1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WILL MAKE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION IN MY WIFE'S 1999 FORD WINDSTAR SE BROKE WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE IN MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED FOR REPAIR COST.*AK

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE CONSUMER'S 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. *BF *NM

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. BLACK SMOKE POURED OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE . CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME BY POURING A QUART OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID INTO TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES. CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC INSPECT THE VEHICLE, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK

I WAS STOPPED AT A 4-WAY STOP, STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I THEN HAD NO FORWARD GEARS, BUT REVERSE STILL WORKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHO INFORMED ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW (REMANUFACTURED) TRANSMISSION AT $2500. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 43,423 MILES AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED. I CONTACTED THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER, BUT WAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE OR "GOODWILL" BECAUSE THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAD EXPIRED. THE NUMBER OF 1999 WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION FAILURES REPORTED AT NHTSA AND OTHER WEBSITES APPEARS TO BE INORDINATELY HIGH. *JB

WHEN MY WINDSTAR PASSES THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER, POWER STEERING IS LOST FOR 5 TO 10 SECONDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS NEGOTIATING A CURVE AND ENTERS WATER DURING THE TURN THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE CONTROL WHICH WOULD PREVENT THE DRIVER FROM STAYING WITHIN HIS/HER LANE AND CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION OR EXIT THE ROAD SURFACE. *JB

3.8L V6. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, LEAN CODE. HAD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS REPLACED AT MY COST IN OCT 03 AT 70K MILES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN IN FEB 05 AT 90K MILES. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AGAIN. AT MY COST AGAIN. FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS DOES NOT FEEL IT'S A PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN TRYING TO PARK THE VEHICLE IT LAUNCHED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE LAUNCHING. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A GASKET KIT THAT WILL PREVENT THE INTAKE GASKET, GAS LEAK. *AK *SC

TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM, NO LEAK. HAD SPEED SENSOR REPLACED AND WHILE THERE HAD FLUID FLUSHED AND CHANGED. THE DAY AFTER RETURNING HOME WITH VEHICLE NOTICED SMALL AMOUNT OF FLUID ON CARPORT. RETURNED TO DEALER WITHIN 2-3 DAYS. WAS TOLD THAT MAYBE SOME FLUID HAD SPILLED WHILE CHANGING. SEVERAL DAYS LATER NOTICED MUCH MORE FLUID ON CARPORT. RETURNED TO DEALER. NOW THEY SAY THE TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL WAS CRACKED. IT WAS NOT LEAKING AT ALL BEFORE BEING SERVICED. THIS SEAL JUST MYSTERIOUSLY DECIDED TO LEAK IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED?

RECALL # 01 V 262 000/AUXILIARY A/C BLOWER MOTOR WIRING: CONSUMER UNABLE TO GET THE DEALER TO HONOR THIS RECALL SINCE JANUARY 1, 2005. *JB