1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

I PUCHASED MY VAN ON 2/24/02 WITH 55K ON IT FROM CAVALIER FORD IN CHESAPEAKE ,VA. THE VAN WAS TAKEN BACK TO CAVALIER FORD IN CHESAPEAKE, VA. ON 2/12/03 BECAUSE OF A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT AREA WHEN BREAKS ARE APPLIED AND SOMETIMES WHILE TURNING. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED SEVERE CRACKING IN SUB FRAME WHERE RIGHT STRUT ROD ATTACHES. THE MECHANIC HAS NEVER SEEN ONE DO THIS AND SAID I COULD LOSE MY STEERING IF IT CRACKS ALL THE WAY WHILE I AM DRIVING. HE SAID COULD BE MANUFACTUER DEFECT. EST. COST FOR REPAIRS $3,000.00. I ONLY HAVE 65K ON THE VAN AND HAVENT EVEN HAD IT A YEAR YET. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF VAN BEING IN A WRECK. THIS IS NOT COVERD UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRENTY . HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER WINDSTARS AND WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST THAT I CAN DO? L.J. VA. BEACH,VIRGINIA

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ONE YEAR, OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR (VIN [XXX]) IS IN NEED OF REPAIR TO CORRECT A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE TWO SERVICE BULLETINS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THIS DEFECT (BC3150970219 AND 0156). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AT 45,000 MILES ON 1998 FORD WINDSTAR GL,TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. HAD TO TURN VEHICLE OFF FOR A WHILE THEN IT WOULD SHIFT. HAD TO STOP APP. 6 TIMES TO TRAVEL 8 MILES.

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON UNTIL 15-20MPH IS REACHED. DASH LIGHT INDICATOR SAYS DOOR IS OPEN. ISOLATED PROBLEM TO SLIDING DOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. TAKE TO FORD DEALERSHIPS ON 3 SEPERATE OCASSIONS AND ALL 3 TIMES THE PROBLEM MYSTERIOUSLY WENT AWAY. ALSO WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE REAR WIPER DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME.

CAR STALLS AND CUTS OFF WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP - MAKING SHARP TURNS - WHEN COMPLETELY FILLING GAS TANK UP - AT THE HALF WAY POINT ON FUEL GAUGE

1998 FORD WINDSTAR; FRONT BRAKES SEEM TO HAVE CONTINUOUS SHIMMY; PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK UNCOOPERATIVE UNLOCKING WITH REMOTE; ENGINE LIGHT OFF/ON OFTEN, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A REASON; ELECTRICAL PANEL MALFUNCTIONING AFTER 104,000 MILES,(ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON, ABS LIGHT ON, TRAC LIGHT CONSTANT FLASHING, AND FUEL GAUGE NOT READING GAS IN TANK)

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

ON 12/7/01 MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRAC OFF LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. I TOOK IT INTO THE INVER GROVE FORD, MN AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS BROKEN WHEEL SENSOR AND HAD TO REPLACE THE ECU. THAT COST US $1600.00. THEN ON 12/8/02, THE 2 LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I CALLED FORD VERY UPSET AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS ONLY A 12 MONTH/12,000 MILES WARRANTY ON THE PART. AFTER ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST, IT WAS DETERMINED THE ECU AGAIN WENT OUT. FORD OFFERED TO PAY $500.00 OF THE $1147.00 ESTIMATE, BUT IT INFURIATES ME THAT AUTOMOBILE COMPANIES CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS TYPE OF "HIGHWAY ROBBERY" AND ONLY WARRANTY SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PIECE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS NOW A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DO NOT WORK! WHAT AM I TO DO?

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE. P20570T15. DOT W2M01P1188. *TT

AFTER STOPPING A MY VAN, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF AND THE DASHBOARD SHOWS AN OPEN DOOR ALTHOUGH ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE BEEPING NOISE INDICATING THE DOOR IS OPENED CONTINUES TO MAKE NOISE. THE DOORS NO LONGER LOCK. THIS CONDITION CONTINUED EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. THE DEALER SAID TO JUST REMOVE THE INTERIOR BULBS OR JUST PULL THE FUSE. WHEN THE DEALER PULLED THE FUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER WORKED AND THE CAR COULD NO LONGER GO OUT OF PARK BUT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE DEALER SAID I MUST START THE CAR WITH GEAR SHIFT HALF WAY BETWEEN PARK AND NEUTRAL. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE PROBLEM AND IS CAUSED BY SOMETHING THAT I DID. I STATED THAT'S ABSURD. THE FORD DEALER MECHANIC THEN SAID IT MUST BE ONE OF SENSORS PROBABLY THE DRIVERS DOOR. NOW I SEE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *JB