1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

VEHICLE HAS A DANGEROUS RACK AND PINION INPUT SHAFT STEERING GEAR. THIS IS COVERED UNDER RECALL 97V-165000, HOWEVER, AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY SEVERAL TIMES THEY REFUSE ALL RESPONSIBILITY IN CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FORD REFUSES TO TAKE ANY AND ALL CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. NHTSA WAS USELESS IN HELPING THE SITUATION. *JB

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. 2 DRIVER SIDE WHEEL LUG BOLTS BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING. BOTH STUDS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACED BOTH STUDS FROM FORD PARTS AND 3 WEEKS LATER 1 OF THE NEW REPLACEMENT LUG BOLTS BROKE OFF. *NM

ELECTRONICS-DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON SPECIFICALLY WHEN WEATHER IS DAMP OR MILD. THIS CAUSES DOOR LOCKS TO UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, ALSO DOOR CHIME KEEPS CHIMMING. BATTERY LOOSES POWER BECAUSE DOME LAMP STAYS ON FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK IF ILLUMINATED DOOR AJAR WARNING IS CAUSED BY OPENING OR CLOSING REAR LIFTGATE. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DRIVER DOOR SWITCH AT THE COST OF $100 PARTS AND LABOR, HOWEVER THE PASSENGER DOOR, SIDE SLIDER AND REAR LIFTGATE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IM NOT SURE IF DOORS ARE REALLY CLOSED OR NOT. SINCE THE DOORS WONT STAY LOCKED, I BELIEVE THIS POSES AS A SAFETY HAZARD TO ALL PASSENGERS. MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINI VANS. *NM

POWER STEERING RETURN LINE FROM RACK TO COOLER RUBBED ON FRAME OF 98 FORD WINDSTAR UNTIL A HOLE RESULTED IN LOSS OF MOST PS FLUID. DRASTIC LOSS OF FLUID OCCURRED DESCENDING BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS. WINDSTAR HAD ABOUT 125,000 MILES, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE HOSE WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM NORMAL INSPECTION. FLUID SPRAYED OVER HOT ENGINE PARTS BUT DID NOT IGNITE. *JB

FOUND LOT OF WHITE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. LEFT AT REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND MENTIONED THAT IT IS HEAD GASKET DAMAGE. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAS SEEN LOT OF SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH 3.8 L FORD WINDSTAR GL MINIVANS. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO SINCE IT MIGHT COST ABOUT $2,000 TO FIX. *JB

THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DEPARTED (I.E. FELL OFF) THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH ON A PAVED ROAD. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON A SOFT SHOULDER AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALL FIVE STUDS HOLDING THE WHEEL ON WERE SHEERED OFF. THE WHEEL ITSELF WAS NOT DAMAGED, HOWEVER MAJOR BODY DAMAGE WAS MADE TO THE WHEEL WELL AND FRONT DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED (EXCEPT FOR THE BODY DAMAGE) AT THE COST OF $1300, REPLACING THE ROTOR, BRAKE, SPINDLE AND STRUT. *NM

SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND VAN WAS RUNNING ROUGH. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFORD RUNNER CONTROL VACUUM MOTOR WAS STUCK. VAN WOULD OVERHEAT IF NOT REPLACED. *NM

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE SLOWING TO ALMOST 1 KM/H (LUCKILY). ALL 5 STUDS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACED ALL STUDS FROM FORD PARTS AND 3 WEEKS LATER 2 STUDS SHOWING. VERY SCARY, STILL WORKING ON PROBLEM. *NM

VEHICLE LOSS COOLANT GRADUALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I NEVER SAW ANY LEAKS UNDER THE VEHICLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CAR WAS ABRUPTLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BUT WE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING SMELL, WE ALSO HAD BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO EVALUATE BUT HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CULPRIT. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON OCT19TH AND SPRAYED COOLANT AND STEAM WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A PHYSICAL INDICATION THAT THERE TRULY WAS A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY IN THE SHOP AT MY EXPENSE TO REPAIR THE HEAD GASKET, INTAKE MANIFOLD AND TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET.

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE SEAT BELT STRAPS ARE RIPPING APART. TWO OF THE STRAPS HAVE COMPLETELY RIPPED. ONE OF THE STRAPS IS FRAYING. EACH OF THE SEAT BELTS IS LOCATED IN A DIFFERENT ROW. TWO OF THE SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK