1999 Ford Windstar complaints

CONCERNING: 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WITH WITH 59,000 MILES. RECENTLY OUR VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A STRANGE RUBBING SOUND WHEN TURNING AND RAPIDLY STARTED TO GET WORSE. WE TOOK OUR VAN INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND WERE TOLD THAT THE TIE ROD ENDS WERE SHOT. THE REPAIRMAN (AT FORD) TOLD US THAT WE ARE LUCKY WE GOT IT IN FOR SERVICE WHEN WE DID. APPARENTLY THE TIE RODS COULD HAVE BROKEN AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING! THE VAN IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE TIE RODS WOULD BE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MANUFACTURER CONCERN AND CERTAINLY A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO TRANSPORT THEIR FAMILIES IN A WINDSTAR! I'D LIKE TO SEE FORD COVER THE COST OF THIS REPAIR AND TELL ME WHY MY FAMILIES' SAFETY WAS PUT INTO JEOPARDY WHILE DRIVING SUCH A NEW VEHICLE.

STEERING RACK REPLACEMENT (COVERED UNDER WARRANTY). REPAIR OF LEAK IN INTAKE MANIFOLD (NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY).

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED @ 71,000 MILES, 3 1/2 YR OLD VEHICLE. REVERSE STILL WORKED, FORWARD GEARS ACTED AS THOUGH IN NEUTRAL.

PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF TOP OF 99 WINDSTAR. PRIMER IS STILL INTACT BUT THE PAINT WILL PEEL OFF IN BIG "HUNKS" AND NOW THERE IS A AREA OF APPROX 12"X4" THAT IS JUST PRIMER. THE RAIN GUTTER PAINT IS CRACKED AND WILL PEEL OFF SOON. FORD HOTLINE REFERS TO DEALER, DEALER SAYS IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. (OF COURSE IT HAPPENS RIGHT OUT OF WARRANTY.)

1999 FORD WINDSTAR RACK AND PINION FAILURE COULD NOT TURN VEHICLE CAME VERY CLOSE TO A COLLISION THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT ALSO THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING POWERSTEERING FLUID WHICH IS A FIRE HAZARD! FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTIFIED FORD ABOUT THE PREMATURE FAILURE AND THEY DONT SEEM TO CARE THAT SOMEONE COULD LOSE THIER LIVES OVER FORD PUTTING VEHICLES WITH FAULTY PARTS ON THE ROAD.

WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A RECURRING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONDITION. DEALER REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AT OUR EXPENSE (AT 48,000 MILES). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. VEHICLE IS NOW STALLING WHEN STOPPED OR AT SLOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS PARKING. ENGINE HAS A KNOCK/RATTLE AT OPEN THROTTLE. AT 53,000 MILES I FEEL AS THOUGH THE ENGING IS STARTING TO COME APART.

I OWN A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES THAT IS USED FOR PLEASURE PURPOSES ONLY. TWO DAYS AGO THE POWER STEERING UNIT COMMENCED HOWLING WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. YESTERDAY I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER IN ARCADIA. DURING THE DRIVE TO THE DEALER THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO STEER CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, WHEN THE SERVICE MAN AT THE DEALER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE STALL HE SAID THAT THE STEERING HAD FROZEN AND WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALER, AFTER CHECKING THE POWER STEERING UNIT, DECIDED THAT THE PUMP IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAD FAILED CAUSING COMPONENT PIECES TO PASS THROUGH THE SYSTEM CAUSING THE STEERING FAILURE.THE DEALER SAID THE REPAIR WOULD REQUIRE REPLACING THE PUMP AND ALL COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM AT A COST OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS. MY CONCERN IS THE STEERING COULD HAVE FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, FAILURE OF THE POWER STERRING UNIT AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE LEAVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS MIGHT BE A DEFECT IN OTHER CARS....THUS THE REPORT TO YOU. THE FORD DEALER'S TELEPHONE NUMBER IN ARCADIA IS 863 494 4848

THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ROOF OF THE VAN. WE FEEL ON A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD THIS KIND OF THING SHOULD NOT HAAPPEN, THE PRIMER IS SHOWING THROUGH. IN OCTOBER I TOOK THE VAN TOO GET IT LOOKED AT AND AT THAT TIME THE GENTLEMAN I TALKED TO SAID THE FORD REP. HAD TO SEE IT TO GIVE US AN ESTAMATE.WHEN THE REP. CAME TOO TOWN HE WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE ROOF. ALL WE WERE HOPING FOR WAS SOME HELP REPAIRING THE DAMAGE.MY HUSBAND ALSO TALKED TO THE PERSON WHO LEFT THE MESSAGE AND ALL WE ARE BEING TOLD IS THAT THE WARRENTY IS UP. I WAS WANDERING HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND HAVE NOT DISCOVERED IT YET, THE ONLY WAY WE SAW THE PAINT PROBLEM WAS WE LOOKED OUT OF MY INLAWS WINDOW AND SAW THAT THE PAINT WAS PEELLING OFF. THAT WAS IN OCTOBER2002 AND FORD NEVER LET US KNOW UNTIL JAN.2003 THAT IT WAS OUT OF WARRENTY AND THE REP.WASIN TOWN THAT DAY AND NEVER LOOKEDAT THE PROBLEM.

I PULLED OUT OF A RESTAURANT PARKING LOT INTO A ROADWAY MEDIAN SO I COULD MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. WE FELT A JOLT AND HEARD A LOUD "THUNK" SORT OF SOUND. THE ENGINE REVVED UP HIGH SUDDENLY, BUT WE WEREN'T MOVING MUCH. I LET OFF THE GAS. THE VAN ROLLED FOR A BIT, BUT ONCE WE STOPPED IT WOULDN'T GO ANY MORE. NO GEARS AT ALL. DEALER ADVISED WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. WARRENTY JUST EXPIRED. ONLY 43,000 MILES. I CALLED FORD AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS ALONG THE LINES OF "YEAH, THAT'S A REAL SHAME."

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE BRAKES IN MY 1999 WINDSTAR FAILED. BOTH OCCASIONS INVOLVED DAMAGE TO MY WINDSTAR. THE FIRST ACCIDENT OCCURED IN NOVEMBER 2002 AND IN THAT ACCIDENT TWO OTHER AUTOS WERE INVOLVED. IN BOTH ACCIDENTS THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE EVEN THOUGH I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES HARD. I TOLD THE DEALER (KOON'S FORD IN FALLS CHURCH, VA) ON BOTH OCCASIONS THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I FELT SO SCARED DRIVING MY WINDSTAR THAT I JUST TRADED IT IT AT A BIG LOSS (US$4,000 TRADE IN) FOR A NEW 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOA. I TOOK POSSESSION OF MY NEW AUTO TODAY 1/18/03). THE BRAKES SIMPLY DID NOT ENGAGE ON THESE TWO OCCASIONS. WHILE THEY WORKED FINE AT OTHER TIMES. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.

WATER LEAKS INTO THE SEAL OF THE REAR HATCHBACK CAUSING DAMAGE AND MOLD TO BUILD UP IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MUST BE REPLACED. PH

ACTUATOR MOTOR NOT WORKING; BROKE THE SWITCH DOOR. THIS OCCURRED DURING WINTER, UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS, FREEZING WEATHER, NO HEAT IN FRONT.

1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE DEALER INSTALLED UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKETS AND THE VALVE COVER GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JB

MY VAN WAS BARELY OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THE O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS A RESULT OF A BROKEN SENSOR WELD ON MY INTAKE MANIFOLD TO THE TUNE OF APPROX. $900. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE O/D OFF LIGHT MEANT THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $2,700. ALL THIS FOR BEING 1 MONTH AND 500 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. PLUS, I SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH FORD WINDSTARS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING AT 35,000 MILES AND 70,000 (TWICE) SO I SEE THAT I WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT ON THE TRANSMISSION... ALMOST LIKE THE DARNED THING IS DELIBERATELY DESIGNED TO CREATE A HUGE REPAIR BILL THE MOMENT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY.

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITH NO WARNING.DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING HER TO HAVE TO UNEXPECTEDLY PULL OVER. THE VAN ONLY HAS 35K MILES ON IT. WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AFTER SO FEW MILES. AFTER PERUSING THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE.

CONSUMER STATES THAT POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING FAST CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE INOPERABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SIDE DOORS DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. PH

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE'S STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE FILLED EVERY 30,000 MILES TO MAKE IT HOME. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK THE VEHICLE WILL JUMP OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT IS BIG NOISE , DUE TO A FAULTY POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

AUTOMATIC TRANMISSION FAILURE AT 29,131 MILES.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEARS WERE REDUCED TO METAL DUST. DT

Y

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A SEAL BLEW IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH CAUSED THE RACK AND PINION TO FAIL. TS

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SLIDDING DOORS. ALSO STATED THAT IF SHE OPENS THE DOOR WHILE THE CAR IS NOT RUNNING THE BATTERY WILL DIE ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NOT TO OPEN THE DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM BUT CAN NOT FIXED YET. TS

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE I CAME TO A STOP AT TRAFFIC SIGNAL. WHEN SIGNAL TURNED GREEN I HAD NO FORWARD VEHICLE ONLY MADE NOISES FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THIS INCIDENT OCCURED WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED ME AND MY FAMILY TO BE STRANDED ALSO RENDERING US WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 2 WEEKS. DT

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID CONSTANTLY LEAKS DIMINISHING ABILITY TO PROPER CONTROL VEHCILE WHILE DRIVING. MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE STEERING "SHIELD" FAILED CAUSING THE FLUID LOSS. MR

