1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SEATED IN THE DRIVER SEAT WITH THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT INCURRED MUSCULAR BACK INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 01/19/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAVING A GENERAL MAINTENANCE INSPECTION PERFORMED BY A DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO INDICATE A FAILURE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V332000, REGARDING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 30 MPH, THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE, AND THE STEERING SHIFTED PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE, WHERE THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE STEERING AND FOUND THE STEERING WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ONTO A LIFT. THE SUBFRAME WAS FOUND TO BE RUSTED OUT AND HAD A FRACTURE. THE FRONT LEFT TIE ROD WAS BENT DUE TO THE FRAME FAILURE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE SUB FRAME SECTION SUPPORTING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND THE LEFT OUTER TIE ROD WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

MY 2-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S RIGHT HAND WAS CRUSHED IN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR OF OUR MINIVAN. HER HAND IS TOO SMALL FOR THE SAFETY SENSOR TO DETECT IT AND THEREFORE, THE DOOR LATCHED AND LOCKED WITH HER HAND BETWEEN THE BODY PILLAR AND THE DOOR. *JB

WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. MY DAUGHTER WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR IS FULL. THE CAR WAS SERVICED REGULARLY BUT HAD NO RECENT BRAKE WORK COMPLETED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER COMPLETELY FAILED. THE PARTY THAT WAS STRUCK IS NOW CLAIMING INJURY. WE DO NOT KNOW THE SEVERITY OF THEIR INJURIES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FOUND SIMILAR RECALLS # 01V261000 ABOUT THE VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE.

I BOUGHT MY 99 FORD WINDSTAR SEL IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR (2006) AND NOT EVEN A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT WHEN I WOULD PULL OUT FROM RED LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS AND THE VAN WOULD EITHER DIE ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR WOULD CONTINUOUSLY HESITATE. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THAT IT WAS MY KEYS SO THEY REPROGRAMMED MY KEYS. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AS SOON AS I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, I BROUGHT IT BACK A SECOND TIME, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY BELIEVED IT HAD TO DO WITH MY THEFT DEVICE. THEY ASSURED ME IT WAS FIXED THEN SENT ME HOME WITH IT. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME EVERY TIME I GOT IN MY VAN OR CLOSED MY DRIVER DOOR FROM ENTERING OR EXITING MY VAN IT WOULD TELL ME ON MY MESSAGE SYSTEM THAT MY DRIVER DOOR WAS AJAR WHICH LEAD TO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS BEING ON. IT DID THAT THE DAY I TOOK IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO I HAD TO BRING IT BACK FOR A THIRD TIME NOW FOR THE RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM I WAS HAVING AND NOW WITH THE DOOR BEING SAID TO BE OPEN. THEY FINALLY SAID THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND THAT FORD TOLD THEM THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR INCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VAN LIKE MINE AND SAID THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE CIP SYCRONIZOR. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE MY VAN HOME AGAIN AND THEY PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED ALL EXCEPT THE MESSAGE I STILL GET TO THIS DAY ABOUT MY DRIVER DOOR BEING AJAR WHEN IT ISN'T. IT DIDN'T DO IT TO ME BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NOW THEY WON'T FIX IT WHEN IT WAS A RESULT FROM THEM HAVING IT. KEEP IN MIND EACH OF THE 3 TIMES I HAD TO TAKE IT IN I HAD TO LEAVE IT WITH THEM FOR 1-3 DAYS EACH TIME! NO LOAN CAR WAS OFFERED TO ME SO I WAS LEFT WITH NO CAR AND I HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN THAT I HAVE TO CARE FOR AND NEED TRANSPORTATION FOR. *JB

3 DEATHS. BET I'VE GOT YOUR ATTENTION NOW! I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FAILURES, AND MY VAN HAS THE SAME PERSISTENT PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN ENGINE DESIGN DEFECT AND THAT ALTHOUGH GASKET REPLACEMENT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, IT SEEMS CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PAID TO GET THE TSB FIX STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I PERSONALLY HAVE SPENT OVER $5000 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS TRYING TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED. AT 103K, MY VAN'S BLUE BOOK VALUE IS MUCH LESS. THIS IS NOT EVEN TO MENTION WHAT I'VE SPENT ON EXTRA GAS AT TODAY'S HIGH PRICES DUE TO INEFFICIENT ENGINE OPERATION RESULTING FROM THIS DESIGN DEFECT. THE STALLING OF THE ENGINE WHICH IS BEING REPORTED BY A LOT OF CONSUMERS IS ALSO DUE TO THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF RUNNING THE VAN WITH THIS SAME DESIGN DEFECT. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE DOES DIE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ENGINES CUTTING OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. FORD SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND FIX IT AT NO COST TO CONSUMERS. THERE ARE ENOUGH INDIVIDUALS ON THIS WEBSITE ALONE TO ORGANIZE INTO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, AND I AM JUST THE ONE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON IT. OF COURSE, I DO NOT PLAN TO KEEP THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT GETTING TOO HOT AND BURNING UP MY ALTERNATOR. I PURCHASED THIS VAN IN 2000 AND HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR SIX TIMES (AVERAGING ONCE PER YEAR). THIS IS THE FIRST FORD VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED AND I AM LESS THAN IMPRESSED. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN. I HAVE OWNED DODGE CARAVANS AND CHEVROLET VEHICLES WHICH WERE DESIGNED PROPERLY AND GAVE ME NO WHERE NEAR THIS AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS. I AM GOING TO PURCHASE A DODGE CARAVAN. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A SKID. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE SUBFRAME THAT HELD THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FRACTURED IN HALF. UPDATED 11/30/06. *JB

1999 WINDSTAR ,98K, COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WENT INTO REVERSE , BUT NOT INTO ANY FORWARD GEAR. I'VE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE, NEVER TOWED. HAVE OWNED CARS FOR 30 YRS, NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THIS BAD. WILL NEVER BUY FORD AGAIN. *NM