1999 Ford Windstar complaints

NO SUMMARY

HORN DOES NOT WORK UNLESS YOU HIT IT WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER. MULTIPLE NEAR ACCIDENT MISSES.

WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE BECAUSE OF GASOLINE USAGE. ALSO, THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE REAR WINDOW, AND WATER CAME THOUGH AND RUINED THE CARPET.*AK

THE REAR SEATBELTS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE CRACKED WHEN INSTALLING CAR SEATS, IT HAS HAPPENED TO EACH SIDE ONCE, REPORTED TO FORD, NO REPLY, REPLACED BY DEALER. I SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BREAK THIS PIECE PUTTING IN A CAR SEAT AND TIGHTENING IT. OTHER PROBEM, SEVERAL TIMES VEHICLE HAS DIED AT A STOP IN MAJOR INTERSECTIONS AND THEN WILL NOT RE-START, WILL TURN OVER BUT NOT FIRE, LIKE IT IS OUT OF GAS. HAD IT INTO DEALER TWICE AND THEY SAY THEY CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM.

CONSUMER NOTICED CONTINENTAL GENERAL TIRES WERE LOSING AIR, DEALER INSPECTED THAT TIRES WERE CRACKING BETWEEN THE TREADS, DIVITS WERE ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, AND TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

HORN BUTTON IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND ON STEERING/AIRBAG. YOU HAVE TO PRESS VERY HARD IN A SMALL AREA ONLY IN THE CENTER. IN AN EMERGENCY, I'M SURE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT AND AN AVOIDABLE ACCIDENT COULD HAPPEN. *AK

BRAKES FADE ALMOST RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS DUE TO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. *SLC

POWER STEERING UNDER CARRIDGE WENTOUT WHICH TAKEN THE POWER STEERING TO THE WHEEL. VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR PARTS. *AK THE STEREO SYSTEM FAILED. BRAKE MAKES GRINDING NOISE. THE REAR DOOR LIGHT KEEPS FALLING DOWN WHENEVER THE DOOR CLOSED.

THE PAINT ON THE ROOF IS PEELING OFF AND I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO THE FORD DEALER A TOTAL THREE TIMES AND IT ONLY LASTS FOR A FEW MONTHS AND STARTS TO PEEL OFF AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING NUMBER IS THE CASE NUMBER FROM FORD MANUFACTURING: TRACKING ID: KMM348947C0KM CASE ID: 101425. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, IMPACT SPEED OVER 40 MPH IN WHICH NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES TO THREE OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE. *AK

TRAVELLING AT APPROX. 43 MPH SPEED AND APPLIED BRAKE. VEHICLE ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AS IT SUPPOSED TO DO AND CAUSED AUTO ACCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT, VEHICLE HAD ONLY 2 PERSON, IF THE MINI VAN WAS FULLY LOADED WITH MAX. WT., RESULT COULD BE MUCH WORSE. TRIED TO TEST THE BRAKE AGAIN ON A STRAIGHT ASPHALTED HIGHWAY UNDER THE SAME SPEED AND CONDITION, PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE ACCELERATE FIRST AND THEN SLOW DOWN TO STOP IN LONG DISTANCE. *AK

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - PROBLEM BEGAN WITH SOME"ROUGH" SHIFTS, NOTICEABLE AT 20 AND 40 MPH. WHEN WENT TO MERGE ONTO TOLLWAY, CAR WAS UNABLE TO GO ABOVE 40 MPH, UNTIL AS I WAS ABOUT TO PULL OVER, CAR JERKED AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH CAR THEN, SO MADE APPOINTMENT AT DEALERSHIP. IT HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR 2 WEEKS WAITING FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. DRIVER SLIDING DOOR DOESN'T ALWAYS WANT TO CLOSE. TRY TO CLOSE, AND IT EITHER CLICKS, OR CLOSES A COUPLE OF INCHES AND THEN REOPENS. SHAKE CAR, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL CLOSE. IT IS AT DEALERSHIP FOR THE 4TH TIME, IN HOPES OF A REPAIR. WHAT HAPPENS IF CAN'T CLOSE DOOR AT ALL? CAN'T DRIVE CAR FULL OF LITTLE KIDS WITH DOOR OPEN. FUEL PUMP WOULDN'T WORK, CAR HAD TO BE TOWED FROM A PARKING LOT. NO PRIOR WARNING TO THIS PROBLEM, WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING?

