1996 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

FORD IS COMING UP WITH SOME TYPE OF RE-EMBURSEMENT FOR THE 1995 WINDSTARS BUT HOW ABOUT THE 1996 WINDSTARS. WE ARE HAVING THE SAME HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS AS THE 1995S. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

SPEEDOMETER VERY ERRATIC, GOING 55 WILL SHOW 90 TO 100. AT 40 WILL SPIKE AT 60 NO WAY OF KNOWING TRUE SPEED. TO ME A DEFINITE HAZARD.

PARKING BRAKE DID NOT RELEASE COMPLETELY. NO WARNING LIGHT ON. LEVER DOWN. BURNED UP ALL 4 BRAKES AND CAR WOULD NOT STOP. *AK

WE HAD TO REPLACE OUR TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE TELL ME ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD 1996 WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION: THREE OWNERS IN THE VIRGINA AREA, FOUR OWNERS IN THE MARYLAND AREA, THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED HE WORKS ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS ALL THE TIME WHICH I ALSO HEARD FROM AN AMOCO SHOP

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING STALLING AND HESITATION WHILE DRIVING WHICH MAY RESULTIN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEEL RIM LEAKED AIR. YH

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT VEHICLE INTO GEAR IT DOESN'T SHIFTING PROPERLY. ALSO, ABS LIGHT IS ON, AND THERE ARE NO ABS BRAKES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES FOR REPAIR SERVICE, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMIE THE CAUSE. *AK

I WAS AT A STOP SIGH ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A MAJOR HIGHWAY,IT HESISTATED LIKE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON, GOT 2-3 FEET IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH TRUCK RIGHT BEHIND ME (COULDN'T BACK UP)AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO IN DRIVE. I FINALLY GOT IT TO COAST TO PARKING LOT. TOOK VEHICLE IN TO FORD AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, IT HAD METAL ALL THROUGH IT. WHICH I SAID WITH THIS MILEAGE AND NO WARNING AT ALL. HIS REPLY WAS HE HADN'T SEEN IT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN (OFTEN INDICATEDS ITS HAPPENING AND THIS IS ONLY ONE FORD PLACE)AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. KEEP IN MIND I'M A 48 YEAR OLD DRIVER WITH NO TICKETS OR WRECKS, I DON'T ABUSE A VEHICLE AND THIS IS MY FOURTH FORD (NOT VAN)IT WAS VERY HAZARDOUS NOT TO SAY HORRIFYING.

WHEN TURNING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE WIPERS DON'T WORK,UPON TURNING ON THE WASHERS THEY WORK. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE GAS BEING PUSHED,AND ALSO DECELERATED OWN ITS OWN.DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM FOR THE SECOND TIME. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE, AND THEREFORE COULD NOT REPAIR. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS BUILT WITH AN ALUMINUM CYLINDER PISTON THAT LOSES FORWARD LINE PRESSURE AND TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE. VEHICLE CAN SLIP INTO NEUTRAL AT ANY TIME. A LOCAL DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 5 OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS A YEAR. THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FROM FORD IS BUILT WITH A STEEL CYLINDER PISTON TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HEAD ON COLLISION IF YOU TRIED PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION WITH ALUMINUM PISTON.

