1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

OUR FUEL PUMP WENT FOR A SECOND TIME IN A THREE MONTH PERIOD. THE CAUSE OF THE FUEL PUMPS MALFUNCTION WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT THE DEPTH OF THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT WITHIN THE REQUIRED SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEPTH OF THE FUEL TANK WAS ONLY 6 5/8" DEEP. IF THE DEPTH OF THE TANK IS TO SHALLOW, THE WIRING ATOP THE FUEL PUMP CAN BECOME CHAFFED ON THE METAL FUEL HOSE CLAMP. FORD HAD ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VERY ISSUE. WHAT OCCURRED WITH OUR VAN WAS PRECISELY WHAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN WARNS OF. THE SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THAT IF THEFUEL TANK DEPTH IS LESS THAN 7 3/4" REPLACE THE FUEL TANK 9002 AND FUEL DELIVERY MODULE 9H307. OUR VAN CLEARLY MET THAT CRITERIA, HOWEVER, FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL TANK AT FORDS EXPENSE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN AT FORD STATED THAT IF I WERE A REGULAR CUSTOMER OF DUDDIE FORD, THAT THEY WOULD NOT LET ME TAKE THE VAN WITH ME BECAUSE OF THE SAFETYISSUES INVOLVED. WHEN I ASKED WHAT EXACTLY THEY MEANT, THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHAFFING OF THE WIRING ON THE FUEL PUMP, A SHORT COULD OCCUR, WHICH COULD IGNITE GASOLINE FUMES AND THEREFORE RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC TRAGEDY. BASICALLY, THE VAN COULD EXPLODE. AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE AT GRANITE FORD IN ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK PER THE SERVICE BULLETIN. THE GRANITE FORD TECHNICIAN ALSO MEASURED THE DEPTH OF THE FUEL TANK AND FOUND A DEPTH OF ONLY 6 5/8". (SEE GRANITE FORD INVOICE) THE FUEL TANK WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. DT

ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2002 MY FORD WINDSTAR BEGAN SMOKING. THE SMOKING WAS CAUSED BY THE LEAKING OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID ON TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OF THE VAN. AFTER BEING INFORMED BY MY WIFE THAT THE VAN WAS SMOKING I DETERMINED THAT THE SMOKE WAS CAUSED BY THE POWER STREERING FLUID FALLING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OF THE VAN. AFTER DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE I TURNED OFF THE VAN SO THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A FIRE. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT POWER STEERING FITTING HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND THE HOSE HAD BEGUN LEAKING. IT WAS ALSO STATED THAT THE HOSE CONNECTED TO THE FITTING WAS ALSO LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HE STATED THAT OTHER FORD VEHICLES HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I GAVE APPROVAL TO THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH COSTED $551.74. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT SINCE I DID NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE THAT FORD WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR COST. MR

THE SENSOR THAT CONTROLS THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE BRAKES NO LONGER FUNCTION PROPERLY. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED, HOWEVER, FORD REFUSES TO REPLACE THE PART. WE HAVE CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER AND FORD DIRECTLY TO REQUEST THAT THEY PAY TO REPLACE. THIS PART SHOULD NOT FAIL ON A VEHICLE WITH 43,000 MILES, AND THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM BASED ON THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS. I CAN PROVIDE THE VIN NUMBER LATER IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. MR

WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, THE VAN WOULD VIBRATE. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY REPLACED THE MOTOR MOUNTS, HOWEVER THE CONDITION STILL PERSISTS. THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM OF UNKNOWN VIBRATION. NLM *JB THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WORE OUT. THE TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED. *JG

RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PADS WEAR EXCESSIVELY WITHIN 75,000 MILES WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF (4) SETS OF PADS FOR THE FRONT. ALSO, THE OWNER INDICATES THAT HE REPLACED THE ROTORS TWICE, NEW HIGH QUALITY PADS AND ROTORS WERE INSTALLED, NOW THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SHAKES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, IT APPEARED THAT HE RIGHT FRONT DOES ALL THE BRAKING. NLM *NLM

PEELING PAINT ON MOST UPPER SURFACES, INCLUDING ROOF, LIFTGATE, AND SIDE DOOR. MR

MFR# 01S19 & NHTSA# 01 V 199 000/FRONT COIL SPRING CORROSION: CONSUMER STATES WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURE THE TIRE. THE MAKE & MODLE SHOW A RECALL. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

WHILE DRIVING IF TRANSMISSION REACHES A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE IT DROPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR DOWN INTO 2ND. ENGINE RPMS INCREASE AND VEHICLE VIBRATES AND SHAKES.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, CONSUMER NOTICED A FLAT TIRE. WHEEL HAD A CRACK IN IT THAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO GO FLAT. CONTACTED DEALER. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, WHICH IS CAUSED BY A DEFECT*AK *JLG

THE TREAD SEPARATED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN UNDERINFLATED, OVERLOADED OR ABUSED IN ANY WAY.*AK