1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT CURRENTLY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V261000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000.

PULLED UP TO AN INTERSECTION, PUT THE VAN INTO PARK, GOT OUT TO CLOSE THE REAR HATCH. GOT BACK INTO THE VAN PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND I HEARD A LOUD THUNK AND THE VAN ROLLED INTO TRAFFIC. I HURRIED UP AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND THANK GOD IT WORKED. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR MOVING AT ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR. THE SHOP THAT'S REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION SAID THAT THE (SUNGEAR) WELDS HAD BROKE AND THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL FORD WINDSTARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF BROKEN WELDS ON THE SUNGEAR. IT SEEMS THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS, BUT HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY RECALLS FOR THEIR DEFECTS OF THESE BAD WELDS ON THE SUNGEARS OR THE OTHER DEFECTS IN THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT RANDOM IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE LIGHT TO DIM. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE LIGHT WOULD REMAIN OFF FOR 4-5 MILES BEFORE ILLUMINATING AGAIN. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR HATCH WAS OPEN, SO HE EXITED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT THE HATCH. ONCE HE GOT BACK IN THE VEHICLE, HE PLACED THE GEAR INTO DRIVE, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE THAT NEVER OCCURRED IN THE PAST. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND A MECHANIC REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUN GEAR WELLS IN THE TRANSMISSION BECAME DETACHED, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 144,000.

ON THE WINDSTAR THE ABS RELAY SHORTS OUT PUTTING A SMALL HOLE IN THE UNIT AND LEAKS BRAKE FLUID. I HAVE MET OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS AND THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A LOT OF THEM. IT COST ME OVER $200 TO FIX AT THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A PROBLEM ON FORD TRUCKS AND WAS RECALLED ON THEM BUT NOT THE VANS YET. *TR

BRAKE FLUID LEAKING OUT OF THE SPEED CONTROL BRAKE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *TR

ABS MODULE SYSTEM FAILURE AND ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO PRESSURE SWITCH LEAK. ACCORDING TO FORD, 1999 MODEL YEAR WINDSTAR IS NOT PART OF RECALL BUT MY VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE AS OTHER MODEL YEARS AS LISTED ON THE WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALLINFO.COM WEBSITE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AFTER COMPLETING A TURN. HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WANTS THE MANUFACTURER TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

ABS DASH LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY ,, SEEMS MORE FREQUENT WHEN WEATHER IS HOT. ABS DOES NOT WORK WHEN LIGHT IS ON... BUT DOES WORK WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT IS NOT ON. ... DIAGNOSTIC FAULT = C1185 ... REAR BRAKES REPLACED, FAULT CODE CLEARED ... ERROR AND WARNING LIGHT RETURNED WITHIN 30 SECONDS AFTER PICK-UP FROM FORD SERVICE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE COIL SPRING AND TIRE WERE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. UPDATED 10/14/08 *BF UPDATED 10/16/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BEFORE IT WAS FINALLY REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 627927 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,306. UPDATED 10/14/08 *BF THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF AND DIDN'T IDLE PROPERLY. UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB