1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

SINCE APRIL 2001 I HAVE HAD MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR IN THE SHOP NINE TIMES TO REPLACE FRONT WHEEL STUDS THAT HAD SHEARED OFF. MY HOMETOWN MECHANIC AFTER REPLACING STUDS ON THE RIGHT FRONT FIVE TIMES FINALLY SUGGESTED WE REPLACE THE WHEEL BECAUSE SEVERAL OF THE HOLES APPEARED OVAL INSTEAD OF ROUND. THIS SEEMED TO HAVE ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM ON THE RIGHT BUT SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD THREE INCIDENTS OF STUDS SHEARING OFF ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. AT A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CINCINNATI, OH, I HAD TO REPLACE (IN THE LEFT FRONT) 3 STUDS AND AT THAT TIME HAD A NEW WHEEL PUT ON. AFTER DRIVING FROM CINCINNATI TO ATLANTA GEORGIA I AGAIN WAS AT A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CONYERS GEORGIA WITH THREE MORE BROKEN STUDS (ON THE LEFT FRONT) AND THIS TIME THEY ALSO REPLACED THE HUB ASSEMBLY. NOW AFTER OVER $1300.00 IN REPAIRS MY WINDSTAR IS AGAIN IN THE SHOP HAVING BROKEN STUDS REPLACED ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. BY THE WAY NONE OF THE FORD DEALERSHIPS WOULD ADMIT EVER HEARING OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR ON THE HIGHWAY, I SMELLED SMOKE. I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD THINKING AT FIRST THAT I HAD A BROKEN FAN BELT OR SOMETHING SIMILAR. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND FLAMES COMING FROM THE AREA OF WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I USED MY CELL PHONE TO CALL FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, A MOTORIST STOPPED TO ASSIST ME IN PUTTING OUT THE FIRE WITH WATER.*AK

THE CONSUMER HAD TO REFILL THE VEHICLE WITH COOLANT FLUID OFTEN DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING. *AK

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RIM ON OUR 1998 WINDSTAR'S RIGHT FRONT WHEEL THREE TIMES DUE TO RIM BREAKAGE AND SUBSEQUENT TIRE DEFLATION. TWO DIFFERENT TIRE REPAIR SHOPS REPORTED SEEING THIS PROBLEM FREQUENTLY IN FORD WINDSTARS. THE FORD DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED DENIED ANY PROBLEM OR RESPONSIBILITY. *LA

VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP VEHICLE, ONE OF CONSUMER'S FINGERS WAS SEVERED, AND THREE BADLY INJURED. THIS OCCURRED WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR TO ENTER THE MOVING VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER SPENT NINE DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL AND HAS TO GO FOR TREATMENT ONCE A WEEK. *PH

1998 WINDSTAR DEFROSTER BLEND DOOR FAILURE, WHICH CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD TO ICE UP AND WE ARE UNABLE TO SEE. IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM AND FORD WANTS $1000 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEATING UNIT.*JB

HEADLIGHT COVERS TURNED CLOUDY. CONSUMER FIRST NOTICED THIS IN 2001. EVEN WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE SWITCHED TO BRIGHT THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY ENOUGH TO SAFELY SEE AT NIGHT.*AK

IHAVE A FORD WINDSTAR MIN VAN IT IS A 1998 GL AND MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE ONLY HAD IT THREE AND A HALF YEARS WE BOUGHT IT AT BEST FORD IN NASHUA NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT WE WERE OVER BY 600 MILES SO THEY WOULDNT HONOR IT. COME TO FIND OUT THERE WERE TWO OTHER MINI VANS WINDSTARS THE SAME TYPE AND AGE IN THE SHOP GETTING TRANSMISSION WORK DONE. THIS SHOULD OF NEVER HAPPENED TO US AND I THINK THE COMPANY OUGHT TO REIMBURSE US FOR THIS EXPENSIVE FIX THERE IS OBVIOUSLY PROBLEMS WITH THESE MIN VANS TRANSMISSION GOING TO EARLY . I HOPE I GET SOME RESULTS ON THIS ITS REDICULOUS WE ARE NOT EVEN DONE PAYING ON IT YET KAREN ROY. *AK

I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND FELT A VIBRATION AS THOUGH I MAY HAVE A FLAT TIRE,CHECKED AND THE TIRES WERE FINE SO I PROCEEDED FORWARD ONLY TO HAVE THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL COLLAPSE INWARD, ALL 5 LUGS WERE SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF, THE SERVICE CENTER HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS OCCURRENCE, ONE MONTH TO THE DAY THE SAME THING OCCURRED AGAIN AND I WAS AGAIN CHARGED THE REPAIR COST AND NEW BOLTS AND LUGS WERE INSTALLED ALONG WITH THE TIRE BEING ROTATED TO THE BACK,THIS LASTED FOR 6 MONTHS AND THE LUGS BROKE AGAIN, I AM JUST NOW LEARNING THAT THERE ARE OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. LUG NUTS SHOULD NOT BE SHEARED OFF AS THOUGH A HOT KNIFE CUT THROUGH BUTTER. I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS 2 YEARS OLD AND THOUGH I HAVE HAD NO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS BUT THIS IS ONE THAT COULD COST ME OR MY CHILDREN OUR LIVES. *LA

I WAS A PASSENGER IN MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WHEN WE STRUCK A DEER GOING 55 MPH. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES TO MY RIGHT EYE, INCLUDING A TRAUMA INDUCED CATARACT. SO FAR VISION HAS NOT RETURNED AND I'M WORRIED THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A DEFECT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *LA