CONSUMER WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WENT TO TAKE OFF, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND WORKED FOR FORD, AND DETERMINED IT WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. *AK VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE IN DRIVE GEARS DUE TO METAL PRESENCE IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. *YH

INTERMITTENTLY AUTOMATIC SLIDE DOOR WILL MALFUNCTIONED AND OPENED ON ITS OWN. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE THREE TIMES.*AK

TREAD SEPERATED FROM TIRE. I HAD DEALER REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES. THIS SIZE SHOULD BE ADDED TO YOUR TIRE WARNING LIST. I AM USING THESE TIRES ON A 1973 DODGE W-200 PICKUP WITH A LARGE CAMPER AT FULL 8,000 LB CAPACITY.( DOT NUMBER: VDXF/WBU/3 TIRE SIZE: 33X12.5R16 )

ABRUPT TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS - FAILED TO ENGAGE FORWARD OR REVERSE.

WHILE TURNING INTO PARKING LOT PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR OPENED, AND PASSENGER FELL OUT. CONSUMER FELT THAT LOCKS ON THE DOOR DID NOT STAY LOCKED WHEN POWER LOCKS HAVE BEEN APPLIED. IF PULLING ON THE LATCH AND AUTOMATIC LOCK WAS ON, DOOR WILL OPEN. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE. *AK

UPON APPROACHING A STATE HIGHWAY FROM A SIDE STREET AT LESS THAN 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL ON THIS VAN WAS PUSHED BUT DID NOT RESPOND. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT THE VAN WOULD NOT STOP. I PUSHED IT DOWN 2 TIMES AND NEITHER TIME DID THE BRAKES WORK, THOUGH I DID HEAR A "RATTLING" NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE ABS SYSTEM WAS TRYING TO KICK IN. I LOOKED UP QUICKLY AND SINCE NO ONE WAS COMING FROM EITHER DIRECTION, I JUST WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOPPING. COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING! WE CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT, BUT SAID THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE VAN'S BRAKING SYSTEM, SO NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THEY ALSO SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING ON FORD'S COMPUTER RECORDS OF THIS EVER HAPPENING BEFORE IN A FORD WINDSTAR. BUT IN CHECKING YOUR WEBSITE, WE FOUND THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS! WE'RE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT IS FIXED---COULD HAPPEN AGAIN ANYTIME (WHO KNOWS??) AND THE RESULTS COULD BE TRAGIC THE NEXT TIME.

WHEN VEHICLE WOULD BE RUN AND THEN SHUT OFF, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START IMMEDIATELY, THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. *SLC

GRINDING NOISE WHICH IS IN TIME WITH THE TIRE ROTATION, DEALER IS ASSUMING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED YET. *MJS

ENTIRE ELE FAILURE, NO STEERING ABILITY ALMOST HIT BY TRUCK FOLLOWING BEHIND IN RAIN, FORD SAYS THEY ARE AWARE AND NO RECALL AS YET

CONSUMER PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD TO A VEGETABLE STAND AND VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FIRE WAS FOUND TO HAVE RESULTED FROM FAULTY COOLING LINES, CLAIM 59-V539-348. *SLC

POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT, MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING AFTER THREE TIMES FAILURE. *YH

ENGINE KNOCK WHEN ANY TYPE OF LOAD IS APPLIED TO THE ENGINE. MOST PREVALENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HILLS. *AK

CONSUMER HAS A FEW PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE & IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES. THE SLIDING DOOR DOESN'T SHUT COMPLETELY & THE STEERING HAS A NOISE FROM THE INSIDE AROUND THE DASHBOARD. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO REMEDY.*AK

FILED FOR LEMON LAW GOING TO ARBITRATION. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

HOSE WAS REPLACED AT LEE JARMON FORD IN CARROLLTON, TX (DIFFERENT FROM PURCHASED DEALER GIVEN ABOVE) IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FAILED POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACEMENT. HOSE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SENT FROM ANOTHER DEALER. HOSE HAS BUILT IN BEND CAUSING IT TO CONTACT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHEN INSTALLED AND FAIL DUE TO HEAT. FAILED HOSE LEAKED FLUID ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER DIRECTLY BELOW AND FIRE RESULTED. DUE TO PROXIMITY TO A LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE USED TO PUT IT OUT IMMEDIATELY. A 2ND HOSE OBTAINED FROM FORD HAS SAME BEND. LEE JARMON HAS REPLACED WITH 2ND HOSE AND RESTRAINED WITH NYLON CABLE CLAMPS FROM CONTACTING EXHAUST. I HAVE ADVISED TO USE STAINLESS STEEL CLAMP SINCE PROXIMITY OF EXHAUST WILL FAIL NYLON CLAMPS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH WILL RESULT IN A FIRE TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO HAS A POWER STEERING HOSE REPLACED. MY WIFE AND 3 YEAR OLD WERE SAVED BY OUTSIDE OBSERVERS AND THE VEHICLE SAVED ONLY BY LUCK AND QUICK ACTING CAR REPAIR SHOP EMPLOYEES.

WHILE DRIVING OR CLOSING BOTH SLIDING DOOR, SLIDING DOOR WOULD POP BACK OPEN/AND NOT CLOSING THE DOORS PROPERLY. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, BUT SUGGESTED TO BY A NEW 2000 WINDSTAR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN OR STOPPED CONSUMER APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY UP TO 4 FEET, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

PASSENGER'S REAR MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONS WHEN A CSS IS BUCKLED. A WEEK LATER, SEAT BELT WILL UNBUCKLE, WHICH WON'T RESTRAINT CSS PROPERLY. DEALER IS REPLACING THE BUCKLE. *AK

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH ACTIVATING THE HORN WHEN NEEDED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ALL 99 MODELS HAVE THE SAME DESIGN AND MEET FMVSS SPECIFICATIONS. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO AIR BAG IN HORN AND FIXING IT IS PRESENTLY NOT POSSIBLE. *YH

FRONT AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK PLUNGER WILL LOCK DOWN. BUT IF CONSUMER HAS ARM LYING AGAINST IT ,IT WILL ALSO PULL IN SKIN WITH IT DOWN INTO THE HOLE, CAUSING INJURIES AND LACERATIONS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS A THE STOP LIGHT AND WHILE TURNING RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER'S WHEEL FELL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT WHEEL LUGS: NUTS WERE TOO TIGHT, AND ALL FIVE WERE SEVERED.*AK

DOOR WAS INADVERTENTLY CLOSED ON CHILDS ARM

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH REAR WINDSHIELD GLASS SHATTERED INTO PIECES INSIDE OF VEHICLE WITHOUT A REASON. *AK

WHEN PUTTING GEAR IN REVERSE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT GEAR BACK INTO PARK TO RESHIFT. CONSUMER STATED THAT GEARS OPERATED ROUGHLY. *AK

STEERING WHEEL WAS MAKING NOISE WHILE TURNING. ALSO, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. *ML

THE VEHICLE'S SEAT BELTS DO NOT LOCK. YH

SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. INTERMITTENTLY IT WOULD PROP ITSELF BACK OPEN. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER'S SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. DOORS ARE ELECTRONICALLY OPERATED, CANNOT OPERATE DOOR WITHOUT VEHICLE STARTED. *AK *ML

WHILE PULLING UP INTO DRIVEWAY, GOING SLOWLY, APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP, IT CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR. CONTACTED DEALER. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT ABS BRAKES WERE OKAY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE BACK WINDOW SHATTERED TWICE, FELT LIKE AN EXPLOSION. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, GLASS FELL INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE IN. *AK

THE HORN IS NOT SENSITIVE ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE BY PRESSING, REQUIRES EXCESSIVE EFFORT. YH

I CONTACTED FORD CORP. 3 EDITIONS OF OWNERS MANUAL SAYS 99 WINDSTAR COMES WITH AUTO.LOCK.RETRACTORS ON THE 3 PT SEATBELTS... (HOW MANY 99 WINDSTARS ARE ON THE ROAD?) FORD SALES INFORMATION BOOK (WHICH EVERY SALESMEN GETS) SAYS ALR IS STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON 99 WINDSTAR. (HOW MANY DEALERSHIPS & HOW MANY SALESMEN, NOT TO MENTION MGMT?) THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS T H I N K THEY HAVE THIS SAFETY FEATURE AND ITS NOT THERE (BUT IT'S IN WRITING... IN THEIR OWNERS MANUAL). FORD WON'T CHANGE THE BELT RETRACTOR FOR ME. PLEASE RESPOND. PS I WAS TOLD BY FORD ENGINEER TO"DISREGARD BIGBIRD SAFETY CARD. ALR'S DID NOT APPLY TO MY CAR." THEY WOULDN'T EVEN SEND ME ANYTHING THAT MY EXISTING SEATBELTS ARE SAFE AND PROPERLY WORKING... I GUESS PUTTING IT IN WRITING MEANS NOTHING.. SO MUCH FOR FORD MEANS SAFETY FIRST. *AK

RIGHT SIDE REAR SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE. NLM

THE POWER STEERING WAS MAKING ALL KINDS NOISES, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, STEERNG WAS REAL TOUGH. VAN WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *ML

VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE & VIBRATED AS THOUGH IT WAS OUT OF POWER . DEALER HAS INSPECTED IT & HAS BLED THE LINE, AND THAT DIDN'T HELP. DEALER HASN'T BEEN TELLING CONSUMER THAT FORD WAS WORKING ON A SOLUTION. CONSUMER HAS BEEN CALLING DEALER TO SEE IF SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND. *AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO HIS VEHICLE AND REARENDED HIM. HE DROVE TOWARDS THE SHOULDER, AND FRONTAL AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED DOOR WOULD OPEN WITHOUT INDICATION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF. *AK

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE JUMPED FROM PARK TO REVERSE, PINNING MY HUSBAND AGAINST A TREE AND THREW HIM TO THE GROUND AND PROCEEDED THROUGH THE FRONT OF OUR CLOSED GARAGE. *AK