1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

ON OCTOBER 1, 2003 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 23,956 MILES. IT NEUTRALIZES AT 10 MPH OR HIGHER. CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I COULD BRING IT IN FOR REPAIR. THEY WOULD NOT COOPERATE WITH PROVIDING ME THE NAME AND MEANS OF CONTACTING THE ZONE REP. REPAIR COST AT $1800.00 WITH TRANSMISSION SHOP.

THE FIRST ITEM LISTED UNDER OTHER WAS FOR A POWER STEERINGN LEAK, WHICH ENDED UP BEING A POWER STEERING RACK THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR HAD JUST GONE OUT OF WARRANTY, SO A PORTION WAS PAID FOR BY FORD. I ALSO HAD TO GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WHEN THE NEW RACK WAS PUT IN. THE NEXT DAY I DROVE IT AND IT WAS MAKING THE SAME NOISE AS BEFORE. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY ALSO NEED TO REPLACE THE RETURN HOSE FOR THE POWER STEERING. THEY SAID THEY MISSED THAT AND DIDN'T CHARGE ME ANYMORE. MY SERVICE ADVISOR IS AN EXTREMELY NICE AND UNDERSTANDING PERSON. AUGUST 2003 PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR BRAKES AND MASTER CYLINDER. THE CAR IS NOT AT A FORD DEALER. THAT REPAIRIS 615.00. I HAVE MORE PROBLEMS, BUT THESE ARE THE TWO BIG ONES AND THE BRAKES ARE THE CURRENT ISSUE.

IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS WE HAVE HAD THE WHEEL BOLTS ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BREAK OFF SIX TIMES. THE LAST TIME, THE FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE WHEEL. THAT WAS DONE IN MAY 2003 AND NO PROBLEM SINCE WITH THAT WHEEL BUT ITS ONLY BEEN TWO MONTHS. NOW IN JULY 2003 WE HAVE HAD THE BOLTS BREAK ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TWICE! ON JULY 22 2003, WE HAD A NEW WHEEL AND ALL FIVE BOLTS REPLACED ON THE LEFT FRONT. ONE WEEK LATER THE VAN IS AGAIN AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THREE BOLTS HAVE BROKEN ON THE NEWLY REPLACED LEFT FRONT AGAIN.

A/C OCT. 99 $168.98, DEC. 99 $134.40 SUSPENSION JULY 01 $664.61, DEC. 99 $515.85, JUN 01 $61.78, BODY JUN 01 $443.61 OTHER CD PLAYER JUN 01 $19.50 AND $366.86 TURN SIGNAL JAN 02 $161.04 DOME LIGHT JAN 02 $84.02 JAN 02 $89.72 DOOR OCT 99 $134.52, MAR 03 $285.07 STEERING SEPT.02 $258.82, MAR. 03 569.32 COMPUTER CONTROLS SEPT. 00 $106.02 ENGINE JAN 02 $784.75 COOLANT SMELL (FOUND FRONT COVER GASKET LEAKING) SEPT. 02 85.95 (TOLD THROTTLE BODY WORN OUT, SOLD ME UPDATE COMPUTER SOFTWARE, SEAMS TO RUN BETTER) CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A/C SYSTEM INTERMITTENT. MECHANIC FOUND ENGINE PROBLEM, SAYS MAIN BEARINGS OR CRANKSHAFT BAD, POSSIBLY DUE TO COOLANT IN OIL SYSTEM FROM JANUARY 02 PROBLEM

