1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT 12/2008. THEN ON 1/31/09, THE SPEEDOMTER & ODOMETER QUIT WORKING AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. TAKEN TO FORD GARAGE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS

CRUISE CONTROL WIRING HARNESS STARTED TO SMOKE AND MELT. CAUGHT IT ON TIME THANK GOD. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ABOUT THIS ON OTHER VEHICLES BUT NOT ON THE WINDSTARS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE OF THIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY KNOW IT. AND ON TOP OF THAT IT IS ABOUT $300 TO GET THIS REPAIRED AFTER IT BURNS WHICH IT IS NOT AFFORDABLE THESE DAYS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT AND TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO ENTER NEUTRAL. UPON INSPECTION, FOUND THAT THE WELD THAT ANCHORS THE CONTROL ARM TO THE ENGINE CRADLE/SUBFRAME HAD BROKEN. CONTROL ARM PULLED AWAY FROM THE CRADLE AND DISLODGED THE RIGHT HALFSHAFT LEAVING VEHICLE IMMOBILE. VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. A NON-MOVING, FRICTIONLESS PART SHOULD NOT BREAK UNDER NORMAL USE. *TR

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR OVER 30 MINUTES. RECEIVED FOLLOWING CODES. C1185 C1194 C1198 C1210 C1214 C1242 C1246 C1250 C1254. *TR

DRIVING ALONG THE NJ GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AT 60MPH, I EXPERIENCED A LOUD POPPING SOUND. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIRMAN ONLY TO FIND THAT THE SPARK PLUG AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN OUT CAUSING A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE. *TR

1999 FORD WINDSTAR - BROKEN REAR AXLE - VAN MADE MINOR CLUNKING NOISES AT LOW SPEED OVER BUMPS. ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VAN ACTED LIKE THE REAR END WAS LOOSE / TRACKING BADLY. A FLASHLIGHT INSPECTION AT HOME SHOWED A LARGE OPEN-GAPED CRACK IN THE REAR AXLE. NEGATIVE CAMBER NOTICEABLE ON DRIVER-SIDE REAR TIRE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES ON INTERNET CAR FORUMS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS DOCUMENTING IDENTICAL AXLE FAILURES. SOME REPORTS MENTIONED TOTAL FAILURES THAT LED TO MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. THE VAN IS PRESENTLY AT A FORD DEALER PENDING REPAIR. DEALER PERSONNEL HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED FOR WINDSTAR OWNERS THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WINDSTARS ARE OFTEN USED AS SCHOOL VEHICLES. I HOPE PRESENT WINDSTAR OWNERS CAN BE NOTIFIED PRIOR TO ANY FATALITY OCCURRING. *TR

THE FRONT SUBFRAME RUSTED THROUGH ON BACK PASSENGER SIDE. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS RUST FREE FOR THE MOST PART. THE CAR HAS 80,300 MI . ITS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. *TR

TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE NEAR INSTANTLY DEFLATED CAUSING TOTAL TIRE FAILURE BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. TIRE SIDEWALL WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. SPARE INSTALLED. NO PUNCTURES, TEARS OR CUTS WERE FOUND ANYWHERE ON THE TIRE TREAD OR SIDEWALL. THE ONLY KNOWN CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILURE WAS A CRACKED (CUT) VALVE STEM IN THE AREA WHERE THE STEM SEATS AGAINST THE ALUMINUM WHEEL ALLOWING AIR TO EXHAUST QUICKLY FROM THE TIRE ONCE THE CRACK PROPAGATED TO INSIDE. PHONED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE FOUR NEW REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE INSTALLED 3 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AND 23,170 MILES PRIOR TO DISCUSS THE BLOWOUT ISSUE. IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THIS IS THE 4TH TIRE OUT OF 8 THAT I HAD PURCHASED FROM THEM (THREE ON MY OTHER VEHICLE AND ONE ON THIS VEHICLE) WHERE I HAD TIRE FAILURE DUE TO CRACKED VALVE STEMS. REFERENCE ODI #'S 10254187, 10254189 AND 10254191). CRACKED VALVE STEM INFORMATION; TR 413, 217 EHA, GERMANY, 03. TO DATE, THE TIRE AND VALVE STEM HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED AND ARE BEING SAVED FOR REFERENCE. *TR

1999 FORD WINDSTAR SE FAILED PENNSYLVANIA STATE INSPECTION,DUE TO ROTTING METAL ON FRONT SUBFRAME,LOCATED NEAR WERE CONNECTION TO UNI-BODY EXIST. SUBFRAME HAS ROTTED A HOLE AND IS CONTINUING TO DETERIORATE. PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

I AM SEEING AN INTERMITTANT YELLOW ABS LIGHT COME ON ON MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR SE 3.8 LITER. IT COMES AND GOES, AFTER SEEING THE PICTURES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN AND THAT MY INDICATIONS ARE SYMPTOMATIC OR THIS I HAD TO REPORT IT. THE BRAKES ARE STILL WORKING AND THE LIGHT DOES NOT REMAIN ON CONTINUALLY. I WILL TAKE IT IN TO HAVE IT FIXED AND WAIT FOR YOUR FINDINGS. *TR