1998 Ford Windstar complaints

ANTI LOCK BRAKE TRANSDUCER FAILED. MJS

AIR LOCK ON FILLING GAS TANK, AFTER REPAIR ATTEMPTS STILL CONTINUES. NLM

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

TIRES BLEW (FIRESTONE). *YC

POWER STEERING FAILED. NLM

ELECTRIC WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. MJS

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED. YH

ENGINE STOPED WHEN COMING TO STOP OR MAKING TURNS, DUE TO FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. YH

FRONT RIGHT WINDOW FELL OUT. *YC

MOTOR MOUNT BROKE. *YC

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. *YC

BRAKE ROTORS FAILED. YH

TRANSMISSION TR SENSOR FAILED. *YC

GAS TANK SENSOR UNIT FAILED. YH

ABS SENSOR FAILED. YH

THREE OUT OF FOUR BRAKE PADS BROKEN. *YC

AUTO LOCK FAILED. YH

VEHICLE HAS NOISY FAN BELT. YH

POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. YH

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WEATHER STRIP FAILED.

PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. YH

SEAT CONTROL (LATCH / SWITCH) FAILED, RESULTING IN LOOSE SEAT. *YC

DOOR LOCK MULFUNCTIONED. YH

HEAD REST MALFUNCTIONS. YH

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES INOPERABLE. YH

OUR ENTIRE FAMILY (TWO ADULTS, TWO CHILLDREN BOTH UNDER AGE 10) WERE IN THE CAR WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, AND COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED. WE HAD JUST EXITED THE OUTER LOOP OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C. CAPITAL BELTWAY AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SLOWING TO A STOP AT THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP, WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD THUD FROM OUR TRANSMISSION. WHEN WE STARTED AGAIN THE CAR SEEMED TO HESITATE. IT WENT ANOTHER TWO BLOCKS AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED IN THE CAR, LEAVING US IN THE RIGHT LANE IN AN INTERSECTION WITH NO WAY TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE GEARS WORKED. OUR CAR SPENT 12 DAYS IN THE DEALERSHIP BEING FIXED. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM IF THIS OCCURS WHILE SOMEONE IS ON THE HIGHWAY (AS WE ALMOST WERE), AND I FELT I SHOULD REPORT IT. I HAVEN'T YET CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS, BUT I PLAN TO. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS AND THE BRAKES GRIND. HAD TO BE REPLACE BRAKES TWICE AND ENGINE ONCE. CONSUMER IS HEARING A BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING A PROGRAM VEHICLE, FRONT END SUSPENSION WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISES. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 12 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO REPAIR WORK WHICH IS UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

BRAKE PADS ARE BEING CHEWED OFF BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE ROTORS. THE DEALER HAS CUT THE ROTORS, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

RUNNING BOARD ADDED ON BY DEALER IS SO LOW THAT VEHICLE HIT SPEED BUMPS. SOME PLACES VEHICLE CANNOT GO INTO WITHOUT HITTING BUMPS/GAS STATIONS AND BANKS, ETC. DEALER CONTACTED,AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS MISREPRESENTED TO THE OWNER UPON PURCHASE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD VEHICLE, EVEN ON SLIGHT INCLINE. BRAKE DOES NOT MEET FMVSS TEST FOR EFFECTIVENESS. BRAKE CABLE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED BY DEALER FOR MINIMUM SLACK, AND FOOT BRAKE IS FULLY APPLIED BEFORE SETTING HAND BRAKE, BUT PARKING BRAKE STILL DOES NOT HOLD VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND PROCEEDING TO COME TO A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER CONTINUES. BRAKE ROTORS WARPED CAUSING GRINDING OF THE BRAKES WHILE STOPPING. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING WHENEVER VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND BACK INTO DRIVE FOR THE GEAR TO ENGAGE.VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT DEALER SHOP FOR STALLING AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPING ON THREE OCCASIONS EACH. *AK

WAS TRAVELING 35MPH WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. HAPPENED TWICE. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

THE ENGINE HESITATES OR STALLS IN A SLOW TURN.

THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO A BLEND DOOR WHICH BLENDS HEATED AIR WITH A/C. THE DOOR APPARENTLY DOES NOT POSITION PROPERLY AND SO A COLD MIXTURE IS DELIVERED O THE FRONT COMPARTMENT. THE REAR VENTILATION CONTROLS WORK PERFECTLY (THIS IS THE EXTRA CAPACITY HEAT & A/C OPTION). REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED IN SEVERN VISITS TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS OVER THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. ALTHOUGH THE BLEND HAS BEEN REPLACED THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE DEALER INDICATES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT FORD NEEDS TO FIX. FORD HAS NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM TO DATE AND I AM WITHOUT HEAT IN THE FRONT COMPARTMENT.

VEHICLE HAS A BAD SEAL ON THE FUEL CAP. VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED AT STATE. DEALER CONTACTED AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FAULTY FUEL GAUGE FAILED. YH

DRIVERS SEAT BACK BROKE DURING REAREND COLLISION CAUSING MORE SEVERE INJURIES TO DRIVERS NECK,BACK AND ARMS THAN IF IT HAD NOT BROKEN.

THE POWER STEERING LINE OF MY MINIVAN BRUSHED SLIGHTLY AGAINST THE MOUNTABLE CURB AS WE BACKED FROM THE DRIVEWAY TO THE STREET IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE. THIS MOUNTABLE CURB AND GUTTER IS TYPICALLY USED IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. EDEN PAIRIE'S STANDARD PLATE SHOWS A CURB HEIGHT OF 4 INCHES. OURDRIVEWAY IS NOT ON ANY TYPE OF AN INCLINE. THE BUMP WAS SO SLIGHT THAT IT DID NOT CONCERN ME AT THE TIME. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE FORWARD AND TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY IT WAS THE PART OF THE HIGHWAY THAT STILL HAS STOPLIGHTS, SO MY SPEED WAS VERY SLOW. THE CAR MADE A GROANING NOISE, I HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSEM OF MY MOTOR VEHICLE, AND BLACK SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT OF MY VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THE SLIGHT BUMP HAD CRIMPED THE POWERSTEERING LINE CAUSING A GREAT PRESSURE IN THE POWER STEERING LINES WHICH IN TURN EXPLODED POURING POWER STEERING FLUID ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE DEGREASED AND THE POWERSTEERING PUMP WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE SUDDEN LACK OF POWERSTEERING FLUID. FORD WOULD NOT COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY SAYING THAT THE SLIGHT BUMP WAS AN ACCIDENT THAT CAUSED THE POWERSTEERING LINES TO BE DAMAGED. THIS EXPERIENCE FELT SO LIDE THREATENING THAT I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM FURTHER. I FOUND THE PLACEMENT OF THESE LINES TO BE SO LOW IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE THAT THEY WERE AT THE LEVEL OF THE SPOILER OR EVEN SLIGHTLY LOWER. THE MINIVAN'S WITH THE TOW PACKAGE ARE LOWER THAN THE OTHER VANS. I HAVE HAD MECHANICS, ENGINEERS, AND PRODU

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES, AND WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY WILL GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER AND THE HEAT HAS BEEN REPAIRED FIVE TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM IS BACK. *AK

THERE WAS AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKAGE AND THE DEALER FIXED THE LEAK. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WILL SHIFT FROM FIRST GEAR INTO SECOND GEAR, AND FROM SECOND TO FIRST WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING IN TRAFFIC. THE DEALER CAN'T DETEMINE THE PROBLEM, AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH GAS TANK. THE CONSUMER STATEVEHICLE DOESN'T HOLD THE CAPACITY OF GAS THAT IS STATED ON THE STICKER. THE GAS TANK GAUGE WILL READ EMPTY WHEN IT HAS 4+GALLONS GAS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN TO BE CONTACTED. TWO REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND BOTH FAILED AND CURRENTLY THIRD REPAIR HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. THE TRANSMISSION HAS DEVELOPED A SECOND LEAK. *AK.ET.

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE CALIPERS. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. THE DEFECTS ARE DESCRIBED IN RECALL NUMBER 98I-003.000 AND INVESTIGATION NUMBER IE97054. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE 1998 FORD WINDSTAR HAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF LEFT HAND TURNS I'VE MADE IN INTERSECTIONS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF IF WHENEVER I HAVE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. FOR EXAMPLE ONCE IN SEPTEMBER OF 1998, IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT HAND TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION ANOTHER DRIVER DRIVING WEST RAN THROUGH THE CAUTION LIGHT WHILE I WAS TURNING. I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BREAKS TO KEEP HER FROM HITTTING ME AND MY CAR CUT OFF. WHEN I DRIVE UP HILLS IT STALLS[MY DRIVE WAY] AND CUTS OFF. THREE DAYS AFTER I BROUGHT THE VAN HOME IT LEAKED WHAT LOOKED LIKE TO BE ANTIFREEZE. IT ALSO HESITATES WHEN I SLOW DOWN.

VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK VIOLENTLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HAS OVERHAULED TRANSMISSION TWICE. DEFECT IS STILL REOCCURRING. CANNOT DUPLICATE DEFECT. *AK

DESIGN OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALLOWS THE VEHICLE T0 ROLL BACKWARD , ON INCLINE, WHILE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE.

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND ALL SHIFTS VERY HARD WHEN TAKING OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN GETTING ON THE FREEWAY AND IT DOWN SHIFTS INTO PASSING GEAR IT HIT SO HARD YOU CAN FEEL IT UNDER YOUR FEET. ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN SOMETIMES IT WILL DOWN SHIFT SO HARD IT THROWS YOU FORWARD. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND THAT WAS NORMAL. WELL AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON WWW.FORDWINDSTAR.COM I DON'T BELIEVE THIS TO BE NORMAL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS IF YOU WILL. THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION,WHAT IF WE WERE DRIVING IN THE RAIN OR SNOW AND IT DECIDES TO DOWNSHIFT. MY WIFE WON'T EVEN DRIVE THE VAN ANYMORE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.

CHILD GOT TRAPPED IN THE REAR SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THE SEATBELT WAS UNLOCKED, BUT DID NOT RELEASE AND BECAME TIGHTER AS THE CHILD STRUGGLED WITH IT. IT WAS FINALLY CUT TO BE REMOVED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS, TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY REPROGRAMED THE COMPUTER. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.