1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

PURCHASED 2 COOPER TRENDSETTER SE TIRES, TIRE IDENTIFICATION NO. 2UTM3C2J4702, ON JANUARY 17, 2003. SINCE THAT TIME, TIRES HAVE NOT HELD AIR AND HAVE SUFFERED LOSS OF TREND AND TRACTION CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONDITION. RETURNED TO RETAILER IN MARCH OF 2005 AND TIRES WERE TAKEN OFF AND RESEALED AT A COST OF $15.00 BUT TIRES STILL CONTINUE TO LOSS AIR. SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE, ONLY 23,000 HAVE BEEN PUT ON THESE TIRES. *NM

DT: THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 15 MINS BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DOORS LOCKED, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE RUNNING ON THEIR OWN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND HAD TO CUT THE BATTERY CABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE KEYS WERE LEFT INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON THE CONSOLE IN BETWEEN THE TWO FRONT SEATS. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF FIRES ON WINDSTARS. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND CALLER FILED A COMPLAINT. THEY WILL GET BACK TO HIM. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, AND IT WAS TOWED AWAY. THE CALLER DID NOT KNOW WHAT STARTED THE FIRE.*AK *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WIND STAR. IN 8-03 HIS WIFE WAS MAKING A SLOW LEFT HAND ASCENDING TURN AT 15-20 MPH AND THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL SHEARED OFF. ALL FIVE LUGS:BOLTS BROKE OFF. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 9-13-05 AFTER IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED BY FORD. SHE WAS MAKING A SLOW ASCENDING TURN WHEN ALL OF THE FIVE LUGS:BOLTS BROKE OFF AGAIN.*AK *JB

CONSUMER HAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE 1998 FORD WINDSTAR CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WILL BE RECALLED.*MR

IN SEPTEMBER, 2002, I HAD TO REPLACE THE SPEED CONTROL PRESSURE SWITCH ON THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER OF MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR, BECAUSE IT STARTED LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVERS SIDE TIE ROD END BECAUSE THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID DAMAGED THE RUBER BUSHING. *JB

ON 4/12/02 59,173 MILES. WINDSTAR HAD ABS & BRAKE LIGHT ON. DISC BRAKES REPLACED AND ROTORS MACHINED. 2/26/04 82,240 MILES ALL ABS SENSORS,DISC BRAKES,BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR/FLOAT ASSEMBLY REPLACED,ROTORS MACHINED. 95,487 MILES BRAKE LIGHT ON. 3/05 CRUISE CONTROL ON AND OFF. ABS LIGHT FLICKER ON & OFF. DEALER SAID NOT WORTH MONEY TO FIX. 9/04/05 FIRE UNDER BATTERY TRAY. VAN OFF 2 TO 3 MINUTES. DEALER SAID CRUISE CONTROL MODULE IGNITED FIRE. BRAKE FLUID LEAKED INTO IT. THE ABS PUMP OVERHEATED WIRE CAUSED LEAK. OUR VAN IS NOW AT CHAPMAN FORD AWAITING OUR APPROVAL TO REPAIR PROBLEMS AT A COST OF $2200.00. WE ARE NOW WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND DON'T WANT TO APPROVE REPAIRS WITHOUT TALKING TO SOMEONE FROM YOUR OFFICE. PLEASE RESPOND AND LET US KNOW WHAT OUR NEXT STEP SHOULD BE. WE ARE A ONE INCOME FAMILY SO GETTING A NEW VEHICLE IS NOT AN OPTION. YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *NM

CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED & TURNED ON CAUSING VEHICLE TO BEGIN TO SPEED UP. I WAS IN THE WAL-MART PARKING LOT, WHEN MY VAN SUDDENLY REVVED UP & RACED TOWARDS 2 PEDESTRIANS. I FIRST TRIED THE REGULAR BRAKE - NO LUCK, SO I THREW THE VAN IN PARK & TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. WHEN I WOULD TURN THE VAN ON AGAIN THE RPMS WOULD JUMP UP IMMEDIATELY TO 4000+. I HAD TO BE TOWED IN. I DID NOT HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL ON AT ALL DURING THE TRIP SO I (AS WELL AS THE REPAIR SHOP) WAS SURPRISED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE WAS THE CULPRIT. *JB

TRANSMISSION WAS SLOW GOING INTO GEAR,WAS VERY NOISY AND WOULD NOT SHIFT IT FINALLY LOCKED UP IN GEAR AND WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS TOWED IN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. THE VAN HAS ONLY 46,000 MILES ON IT. A 30,000 DOLLAR CAR SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN THIS. *JB

WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS VAN - WE BOUGHT IT USED(1 YR OLD) SO WE HAD NO RECOURSE AS FAR AS WARRANTIES GO. WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO TAKE IT IN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE LIGHT PROBLEM LOOKED AT - THEY REPLACED A SENSOR FOR $140 AND AS SOON AS WE DROVE 45 MILES IT STARTED UP AGAIN! WE WERE ON OUR WAY ON A ROAD TRIP AND I CALLED TO TELL THEM IT FAILED, BUT WHEN WE GOT BACK TWO WEEKS LATER THEY CLAIMED THAT IT MUST BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT... INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT SHUT OFF, REMOVED DOOR AJAR CHIME SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO THAT WHILE DRIVING ALL THE TIME, DOOR AJAR LIGHT HAS BEEN ON CONTINUOUSLY FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS, WE'VE HAD TO REMOVE THE DOME LIGHTS AND TURN THE OTHER LIGHTS TO "OFF" SO OUR BATTERY DOESN'T GO DEAD OVER NIGHT - THE PASSENGER FLOOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON HOWEVER AND GET VERY HOT... THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK BECAUSE THE CAR THINKS IT'S DOORS ARE OPEN! THE CAR HAS BECOME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND THE PROBLEM HAS STUMPED TOO MANY MECHANICS TO LIST - WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 40 MPH THE RIGHT WHEEL STARTS MAKING A 'THUMPING' NOISE AND WHEN TURNING LEFT OR ACCELERATING IT BECOMES ALMOST DEAFENING, NOW IT'S MAKING A VERY LOUD SCREECH IF, BUT DON'T WANT TO SELL THIS DEATH-TRAP TO ANYONE ELSE EITHER YOU TURN TOO SHARPLY - THERE IS A CONTINUOUS SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE SAME AREA. PLEASE HELP!! THANK YOU, [XXX] PS... CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK AND THE BACK WIPER ONLY WORKS IF YOU'RE BACKING UP... HAVE HAD THE VAN REALIGNED CONTINUALLY AND I JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER SET OF TIRES IN JUNE AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE IS ALREADY WORN OUT... THE RIGHT PASSENGER'S WINDOW SOMETIMES DOESN'T ROLL BACK UP AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON SOMETIMES FOR MONTHS FOR NO REASON AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LIGHT... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 98 FORD WINDSTAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE A CHEVY TAHOE RAN A RED LIGHT AND T-BONED THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VAN. UPON IMPACT THE SIDE DOOR OF MY VAN FLEW OFF AND ENDED UP 15 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE. ALL OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS (MY WIFE AND OUR 5 CHILDREN) SO NO ONE WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. OUR SON WHO WAS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH MULTIPLE LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED AS THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NM