1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

I AM WRITING TO YOU CONCERNING A COMPLAINT I HAVE AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I OWN A 99 FORD WINDSTAR. APPROXIMATELY 117,000 MILES. HE CRUISE CONTROL RECENTLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS AT FIVE STAR FORD NOW BEING REPAIRED. I HAVE A LETTER TO YOU DRAFTED, HOWEVER, IT WAS TO LONG FOR THIS FIELD. PLEASE CONTACT ME, AND I WILL FORWARD IT.*AK

THE REAR AXLE BEAM ON A1999 FORD WINDSTAR (87,032 MILES) CRACKED AND SNAPPED INTO, CAUSING BOTH WHEELS TO PITCH THE BOTTOM OF WHEELS OUTWARD RESULTING IN UNSTABLE VEHICLE CONTROL (AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT). ATER INSPECTION OF FAILED PARTS, I BELIEVE FORD HAS A MANUFACTURING PROCESS THAT CREATES STRESS RISERS IN THE PART THAT LEAD TO PREMATURE FAILURE. I HAVE THE PARTS AND CAN EMAIL A PPD FILE THAT SHOWS THE FAILURE SURFACES. THE DEALERSHIP TALKED TO FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND DID PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR. FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS DO NOT WANT TO PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH THEIR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. I CONDUCT FAILURE ANALYSIS FOR A FORTUNE 100 COMPANY AND HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE SAFETY OF THIS PRODUCT. THE REPLACE PART IS MANUFATURED EXACTLY LIKE THE ORIGINAL FAILED PART.I DID FIND A REPORT ON THE INTERNET THAT DESCRIBES AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE SAME FAILURE. *TR

MY TRANSMISSION ON A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR IS LEAKING FROM THE BELL HOUSING ON THE TRANSMISSION, AS WELL AS SLIPPING THROUGH THE GEARS, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED WITHIN 50,000 MILES. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT FROM WHERE IT IS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION, MY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AFFECTED BY THE FLUID THAT IS ON IT AS WELL, CONSISTENTLY BURNING OFF AS IT GETS HOTTER. *TR

THE VEHICLE WHEN PARKED AT ANY DEGREE OF INCLINE OR DECLINE HAS HAD REPEATED TENDENCIES NOT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. ON THIS OCCASION, I HAD THE VEHICLE ON RAMPS CHANGING MY OIL AND WENT TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO LEVEL IT OUT. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO HAVE GOTTEN STUCK IN REVERSE AND NEITHER THE FOOT BRAKE NOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD STOP IT. IT WOULD NOT LET ME SHIFT INTO ANY OF GEAR UNTIL IT REACHED LEVEL GROUND. I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION ON MAY 31, 2007 BECAUSE I HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING VERY ROUGH AND FEELING A JERKING SENSATION WHEN I SHIFTED FROM PARK TO EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE. *TR

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 2 YEARS I AM REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 1999 WINDSTAR. BOTH TIMES IT JUST STOPPED WORKING,, BUT WAS ABLE TO GET CAR TO SAFETY. NOW ON SECOND TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AT A COST OF $1700 FOR HE FIRST TIME , AND 1$400 THE SECOND. THE MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE.*AK

ONLY 28,000 MILES ON CAR DRIVEN BY ELDERLY FATHER A FEW MILES EVERY DAY FOR PAST 7 YEARS. NO INDICATION OF PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. PULLED FROM STOP ONTO STATE ROAD AT POINT WHERE A BLIND CURVE/NO SITE DISTANCE FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC-SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH. CAR JERKED FORWARD AND TRANSMISSION FAILED, NO FORWARD GEARS, LEAVING CAR SIDEWAYS ACROSS 2 LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. GOT CAR TO GO IN REVERSE TO GET OFF ROAD WHICH CREATED AN EVEN MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ME AND ALL ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TOLD WILL COST $2,500 FOR RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION. FORD SENT STANDARD REPLY TO MY COMPLAINT SUGGESTING GO TO DEALERSHIP AND HAVE CHECKED OUT. AMAZING THAT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED OR ANYTHING BEEN DONE AFTER SEEING THIS AND NUMEROUS WEBSITES WITH SAME COMPLAINTS. SO MANY OF US LUCKY. HOW MANY DEATHS DOES IT TAKE BEFORE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN? HAVE BEEN A FORD OWNER FOR YEARS AND WILL NEVER, EVER BUY FORD AGAIN. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A WEEK BEFORE THE FIRE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT OPERATING NORMALLY. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT SHE CHANGE THE PULLEYS IN THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. HOWEVER, A FORD DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUS EOF THE PROBLEM. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED, AND WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,152. *AK

ON 5/1/05 MY WIFE DROVE THE VAN TO WORK WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT WORK THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. SHE THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FORM UNDER THE DASH. SHE HAD A FRIEND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (THAT ACT PROBABLY SAVED THE VEHICLE FORM CATCHING FIRE). I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CLAIR FORD IN SACO, ME. CLAIR FORD TOLD ME THE WIPER MOTOR BURNED OUT DUE TO SOME KIND OF SHORT CIRCUIT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT TELL WHAT CAUSED THE SHORT CIRCUIT. ON 5/20 I READ ABOUT A RECALL FORM FORD FOR WIPER MOTORS BURNING UP. I CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE VIA E-MAIL AND A WOMAN CALLED ME A FEW DAYS LATER AND SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS INVOLVING WIPERS AND FORD WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I THEN RESEARCHED THE NHTSA WEB SITE IT SHOWED ME THAT FORD HAD RECALLED THE WIPERS IN 2001 UNDER RECALL NUMBER 01S25. *JB

I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR DOING 40 TO 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING BROKE. A PASSER BY TRIED TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I ENDED UP HAVING TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. TURNED OUT THE PROBLEM WAS THE BRACKET THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CONNECTS TO SNAPPED OFF THE FRAME WITH THE CONTROL ARM STILL ATTACHED TO IT. IN ADDITION TO THIS PROBLEM IT PULLED THE DRIVESHAFT AWAY FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THEREFORE THIS IS GOING TO BE A COSTLY REPAIR BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE PIECE OF METAL DURING THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VAN. THEREFORE AT THE MOMENT I AM UNABLE TO USE THE VEHICLE AND WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL I GET THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED I WILL NOT BUY A FORD EVER AGAIN!! *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT HAD A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 95000 MILES AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SLOW DOWN ,AND SHE WOULD FEEL A PULSATING VIBRATION. THE CONTACT SAID THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT STAYED ON AT ALL TIMES, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE WEATHER HAS NOT BEEN A FACTOR WHEN THIS OCCURRED.. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT GIVE HER A REPAIR ORDER. *AK