HEAD GASKET BLEW. NEVER RAN HOT. ALWAYS SERVICED ON TIME. TALKED TO OWNER AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO IN TURN HAD ME TALK TO THE SERVICE MGR. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING FORD WOULD DO ABOUT IT. HE NEVER CALLED ME BACK, SO I CALLED HIM AFTER A WEEK. HE SAID HE LEFT A MESSAGE ON MY ANSWERING MACHINE. I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWERING MACHINE...THEN HE TELLS ME THE ONLY PROBLEMS WITH THE 3.8 ENGINES WAS IN THE T-BIRDS, NOT THE WINDSTARS. BY THIS TIME I HAVE ALREADY LOOKED ON THE NET AND SEEN THE PROBLEMS ARE WITH THE WINDSTARS AS WELL. HE THEN TELLS ME TO COME IN AND TALK WITH THE OWNER. I HAD ALREADY TAKEN OFF WORK TO DO THIS. I NOW HAVE THE VAN AT MY MECHANIC TO BE REPAIRED. I WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY A FORD PRODUCT. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT IF FORD IS PRODUCING A FAULTY PRODUCT, THEY SHOULD TAKE THE BLAME WHEN IT TEARS UP. I KNOW FROM THE NET THAT THEY DID A REPAIR, OR TRADE IN ALLOWANCE ON SOME YEARS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT STOPPED THIS PROGRAM IN 1998. THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL. I THINK THEY TRIED TO JUST IGNORE IT AND SEE IF IT WOULD GO AWAY!

THIS VAN HAS ALL THE DEFECTS AND COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THEGOVT. RECALLS THE NHTSA SITE AND OTHERS IHAVE TOO MUCH INFO TO PUT ON THIS SITE IF THERE IS ANYONE I CAN SEND MY COMPLAINT TO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IAM PUTTING IT BACK INTO THE SHOP AGAIN IVE BEEN THRU A NIGHTMARE ALONG WITH TRYING TO ASSURE MY 4 KIDS THAT THEY WERE SAFE IN THIS VAN THANKYOU ANGELA WALLACE AND BY THE WAT THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THIS VAN WILL NOT COOPERATE AT ALL

REAR SWAY BAR BROKE IN HALF ON LOW SPEED TURN IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY EXCHANGE OR OFF RAMP THIS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A ROLLOVER AND POSSIBLE DEATH!

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. FAULTY HEAD GASKET DESIGN IN MY OPINION ABS/TRACTION CONTROL UNIT. CURRENT PROBLEM TSB STATES THAT FUEL TANK MANUFACTURED WITH INCORRECT DEPTH - FUEL PUMP WIRING IS RUBBED UNTIL ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURS - AND FUEL PUMP FUSE BLOWS - VEHICLE IS THEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC, IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION ETC. FORDS RECOMMENDED FIX IS TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND PUMP ASSEMBLY HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING TO THE COST OF THE REPAIRS CAUSED DUE TO THEIR FAULTY DESIGN.

FORD INSTALLED A FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSION IN THE WINDSTAR FROM THE FACTORY. I AM CURRENTLY IN THE LAWSUIT STAGE TO MAKE FORD REPAIR THE FACTORY DEFECT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE AGAIN. TOWN EAST FORD IN MESQUITE, TX FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO EAT THE $1000.00 PLUS REPAIR BILL AFTER THEY DISMANTLED THE TRANSMISSION AND DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. THEY NOW WANT TO GIVE ME THE RUNAROUND AND SHIFT THE BLAME TO THE USED DEALERSHIP KINGDOM AUTO WORLD IN ARLINGTON TEXAS WHERE I BOUGHT THE LEMON FROM. FORD IS CLEARLY RESPONSIBLE AND I WILL SUE THEM DEARLY FOR THEIR RUNAROUND AND POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I OWN TWO 1998 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVANS, BOTH OF THEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SLIDING DOOR CAUSING THE PANEL LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE CAR INTERIOR LIGHTS TO STAY ON FOR UP TO TWO HOURS AFTER YOU HAVE EXITED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE READ IN A REPORT THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE A SISTER THAT ALSO OWNS A WINDSTAR AND A BROTHER THAT JUST TRADED HIS IN. THEY HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM TO MY KNOWLEDGE. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS AND HOW IS THE PROBLEM FIXED? THE DEALER'S MECHANIC WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM TOLD ME THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS, BUT I KNOW IT IS NOT. 12 SECOND DELAY IS NORMAL NOT TWO HOURS. I THINK HE WAS JUST AS STUMPED AS MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN WITH THIS PROBLEM. AGAIN PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN AND HOW IT CAN BE REPAIRED.