VERY LOUD GRINDING JET ENGINE SOUND WHEN TURNING AND ALSO WHEN JUST IDLING. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS BLACK WITH METAL CHIPS INDICATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PUMP OR RACK AND PINION. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY FLUSHED THE PUMP. THE NOISE WENT AWAY FOR ONE DAY AND ON MY WAY OUT OF TOWN, IT STARTED AGAIN CAUSING ME TO LOSE POWER STEERING. THE NOISE WAS TERRIBLE AND I COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ONE HOUR AWAY! I HAVE CHECKED AND THERE ARE 32 REPORTED CASES OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD DEFINATELY BE A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM! IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND NOTHING SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN DONE ABOUT IT! PLEASE CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET A RECALL DONE ON THIS! I AM NOW LOOKING AT PAYING MORE THAN $800 TO REPLACE A PART THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE! PLEASE HELP! DT

WHILE IN MOTION, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICE BY A TECHNICIAN. THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TS *JG

WHILE ACCELERATING AT SPEEDS OF 35 TO 40 THERE IS A KNOCKING PINGING NOISE, TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED A VACUUM HOSE. PROBLEM REOCCURED. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS OIL BEING CONSUMPT SOME WHERE IN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE DEFOGGER HEATER VENILATION BLOW OUT COLD AIR. THE BLEND DOOR ARM BROKE OFF THIS IS A PART OF THE HEATER BOX. CAUSING THE WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE TO FOG UP. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLES ENGINE SHUT DOWN. NO WARNING. NO INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATES THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDS REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

INTERMITTENTLY THE TURN SIGNALS (LEFT AND RIGHT) FAIL TO INDICATE THE DIRECTION THE VEHICLE WILL BE TURNING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE DASHBOARD COVER WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE ODOMETER ALSO STICKS AND ONCE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE OTHER GAUGES STICK AS WELL. THERE ARE NO A RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLES VIN NUMBER. *MR *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT WATER GETS UNDER THE HOOD OF VEHICLE IN RAINY CONDITIONS CAUSING SERPINTINE BELT TO COME OFF. RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES, POWER STEERING, ETC. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NO SUMMARY. DT

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND TURN EITHER WAY THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. TS

OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING ON AND OFF. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY LOW. DROVE 8 MILES TO AUTOMOTIVE STORE, PURCHASED FLUID AND REFILLED. PROBLEM ALLEVIATED FOR TWO DAYS, THEN OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AGAIN. DISCONNECTED BATTERY TO RESET SYSTEMS. TWO WEEKS LATER OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AGAIN. NOTICED RPMS WERE UP TO 3 AT 69 MPH. TOOK VAN TO OUR MECHANIC, WHO TOLD US THE OVERDRIVE WAS FAILING. HE THEN REFERRED US TO LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED THE OVERDRIVE WAS FAILING AND ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO TOLD US FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE UP TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION. THEY OFFERED NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. PRICE 1,800 FOR NEW TRANSMISSION, NOT INCLUDING LABOR. WHEN DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, ENGINE BEGAN STALLING AT LOW IDLE SPEEDS. ENGINE DIES DURING TAKE OFF OR ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS. OUR MECHANIC INSPECTED VAN AND COULD FIND NO ENGINE FAILURE PROBLEMS. SUSPECTS ASSOCIATION WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VAN IS HIGH MILAGE, BUT HAD 66,000 MILES WHEN WE BOUGHT IT IN 2000. HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH FORD WINDSTAR TRANSMISSIONS. IN READING SOME OF THE OTHER OWNERS' STORIES, I FEEL VERY LUCKY MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT SLOWLY AND GAVE US WARNING. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET KILLED BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE TO MAKE FORD CORRECT THE PROBLEM? CON

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IF WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SHIFT GEAR ON THE VEHICLE. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED TS

CONSUMERS NOTICE A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM STEERING AFTER MAKING TURNS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND NOTICE A HOSE NEED TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH NO WARNING. DT

PLASTIC FUEL INTAKE WAS DEFECTIVE REPLACED WITH METAL, SHOULD BE MADE WITH METAL. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL SHIMMY HEAVILY AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NO SUMMARY. DT

TRANSMISSION "LURCHED" INFREQUENTLY FROM DAY OF PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A WINDSTAR. TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN TRAFFIC. NO ACCIDENT OCCURED BUT EASILY COULD HAVE. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WITH WARNING THE IDLE GETS DISCONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND BECAMES INOPERATIVE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

MASSIVE POWERSTEERING /RACK AND PINION LEAK , DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ANY SPEED. MR

BAD IRMC, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A $200 DEDUCTIBLE, THEN VAN HAD TO GO BACK TO SHOP (ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON) NOW OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR SHAFT IS BAD , THAT WILL BE ANOTHER $200 DEDUCTIBLE/UNABLE TO AFFORD A RENATL CAR DUE TO REPAIRS... TS