1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY CARBON FUEL INTAKE MANIFOLD CLOGGED UP, CAUSING THE FUEL NOT TO BURN PROPERLY. *AK

THE POWER STEERING RACK IS LEAKING WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. *AK

THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. *NLM. *AK *TS *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *JB THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED, AND ALSO THE WIRES WERE BURNT. PH *JB

3 WHEEL STUDS ON FRONT RIGHT WHEEL OF OUR 1999 WINDSTAR VAN BROKE - CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE WHEEL COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF AT ANY SPEED. THE MECHANIC (CRAVEN AUTO AND TIRE OF GAITHERSBURG, MD) REPAIRED THE WHEEL AND TOLD ME THAT AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 1999 WINDSTAR. THE FIRST SYMPTOM NOTICED WAS A RATTLING NOISE AROUND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AREA. THEN ON SATURDAY 6/7/2003 WE PULLED INTO OUR DRIVE AND HEARD A VERY LOUD "CLUNK". I QUICKLY REALIZED THE VAN WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND HAD A TOW TRUCK TAKE THE VAN TO OUR MECHANIC.*AK

SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE BEING DRIVEN BY A FORD DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN WHILE TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER REPLACING A DEFECTIVE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 32621 MILES. WHILE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT ENVOLVED, THE SUDDENESS OF THE FAILURE OF A MAJOR DRIVE COMPONENT PRESENTS THE HAZARD POTENTIAL THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. AN INTERNET SEARCH HAS REVEALED SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR PREMATURE AND SUDDEN FAILURES ON THIS VEHICLE AND OTHER MODEL VEHICLES THAT USE THE TRANSMISSION FOUND IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING FILED IN ORDER TO BRING IT INTO THE FEDERAL DATA BASE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF A RECALL OF THIS TRANSMISSION IS WARRANTED. I HAVE THE REPLACED COMPONENTS AND WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT THEM FOR TEST AND ANALYSIS IF THIS AGENCY IS INTERESTED.*AK

TRANSMISSION, SLIDING DOOR, DRIVER DOOR, RACK AND PINION, STEERING PUMP, INTAKE MANIFOLD, FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER LINK, WORLD'S FASTEST DECLINING VEHICLE VALUE, WORLD'S WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SATISFACTION REPRESENTATIVES.*AK

CONSTANT TRANSMISSION SHUDDER DURING UPSHIFT. UNLIKE THE TSB DEALING WITH SHUDDER WHILE CORNERING, THIS PROBLEM OCCURS ALL THE TIME. MECHANIC INDICATES THAT LIKELY CAUSE IS FAILURE OF THE PISTON IN THE FOWARD CLUTCH. A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN WINDSTARS. CONSEQUENTLY, IT CAUSES INSUFFICIENT ACCELERATION FORM A STOP MAKING CROSSING INTERSECTIONS UNSAFE.

WE HAVE OWNED OUR 99' WINDSTAR SINCE THE DAY IT WAS NEW, AND AT FIRST LOVED IT. BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND AS I HAVE FOUND OUT WITH FORD EMPLOYED INVESTIGATORS THE 99' WAS A BAD YEAR FOR MANY AREAS TO INCLUDE THE TRANSMISSION. OUR TRANSMISSION GOES INTO DEFAULT LIMP-HOME MODE(OVERDRIVE FLASHES ON AND OFF CONTINUOUSLY RPM'S INCREASE AND SHIFTS HARD). AT 5 MILES AFTER STARTING UP AND GETTING UNDER WAY. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE BEST REPAIR TO THE PROBLEM WAS TO "DRIVE THE VAN TILL THE TRANS DIES" AS THIS WAS AN EASIER FIX THAN THE BAD COMPUTER MODULE. SUPPOSEDLY CHEAPER AS WELL. I STRONGLY URGE EVERYONE IN THE WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION PREDICKAMENT TO SPREAD THE NEWS AS FORD SHOULD CORRECT THIS KNOWN PROBLEM BEFOR IT KILLS SOMEONE.

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. *NLM...*AK