2001 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

I AM IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE (WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON) I NOTICED THE OD LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING TO THE POINT I WAS AFRAID THERE WOULD BE A FIRE. I HAD TO SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MY TODDLERS AND WAIT FOR IT TO STOP SMOKING. I WAS STILL ABOUT 20 MILES FROM HOME. I AM NOT SOMEONE WHO IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE FAMILY NEARBY OR FRIENDS WHO COULD HELP. WE ARE ON A TIGHT BUDGET WITH A CHILD WHO HAS SPECIAL NEEDS AND ONLY ONE WORKING PARENT SO COULD NOT AFFORD A TOW. THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT STAYED ON BUT THE OD WAS OFF UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE OD CAME ON 2X IN THE 20 MILES IT TOOK TO ARRIVE. EACH TIME IT CAME ON I PULLED OVER, TURNED THE VAN OFF AND BACK ON. WHEN THE OD WAS FLASHING WHEN I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, EVEN ON AN INCLINE, IT WAS SLOWING ME DOWN SO I FIGURED THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED. WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON I WAS UNABLE TO TELL SO I WAS PUSHING IT UP TO 70MPH WITH THE BRAKES GOING AGAINST IT. ON THE WAY HOME I DID NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL BUT IT KEPT HAPPENING ONLY IT WAS VERY NOTICEABLE THAT THE BRAKES WERE RUBBING. THERE IS NOW BRAKE DUST ALL OVER MY TIRES AND THE SIDE OF THE VAN. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE! MY DAUGHTER IS DISABLED AND IN A COMPLEX CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITH STRAPS AND POSITIONERS. I ALSO HAVE A 1 YR OLD AND IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED I AM NOT CONFIDENT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM BOTH OUT IN TIME HAD A FIRE STARTED. I NEED THIS VAN TO CARRY MY DAUGHTERS WHEEL CHAIR AROUND. I AM EXTREMELY IRATE. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 3 MONTHS AGO (SECOND HAND)!!!! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT IT IS ACTUALLY COMMON!!! THEY ARE SAYING THE CODE IS P1744 TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SYSTEM STUCK IN OFF POSITION. $3000 TO FIX!!! *TR

ON 01/06/2011 I TOOK MY MINIVAN IN FOR THE RECALL ON THE AXLE. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FINE AND SENT ME HOME. ON FRIDAY WHILE DRIVING ON NORTHLINE ROAD IN SOUTHGATE MICHIGAN, MY AXLE SNAPPED. I TOOK IT TO THE TAYLOR FORD AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE FIXED BY FORD. I WAS TOLD TODAY 05/28/2013THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR DUE TO THE FACT THEY PUT BRACKETS ON IT IN 2011. I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FACT THEY PUT BRACKETS ON IT IN 2011. I WAS DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT WAS DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY. *TR

HAD RECALL WORK DONE10/30/11 PREVENTATIVE REPAIRS FAILED. REAR AXLE SPLIT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

THE ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON BUT NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHY. IT GOES OUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF BUT WILL LIGHT UP AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD WORK SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHERS. IF FINALLY QUIT WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE FUSES ARE ALL FINE. THE POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS WORK SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHERS OR MIGHT WORK ON ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BUT NOT THE OTHER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SWAY BAR BRACKET BECAME FRACTURED AS A RESULT OF THE SUB-FRAME BEING CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENTIRE SUB FRAME WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000. RETURNED BY USPS ON 9-12-2013. SECOND ATTEMPT ON 10-31-2013 FAILED. *KB

ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS I WILL BE DRIVING MY VAN AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COME ON. FINALLY TODAY WE WERE ABLE TO GET A CODE AND IT IS 1185. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET A CODE UP UNTIL TODAY BECAUSE WHEN YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IT RESETS THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH. MY MECHANIC IS LOOKING UP THE CODE TO SEE WHAT IT IS. THIS IS SCARY SINCE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ABS OR MASTER CYLINDER. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM TIME TO TIME AND SEEMS TO GO AWAY AND THEN COME BACK AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SHE NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AS THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR TIRES WERE AWKWARDLY TURNED OUTWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE MORE THAN A YEAR PRIOR TO THE RECENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V195000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE AXLE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE FRAME BECAME FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. *TR