LAST YEAR MY SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO MAKE A WHIZZING SOUND AND WOULD JUMP ERACTICALLY. SO, I TOOK IT TO FORD AND THEY STATED THAT IT MIGHT BE A SPEED SENSOR OR THE ACTUAL GEAR BEHIND THE DASH. I HAD THE GEAR MODULE CHANGED IN 99, TWICE, I WENT TO A PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED SPEEDO MECHANIC. THEN, CLOSE TO THE YEAR, AFTER THE REPAIR, THIS SPEEDO BEGAN DOING THE SAME THING. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE FORD SERVICE DEPT, THEY WANTED TO CHECK EVERYTHING FROM THE CABLES, THE SENSOR AND EVEN THE DRIVE GEAR. I WENT TO MY MECHANIC WHICH HAS WORKED FOR FORD, AND ALL OF THESE THINGS WERE CHANGED, AND THE DRIVE GEARS WERE INSPECTED AND THEY WERE FINE. SO, I CALLED ANOTHER FORD SERVICE TECH, AND HE TOLD ME THAT YES, THEY HAD BEEN HAVING ALOT OF INCIDENTS WITH THESE SPEEDO'S, AND THAT THE SPEEDO WOULD HAVE TO CHANGED AGAIN. THIS HAS ALL COST ME A FORTUNE AND TO BOOT, THEY INCREASED THE PART, KNOWING THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE ONE. I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY, AND THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT HELP SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON THISVEHICLE. THIS HAS GOTTEN SO OUT OF HAND, THAT I HAVE HAD TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOMS HAVING CHEST PAINS AND AM TAKING SEDATIVES.......I HAVE ALSO CHECKED THE INTERNET AND IT IS FILLED WITHT HE SAME SITUATIONS.... I AM SCARED THAT A POLICE OFFICER WILL STOP ME, THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND DO NOT WORK... PLEASE HELP US..*AK

SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 60MPH. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 9/99. SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE, 2 DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED. FRED BEANS FORD HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE AND REMEDY PROBLEM. MANUFACTURE OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE.

DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET THAT FORD IS REFUSING TO REPAIR. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, WHILE APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE HESISTATED AND LUNGED FORWARD WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER HAD REPLACED TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. ALSO,DEALER REPLACED COIL AND A SPARK PLUGS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. DEALER COULD NT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THIS SPEEDO PROBLEM IS A GREAT SAFETY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AND PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. A DRIVER MAY THINK HE IS DRIVING AT A CERTAIN SPEED AND HE MAY INFACT BE EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT OR HINDERING DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. THIS PUTS DRIVERS AT RISK.

EA 96-026, WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS AND COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, EXPERIENCED BRAKES FADING AWAY WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER UNSURE IF PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

MANUFACTURER HAS RECALLED '95 WINDSTARS FOR FAULTY HEAD GASKET AND NOT '96 EVEN THOUGH SAME DESIGN, MATERIALS AND POINT OF ASSEMBLY. *AK

TH SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT ACCURATELY SHOW THE SPEED. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS, ESPCIALLY WITH MY TEENAGE DRIVER. JOHNSON FORD IS CHARGING $333.00 FOR THE PART ALONE WHICH INCIDENTLY CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED AT FORD DEALERS. I FEEL THAT A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD WORK. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY25MPH VEHICLE IN FRONT STOP SUDDENLY, AND CONSUMER REAR ENDED IT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND BURSTED OPEN WHICH BURNED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CONSUMER'S FACE. *AK

SPEEDOMETER JUMPS ERRATICALLY AFTER 40 MPH; ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN, WITH VARIOUS DIAGNOSES THAT SEEM TO ONLY FIX THE PROBLEM FOR AWHILE; WE HAVE PAID ALMOST $1000 IN REPAIRS SO FAR, NONE OF IT UNDER WARRANTY, PER THE DEALER. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTL/SIMUTANEOUSLY COME ON AND CAUSE LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRACTICALLY, PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE,ALSO THE POWER WINDOWS WERE INOPERATIVE.*SLC

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINING ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN THE DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

THE TRANSMISSION COMPONENT THAT THE DEALER BELIEVES HAS FAILED IS THE THRUST PISTON. MY RESEARCH ON WINDSTAR MINI-VANS HAS SHOWN THIS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR 1995 MODELS. IT THEREFORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED IN MY 1996 MODEL BUT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT.

NO SUMMARY.

TRANSMISSION FAILED 15,401 MILES AFTER IT HAD BEEN REPLACED. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO COVER REPLACEMENT SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY EVEN THOUGH FAILURE IS THE SAME AS THE PRIOR FAILURE. FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED AT 30,218 MILES AND SECOND OCCURRED AT 45,619.

