1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

DT: WHILE PARKED ON THE STREET, SOMEHOW IN THE NIGHT, AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IGNITED ON THE LEFT PASSENGER SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT LOCATED AT THE SECOND ELECTRICAL OUTLET. IT WAS SO HOT IT MELTED THE CAR SEAT AND PANELING NEAR THE ARMREST. THE GLASS DIDN'T BREAK BUT PAINT TO OUTSIDE OF CAR IS PEELING OFF. CENTER AND CONSOLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE WENT OUT SOMEWHERE NEAR THE FRONT. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *TT

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT FIVE OR TEN MILES ,IF THE CONTACT GOES TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OR STOP, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. THIS OCCURS WHILE DECELERATING. HE STATES THAT EVERYTHING WORKS FINE WHILE HE IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT JUST WHEN HE GOES TO STOP THAT HE HAS THE PROBLEMS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC , AND THEY REPLACED THE IDLE CONTROL ,AND CLEANED THE INJECTORS. HOWEVER, VEHICLE STILL HAS THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING. IT WILL START BACK UP AS SOON AS IT STALLS WHEN HE PUTS IT IN PARK. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 100 TIMES. VEHICLE HAS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. IT STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND IT WOULDN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME AND NOW IT IS DOING ALMOST EVERY TIME YOU SLOW DOWN. HAS CAME VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.*AK

FORD WINDSTAR IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE EQUIPMENT WHICH IS CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE. *MR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY AND WOULD ACTIVATE 80% OF THE TIME. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE SENSORS WERE THE PROBLEM ON ONE OCCASION AND ON ANOTHER, THE MASTER CYLINDER, BUT COULD NOT GUARANTEE THIS. *SC

1998 FORD WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH.*MR THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED 2 1/2 YEARS AGO. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH FRONT COIL SPRING SNAPPED AND BROKE, PUNCTURING THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE. CONSUMER HAD THE COIL SPRING REPLACED ONCE. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DROPPED. ALSO, THERE WAS A BRAKE FAILURE. TWO NHTSA RECALLS REGARDING FRONT COIL SPRINGS, RECALLS 01I007000 AND 01V199000 WERE ISSUED.*AK

VEHICLE SHOOK CONTINUOUSLY WHEN BEING DRIVEN. FRONT END WAS ALIGNED, THE BEARINGS, SHAFT, AND THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. *AK

PAINT BEGAN PEELING OFF LIFTGATE, ROOF AND SIDE DOOR IN MEDIUM TO LARGE SIZE STRIPS AND HAS CONTINUED TO WORSEN, REVEALING THE WHITE PRIMER BELOW. THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE PAINT ADHESIVE. THE CONTRAST IN TONE BETWEEN THE DARK BLUE PAINT AND LARGE UNEVEN PATCHES OF WHITE PRIMER IS DISTRACTING TO OTHER DRIVERS, SINCE IT LOOKS SO ODD, AND HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE ENTIRE MINI-VAN NEEDS TO BE REPAINTED. I NOTE THAT 4 OF THE TOTAL OF 6 COMPLAINTS OF STRUCTURAL DEFECTS REPORTED TO NHTSA TO DATE FOR THIS VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR , NOT INCLUDING THIS ONE, ARE ALSO FOR PEELING PAINT ON UPPER SURFACES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED. (INCIDENT DATE ONLY INDICATES THE TIME AROUND WHEN I FIRST OBSERVED THE PROBLEM.)*AK

UPON BEING IN A PARKING LOT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANISM UNDER THE SEAT. CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DRIVE GEAR POPPED OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT MOVE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK

WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER HAS DIFFICULTY MAKING TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM