1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO 25 MPH THE VEHICLE STOPPED GOING FORWARD. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO GO BACKWARDS, BUT NOT FORWARD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. *AK *NM

SEATBELT ON PASSENGER SIDE (FRONT SEAT) OF 1999 FORD WINDSTAR RUBBED PLASTIC SLEEVE (WHERE SEATBELT RETRACTS DOWN INTO DOORPOST COVER) CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE PLASTICS EDGE CAUSING IT TO BE ROUGH AND JAGGED, WHICH CAUSED 1/4" OF FRAYING INTO THE EDGE OF THE SEATBELT WHICH CONTINUES TO CUT INTO THE BELT WITH EACH USE. THERE SEEMS TO MAYBE BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT WITH THE DESIGN. THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS A WARPED (NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT) PLASTIC PIECE ABOVE THE BELT WHICH PUSHES THE BELT AWAY FROM THE EDGE OF THE SLEEVE (HARD TO DESCRIBE), MAKING IT NOT RUB AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE SLEEVE, SO NO PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT HAS DEVELOPED.*AK

I LOST ALL ACCELERATION WHILE IN THE OUTSIDE LANE ON THE INTERSTATE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE EMERGENCY PARKING LANE WITHOUT INCIDENT, HOWEVER, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE (NO GEARS AT ALL) IT COULD HAVE BEEN QUITE DANGEROUS ON A BUSIER STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. I WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER AND HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION PUMP, SHAFT, VALVE BODY AND SEALS. *JB

THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AN ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED REVEALED THE FAILURE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH AND THE STATOR. THE RECOMMENDED ACTION WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, AT A COST OF $3,086.72. A TRANSMISSION SHOULDN'T FAIL AT 65,000 MILES. *NM

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM INVOLVING 10 AMP FUSE FOR AC, ABS, ODOMETER, SPEED SENSOR FOR TRANS, AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS. FUSE BLOWS CONSTANTLY. TOOK TO DEALER 3 TIMES. CLOCKSPRING REPLACED - 605.00, SPEED SENSOR IN TRANS - 300.00, USE OF 15 AMP FUSE ON THIRD VISIT - FUSE BLEW AFTER 7 DAYS. TO DATE, DEALER CANNOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. IT IS EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE PARTS IN THE HOPE THAT THEY FIND IT, PLUS THE PROBLEM REMAINS. ARE THERE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND IS THERE A KNOWN FIX THAT THE DEALER IS UNAWARE OF? *JB

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ROLLED OFF A HILL, WENT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY INTO A FIELD THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THE MUFFLER. THE SECOND TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE CONSUMERS DRIVEWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE, THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGED TO THE FENDER. IN BOTH CASES THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER LOCKED ON THE VEHICLE AS WELL. *AK *JB

EXTERIOR BULB WARNING LIGHT CAME ON LEFT REAR RUNNING LIGHT QUIT OPERATING. ELECTICAL MACHANIC STATED REM MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THIS UNIT IS VEHICLE SPECIFIC AND A COST OF $300 AND HAS TO BE PROGRAMED BY DEALER FOR ANOTHER CHARGE.*AK

FRONT HEATER DOES NOT WORK. THUMPING NOISE FROM DASHBOARD. DEALER (PERSON FORD, LAVERNE, CA) WANTS $500 TO REPLACE HEATING VALVE/FLAP. ABS LIGHT STAYS ON DEALER COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WHEN IT RAINED OR THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS RUNNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. ONCE THE VEHICLE STALLED THE CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT A HALF HOUR OR MORE BEFORE RESTARTING. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS. THE DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE TWICE AND COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *JB

RECENTLY EXPERIENCE WIPER MOTOR/HARNESS CORROSION ON MY 1999 FORD WNSTAR WHICH HAS RESULTED IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS. THE WIPERS FAILED WHILE MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS WERE DRIVING ON I-40 WHICH ALMOST CAUSED THEM TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAPITAL FORD DEALER AND THE WIPER FAILURE WAS ANALYZED AT A CHARGE OF $61.00 ON MAY 20, 2004.THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THE HARNESS AND MOTOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $461.00. THE DEALER HAS BEEN LESS THAN HELPFUL IN EXPLAINING HOW CORROSION DEVELOPED. ON MAY 25, 2004 10:45 EST), I CALLED FORD MOTOR CORP. CUSTOMER RELATIONS (KURL 800-392-3673). I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION AND REFERRED TO RECALL # 01V26100. SHE STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO WARRANTEE/RECALL COVERAGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS WELL OUTSIDE THE 12 MONTHS/12,000. MILES. SHE FURHTER SAID THAT THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED ON MY VEHICLE IN 2001 AND THAT THERE WAS NO RELATIONSHIP TO MY CURRENT MALFUNCTION AND THE RECALL. LOGIC WOULD SUGGEST THAT A RECALL 2 YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURER DATE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO A PROBLEM/MALFUNCTION 5 YEARS LATER. PLEASE ADVISE BY WRITTEN NOTICE OF YOUR FINDINGS OR CONCLUSIONS. THANKS