2001 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE FRONT PORTION OF THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V030000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS); HOWEVER THE VIN WAS INELIGIBLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ORIGINALLY SOLD OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES MENTIONED IN THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

ABS ECM FAILURE - ABS BRAKE LIGHT ON (INTERMITTENTLY) AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LIGHT (INTERMITTENTLY) AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (PERMANENTLY). *TR

JUST 18-MONTHS AFTER THE FORD WINDSTAR SAFETY RECALL REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE FRONT SUB-FRAME OF MY 2001 FORD WINDSTAR CRACKED RESULTING IN LOSS OF STABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN MIDLAND MICHIGAN. IT WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER AND REPAIR TECHNICIAN. *TR

VANS ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT COME ON TOGETHER AFFECTING BRAKING PERFORMANCE. *TR

AS MENTIONED ON THE HTTP://WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALL.INFO/ WEBSITE, WE SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM: 6/25/12 - ANOTHER RECALL EFFORT IS IN THE WORKS. THE (MOSTLY UNSERVICABLE) ECU MASTER RELAY HAS A BAD SOLDIER JOINT WHICH FAILS PREMATURELY AND CAUSES THE ABS LIGHT AND DTC C1185. IT ALSO CAUSES THE ENHANCED ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERABLE. IF YOUR ABS LIGHT IS ON. REPORT THE PROBLEM AT NHTSA - SAFERCAR.GOV. USE THE CATEGORY BRAKES, THE MORE REPORTS THE BETTER A CHANCE OF CONTINUED ACTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL SERVICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM, THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT FULLY COMPLETED AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE SUB-FRAME BEING COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WERE INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. A LETTER WAS MAILED TO THE CONTACT ADVISING THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPAIRED ONLY PART OF THE FRONT SUB-FRAME, THEY DID NOT REPLACE IT. THE CONSUMER LATER LEARNED FORD'S INSTRUCTION WAS TO PERFORM COSMETIC REPAIR OF THE CORROSIVE DAMAGE ON THE FRONT SUB-FRAME. SIX MONTHS LATER, WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION FOR AN OIL CHANGE, HE WAS INFORMED THE SUB-FRAME MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY LETTER, AFTER WRITING TO FORD, THEY WOULD NOT HONOR ANY NEW REPAIRS. UPDATED 02/11/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HE HEARD A NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE SUB FRAME OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS: UNDER BODY SHIELDS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,023. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL PART WAS NOT REPLACED IN FRONT OR REAR SUBFRAME. A BRACKET WAS PUT IN FRONT OF SUB FRAME JUST IN CASE IT BREAKS. REAR SUB FRAME WAS COVERED WITH FOAM. IT WILL BREAK LATER. UPDATED 12/28/2012 *JS

ME AND MY FAMILY WERE ON OUR WAY TO NEW YORK FOR VACATION. MAYBE ABOUT AN HOUR INTO DRIVING ME AND MY HUSBAND STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGH WAY AND LITTLE DO WE KNOW MG VAN WAS UP IN SMOKE WE CHECKED OUR OIL THAT WAS GOOD BUT I TOLD MY HUSBAND TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. FLUID AND IT WAS EMPTY BUT BEFORE WE LEFT WE HAD THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE VAN. WE HAD TO ADD ABOUT 5 OR 6 QUARTS OF FLUID IN ORDER FOR THE VAN TO SWITCH FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE TO SN AUTO PART STORE THEY TESTED THE VAN ON THERE COMPUTER EVERYTHING PASSED EXCEPT THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR

THIS IS A CONTINUING SITUATION: AFTER DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE FIRST TIME; AS THE CAR SLOWS TO 5MPH, THE BRAKES FAIL AND A GRINDING/CRANKING TYPE OF NOISE IS HEARD; AFTER A SMALL DISTANCE THE BRAKES RE-ENGAGE AND STOP THE CAR; VERY DANGEROUS; THE ABS LIGHT THEN COMES ON AND THE BRAKES WORK NORMALLY* WITHOUT ABS CONTROLS. THIS SITUATION HAPPENS EVERY TIME THAT THE CAR IS STARTED UNTIL THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND APPARENTLY DISENGAGES THE ABS SYSTEM. *TR

7/21/2011 BOUGHT VAN FROM PRIVATE PARTY. RECALL COMPLETED IN MARCH OF 2011 REGARDING BACK AXLE. ON 7/13/2012 8PM, MY 18YR OLD SON, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM LACROSSE PRACTICE, NEARLY KILLED. UPON PULLING OUT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, HE LOST ALL CONTROLS, NO STEERING, NO BRAKES AND NO POWER. HE COASTED AND PRAYED IT WOULD STOP. I ARRIVED, WE CALLED AAA. FLATBED TO MY HOME DRIVER COULD NOT BELIEVE HIS EYES. THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN OUT. 7/16/12 CALLED FORD IN MICH AND SPOKE TO REP. TO BE TOWED 13 MILES AWAY TO ROUTE 23 AUTO AT OUR EXPENSE. REALLY? ROUTE23 WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH ME (THEY DID RECALL). WENT BACK AND FORTH THEN PER RT23 "IT WILL BE A MONTH UNTIL WE CAN LOOK AT IT" GETTING KNOW WHERE. 7/18-22 BORROWED FRIEND CAR FOR TOURNAMENT. 8/1/12 CALLED MAGARINO FORD AND WITH GREAT CONCERN HAD A FLATBED THAT NIGHT. THIS TOW TRUCK DRIVER COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. FLUIDS RACED OUT AND DOUBLE STABILIZED FOR ENGINE SLIDING DURING TRANSPORT. 8/2/12 MAGARINO CALLED 9AM, PICTURES SENT TO FORD AND AWAITING REPLY. 8/5/12 T/C FROM M STATING FORD REFUSES TO BUY BACK AND SENDING A SUBFRAME. YOU MEAN A RECALLED ONE? MAGARINO CAUGHT IN MIDDLE I QUESTIONED WHETHER HE WOULD PUT HIS CHILDREN IN THIS VAN. HE SOFTLY REPLIED, "NO" WHAT AM I TO DO, OUT OF WORK 2 YEARS, SINGLE PARENT WITH NO CAR TO FIND WORK. 8/8/12 I QUESTIONED FORD WHY THIS VAN EVER LEFT RT 23 AUTO, ACCORDING TO RESEARCHED PAPER A PART WAS WAITING ON. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT UPON THIS FIXED AXLE NOBODY NOTICED THE SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED FROM INSIDE OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT THE NEXT SUMMER NEARLY KILLING MY SON! BUT THEY SIGNED IT WAS FINE! REALLY? NOW WE HAVE CASE # 1373091992 8/10/12 PICKED UP VAN. BROKE= A/C, R-WINDOW, HEATER ENGINE, AIRBAG, BRAKE LIGHT ON, RUNS HOT STEERING= THUMPS MAKES NOISE (FULL FLUID) SKIP GEARS, SWAYS, BARELY CAN GET UP A HILL. 11YR OLD SCARED TO DRIVE IN IT