1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE IN THE REAR WITH NO WARNING SIGNS FROM THE DASHBOARD. SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED HER THAT THERE WAS A TOTAL FRACTURE IN THE REAR AXLE. SHE WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT IT WOULD TAKE 4 WEEKS TO GET THE PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS COVERED WITH RUST FROM FRONT TO BACK. THE SPARE TIRE UNDER THE VEHICLE WAS BARELY BEING HELD IN PLACE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS NO LONGER SUPPORTED BY THE FRAME AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS ALMOST COVERED WITH RUST AND FAILING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50000. UPDATED 12/02/10 *BF UPDATED 12/07/10

THE FRONT FRAME NEAR THE RIGHT WHEEL OF MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR HAS RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT NOT TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE READ WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN 900,000 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 77000 MILE ON IT AND IS OTHERWISE IN GOOD CONDITION AND NOW IS USELESS UNLESS REPAIRED. I AM ADDING TO THE COMPLAINT LIST! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY, THE REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETECTED THAT THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED IN HALF. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE YET THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

1999 FORD WINDSTAR SUBFRAME CRACKED LESS THAN A 100,000.00 MILES MECHANIC CONFUSED AND SURPRISED SAYS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED ON SUCH A YOUNG CAR. *TR

MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR STILL HAS A ABS LIGHT ON AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER (DON SELLY KALAMAZOO MI) AND POINTING OUT THE ABS LIGHT, THE RECALL AND THAT WE ARE NOTICING IT TAKES MUCH LONGER TO STOP THIS VEHICLE THEN IT USED TO. *TR

AFTER A COUPLE OF INSPECTIONS AND LOTS OF CLUNKING NOISES AND ALIGNMENT ISSUES, MY MECHANIC (AND A MECHANIC FROM ANOTHER SHOP) SUGGESTED STRONGLY THAT I REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S SUBFRAME/ENGINE CRADLE. THE FRAME WAS RUSTING/ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT AT BOTH FRONT ENDS NEAR AND AROUND THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND THE SUBFRAME BOLTS (ATTACHING TO THE UNIBODY FRAME). THERE WAS ALSO SOME ROT OCCURRING BELOW THE AREA THAT A/C WATER CONDENSATION DRIPS. THE FRAME WAS REPLACED SOON AFTER ... AVOIDING DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL REPAIR WAS MADE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE OLD PART WAS TOSSED BEFORE I COULD ASK THE MECHANIC TO SAVE IT FOR ME. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY WIFE NOTICED EXCESSIVE BOUNCING OF THE REAR END WHEN DRIVING OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD HER DRIVE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND SURE ENOUGH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS BOUNCING LIKE CRAZY. THE DEALER FOUND A SEVERE CRACK IN THE REAR AXLE AND REPLACED IT ALONG WITH BOTH REAR SHOCKS AND REAR TIRES. THIS OCCURRED IN FEB. OF 2008. *TR

WEEK OF JUNE 21ST,2010 ON WEST KIMBERLY ROAD VAN BEGAN TO WAVER ON DRY PAVEMENT AND I GOT IT HOME SAFETY. INSPECTION REVEALED RIGHT REAR WHEEL AT A EXTREME ANGLE LEFT REAR WHEEL ALSO IS AT A SLANTED ANGLE. RUST HAS DAMAGED REAR AXLE BENDS WHERE REAR WHEEL ARE SECURED. LEFT IN GARAGE AS I CAN'T DRIVE IT SAFETY AND DO NOT HAVE AVAILABLE MONEY TO GET IT REPAIRED. RIGHT REAR WHEEL IS RUBBING THE UNDERNEATH OF VAN. OLD PART IS STILL ON THE VAN. *TR

OUR 99 FORD WINDSTAR THAT WE PURCHASED, BROKE ITS REAR BAR YESTERDAY. HOWEVER, WE PURCHASED IT USED FROM LUTHER FAMILY FORD IN NORTH DAKOTA, THEY TOLD US THAT OUR WINDSTAR HAD SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE UP NORTH IN OHIO, MINNESOTA ETC. I LOOKED AT THE FORD WINDSTARS UNDER BODY YESTERDAY AND YOU CAN EASILY TELL THAT IT HAS BEEN CORRODED ALL ALONG THE UNDERBODY FROM THE SALT. WHERE THE REAR BAR BROKE YOU CAN SEE RUST AND SALT CORROSION VERY EASILY, NOT TO MENTION THAT THE SPARE TIRE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OVER FROM THE SALT. MY WIFE AND I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR VEHICLE, AND HAVE NEVER DRIVEN ANYWHERE IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO AND YESTERDAY SHE PULLED OUT A PARKING SPOT AND SHE HEARD A THUD, AND THEN A SCRAPING SOUND. SHE CALLED ME AND I CAME OUT AND LOOKED AT IT. I NOTICED THAT ALL ACROSS THE REAR BAR AREA THERE IS A LARGE QUANTITY OF RUST AND WHERE IT BROKE YOU CAN SEE A BUILD UP OF RUST FROM SALT. MAINLY DUE TO IT SPENDING MOST OF ITS LIFE UP NORTH. WE DID SPEAK TO FORD, AND THEY MENTIONED THAT OUR REAR BAR SNAPPED IN TWO, AND IT WAS FROM RUST AND SALT THAT WEAKENED IT TO THE POINT OF BREAKING. THEY HOWEVER STATE ITS NOT ON THE LIST SO THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. WE EVEN DOUBLE CHECKED WITH LUTHER FAMILY FORD, AND THEY TOLD US OURS WAS MANUFACTURED IN ONE OF THE PLANTS THAT DID HAVE PROBLEMS. SO EVEN THOUGH FORD STATES THAT IT IS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES WITH THE PROBLEM, I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE A LARGER UNDERLYING AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH. WE HAD OUR VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR HOUSE WHERE ARE WAITING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS RECALL TO SEE IF ANY OTHER ONES ARE AMONG THEM. *TR