1997 Ford Windstar complaints

I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS BEHAVING ERRATICALLY AT ABOUT 41000 MILES. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $250 IF I WANTED IT FIXED. I SAID THAT I DIDN'T BELIEVE THE SPEEDOMETER SHOULD FAIL AT THAT LOW MILEAGE. THE MANUFACTURER CONTACTED ME ABOUT THIS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO (FINANCIALLY) TO HELP WITH THE REPLACEMENT. AT ABOUT 50000 MILES I WAS INFORMED THAT THE RIGHT TIE ROD END WAS WORN AND ADVISED IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. AGAIN, I PROTESTED BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILEAGE. I FINALLY HAD THE REPLACEMENT DONE FOR SAFETY REASONS AT MY EXPENSE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE AT A MILEAGE OF APPROX. 40000 MILES. NONE OF THESE DEFECTS WERE MENTIONED AT THE PRE-36000 MILE SERVICING I HAD DONE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THE DURABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, AND WILL PROBABABLY NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE AGAIN. FORD HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL IN HELPING WITH THE REPAIR COSTS ON THE VEHICLE AT THIS RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE.

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER 3 TIMES AND KNOCKED THE VEHICLE INTO A CONCRETE DIVIDER. NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

FRONT BRAKES ARE SOFT.

TAILGATE INSTALLED WITH IMPROPER ALIGNMENT WITH BODY. CORRECTED ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE.

1996 WINDSTAR WAS AT A STOP THEN VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH AND /OR INJURIES. *AK

MY VAN HAS BEEN PUTTING ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL WHEN I AM AT A STOP OR PULLING OUT OF A STOP. WHEN I HAVE WENT TO THE DEALERS IN DELEWARE (ON VACATION), PA. (ON VACATION) AND MY LOCAL DEALER, NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DEALER IN ROANOKE RAPIDS ,N.C. SAID HE WOULD RREPLACE SOME TRANSMISSION PARTS BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DID. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TO COMPLICATING. I AM MAD AND SCARED TO DRIVE MY VAN. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DID OF IF IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I TRAVEL TO PA. ALOT WITH MY 9YR OLD DAUGHTER BY OURSELVES AND NOW I AM SCARED TO DO THIS. HELP!!! NO ONE ELSE WILL!!! I CAN NOT EVEN GET IN TOUCH WITH FORD!!!

NHTSA RECALL 97V-097000 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEAKING OVER CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND PROBLEM WITH STEERING LOSS. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS WENT OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN OFF THE ROAD. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

ALTERNATOR FAILED CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO COMPLETELY STOP WITHOUT WARNING. *YC

WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE GOES INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT INDICATOR IS IN THE DRIVE POSITION. WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE MOVES UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER APPLYING GAS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

MY WIFE HAS A DAMAGED SPINAL COLUMN DUE TO FLAWED NATURE OF VAN SEATS. OUR PRIVATE DOCTOR, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT STEVE MARSH FORD AT MILAN, TENNESSEE HAVE BOTH STATED THAT WINDSTAR VAN HAVE A FLAWED SEAT DESIGN. ALSO VIRTUALLY EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO WHO HAVE DRIVEN A WINDSTAR FOR LENGTHY PERIODS OF TIME STATE THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND PAINFUL. OUR SEAT WAS A SPECIAL SEAT DESIGNED TO MOVE FORWARD TO ALLOW FOR DRIVER SIDE ENTRY INTO VAN. THE SITTING PORTION OF SEAT IS FLAWED AND DURING PROLONGED DRIVING THE POSTERIOR BECOMES NUMB, PAINED AND IN THE CASE OF MY WIFE DAMAGED. THE VAN IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE AND HAS NEARLY GOTTEN MY FAMILY KILLED DUE TO FACT THE PAIN CAUSED BY THE SEATS CAUSES ON TO SQUIRM AND TRY TO MOVE THE BODY RESULTING IN LOSS OF SAFE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

FORD HAS A TSB 98-22-1 REGARDING A FALSE NEUTRAL AFTER DRIVING. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS- VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN DRIVE. WHEN THROTTLE IS REAPPLIED THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES DOESN'T MOVE. BUT, IT SOMETIMES ABRUPTLY DROPS BACK INTO DRIVE. THIS HAS CAUSED A SUDDEN UNEXPECTED LURCHING FORWARD COMPLETE WITH TIRE SQUEALING. IT WOULD BE VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WITH THIS DEFECT. FORD ADMITS THIS DEFECT, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO FIX IT AFTER 3/36K WARRANTY.

