2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES WITHIN 60K MILE INTERVAL WHILE FOLLOWING THE 30K TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH. A FLASHING O/D LIGHT COMES ON AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL DIE OUT OF NOWHERE AND THE PAST FEW TIMES IT HAS BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 75 MPH WITH NO WARNING, SMOKE, LIGHTS, ETC. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION START SMOKING FROM THE ENGINE BAY EVEN THOUGH THE FLUID WAS CHANGED. NOW THERE IS A MASSIVE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF OWNERS WHO REPORT A BAD DESIGN OF THE FORD WINDSTAR 2003 TRANSMISSION AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THE FORD FREESTAR WAS RECALLED FOR THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE, BUT THE WINDSTAR WASN'T. WHY NOT? BOTH MODELS USE THE SAME TRANSMISSION. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FORD IS NOT WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE AND RECALL THE VEHICLE TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.

WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTING BECAME ERRATIC AND FAILED. A SHORT TIME LATER THE SITUATION NORMALIZED. SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR THE TACHOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND BECAME INOPERABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT VEERED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (FUCCILLO FORD OF SENECA FALLS, 2027 US-20, SENECA FALLS, NY 13148, (315)-568-9881) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

I HAVE A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR THAT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE REAR AXLE RECALL A COUPLE YEARS AGO, TODAY ON MY DRIVE TO WORK THE REAR AXLE BROKE RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE AREA THAT FORD REPAIRED BY PLACING A BRACE AND BRACKET OVER, MY CAR IS NOW SITTING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON THAT HAS HAD THE AXLE BREAK AFTER FORD FIXED IT.

THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE COLLAPSED ON THE BODY, BREAKING OFF FROM THE AXLE. I WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-35 MILES AN HOUR WHEN IT OCCURRED. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO WOBBLE AND VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AXLE WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVEN THOUGH A SUPPORT BRACKET HAD BEEN INSTALLED PER A PREVIOUS UNKNOWN NHTSA RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (BUCKEYE FORD IN LONDON, OHIO) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

I WAS DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND THE REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO COME AWAY FROM VEHICLE AND THE REAR END OF THE VAN THE SWERVE VIOLENTLY. THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED THE WHEEL FROM COMING COMPLETELY OFF WAS THE FENDER. THE FACT THAT I WAS ON A CURVE MEANT I COULD HAVE GONE OFF INTO THE RAVINE AND DIED. FORD HAD A RECALL TO REINFORCE THE AXLE WITH A BRACKET, WHICH WAS DONE. ALSO THERE WAS A FOLLOW UP RECALL BECAUSE THESE BRACKETS MIGHT CAUSE THE AXLE TO CRACK AND FRACTURE, WHICH MINE DID. FORE WILL INSPECT THE AXLE FOR CRACKS BUT NOT REPLACE IT IF THERE ARE CRACKS, OR IN MY CASE A COMPLETE BRAKE. RECALL #'S 10S13 AND 15S27.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO AN UNKNOWN TIRE STORE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS LEANING TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO THE DEALER (AUTONATION FORD, 23775 CENTER RIDGE ROAD, WESTLAKE, OHIO 44145) TO BE REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION). THE DEALER FOUND NO FAILURE WITH THE AXLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS OK TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

2003 FORD WINDSTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REAR AXLE FRACTURE RECALL NOTICE REPLACEMENT PARTS FAILURE. *SMD *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED AND A HOLE WAS PRESENT LOCATED BEHIND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE HOLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER. ALSO, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD RANDOMLY STOP OPERATING. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (DICK BRANTMEIER FORD IN SHEBOYCAN, WI) WAS NOTIFIED ALONG WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.