1999 Ford Windstar complaints

VEHICLE HAS SUBSTANTIAL DELAYED START CONDITION DUE TO DEFECT. YH

AN INTERNAL LEAK IS CAUSING BUBBLES WITHIN POWER STEERING, AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF DEFECT, BUT CANNOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON AND IN PARK, THERE WAS LOUD POPPING NOISE, AND CAR APPARENTLY ENGAGED IN GEAR AND PROCEEDED TO GO OUT OF THE GARAGE, DRAGGING MS DAVIS . CAR WENT SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET AND THEN STOPPED ON AN INCLINE. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STILL ON, AND THE INDICATOR SHOWED IN PARK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SUGGESTED TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHEN USING THE POWER BUTTON TO CLOSE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR, IT DOESN'T CLOSE ALL THEY WAY. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

THE DESIGN OF THE HORN BUTTON IS TO SMALL TO BE SEEN FOR EMERGENCY USE. YH

THE GRACO INFANT CAR SEAT/CARRIER, MODEL# 8458 HH, WILL NOT ATTACH SAFELY TO THE CAR SEAT BASE WHEN THE UPPER POSITION SHOULDER STRAP LOCATIONS ARE USED TO SECURE THE INFANT. WHEN THE UPPER SHOULDER STRAP LOCATION SLOTS ARE USED, THE STRAPS ARE JOINED BY A METAL JUNTION TO THE TIGHTENING STRAP, FORMING A "Y". BECAUSE THE SHOULDER STRAPS ARE TOO SHORT, EVEN WHEN USED WITH A SMALL INFANT (<13 LBS) AND WITHOUT BULKY CLOTHING, THIS JUNCTION PIECE AND THE "Y" FORMED BY THE TWO SHOULDER STRAPS AND THE TIGHTENING STRAP INTERFERE WITH THE MAIN LATCH MECHANISM TO THE CAR SEAT BASE. THE RESULT IS THAT THE CAR SEAT CAN APPEAR TO BE LOCATED IN THE SEAT BASE PROPERLY, BUT UNLATCHED. FURTHERMORE, DUE TO THE INTERFERENCE OF THE STRAPS AND THE LATCH MECHANISM, THE SHOULDER STRAPS BECOME DISPLACED TO ONE SIDE OF THE LATCH HOUSING/PROTRUSION UNDERNEATH THE CAR SEAT. THIS RESULTS IN UNEVEN TENSION ON THE SHOULDER STRAPS SECURING THE CHILD IN THE SEAT -- I.E., ONE SHOULDER STRAP IS TIGHT WHILE THE OTHER IS LOOSE. THE MODEL OF THE GRACO INFANT CAR SEAT IS 8458 HH, SERIAL # IS MM0519990643, MANUFACTURE DATE: 05199, SHOULDER STRAPS NUMBER F12217, LOT ID 175191-02, 263630, APR 99 (AS SHOWN ON THE TAG). I CONTACTED GRACO AT THEIR CUSOMTER ASSISTANCE PHONE NUMBER (888 224-6549) ON 10/25/99. THE GRACO REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE "AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM" AND THEY BELIEVED THEY WERE "WORKING ON IT" BUT SHE HAD NO INFORMATION ON WHETHER OR NOT A SERVICE/REPLACEMENT PART(S) WOULD BE MADE AVAIL

WHILE FILLING THE GAS TANK FIRE STARTED TO COME UP FROM THE OPENING, AROUND THE GAS NOZZLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE IDENTICAL ON ALL MODELS COMING IN, INCLUDING THE EXPEDITION. THE HORN DOES NOT WORK AND THEY "CANNOT FIX IT."

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1. STEERING COLUMN OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STEERING; 2. POWER STEERING PUMP MAKING GRINDING SOUNDS WHEN ENGINE IS COLD AND, INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN THE ENGINE GETS HOT; 3. ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD FOGGING UP AND DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLE;. 4. BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BEFORE STOPPING, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE; AND 5. A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

SLIDING DOOR WILL OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IT WILL ALSO STICK, AND WILL NOT CLOSE, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEFECT. HAD TIGHTENED AND CLEANED DOOR ASSEMLY. BUT DEFECT STILL OCCURS.

REAR DOME LAMP FAILED. NLM

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A LOUD SOUND. AND VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. THEN TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE AGAIN THE SAME NOISE & THEN IT WOULD JERK. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF NOISE. *AK

GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE ON AN INCLINE, TRANSMISSION GRATES AND DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO GEAR, VALVES RATTLE WHEN ACCELERATING, VAN ACCELERATES UP TO 20 MPH WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL, POPPING SOUND IN STEERING WHEN TURNING, MAKES GRINDING SOUND WHEN ACCELERATING, DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX PROBLEMS, ALSO REAR SLIDING DOOR WAS IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COLOR FROM THE REST OF THE INTERIOR, ENGINE VIBRATION.

HORN IS VERY HARD TO DEPLOY; SWEET SPOT TOO SMALL AND REQUIRES EXCESSIVE EFFORT. CANNOT BE USED QUICKLY. FORD CORPORATE REFUSED TO RESPOND TO MY WORRIES ABOUT THIS. ALSO SEATBACK LEVER SPRINGS MIDDLE SEATS BACK SO HARD I HAVE BEEN WHACKED IN THE HEAD SO HARD I SAW STARS.

SLIDING DOOR LATCH DOES NOT CLOSE DOOR PROPERLY. MJS

WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING, TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND JERKS INTO GEAR.

HORN VERY HARD TO ACTIVATE. VERY HARD TO LOCATE "SWEET SPOT" WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN AT STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATION.

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN GEAR, A LOUD METAL-TO-METAL "CLUNKING" NOISE IS HEARD FROM TRANSMISSION. DEALER SAYS IN NORMAL.

HORN REQUIRES EXTREME FORCE TO OPERATE. PASS REAR SLIDING DOOR, INSIDE PANEL RUBS AGAINST REAR FENDER SCRATCHING SURFACE.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

REAR AND THE MIDDLE SHOULDER SEAT BELTS GET TIGHT ON THE CONSUMERS WHEN PUTTING THE SEAT BELTS ON. CONSUMER HAVE TO KEEP TAKING THE SEAT BELT OFF AND KEEP PUTTING BACK ON BECAUSE EVERYTIME HE MOVES THE SEAT BELT GETS TIGHTER. *AK

GEAR WAS PUT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TAKE OFF WITH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AND RUN INTO A CREEK. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE RUNAWAY ACCELERATION PROBLEM HAS BEEN DETECTED THREE (3) MORE TIMES SINCE ORIGIONAL REPORT TO FORD DEALER (TOTAL 4 AS OF 09/15/99). PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED THREE (3) TIMES WITH TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND ONE (1) TIME IN REVERSE POSITION.

THE INTERNALLY MOUNTED LATCH LOST ALL (3) SCREWS WHICH FASTEN IT TO THE DOOR CAUSING THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR TO FAIL. *YC

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING DRIVER'S FOOT TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO STOP. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS APPLIED VEHICLE HESITATES. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, IT WILL SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK. THE DEFECET HAS REOCCURED AGAIN WITHIN 6 WEEKS OF THE REPAIR. NOW DLR STATES CANNOT FIND CAUSE.*ET

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. SUMMER GRADE GAS PRESSURE BILLS UP INTO THE GAS TANK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

THE PIECE THAT ATTACHES THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TO THE DRIVERS DOOR IS SO LARGE THAT IT CREATES POOR VISIBILITY, CONSUMER ALMOST HIT PEOPLE DUE TO DESIGN. MJS

BOTH REAR SLIDING DOORS HAVE FAILED, DEALER REQUESTED WE DRIVE VEHICLE TO SHOP WITH REAR DOORS OPENED

POWER SLIDING DOORS DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. SOMETIMES THE DOORS WILL JAM LEAVING YOU UNABLE TO OPEN OR CLOSE IT.

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW HAS TOO MUCH WIND TURBULENCE ,EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE WHEN DRIVEN OVER 40 MPH,CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO DRIVER.DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NO SOLUTION. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER 'SSIDE DOOR LATCH BROKE DUE TO THE BOLT THAT WASN'T PUT IN THE DOOR. *AK

FRAME STARTED TO PULL APART AFTER TOWING A TRAILER. DEALER WANTED TO WELD THE FRAME. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF HORN WHICH HAS A DELAYED REACTION WHEN NEEDED. CONFIRMED THIS IN TWO DIFFEERENT VEHICLES ( SAME MODEL AND YEAR). SEEKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK * MJS

SEATBACK SPRING IS TOO STRONG. THE SEATBACK SWINGS FORWARD WHEN HANDLE IS PULLED. DEALER AWARE OF PROBLEM. CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM., AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.ALSO, HORN IN CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL, CENSOR IN HORN IS TOO SMALL, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN USE OF HORN. PROVIIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FUEL PUMP GAVE OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING IN TRAFFIC. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

DESIGN OF LEFT REAR DOOR CUP HOLDER INADEQUATE, A 2 1/2 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE CUP HOLDER OUT AND PUT A DRINKING CUP IN THE HOLE CAUSING THE CUP TO FALL INTO THE DOOR (WALL). *YC

I BOUGHT A FORD WINDSTAR LX IN JUNE 4/99,SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THAT THE STEERING WHEELS SHAKES AND CURRENT IN MY RIGHT LEG WHEN THE SPEED IS ABOUT 70 MILES/HR. FOR 3 TIMES I WENT TO THE DEALER ,BUT THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG IN IT .

SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE KEEPS POPPING OPEN. HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING & THE DOOR WOULD CHIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES. IT'S VERY HARD TO CLOSE ONCE IT HAS POPPED OPEN. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE DOOR WORKS JUST FINE. *AK

PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT STAY OPEN ON AN INCLINE. DOOR WILL STAY OPEN FOR A WHILE BUT WHEN A PASSENGER ENTERS THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR RELEASES AND CLOSES ON THE PASSENGER. THIS IS A DANGEROUR CODITION WHICH COULD INJURE AN ADULT OR KILL A CHILD. THE SAME PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR. DEALER UNABLE TO REPAIR SINCE THE RAISED SECTION ON THE BOTTOM RAIL IS A FACTORY BODY STAMPING. A REVIEW BY THE DEALER NOTED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE RAISED AREA WAS HIGHER THAN THE PASSENGER SIDE. *AK

AFTER GAS CAP WAS REPLACED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED DO TO THE SENSITIVITY OF THE WARNING SYSTEM. NLM

LOCATION OF CUP HOLDER ON FLOOR ATTACHED TO MIDDLE SEAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO TRIP & FALL OUT OF VAN. MANAGER OF DEALERSHIP INFORMED OWNER NO PROBLEM WITH CUP HOLDER. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AT LEAST 4 TIMES. *AK

THIS WAS NOT A DEFECT ACCORDING TO FORD- THE AUTOMATIC DOORS DID NOT KICK BACK AND CLOSED ON MY HAND. FORD IS STATING THAT THEY ONLY KICK BACK WITH EQUAL WEIGHT- THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE I AM AN ADULT AND A CHILD'S HAND CAN BE CRUSHED IF IN THE WAY OF THE CLOSING DOORS.

THE HORN DOES SOUND EASILY WHEN PUSHING ON THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. OFTEN THE HORN FAILS TO SOUND. THE TECHNICIANS AT MY FORD DEALER SAID THAT IT IS LIKE THE OTHER WINDSTARS. ALSO THE DESIGN IS DANGEROUS REQUIRING MOVING THE HAND FROM THE RIM OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE CENTER. IF ONLY ONE HAND IS AVAILABLE FOR USE, MOST OF THE CONTROL IS LOST WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SOUND THE HORN. ALSO IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY, THEN A DISLOCATED SHOULDER OR BROKEN ARM IS LILELY TO RESULT. ON THE FORD TAURUS THE HORN CAN BE RELIABLY SOUNDED WITH A THUMB WITHOUT MOVING THE HAND FROM THE OUTER RIM OF THE WHEEL. THIS ALSO LEAVES THE HAND AND ARM OUT OF THE WAY IN THE EVENT THE AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY. THE DESIGN OF THE HORN CONTROL ON THE WINDSTAR IS POOR AND DANGEROUS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WHEN TRANSMISSION JUMPED GEARS, GOING FORWARD ON ITS OWN. THE DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION . MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

THE DESIGN OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER/HEAT SHIELD IS SUCH THAT IT VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS VIBRATION PERMEATES THROUGH THE FLOOR AS A NUISANCE NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK

BOTH REAR SLIDING DOORS ARE NOT STABLE WHEN MOVED TO FULLY OPEN POSITION, ESPECIALLY ON ROADS/DRIVEWAYS WHERE THERE IS A DECLINE. IN FOUR CASES OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH APPROX. A 15% DECLINE. I OPENED THE DOOR FOR MY SON AND IT "LOCKED" IN THE FULLY OPENED POSITION. HOWEVER, IN ONE INSTANCE HE WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DOOR CLOSED AND LODGED HIS HEAD BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE FRAME OF THE VEHILCE. HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. SIMILAR THINGS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.. WE ARE RENTING THE VEHICLE FROM ENTERPRISE. I BELIVE THAT A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION EXISTS AND SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE INVESIGAGTED. WE HAVE RENTED OTHER MINIVANS IN THE PAST, AND ALL HAVE HAD ACTIVE LOCKING MECHANISMS WHERE THE HANDLE HAD TO BE LIFTED TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THE WINDSTAR RELIES ON A SIMPLE DETENTE WHICH IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR VEHICLES ON DECLINES. *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH FOLLOWING PARTS: 1. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN LOWER SPEED; 2. STEERING WOULD MAKE A POPPING NOISE ONLY IN WET CONDITIONS, AND 3. STARTER WOUD GRIND WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE PARKED ON A HILL WITH EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE ACTIVATED. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY, ALMOST RAN OVER THE OCCUPANT AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE CAME WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SEATBELT THAN WHAT IT WAS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.THE MANUAL STATED THAT VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE THE AUTOMATIC RETRACTABLE SEATBELT. *AK