1996 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE FRONT COIL SPRING OF THE VEHICLE BROKE TEARING THE BRAKE LINE AND RIPPING OUT DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND THE FRONT END WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING. *YH

WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE JUST LIKE INDICATED IN RECALL FOR 1995 VEHICLES. *AK *TT

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:20PM ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 2001, I WAS TRAVELING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, 75MPH, SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 70, NEAR RICHFIELD, UT, WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE DELAMINATED. I MANAGED TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND GOT IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE'S TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE, HAVING DEFORMED, BLACKENED AND TAKEN PAINT OFF THE LEFT FRONT FENDER, DETACHED THE LEFT PORTION OF THE BUMPER FROM THE FENDER, DESTROYING AND CASTING AWAY THE MAJORITY OF THE INNER FENDER SKIRT, BADLY DENTING THE REAR PORTION OF THE WHEEL WELL/FENDER, AND SHREDDING THE MUD GUARD THERE TO THE EXTENT THAT MOST OF IT HAD TO BE CUT OFF LATER. THE TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR THOUGH SO I WAS ABLE TO CREEP ALONG THE SHOULDER THE APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE TO THE FIRST RICHFIELD EXIT. I PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF A LARGE GAS STATION JUST OFF THE INTERSTATE AND GOT THE BY-NOW-DEFLATED-DE-LAMINATED TIRE OFF THE VEHICLE, AND THE "SPARE" TIRE ON IN ITS PLACE. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO RICHFIELD WHERE I FOUND A TIRE DEALER WHO WAS WILLING TO SELL, MOUNT, BALANCE AND INSTALL TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FOR ME, CHARGING ME A $55 "AFTER HOURS" FEE IN ADDITION TO THE PRICE OF THE TWO TIRES. THE FORD DEALER IN RICHFIELD, THE FOLLOWING MORNING, GAVE ME LITTLE HOPE THAT MICHELIN WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INCIDENT, AND THERE WAS NO MICHELIN DEALER IN RICHFIELD THAT I COULD CONTACT. SINCE RETURNING HOME LAST FRIDAY, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GET ESTIMATES FOR REPAIRS, BUT, KNOWING WHAT SIMILAR REPAIRS HAVE COST FRIENDS, MY OWN ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN $300 AND $500 FOR THE ACTUAL REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE, PLUS THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES/AFTER HOURS CHARGE ($189.96). I FEEL THAT I WAS EXCEEDINGLY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING STRAIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE DE-LAMINATION; TO HAVE HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL; AND TO HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC AROUND ME WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING A SAFE MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.*AK

ENGINE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY ON WARM TO HOT DAYS. CAUSES LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING AND HANDLING OF VEHICLE. ENGINE STALLS DURING NORMAL OPERATION, AT INTERSECTIONS, NEEDING TO STEER OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID COLLISIONS. ENGINE NEEDS TO COOL DOWN FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL TURN OVER. RECENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLE REPORTED MAJOR COLLISONS LEADING IN DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY BECAUSE OF THIS ENGINE FAILURE. CASES PENDING IN CALIFORNIA. FORD NEEDS TO BE PRESSURED BY THE NHTSA TO HAVE A RECALL OF THIS TFI MODULE WHICH IS POSITIONED IMPROPERLY ON ENGINE BEFORE MORE INCIDENTS OCCUR OR THE TFI MODULE NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED TO WITHSTAND MORE HEAT SO THAT ENGINE DOES NOT SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND NEED TO HAVE ACTION TAKEN NOW BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS.*AK

THE CAR HAS BEEN RIDING ROUGH AND WHEN YOU WENT OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD OR THE SURFACE WAS NOT EVEN, THE ENGINE FELT LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. I HAD THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS CHECKED AND THEY WERE FINE. I DID RECEIVE AN EXTENDED COVERAGE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE MAIL ON 8/2001 (PROGRAM #01M03) FOR THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND ASSUMED THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE SPRINGS WERE FINE BUT, THEY HAD TO "WELD BOTH OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARE BRACKETS BACK ON TO THE CAR". THEY DID NOT GO INTO ANY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED BUT I GOT THE FEELING FROM THEIR TONE OF VOICE AND BODY LANGUAGE THAT THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN.*AK

VEHICLE HAS ITS SECOND REPLACEMENT ON SPEEDOMETER SINCE 54,000 MILES. WHEN VEHICLE REACHES 30 MPH OR MORE NEEDLE WOULD BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK

ALUMINUM WHEELS CORRODE AT TIRE BEAD SEAT-TIRES LOOSE AIR- NO REPAIR IS LASTING. SALT MAY BE A FACTOR.*AK (TIRESIZE: 215X70R15)

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP AND WAS RED. HE PULLED OVER TO SHOULDERS AND LIFTED HOOD. CHECKED COOLANT, AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK HEADGASKET LEAK CAUSED THE TEMPRATURE GAUGE TO GO UP. *YH

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEARS WHICH HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED A NOISE OCCURS IN FRONT END OF VEHICLE CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND PASSENGER'S DOOR CAME OPEN WITHOUT TOUCHING ELECTRICAL WINDOWS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. ALSO, COIL SPRING FAILED DURING INSTALLATION. VEHICLE HAD SIX INCH SUSPENSION. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS. *AK