1998 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

CONSUMER LOST BRAKES AS SHE WAS ENTERING DRIVEWAY, HITTING A WALL IN THE REAR OF HER HOUSE. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSOR. TH WHEN TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONER, IT GIVES OFF A FOUL ODOR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE STEERING COLUMN MOVES UP AND DOWN. ALSO THERE IS A FUNKY NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT END SUSPENSION WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL RESULTED IN VEHICLE HITTING CURB CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN 2 MONTHS AGO I HAD A LEAK OF FLUID THAT CAUSED SOME WIRES TO BURN INTO UNDER THE HOOD THAT CAUSED WIRING TO MY HEAD LIGHT AND OVERHEAD LIGHT TO BLOW MY MECHANIC HAD TO DIRECT WIRE ONE SIDE OF MY HEAD LIGHT AND MY CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED AS HE SAID IT WOULD CAUSE MY VAN TO CATCH FIRE. MY ABS AND BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT STAYS ON NOW AS SOON AS THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE FAULTY PART I STARTED EXPERIENCING ALL THE FOLLOWING THINGS,,,I HAVE LOSE OF POWER . THE VAN STALLS IN TRAFFIC AND ALSO AS I'M TAKING OFF FROM A STOP AFTER PUTTING THE VAN IN GEAR...WHEN I PUT ON THE GAS IT MAKES A BAD RATTLING SOUND LIKE A LIFTER OR VALVE TAPPING BUT ONLY WHEN THE GAS PEDDLE IS ENGAGED. THE GEAR SHIFT FEELS LIKE IT GETS STUCK IN PARK AND I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING IT TO RELEASE OUT OF PARK BEFORE THIS PROBLEM MY VAN DROVE GREAT I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS COULD YOU PLEASE FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THANK YOU *TR

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN TRANSMISSION DIED IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WITH 18,000 MILES. SECOND TIME IT DIED WITH 95,600 MILES. VEHICLE DID NOT FEEL RIGHT WHEN SHIFTING. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION HAD CONTAMINATED FLUID THAT WAS CAUSING IT TO DIE/STALL OUT. CONTAMINATED FLUID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

TRANSMISSION STALLS DURING DOWNSHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS. SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FOWARD.

INTERMITTENT STALLING.

ELECTRIC WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. MJS

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

TRANSMISSION MODULATOR VALVE FAILED. MJS

I HAVE HAD MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR FOR LESS THAN ONE YEAR. IT HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS 4 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH PISTONS, SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. I AM CONTINUING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SEVERE SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND OR 2ND TO 1ST. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL ONLY OFFER ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, ALTHOUGH THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND MY THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN. I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 98 WINDSTAR ONLY THEIRS HAVE NOW BEGUN TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY! THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND FORD DOESN'T CARE HELP!!!

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ABS SENSOR FAILED. YH

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED, CAUSING A COLLISION. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

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 PRODUCT LIABILITY EXPERS EXAMINE THE VEHICLE. THEY AGREE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT COULD LIKELY RESULT IN DEATH. THE EXPERTS SAY THIS ;FLUID COULD HIT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH WOULD BRING THE TEMPERATURE HIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE A FIRE WHICH BURNS MUCH HOTTER THAN GASOLINE. ADDITIONALLY, THE SLIGHTEST BUMP CAUSES A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE POWERSTEERING SYSTEM. THIS DESIGN DEFECT IS LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY.

FORD ISSUED A TSB 97-22-13 IN OCT '97 FOR THIS WAS THIRD SERIOUS PROBLEM. YET, WHEN I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE DEALER SAID HE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND WANTED THE CAR TILL HE COULD DISCOVER IT. THE REAL ISSUE IS THAT THIS NEUTRAL CONDITION AFTER A STOP WAS NOT A COMPLETE NEUTRAL CONDITION BUT RATHER THE VAN STARTED UP SLOWLY TILL IT REACHED 3 MPH AND THEN WOULD GO NO FASTER. IMAGINE STARTING ACROSS A HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF A TRUCK AND ONLY FINDING OUT THAT YOU CANNOT GO FASTER THAN 3 MPH IN DRIVE. FORD SHOULD HAVE RECALLED ALL MODELS AFFECTED AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY. IT TOOK TWO DEALERS VISITS AND A RENTAL CAR FOR TWO DAYS BEFORE I GOT SOMEONE TO ADMIT THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR ME. WITHOUT THE WARRANTY IT WOULD HAVE COST ME $ 2,500.00. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD JERK AS IF BEING REARENDED. FRONT END WOULD WORK ITSELF LOOSE. HAD TO REPLACE BUSHINGS, TRACKING BAR & MOTOR MOUNTS DUE TO BEING DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE AFTER BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

ENGINE HAS TROUBLE STARTING AND INTERMITTENT LUNGING AND ROUGH IDLE.

HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK STEERING. VEHICLE WOULD WANDER OVER THE ROAD. WOULD MAKE POPPING NOISES WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING, UPON MAKING A STOP WHEN APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS FROM DRIVE INTO NETRUAL. WITHOUT KNOWING CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE ENGINE RACED UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS AT A DEAD STOP. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED PARTS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FRONT CALIPER FAILED. *YC

TAIL LIGHTS AND GASKET.

FRONT ABS BRAKES WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISES. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC CHANGED BRAKES. WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE & THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

AFTER A FULL STOP VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY GEARS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. ENGINE WILL STILL IDLE LIKE IT'S IN NEUTRAL. DEALER CAN'T FIND WHAT'S WRONG BECAUSE WON'T DUPLICATE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE IS EXCESSIVE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE, MECHANIC DOES NOT HAVE SOLUTION FOR CONSUMER CONCERN. *AK DEALER REPLACED DEFECTIVE BANK #2 HEGO SENSOR. BUT CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM STILL EXIST. DOOR LIGHT ON DASH BOARD ILLUMINATED. A SPECIAL PART WAS ORDERED. *TT

WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED THE ENGINE CUTS OFF. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF 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.

ACCELERATOR STUCK CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND INJURIES.

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT TIGHTEN ON OWNER'S SON. AS HE TRIED TO RELEASE THE BELT, THE RACHET CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN ON HIS LAP. A NEIGHBOR PULLED THE SHOULDER BELT OFF THE SON AND THE RACHET TIGHTEN SOME MORE. THE NEIGHBOR FREED THE SON BY CUTTING THE BELT WITH A KNIFE.

REAR HATCH LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND WON'T GO OFF. WHEN BACKING OUT AFTER DARK IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH AND THE HATCH LOCK LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE DOOR DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT IS LOCKED. *AK

DOOR LOCK MULFUNCTIONED. YH

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF AT RANDOM WHENEVER CONSUMER NEEDS TO MAKE A TURN. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP TWO TIMES AND CONDITION STILL OCCURS. *AK

THE FUEL TANK WAS PUNCTURED AFTER RUNNING OVER A DEAD TURTLE IN THE ROADWAY AND FUEL LEAKED PROFUSELY FROM DAMAGED AREA. THE TANK WAS FOUND TO BE PLASTIC AND HAD NOT TYPE OF PROTECTIVE SHIELDS.

THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO FADE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN. NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BRAKED DIDN'T STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK

FUEL SPITTING BACK OUT OF FILLER NECK WHILE FILLING FUEL TANK. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE'S PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK *ML

THE PAINT ON THE ROOF OF THE VAN IS PEELING THAT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE TOOK A CAN OPENER TO IT.

WHEN TRAVELING OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL.. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED SENSOR, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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.

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

HEADLIGHTS OVER THE PAST YEAR HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTED. AT NIGHT DIMMER LIGHTS HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILTY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK DEALER ADVISED THAT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TT

TIRES BLEW OUT ON HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

REAR SEAT LATCH INJURED THE DRIVER WHILE REMOVING THE REAR SEAT. YH

WHILE PARKED IN PARK GEAR, VEHICLE JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED INTO A BUSH CAUSING DAMAGE.

AFTER DEALER DID THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL TANK SENSOR, THERE WAS A GAS SMELL WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A PIN HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. DEALER REPLACED GAS TANK WITH A NEW PLASTIC GAS TANK. 45 DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK CAUSED BY A PIN HOLE IN THE GAS TANK, IN WHICH IF THERE WAS A SOURCE OF IGNITION A FIRE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. *AK

WHEN STOPPING AND STARTING UP THE ENGINE REVS BUT THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN . *AK

WHEN TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH OR MORE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. WENT TO DEALER & HAD THE WHEELS CHANGED 5 DIFFERENT TIMES. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE, BUT VEHICLE WAS CONTROLABLE. THERE WOULD BE CLUNKING NOISE GOING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

FIRE STARTING UNDERNEATH THE HOOD DUE TO SNOW, CAUSING THE COOLING FAN TO BE INOPERATIVE AND CAUSED A FIRE. *AK

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.