1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN SHE MADE A SUDDEN STOP, HER 5 YEAR OLD CHILD'S SAFETY SEAT CAME FLYING TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT THE SAFETY SEAT ACTUALLY CAME LOOSE FROM THE SEAT BELT. THAT THE CHILD SUSTAIN SOME MINOR INJURIES (2 BUMPS ON THE HEAD) BUT NEVER CAME OUT OF THE GRACO SEAT BECAUSE IT REMAINED FASTENED. *NM THE SEAT WAS ORIGINALLY POSITION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THIRD ROW BENCH SEAT. *NM

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. ABS PUMP HAS FAILED AND BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THERE WAS NO BRAKE LIGHT ON DASH TO DENOTE A PROBLEM AND NOTHING COMING UP WHEN TESTS WERE RUN ON COMPUTER. ALL MECHANICS THOUGHT IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER AND AS A RESULTS I HAD 5 PUT ON THE VAN FROM CHRISTMAS 2003 TO PRESENT. CALLED FORD DIRECTLY AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOTE THE PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CANNOT DRIVE MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE AS AFRAID OF HAVING ACCIDENT IN RESULT OF PUMP NOT FUNCTIONING. COST JUST FOR PUMP IS $2200.00 NOT INCLUDING LABOR. VERY UPSET THAT FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND ATTEMPT TO HELP.*AK

HEATER ON CAR WASN'T WORKING, SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING. ADVISED THAT WINDSTARS WITH 3.8 ENGINES SEEM TO EXPERIENCE HEAD GASKET FAILURE WHEREIN COOLANT IS EITHER BEING BURNED OR MIXING WITH OIL AND WILL CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. ADVISED TO CONTACT FORD, NHSTA AND LOCAL DEALER. *AK

FUEL TANK COLLAPSE ON 1998 WINDSTAR DEALER WANTS $1300 DOLLARS TO REPLACE FUEL TANK AND ALL RELATED COMPONENTS. DEALER SAYS THIS IS BECAUSE THERE IS A VACUUM INSIDE TANK CREATED BY THE FUEL PUMP. PERFECTLY RUNNING VAN THAT HAS BEEN KEPT UP MAINTENANCE WISE IS NOW INOPERATIVE DO TO STALLING. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR STATION. THE DRIVER HEARD A CLANKING NOISE FROM THE LEFT WHEEL. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT STRUTS AND COILS SPRINGS NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED THE RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER 01-I-007-000 *JB

PURCHASED A 1998 WINDSTAR ON 11/20/01. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ONLY FOUR MONTHS LATER, AT ONLY 44,000 MILES. THIS VAN CURRENTLY HAS A BUSTED HEAD GASKET AND IS INOPERABLE AT ONLY $64,000.00 MILES. THESE ISSUES WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL ARE QUITE COMMON AND WIDE-SPREAD. FOR MOTOR COMPANY IS QUITE AWARE. BOTH PROBLEMS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND PROPERTY DAMAGES. THEY ARE EXCESSIVE AND EXTRAORDINARY. *LA

WHILE TRAVELING ON OHIO TURNPIKE FRONT LEFT WHEEL CAME OFF VEHICLE, CROSSED THE MEDIAN, AND HIT A CAR TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.*AK

THE WARNING SOUND THAT A DOOR IS AJAR WILL CONTINUALLY GO OFF EVEN WHEN ALL DOORS ARE SECURELY SHUT. I HAVE HAD THIS REPLACED TWICE AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. IT WILL EVENTUALLY RESET ITSELF AFTER DAY OR MORE. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUAL PROBLEM AND I AM JUST GETTING TIRED OF IT. IT HAS HAPPENED AFTER I HAVE REPLACED THE SWITCHES, AND FUSES. FORD MOTOR COMPANY NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS OBVIOUS PROBLEM. *CB

WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VAN, WE ALSO BOUGHT A DIAMONDKOTE WARRANTY ,FOR 499.99$ AND TOLD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THAT IS WAS A GOOD WARRANTY.WE THEN FOUND OUT THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD THE WARRANTY AND PLAZA FORD LINCOLN WILL NOT HONOR IT, WE CAN'T EVEN GET A REFUND, SO WE SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT DIAMONDKOTE AND THIS PERSON TOLD US THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD THE WARRANTY AND HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A REFUND EVER SINCE,EITHER FROM PLAZA FORD LINCOLN OR DIAMONDKOTE. I HAD INTENTIONS OF SUING FORD MOTOR COMPANY TWO YEARS AGO WHEN MY HUSBAND TOOK MY TWO DAUGHTERS TO HALIFAX, BECAUSE MY 8 YEAR OLD HAD CANCER AT THE TIME, SHE HAD A APPOINTMENT AT THE I.W.K HOSPITAL AND IT WAS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THAY WERE NOT KILLED WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENTION SPRING BROKE IN WHICH CASE MY HUSBAND LOST STEERING. I SPOKE TO A LAWYER WHO SADLY TOLD, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DEATH OR INJURY THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO,WELL MY 8 YEAR OLD WHO IS NOW CANCER FREE WAS SO SCARED, SHE STILL GETS VERY SCARED TO GET IN A VEHICLE. I COULD GO ON BUT FOR NOW THIS IS JUST THE BEGINING. I AM GOING TO PURSUE THE MATTER OF THE DIAMONDKOTE WARRANTY FURTHER,AND POSSIBLY MORE.WE HAVE HAD ALOT OF VEHICALS BEFORE BUT NEVER A FORD WITH AS MUCH TROUBLE AS THIS HAS BEEN.

I PURCHASED MY 1998 WINDSTAR WITH APPROX 20,000 KM ON IT IN 1999. JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED (AT 60,000 KM) I NOTICED 2 LARGE BUBBLES IN THE PAINT ON THE TWO FRONT DOORS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY AGREED TO PAY 80% OF THE COST OF REPAINTING. THIS WAS NOT ENTIRELY AGREEABLE TO ME BUT I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE. MY VEHICLE HOW HAS 86,000 KM ON IT AND THE PAINT IS PEELING ON THE ROOF AND AROUND THE SLIDING DOOR. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CANADA BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AS YET. OTHER PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED INCLUDE HAVING TO REPLACE A MOTOR FOR THE POWER WINDOWS, THE FAN MECHANISM (THE BLOWER WOULD NOT MOVE OFF OF DEFROST), A LEAKING BRAKE CYLINDER AS WELL AS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER STANDARD MAINTENANCE SUCH AS BRAKES, TIRES. I AM ALSO HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EG. THE WARNING BELL SIGNALLING THAT THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN LEFT ON OR THE KEYS ARE IN THE IGNITION GOES OFF FOR NO REASON. THIS THEN PREVENTS ME FROM BEING ABLE TO LOCK THE VEHICLE.