2001 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

MY DRIVERS SIDE BACK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE AND MY PASSENGER SIDE BACK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. MY (ABS) LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. THERE IS A CRACKING NOISE UNDER WHERE MY FRONT TIRES ARE ON BOTH SIDES. *TR

ABS SYSTEM LIGHT APPEARED ON, ABS TRACTION ACTIVATED IN DRY, NON SLIPPERY CONDITIONS,WILL NOT DISABLE UPON RESET AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. FORD DEALER INDICATES THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MANY WINDSTARS, BUT WILL NOT FIX WITHOUT $200 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED HER THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR EITHER FAILURE ON HER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC OR THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 16:45 AFTER DRIVING 6 MILES THAT DAY, THE WINDSTAR VAN WAS STOPPED AND THE IGNITION KEY TURNED OFF. THE DELIVERY DRIVER WENT INSIDE HIS DESTINATION FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WHILE LOADING HIS CARGO, HE SMELLED SMOKE. LOOKING UP, HE NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PLASTIC SHIELDING. USING AN ONBOARD 5 LB FIRE EXTINGUISHER, HE ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. HE DIALLED 9-1-1 ON HIS PHONE. EMPLOYEES AT HIS DESTINATION ALSO NOTICED THE FIRE, AND CONTACTED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES WITH SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE REAR PORTION OF THE ENGINE, THE FIRE WALL, BRAKE CYLINDER AND GLASS WINDSHIELD. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE THAT DAY WAS IN THE 70 DEGREES RANGE, WINDOWS WERE DOWN IN THE VAN, AND THE A/C SYSTEM WAS NOT IN USE. *TT

AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION GETTING ONTO A HIGHWAY OUR SUBFRAME GAVE OUT AND WE CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT & A DEAD STOP. THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME UNDER THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE VAN ROTTED AND THE WHEEL WAS UP AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE CAR. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IT COST US $1,500.00. *TT

BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT GO OFF AND ON COULD SMELL HOT COPPER WIRE ....CODE LIKE 11 BRAKE CODES ALL DUE TO ABS MODULE. *TR

THE BRAKE FLUID IS LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. I CALLED RUSS MILNE FORD MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL, BUT WHEN I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE IT STATES IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THE SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $90 OR SO TO FIX IT. I HAVE ALREADY PUT A OVER $2000 IN REPAIRS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS ON THIS VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE BEING IT IS A PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF. *JS

OUR REAR AXLE HAS SHEARED IN HALF THREE TIMES. THE THIRD TIME (AFTER THEY ADMITTED A RECALL) WE WERE 40 MILES FROM HOME WHEN IT BROKE, FORD TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE IT WAS A SATURDAY. WE WERE FORCED TO DRIVE IT HOME ON THE INTERSTATE, AS A FAMILY OF 6 IN A TOWN WITH NO RENTAL PLACES WE HAD NO CHOICE. FORD PUT THEIR "PATCH KIT" ON MY RECALLED AXLE LAST YEAR, AND IT FAILED. NOW THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A 1992 SABLE AS A RENTAL WHILE MY VAN IS IN THE SHOP. MY FAMILY CAN'T FIT IN IT, AND MY CHILDREN CAN'T EVEN FASTEN THEIR SEATBELTS IN IT, AND ONE OF MY CHILDREN HAS TO SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT WITH THE AIRBAG. THEY TOLD ME THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. MY SUBFRAME IS UNDER RECALL, AS WELL AS THE CONTROL ARMS AND BODY MOUNTS. FORDS FIX FOR THIS IS TO PATCH THEM LIKE THEY DID MY AXLE, WHICH BROKE. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A TICKING TIME BOMB AND FOUR CHILDREN. FORDS BANDAIDS FOR THESE DEVESTATING FAILURES ONLY BUYS THEM A FEW MONTHS TIME, AND PUTS LIVES AT RISK. MY FRONT END CLICKS WHEN I TURN, MY TIRES RUBBED ALL THE WAY HOME ON THE BROKEN AXLE, THE TRANSMISSION LEAKS HORRIBLY, THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS RUSTED AND ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR, AND ALL THESE ADMITTED FAULTY PARTS ARE BEING PATCHED AND SENT OUT THE DOOR. I DONT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY KIDS AROUND IN THIS! AND IM BEING TOLD MY CHOICES ARE BUY A NEW VAN AT MY EXPENSE, OR DRIVE THIS ONE AND TAKE A CHANCE!! *JS

THE LOWER ANCHOR STRAP FOR REAR FACING WILL NOT TIGHTEN OR LOOSEN AND IS STUCK IN THE SAME POSITION. I CONTACTED GRACO AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE SEAT AFTER I SEND BACK THE DEFECTIVE ONE (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2001, MAKE=FORD , MODEL=WINDSTAR). *TR

FORD WINDSTAR SEEMS TO BE A GOOD VEHICLE AT FIRST. WITH AGE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. SERVICE SHOPS REGARD PROBLEMS AS COMMON FOR A FORD WINDSTAR.I THINK FORD IGNORES THE PROBLEMS. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE LOYAL FORD OWNERS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER WE WILL CONTINUE. CURRENTLY THE ABS& BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. TRANSMISSION LEAKED OUT ALL OF THE FLUID WHILE DRIVING, HAD TO REBUILD TRANS. SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY WHEN BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, NUMEROUS CODES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JS