1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF FOR A FEW DAYS, TWO SEPARATE TIMES. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

CEL (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) CAME ON. FORD DEALER SAID THAT THE FORD COMPANY HAS A BULLETIN OUT TO DEALERS RECOMMENDING THE REPLACEMENT OF GASKETS AND VALVE COVER FOR THE VACUUM LEAKS. WHICH RUN UPWARD OF 600.00 IF THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THIS PROBLEM, WHY ARE THEY NOT RECALLING IT? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THE STABILIZER AND ROCKER ARM BRACKETS BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE BRACKETS BROKE DUE TO RUST. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FAILURE THE CONSUMER'S FATHER HEARD A NOISE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VAN. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THE BRACKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 4/4/2006 - *NM

ENGINE SUBFRAME FAILURE AT 78K MILES, ABOUT 6 INCHES OF THE ENGINE SUBFRAME ON THE RIGHT REAR HAS TOTALLY RUSTED AWAY, REST OF SUBFRAME IS PRISTINE, RIGHT REAR ENGINE MOUNT WAS NOT SUPPORTED, NOTICED CLUNKING SOUND AND WHEEL SHIFT TO 6 O'CLOCK POSITION THAT INITIATED INVESTIGATION NEVER IMPACTED, ORIGINAL OWNER, TRANSMISSION PAN HAS NO NICKS (LOWER THAN FRAME) CAR WAS UNDERCOATED WHEN NEW FORD SAYS IT'S A NORMAL PROBLEM, ACTUALLY SAID REPLACEMENT FRAME IS BACKORDER FOR 3 WEEKS, WAS ABLE TO FIND 1 REPLACEMENT AT ANOTHER DEALER, ALL MECHANICS I TALKED WITH AT THE DEALER SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEE N THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND WE'RE TALKING GUYS WITH 20+ YEARS OF FORD EXPERIENCE POTENTIAL TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, ACCIDENT, CRASH, ETC. 6 MONTHS OUT OF EXTENDED WARRANTY ~$1350 TO FIX PICTURES AND OLD PART AVAILABLE. *NM

PURCHASED THE WINDSTAR USED IN 2001. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR THE STEERING STARTED TO MAKE FUNNY (WHINING) NOISES AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD GET TOUGHER TO TURN WHEEL. AT 65K MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING ACROSS COUNTRY AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY. WE HAD TO DRIVE THE LAST 800 OR SO MILES TO OUR NEW HOME WITH NO POWER STEERING. TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP, SUSPECTING THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT BAD, JUST NEEDED FLUID. I HAD CHECKED THE FLUID WHEN IT ORIGINALLY WENT OUT AND IT WAS LOW, BUT NOT EMPTY. IT DROVE FINE (STILL NOISY) FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE SAME SHOP AND AGAIN TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED FLUID. I TOLD THEM I HAD NEVER SEEN A LEAK, BUT I WOULD CHECK EVERY DAY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE FLUID WAS GOING. ABOUT THREE DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND THE NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD AGAIN AND WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY I COULD SEE THE TRAIL OF POWER STEERING FLUID I LEFT BEHIND. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE FLUID WAS POURING OUT FROM THE BOOT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I TOOK IT TO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID "BLOWN RACK AND PINION". THANKS. *JB

1999 FORD WINDSTAR SE CHECK ENGINE ISSUE. TO MAKE IT EASIER I WOULD LIKE TO REFER YOU TO THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE WHERE IT EXPLAINS MY SAME PROBLEM FROM SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUALS. HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/FORDWINDSTAR/493.HTML I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. HAVE A GOD BLESSED DAY. *NM

THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF 99 FORD WINDSTAR USER WITH THIS PROBLEM. CODE P0171 & P0174 HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/FORDWINDSTAR/493.HTML FORD NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DESIGN DEFECT! A LAW SUIT NEEDS TO BE MADE AGAINST THEM AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT PAID UP TO $731, NOT TO MENTION THE TIME INVOLVED NEED TO BE REIMBURSED. OXNARD FORD DID NOT CARE TO LISTEN!. SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE, FORD!!!!*JB

ON JANUARY 10,2006 MY WIFE [XXX] WAS LEAVING WORK THAT EVENING. WHEN SHE STARTED TO DRIVE SHE HEARD SUM NOISES FROM UNDERNEATH HER CAR. IT IS A FORD WINDSTAR VAN 1999 70,000 MILES VIN [XXX]. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. SHE NOTICED HER STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE TURNED DOWN TO 6 O'CLOCK TO KEEP HER WHEELS STRAIGHT. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS THE POWER STEERING. WHEN SHE GOT IT TO CAR-X IN WESTMONT,IL THEY TOLD HER IT WAS THE CROSS MEMBER FRAME. THIS HELPS SUPPORTS THE TRANSMISSION. THE CROSS MEMBER HAD RUSTED AWAY ON ONE SIDE AND ON THE OTHER SIDE SHOWED A CRACK WHERE THE OTHER BUSHING HOLE WAS. WE COULD NOT GO TO FORD DEALER BECAUSE OF THE COST FACTOR. IT HAS BEEN FIXED AND SEEMS TO BE DRIVING JUST FINE. I DID CONTACT FORD ON JANUARY 23 AND WE DID NOT GET ANY RESTITUTION FOR OUR COST. BUT WE ALSO WANTED FORD TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBLE HAZARD. IF MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS ITEM BORKE SHE WOULD HAD BEEN KILLED. EVEN THE MECHANIC THOUGHT THE METAL FRAME SEEMED TO SHOW METAL FATIGUE. I STILL HAVE THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED FOR EXAMINATION. I ALSO TOOK PICTURES IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. I AM VERY CONCERNED. THANK YOU. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1999 WINDSTAR,. PAINT PEELING ON FRONT HOOD, REPLACED THE FOLLOWING: TRANSMISSION (4 TIMES), INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS (2 TIMES) POWER STEERING SYSTEM, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND SYSTEM(TWICE), INTERIOR LIGHTS THAT FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY AND STAY ON FOR PERIODS OF TIME FOR NO REASON.*AK

FORD WINDSTAR 1999- TRANSMISSION, RACK AND PINION AND MANIFOLD FORD WOULD NOT HELP SO I TOOK THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT IN ONTARIO AND WON FULL COST TO ALL THREE MATTERS. *JB