1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND SHUTTER. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE HAD SEPARATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE TIRE HAD A BULGE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALERSHIP AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER THE TIRE WAS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND SHUTTER AGAIN. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS SHREDDED. THIS OCCURRED A THIRD TIME HOWEVER IT WAS THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE AND IT SEPARATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TIRE DEALERSHIP, THE TWO TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE ONLY TIRE THAT DID NOT HAVE A FAILURE WAS OF A DIFFERENT BRAND. THE THREE TIRES WITH FAILURES WERE COOPER LIFELINE TOURING SLE. UPDATED 8/30/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE'S TIRE WAS OBSERVED TO BE RELEASING AIR FROM THE STEM. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PUT AIR INTO THE TIRE, THE AIR WAS RELEASING FROM THE STEM FASTER THAN THE TIRE COULD BE FILLED WITH AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COSCO WHERE ALL 4 TIRES HAD BEEN PURCHASED 2-3 YEARS AGO. THE TIRE'S STEM WAS REPLACED. A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE COSCO MENTIONED THAT THE TIRE REPAIRED WAS FROM A DEFECTIVE BATCH OF TIRES. ON 7/23/06, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER ANOTHER TIRE WAS FLAT AND OBSERVED TO BE RELEASING AIR EXPEDIENTLY FROM THE STEM.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. INITIALLY THE WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, HOWEVER THE WIPERS ARE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING AT ALL. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 01V261000, REGARDING THE VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: MOTOR. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 8/7/2006 - THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THE WIPER MOTOR AND WIPER SWITCH REPLACED. *NM

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON. I DROVE IT THIS WAY FOR TWO MONTHS. 15 CODES IN THE SYSTEM. FORD DEALER STATES IT'S THE HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC BOX. TO REPAIR BOTH WOULD COST 800.00 OR SO, WHICH IS INCLUDING LABOR AND PARTS. STATES IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM OF 1999 FORD WINDSTARS. I HAVE NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS ON. DECLINING TO FIX AT THIS TIME, BUT A HUGE LIABLILITY FOR MYSELF. POSSIBLITY OF BRAKE FAILURE NOT DISCUSSED AT THIS TIME. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPAIR THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD 500.00+ (AT A FORD DEALER) AND ALSO HAD THE DOOR AJAR PROBLEM, WHICH WAS FIXED AT HOME HERE FOR 0$. THIS IS THE THIRD AND FINAL PROBLEM LISTED ON CONSUMER REPORTS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR. *JB

THE SUBFRAME ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE IS CRACKED AND APPEARS TO HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. WE WERE NOTICING A CLUNK SOUND WHEN TURNING AND STOPPING SO I PULLED THE WHEEL TO CHECK AND NOTICED THE CRACK RIGHT AWAY. IT COULD CAUSE THE TRANS AND ENGINE TO SHIFT AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS THE SUBFRAME IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. WE NEVER HIT ANYTHING WHILE DRIVING SO THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL. *JB

STUD BOLT ON PASSENGER (RIGHT) FRONT HUB FAILED AND BROKE OFF WHILE CONDUCTING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE- LUGS HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO SPECS- 1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN HAS ONLY HAS 62,000 MILES- NO EVIDENCE OF CROSS THREADING/STUD THREADS WERE CLEAN. NOT YET REPAIRED. *JB

COMPLAINED TO FORD ABOUT TRANSMISSION WHILE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION. ON SUNDAY 06/11/06, WHILE EXITING PARKWAY THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES ON IT IN 7/01,VEHICLE NOW HAS 65,000 MILES. WARRANTY EXPIRED LAST MARCH, FORD REFUSES TO HELP WITH THE COST OF REPAIR FOR TRANSMISSION. *JB

MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. IT HAD NOT BE RUN FOR AT LEAST 8 HOURS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. WHILE NO ONE WAS INJURED THIS COULD HAVE STARTED OUR ENTIRE HOUSE ON FIRE. THE INSURANCE FIRE EXPERT LOCATED THE START OF THE FIRE TO THE WIRING OF THE HEATER. *NM

I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL HAD ALIGNED ITSELF TO THE LEFT, AND THE VAN WOULD NOT CENTER ITSELF WELL, WHILE ON THE ROAD. I TOOK THE VAN TO RAJ AUTO CENTER AT SOMERSET,NJ. AFTER CHECKING THE VAN THE AUTO CENTER SAID THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE VANS K-FRAME HAD ROTTED OUT AND COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY ENDANGERED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS BECAUSE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE DIS-ASSOCIATED ANYTIME FROM THE FRAME. HE ADDED THAT HE HAS NOT SEEN THE K-FRAME ROTTING IN 20 YEARS OF HIS EXPERIENCE. *JB

1999 WINDSTAR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH OVERHEATED. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THERE WERE SPARKS AND BLACK SMOKE AND THAT THE SWITCH WAS DESTROYED. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. *NM