS AND TORQUE CONVERTER, COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THE VAN WAS OWNED BY MY MOTHER IN LAW , BOUGHT NEW , WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY I GAVE IT TO MY MOTHER, TWO WOMEN DRIVERS, OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE, SO THERE WAS NO ABUSE TO THE VAN, ALWAYS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE,,,WHAT GIVES... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COIL SPRINGS FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRES. SHE FELT THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE A SERIOUS CRASH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 168,000.

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND HEARD A LOUD CRASH TYPE OF SOUND. CHECKED THE CAR AND FOUND OUT THAT THE REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN IN HALF. *TR

MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO START 1998 FORD WINDSTAR WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO ISSUE FROM BENEATH THE HOOD. SHE IMMEDIATELY REMOVOVED HERSELF AND DOG WHEREUPON THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BUT EVERYTHING FOWRWARD OF THE FIREWALL WAS MELTED DOWN. THE WINDSHIELD HAD EXPLODED AND THE INTERIOR SUFFERED SMOKE DAMAGE. EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL WAS AN ENTIRE LOSS. THIS REPORT IS FILED AFTER LEARNING THAT NHTSA IS INVOLVED IN INVESTIGATION OF MORE THAN 130 OTHER REPORTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE. WE WISH TO LEARN IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE OR CLASS ACTION SUIT AVAILABLE TO US. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN SV, I AVE SOME TRANSMISSION ISSUES. I HAVE TO HAVE A WHOLE TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL DONE. I FOUNT OUT THAT ALOT OF THE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE HAS SUFFERED THE SAME. WHAT WE HAVE FOUNT OUT IS THAT THAT MODEL OF VANS HAVE DEFAULT TRANSMISSIONS IN THEM. I WANT TO KNOW IF I COULD AT LEAST HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED OR TO KNOW ANY INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP. *TR

I BOUGHT A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR 3.0 L IN 1999. IN 2002 I RECEIVED A RECALL TO INSTALL FRONT SHIELDS OVER THE COIL SPRING SO I DID. YESTERDAY THE FRONT COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE FRONT TIRE AND BROKE THE STRUTS AS WELL. WHEN CALLING FORD, THEY INFORM ME THAT THEY CAN NOT TELL ME WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED, JUST THAT THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEY ISSUED THE WARRANTY FOR 10 YEARS FROM MANUFACTURER DATE EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL DID NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL 3-4 YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURE DATE AND I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECOMMENDED CURE TO THE PROBLEM. *TR