MY WINDSTAR ACCELERATED FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND SMASHED THROUGH OUR GARAGE DOOR VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN WE HIT THE FRONT WALL OF THE GARAGE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK OR DRIVE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD STOPPED TO LOOK FOR THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER. I COULD NOT STOP THE VERHICLE AS IT TOOK OFF AND DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST WE WERE GOING EXCEPT IT WAS VERY FAST AND THERE ARE BIG SKID MARKS ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. MY TWO KIDS WERE IN THEIR CAR SEATS IN THE BACK AND I WAS DRIVING. I BROKE MY HAND & HAD SOME BRUISES. THE KIDS WERE FINE. WE DON'T YET HAVE A MECHANIC'S REPORT SO I CAN'T BE SURE WHAT PART FAILED. IT MAY NOT BE THE ENGINE AS INDICATED ABOVE. *AK

THE WELDS ON THE WHEEL RIMS FAIL, AND THE RIM LEAKS AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER AND HE TOLD ME HE HAS NOT SEEN A HISTORY OF FAILURE, BUT THE TIRE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A LOT OF THE RIMS DUE TO LEAKS AT THE WELDS ON 1997 WINDSTARS.

WHY WOULD TIE RODS FAIL AT 47000 MILES. *AK

2ND TRANSMISSION FAILURE: 1/26/99 @71,800 MILES. PARKED/WHEN STARTED, NO REVERSE OR FORWARD GEARS. REPAIRED: MULTIPLE PARTS: IE AX4N, AX4S, BEARING PUMP SHAFT/PLATE ETC. EXTENDED WARRENTY CLAIM DENIED/ $3,500.00 OUT OF POCKET/ TRANS, STILL DYSFUNCTIONAL & POWER STEERING DEFECTIVE AFTER LAST REPAIR. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED OUT OF STATE/REPAIRED OUT OF STATE. TOMORROW I HAVE TO TAKE VAN TO AKRON OH (WHERE LAST REPAIRED) HOPE THE TRANSMISSION &STEERING WILL GET ME THERE IN 1 PEICE!! PLEASE HELP!! (DON'T KNOW IF TRANS PROBLEMS RELATED TO RECALLED PARTS, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PUT INTO SERVICE UNTIL 10/97 & RECALL WAS 6/97. I HAVE EXAUSTED MY RESOURCES& WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP/ADVICE/DIRECTION. THOUGHT I HAD A FORD WARRENTY, BUT I WAS SOLD SOMETHING ELSE, UNFORTUNATELY.THANK YOU, SINCERELY, LINDA

FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 980318985A28 PARKING BRAKE WON'T RELEASE

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING AT THAT TIME, AND HAD NOT WORKED SINCE. *AK

BRAKE PADS FAILED. YH

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SLIDER, IT WON'T WORK. *AK

THE PART IS THE SPEEDOMETER WHICH HAS REPLACEMENT PART F682.17255.CB SUPPLIED BY THE FIRM ELECTRA-SOUND, INC., WEST PALMA, OHIO. ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART IS $54.00 DIAGNOSTIC; $166.66 FOR THE REPLACEMENT SPEEDOMETER; $65.00 FOR LABOR. PROBLEM: THE ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER BEGAN BEING "JITTERY" AT 20,000 MILES. AT 40,000 MILES, THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES WILDLY AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH AND MORE. SO, IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL SHOW SPEEDS ANYWHERE FROM 40 TO 110 MPH. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT SPEED YOU ARE TRAVELING!!! MECHANICS AROUND HERE HAVE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING THIS DEFECT IS COMMON IN SPEEDOMETERS USED IN WINDSTAR AND EXPLORER MODELS. THE DEALER THAT PROVIDED MY DIAGNOSTIC WORK SAID THERE IS A TWO-WEEK BACKLOG TO GET THIS PART. THE MECHANICS ALSO SAID THE FAILURE REASON IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A PLASTIC COMPONENT IN THE SPEEDOMETER. NOTE: THE RPM GUAGE, AND COOLANT TEMPERATURE GUAGE DO NOT SEEM TO BE AFFECTED. I THINK IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SAFETY DEFECT TO NOT KNOW WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING AT!!! PLEASE HELP...

