1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE ABS LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN IT WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE VAN WAS TURNED OFF. NOW THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON WHEN I TURN THE VAN ON & DOESN'T GO OFF UNTIL I TURN THE KEY OFF. *TR

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD @ 55MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER SHOT TO 0MPH AND THE TRANS WAS THROWN INTO 1ST. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I AM LOOKING FOR A RESOLUTION. IT ACTS AS IF VSS ISN'T WORKING. EVEN THREW A CODE. I REPLACED THE SENSOR AND CHECKED THE WIRES ALL THE WAY TO THE ECM. EVERYTHING LOOKS QUITE GOOD. RAN A SCANNER. PICKED UP SEVERAL CODES. VSS AND ABS SENSORS ALL AROUND. PULLED CLUSTER: EVERYTHING LOOKED GREAT. THE ONLY FAULT I CAN THINK OF IS ECM UNLESS ABS SYSTEM HAS THE ABILITY TO AFFECT THE DRIVE LIKE THAT. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECENTLY HAD HIS VEHICLE STATE INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION BUT THE FOLLOWING DAY THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE "STEERING KNUCKLE" HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MENTIONED THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,354.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, THE MECHANIC NOTIFIED HIM THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE COULD POSSIBLY FALL OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE IN THE SUB FRAME AND ENGINE CRADLE. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V030000 (STRUCTURE) PERTAINING TO 1999-2003 WINDSTAR MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. ..UPDATED 12-30-13 *BF UPDATED 01/09/14*LJ UPDATED 01/13/14

MY WIFE WAS TAKING MY YOUNGEST TWO CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN OUR VEHICLE WHEN SMOKE STARTED POURING IN THROUGH THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE AND AT THE SAME TIME SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING SLIDING OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ONCE MY WIFE MADE SURE EVERYONE WAS OUT OF THE SMOKE FILLED VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY SHREDDED ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE NOTIFIED ME AND WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO A MECHANICS SHOP WHERE WE FOUND OUT THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SPRING HAD BUSTED CAUSING THE TIRE TO BE SHREDDED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED BUYING TWO NEW TIRES FOR THE FRONT OF VEHICLE, HE ALSO ADVISED BUYING TWO NEW SPRINGS AND REPLACING BOTH OF THEM ON THE FRONT. THE VAN WAS FIXED AND WE PAID FOR THE BILL AND TIRE COST OUT OF OUR OWN POCKET. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE INFORMED ME TODAY THAT THEY WILL NOT COMPENSATE FOR ANY OF THESE COSTS EVEN WHEN A RECALL LETTER 01S19/01M03 STATES "WE WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SHIELDS AROUND THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS OF YOUR VEHICLE. THESE SHIELDS WILL PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF TIRE PUNCTURE SHOULD THE SPRING FRACTURE. ---- MOTOR COMPANY WILL ALSO PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS DIRECTLY RELATING TO THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS OF YOUR VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE ( PARTS AND LABOR) SO TO ME THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE RESPECTED COMPANY FROM FULL FILLING WHAT I SEE IN MY EYES AS A OBLIGATION TO THE CONSUMER. I ALSO FEEL THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO REPLACE THE SPRINGS..NOT INSTALL SHIELDS WHICH I AM SURE WAS A MUCH CHEAPER ROUTE.I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS THAT CONCERN THIS MATTER. THANKS! *TR

MY WINDSTAR HAS ABOUT 155,000 MILES ON IT AND A 25 GALLON TANK. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO IT CUT OFF ON THE INTERSTATE IN FRONT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER WITH MY DAUGHTER DRIVING. IT HAD JUST TRAVELED ABOUT 200 MILES AND IT WAS RAINING HARD. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER AND ALL HE REPORTED WAS THE FUEL PUMP FUSE BLEW. THE SECOND EVENT WAS ON VACATION AND AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 175 MILES. AGAIN IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN. I FIGURED IT WAS MOISTURE RELATED AND LET IT SIT THREE DAYS AND THE IDLE CLOSE TO 1/2 HOUR. FINALLY I DROVE IT ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND IT SEEMED FINE SO WE DROVE HOME. AGAIN AT ABOUT 150 MILES AND HEAVY RAIN IT BLEW THE FUSE ABOUT 5 MILES FROM HOME. AFTER TWO MORE FUSES WE MADE IT HOME. I USED AN AIR COMPRESSOR AND AIR NIBBLER TO CAREFULLY CUT AN ACCESS HOLE IN THE FLOOR OF THE VAN. MY DAUGHTERS CHRYSLER COMES WITH AN ACCESS POINT FOR FUEL PUMP SERVICE. NOW MY VAN HAS ONE TOO. THE ORIGINAL PUMP WAS IN THE TANK. THE WIRES EXPOSED TO FUEL WERE CHAFFED IN 5 SPOTS AND ARCING AT THE PUSH IN CONNECTOR. THE ARCING WAS DUE TO A CRIMP ON A HOSE CLAMP RUBBING THE WIRE NEAR THE PUSH IN PUMP CONNECTOR. THIS RUBBING MAY HAPPEN DUE TO OTHER STORIES I'VE READ ABOUT WHERE THE TANK COLLAPSED FROM VACUUM IN THE TANK. SHAME ON THE PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED THIS PUMP, TANK AND THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS. BY THE WAY I'M A QUALITY ENGINEER AT AN ENGINE FACTORY. I EXPECT A FUEL PUMP TO WEAR OUT -- NOT SHORT OUT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY MINI VAN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL (THE COMPLETE WHEEL) FELL OFF! UPON SAFELY PARKING THE VAN, I CAME TO REALIZE THE ENTIRE REAR AXEL HAD SHEARED IN HALF! BY A STROKE OF LUCK I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS AND ALSO FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL. I AM HAVING IT REPLACED/FIXED AT DEALERS COST. SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED OFF A USED DEALERS LOT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTION...THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF MANDATORY LAW THAT ALL DEALERS, NEW AND USED, SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS WEBSITE AND BE LEGALLY FORCED TO CHECK EACH AND EVERY VEHICLE PRIOR TO BEING SOLD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE POWER TRAIN MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S POWER TRAIN PCM RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 154,327.

NO RECALL ON MY VIN # BUT I AM HAVING THIS ISSUE. SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS RUBBING TIRES.CAUSING TO USE UP TIRES FAST. MAKE A RUBBING NOISE WHEN TURNING. *TR