THE SPEEDOMETER GIVES FAULTY READINGS AT ALL SPEEDS. THE NEEDLE SPINS RAMDOMLY, AND THERE IS THE SOUND SIMILAR TO A BAD BALL BEARING UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASHBOARD. I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, SINCE NEARLY EVERY OWNER OF A 1995 - 1997 WINDSTAR THAT I KNOW HAS DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEM, THOUGH THEIR PROBLEMS BEGAN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

FUEL INJECTORS HUNG OPEN, CAUSING RAW FUEL TO BE EMITTED THROUGH EXHAUST SYSTEM. *AK

HEAD/HEAD GASKET WAS REPAIRED. SYMPTOM CAUSING REPAIR WAS ENGINE RUNNING HOT. *AK

AIRBAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED, CAUSING MINOR LONG TERM INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

BRACKET THE HOLDS THE GAS TANK DISINTEGRATED FROM VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING BRAKE PEDAL TO G TO THE FLOOR, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DECELERATING THE VAN WILL STALL. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT ALL SPEEDS. IT IS A VERY INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. ALSO VERY DANGEROUS. WHILE ON VACATION, AND TRAVELING ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AT 60-65 MPH THE VAN WOULD STALL WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR. WE WOULD HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS ONE NEAR COLLISION WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER THAT WAS FOLLOWING TO CLOSE. I HAVE SPENT OVER $200 AT 2 FORD DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAY THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS IS AN EXTREMEMLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR IF THE FUEL LEVEL IS KEPT AT 75% OR ABOVE.

NO SUMMARY

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK, AND DRIVER'S SIDE IS TWISTED AND DOES NOT LOCK EITHER. HAS TO MANUALLY FEED THE BELT BACK INSIDE OF THE RETRACTOR. *AK

HEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO TELL HOW MANY MPHS THE VEHICLE IS TRAVLING DUE TO THE SPEEDOMETER./DOMETER. NEEDLE IS JUMPING FROM PLACE TO PLACE. *AK

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR , CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. RIGHT BRAKE PAD HAD COME APART, RIGHT ROTOR DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NO WARNING LIGHT BEFORE FAILURE. *AK *ML

RESEARCH SHOWS ME THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURE.. FORD IS UNWILLING TO PAY FOR ANY OF MY DAMAGE. MY VAN IS PARKED SIX HOURS AWAY FROM ME AT A DEALER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED. THIS IS A BAD TRANSMISSION DESIGN AND FORD NEEDS TO QUICKLY REIMBURSE ALL OF US WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *AK

REAR WINDOW EXPLODED INWARD. HIT CONSUMER IN FACE NEXT TO LEFT EYE. ALSO BABY WAS REAR FACING IN VEHICLE WHEN INCIDENT OCCURED. , BABY DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. MANUFACTURER / DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY 90% OF REPLACMENT COST. *AK

TOTAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 36.5 MONTHS, 44,400 MILES

WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE ON THE DRIVER' SIDE. THE FRONT TIRE WAS DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THIS. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A COMPANY OWNED VEHICLE. REPORT GIVEN BY PRESIDENT/CEO. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING OTHER COMPONENTS TO FAIL. *YC

STOPPED @ INTERSECTION & LIGHT CHANGED. TRANSMISSION FAILED & VAN STALLED. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. LUCKLY, ALL TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. FAILURE IS DUE TO ALUMINUM CLUTCH PISTONS. INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO FORD MOTOR CO. THERE ARE ALOT OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN FORD WINDSTARS. 95 MODELS WERE RECALLED. 96 MODELS SHARE THE SAME COMPONENTS.

THE FRONT SPRING BROKE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE STABILIZER BAR, THE UPPER STRUT BRACKET, AND THE ABS SENSOR. *SLC

FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON FAILED , CRACKING TRANSMISSION, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, AND RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION SLIPPING.TSB HAS BEEN SENT OUT # 98-22. *AK

SPEEDOMETER READS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE SPEED VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY DOING. DEALER WILL REPAIR AT CONSUMER'S COST. DEALER SYA IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO EXPLANATION*AK.

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SPEEDOMETER IS BOUNCUING BACK AND FORTH, AND IS MAKING A NOISE. SPEEDOMETER IS NOT PROVIDING THE ACTUAL SPEED DRIVEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER.*AK *SLC

AT SPEEDS OF 40-50 MPH SPEEDOMETER WILL JUMP FROM 30-90 MPH INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET.*AK