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDOWS ICED UP WITH AN 3/4 INCH OF ICE AND THE DEFFOGER DID NOT DEFROST THE WINDOWS EVEN AFTER DRIVING FOR A DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NORM CONDITIONS 20 MPH STOP ABS ENGAGED,DELAYED STOP. NEAR ACCIDENT. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM, NOT REPEATABLE. ONE YEAR LATER PROBLEM RECURRED, AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER TO REPLACE LEFT WHEEL SENSOR. SEEMS THAT IF THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER DOESN'T THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIANS CANNOT FIND IT. SENSORS COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED EARLIER AS A PRECAUTION. OTHER PROBLEM- DRIVING 55 ON HIGHWAY AND TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED UNCOMMANDED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE EARLIER INCIDENT WITH THE DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. SENSOR IN GEAR SELECTOR WAS BAD. HOPEFULLY, NO UNDUE WEAR AND TEAR ON TRANSMISSION RESULTED FROM THE HIGHWAY DOWNSHIFT.

AT 67,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE BACK SEAT SHOULDER BELT STRAPS WERE REROUTED AT DEALERSHIP DUE TO LOCKING MECHANISMS. THE BACK REST OF FRONT SEAT WAS ADJUSTED FORWARD, THE SEAT BELT HARNESS GOT CAUGHT AND WAS SO TIGHT THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO RELEASE IT. CONSUMER 'S SIX YEAR OLD GOT INTO THE SEAT AND RELEASED BACK FORWARD, SHE GOT CAUGHT AND TRAPPED IN THE SEAT. THE THIRD TIME WHEN CLEANING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT BUCKET SEAT LEANED BACKWARD AND LOOKED UPWARD. AT THE SAME TIME, IF RELEASED THE BACK SO THE HEAD REST COULD COME FORWARD AND IT CREATED A (V). THE TOPS OF THE TWO HEADRESTS CAUGHT CONSUMER'S HAND,. A YOUNGER CHILD COULD HANG HIMSELF IF IN THAT POSITION. CONSUMER HAS YOUNG CHILDREN. THIS VEHICLE HAS HIGH BACK BUCKET SEATS. CONSUMER WILL ADD VIN.# THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. *AK

MILDEW SMELL COMING FROM AIR CONDITIONER.

STEERING LOCKED UP ON RIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS. BY FORCING THE WHEEL TO TURN, THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE POPPING SOUND AND THEN THE STEERING UNLOCKED AND FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY DUE TO A ENGINE COMPUTER FAILURE AND SENSORS AND STEERING PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

FRONT SEATS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNSAFE.

STEERING FAILURE CAUSED A VEHICLE COLLISION.

WHILE DRIVING UP HILL AT 40MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO GUARDRAIL. *AK

CV JOINTS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL.*AK

FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN UNSAFE OPERATION OF VEHICLE BY DRIVER DUE TO PAIN. ALSO, RESULTING IN VARIOUS FRUSTRATING BODY MOVEMENTS MADE BY DRIVER TO RELIEVE PAIN. THIS HAS CAUSED NEAR FATAL CRASHES. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE THE VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING SOUND AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. *AK

SERVO COVER RECALLED.

TRACTION CONTROL FAILED. YH

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE. VEHICLE ROLLS AFTER BEING IN PARK ON SLIGHTEST INCLINE.

WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL, STEPPED ON ACCELERATOR TO ENGAGE PASSING GEAR, THE PASSING GEAR WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD SAFELY IN NEUTRAL. *AK

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED 3 TIMES.