1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

RACK AND PINION STEERING HAS FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED ON THE DESCRIPTION, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A KICKING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE LOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID.*AK TRANSMISSION JERKED AND SEEMED TO KICK MORE ON TURNS AND ACCELERATION. ON ONE OCCASION, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED ALL OVER THE ENGINE WHICH RESULTED IN SMOKING. TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *PH *JB

MY 1998 WINDSTAR HAS 89,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETEY BROKE APART, WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. NO SLIPPING OR ANYTHING. SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, THE VAN JERKED LIKE WE HAD BEEN HIT IN THE REAR BY SOMEONE DOING 80 MILES PER HOUR. IT IS GOING TO COST ME $1800.00 TO HAVE IT REBUILT. I KNOW NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ARE FILED WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION ON FORD TRANSMISSIONS. I WANT TO REGISTER MY COMPLAINT.*AK

DEALERSHIP DID NOT PERFORM RECALL 01V199000 REPAIRS CORRECTLY FOR FRONT COIL SPRING, AND IS REFUSING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

HOWEVER, WE ARE CURRENTLY VERY UPSET WITH OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER OVER A SIMPLE SEAT BELT. WE OWN A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WHEN THE CAR WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD WE TOOK IT IN TO HAVE A FRAYED SEAT BELT REPAIRED. I HAVE THE PAPERWORK FOR THIS REPAIR. WE THEN HAD A BABY AND INSTALLED A FIVE POINT HARNESS CAR SEAT IN THAT SEAT POSITION. THE CAR SEAT REMAINED THERE FOR FOUR YEARS, (REMOVED ONLY WHEN SO FILTHY IT HAD TO BE CLEANED), THUS THE SEAT BELT REMAINED LOCKED IN POSITION AND WAS NOT PULLED OUT OR RETRACTED DURING THAT TIME. THAT BABY IS NOW OLD ENOUGH TO NEED A BOOSTER SEAT (WHICH UTILIZES THE SEAT BELT DIRECTLY). WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF STARTING TO USE THE BOOSTER SEAT DAILY WE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS ONCE AGAIN FRAYING. I CALLED THE DEALER AND HE TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL REPAIR PLACE (WITH THE PAPERWORK FROM THE FIRST REPAIR) AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. THEY TOLD US THAT SINCE THE FIRST REPAIR WAS AT 7138 MILES AND THE VAN NOW HAS 89,123 MILES ON IT THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED FOR A LETTER STATING THIS FACT (THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY) AND THEY REFUSE. *NLM

I FILED A COMPLAINT ON 2/10/03 (ODI # 10005590) RELATING TO THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID IN OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE DEALERSHIP, AT THAT TIME, USED A REPAIR KIT (RATHER THAN A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT) FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR. IN EARLY AUGUST, 2003, THE REPAIR KIT FAILED AGAIN AND WE HAD NO POWER STEERING FLUID LEFT AT ALL. THREE FAILURES IN A CRITICAL SAFETY DEVICE IN 18 MONTHS VERY CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S REMEDIAL PLAN IS INADEQUATE AND A RECALL IS NECESSARY. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH TURNED RIGHT AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE APPLYING BRAKES SUDDENLY CHILD SAFETY SEAT'S SHIELS SNAPPED . MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

FORD 1998 WINDSTAR POWER TRAIN FAILURE. IN JAN 1999, I PURCHASE A USED 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. ALSO PAID FOR A 72 MONTH/60,000 PREMIUM CARE EXTENDED WARRANTY. IN 2000, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ALMOST CAUSING AND ACCIDENT. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER THAT I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK MORE THAN 5 TIMES STATING THAT THE NEW REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE TRANS WOULD SLIP COMING OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND BANG INTO 2ND GEAR. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR WOULD STALL WHEN DOWNSHIFTING COMING OFF AN EXIT. THE DEALER, SPRINGFIELD FORD, STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ON JULY 18, 2003 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. AS A DISABLED INDIVIDUAL THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. WITH MY FLASHERS ON, I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND DRIVE OFF THE ROAD AND SAFELY PACK IT. THIS SEEMED STRANGE THAT I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SPRINGFIELD FORD ON JULY 18, 2003. THE DEALER CALLED AND SAID THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND IT WOULD COST $3000.00 TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. I SPOKE WITH FORD AND THE MANAGER AT SPRINGFIELD FORD. THEY STATED THAT MY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE OF 2003. I BELIEVE THAT MY WARRANTY IS IN EFFECT THRU 2005. THIS VEHICLE HAS 47,000 MILES ON IT. I BELIEVE THAT A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. THIS HAS CREATED A MAJOR SAFTY ISSUE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. AS OF TODAY FORD HAS NOT OFFERED TO FIX MY CAR, OFFER ME A LOANER CAR, OR OFFER ANY RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. AS A DISABLED INDIVIDUAL, THIS VAN IS MY MAIN TRANSPORTATION AND FAMILY CAR. I AM STILL WAITING FOR FORD TO OFFER TO FIX MY CAR, DESCRIBE THE FAILURE, AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION. AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE POWER TRAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH OEM CERTIFIED NEW PARTS INSTALLED AND PAID BY FORD MOTOR CO. THANK YOU L *PH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND THE ABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK