1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

HEAD GASKETS ON MY FORD WINDSTAR 3.8 LITER ARE LEAKING COOLANT AT 83.9K MILES. HAD A 1994 FORD TAURUS WITH SAME PROBLEM. HAD TO JUNK CAR AT 70000. THAT WAS 20000 AFTER I HAD IT FIXED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME AT 38000. FORD HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS 3.8 V-6 BUT DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT.*AK

OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR HAS 51,000 MILES AND TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. YESTERDAY (4/8/05) WHILE DRIVING KIDS HOME FROM SCHOOL THE VAN MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE. WAS ABLE TO ROLL TO SHOULDER. WE REPLACED BATTERY A MONTH AGO, AND WHILE DRIVING OVER THE BAY BRIDGE (MARYLAND) EASTER SUNDAY OUR HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS BEGAN TO DIM AND VAN SEEMED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL. BY THE TIME WE DROVE 4 MILES TO HOME ALL LIGHTS WERE OUT AND CAR WAS SPUTTERING, WOULDN'T START. WE THEN REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THE O/D LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING. INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON SPORADICALLY AS WELL AS DOOR AJAR LIGHT WHEN ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. INTERIOR LIGHTS SOMETIMES DON'T COME ON WHEN VAN IS PARKED AND DOORS OPENED. NO RHYME OR REASON TO THIS. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO ABNORMAL WEAR. WE ARE GETTING QUOTES OF BETWEEN 1,600 AND 2,800 FOR TRANSMISSION. ALSO WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHERE MIRROR WAS REATTACHED AFTER IT FELL OFF. WHEN WE WERE JUST OVER 3 YEARS AND AT AROUND 25,000 MILES, ALL DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON ALSO WHILE DRIVING ON BAY BRIDGE. TOOK VAN TO DEALER (BOB BELL IN GLEN BURNIE, MD) AND THEY SAID THEY'D HAVE IT DONE THAT DAY BUT KEPT IT A WEEK. I THREW A FIT AND GOT A LOANER - A TIN CAN ON WHEELS. FORD EVENTUALLY COVERED SOME OF THE REPAIRS THROUGH A 'SPECIAL PROGRAM.' I CANNOT BELEIVE THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THESE PIECES OF GARBAGE WITH THE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES I SEE ON THIS WEBSITE. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS NONSENSE AND PAY FOR THESE OUTRAGEOUS FAILURES. WE ALSO HAVE A FORD PICKUP AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT. HENRY MUST BE ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE.*AK

CAR ONLY HAS 72000 MILES. HAD CAR AT DEALERSHIP FROM MARCH 17- MARCH 24 FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS. THEY REPLACED A TIE ROD, 2 CONTROL ARMS FOR $1100 AND WHEN THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE STEERING RACK. CAR WAS STILL NOT RIGHT - HAD APPT TO BRING BACK IN ON FRIDAY APRIL 1ST. ON MARCH 30TH, I WAS ACCELERATING AT A STOPLIGHT AND THE VEHICLE HAD AN ABRUPT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. (WHEN WE GOT IT BACK FROM THE DEALER IT HAD A VIBRATING ISSUE BUT WE DID NOT HAVE WARNING THIS WAS COMING) JUST A HUGE BANG AND THEN IT WOULDN'T MOVE. THE POLICE HAD TO HELP ME REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE INTERSECTION AND ASSIST WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. IT HAD TO BE TOWED AT MY EXPENSE $70. WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 60K. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER REPAIR ESTABLISHMENT (DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE DEALER) - WILL BE $2200 TO REBUILD ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. WILL BE CONTACTING MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE FORWARD GEARS BECAME INOPERABLE. *AK

1999 FORD WINDSTAR HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION AS WELL AS THE HEATER PIPE AND UPPER INTAKE SEALS.*MR THE CONSUMER HAD TO GIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AND/OR SHIFT LEVER TO GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. *NM

CONSISTENTLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ENGINE LIGHT ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. AT 32,000 MILES, THEY REPLACED THE INTAKE GASKETS. ENGINE LIGHT STILL CAME ON, WAS TOLD IT WAS SOMETHING MINOR. I COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THE ENGINE LIGHT. THEY WOULD REPROGRAM THE WARNING AND WITHIN ONE DAY, IT WOULD COME BACK ON. NOW, WITH THE NEW EMISSIONS STANDARDS, MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THE INTAKE GASKET HAS TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I SPOKE TO FORD, THEY JUST SAY "WE ARE SORRY IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY". WELL, THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT PROPERLY FROM THE BEGINNING. *JB

WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKES VERY HARD TO STOP, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND THROTTLE CABLE WAS DISCOVERED TO BE DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD AND HAD TOO MANY MILES.*AK THE THROTTLE STUCK, CAUSING SEVERELY DAMAGED TO BRAKES. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT FORD DID RECALL ON 932 OF ITS 1999 AND 2000 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *BF *NM

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR BURST INTO FLAMES AROUND FOUR IN THE MORNING ON MAY 24, 2004. VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED SINCE THE AFTERNOON ON MAY 21 AS WE HAD GONE ON A CAMPING TRIP FOR THE WEEKEND.THE FIRE WAS THE HOTTEST BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT REALLY CAUSED THE FIRE IN MY FORD VAN. THEY DID STATE THAT IT LIKELY STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

VEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS DURING A ROUTINE SAFETY INSPECTION. CONSUMER STATED HE DID NOT SMELL ANY FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK