1998 Ford Windstar Complaint Log

WHILE MAKING A LEFT/RIGHT OR U TURN ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

WE PURCHASED AN OPTIONAL 25 GALLON FUEL TANK. WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE POINTER BOTTOMS OUT AT "E" AND THE "LOW FUEL" LIGHT COMES ON, WE FILL THE TANK AND ARE ONLY ABLE TO PUT APPROXIMATELY 18 GALLONS IN THE THE TANK (ON A REGULAR BASIS). THE OWNER'S GUIDE SAYS THAT THE LIGHT SHOULD COME ON WHEN THERE IS 1/16 OF A TANK (1.5-2 GALLONS) LEFT AS A RESERVE. WE HAVE HAD THE VAN INTO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR A TOTAL OF 8 TIMES BUT THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERS HAVE REPLACED THE SENDER ASSEMBLY TWICE, THE FUEL GAUGE ASSEMBLY AND THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY TWICE. THE DEALERS STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO; THEY HAVE DONE ALL THAT FORD HAS AUTHORIZED. FORD SAYS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE DEALERS SHOULD HANDLE. WE FEEL THAT IT IS UNSAFE FOR MY WIFE AND CHILDREN TO TRAVEL IN A VEHICLE THAT MAY RUN OUT OF GAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY (POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT) OR IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE(LEAVING THEM STRANDED AND UNSAFE). WE FEEL THAT A GAUGE AS IMPORTANT AS A FUEL GAUGE SHOULD BE ACCURATE AND CONSISTENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT NOTICE. CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE AND STILL APPLYING GAS WHEN IT JUMPED BACK INTO GEAR VERY HARD, CAUSING WHIPLASH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

TRANSMISSION OPERATION IS POOR, BANGS INTO GEAR, UNABLE TO RECTIFY. MJS

FUEL GAUGE INACCURATELY READS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NORMAL. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER AND DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED TIE RODS AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR ,VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO ABOUT 2 MPH EVEN WITH VEHICLE IN DRIVE GEAR. MANUFACTURER HAS TSB #98-2-1 OUT FOR DEFECT. *AK *ML

APPEARS TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 25 MPH TO 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE REPEATEDLY HAS DOWNSHIFTED, THUS DECREASING SPEED OF VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE FROM TRANSMISSION SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, THE SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO. THE REPORTED DEALER HAS HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR MORE THAN A WEEK WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE ALSO DRIVEN VEHICLE WITH ATTACHED "FLIGHT RECORDER" FROM SHOP. I MADE SEVERAL READINGS BUT KNOW THE SHOP SAYS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT (THAT WAS 1 WEEK AGO TODAY). ALTHOUGH THE SHOP KEEPS MY VEHICLE AND I HAVE DESCRIBED THE SYMPTOMS SEVERAL TIMES, THEY CLAIM THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT COULD BE. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF USING THIS VEHICLE. IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL ME. THANK YOU.

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING SIGNAL. YH

DESIGN OF BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR BEING TOO CLOSE TOGETHER CAUSED THE DRIVER TO INTERMITTENTLY APPLY THEM BOTH RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM

TIRE RIM LEAKING. YH

AFTER PUTTING CAR INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE WENT FORWARD INTO DRIVE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

YOU CAN CALL ME TO GET DETAILS OR FORD CAN CALL. BOTH WIPER AND SEAT WERE SAFETY ITEMS AND CAUSED US TO DRIVE THIS NEW VAN IN A VERY UNSAFE MANNOR . THE WIPER MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED FIRST THEN SOME MODULE. TOOK ABOUT ONE WEEK TO GET THE WIPERS FIXED. THE DRIVER SEAT TILTS AND SLIDES FORWARD SO PEOPLE CAN GET IN AND OUT THE BACK. THE RETAINING NUT FELL OFF THE STUD THAT HOLDS THE CABLE ON. SINCE TWO PUSH NUTS WERE UNDER THE SEAT AND BOTH WOULD NOT STAY ON THE STUD I THINK THE STUDS ARE UNDERSIZED. ONCE THE CABLE POPS OFF THE SEAT TILTS FORWARD AND THE SLIDE IS FREE TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACK BUT NO WAY TO LOCK THE SLIDE OR TIP THE SEAT BACK. I HAD TO DRIVE LIKE THIS TO GET HOME. FACE ABOUT 2 - 3 INCHES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. CALL FOR MORE DETAILS IF YOU WANT.

FULE TANK SENDING UNIT IS LEAKING FUEL. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

FRONT DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND TO THE LEFT AT HIGH SPEEDS.

CUP HOLDER SPILLS EASILY. SEAT BELT RESTS TOO HIGH (ON NECK). NEEDS ANOTHER RUN BOARD SO THAT SHE CAN STEP INTO VEHICLE MORE EASILY.

GAS GAUGE.

RADIATOR HOSE.

POWER STEERING PUMP WAS NOISY.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE RESTRAINTS DON'T RETRACT OR BUCKLE PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. BELT NOT WORKING PROPERLY AFTER PARTS WERE REPLACE. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS VAN IN FEB OF 1998 AND IN A FEW WEEKS I NOTICED THAT THE VAN WOULD LUNGE FORWARD AT LOW SPEEDS OF ABOUT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM . I WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER SAME THING. I RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THIS TIME DROVE THE VAN WITH A MECHANIC AND SHOWED HIM THE PROBLEM. THEY ORDERED A NEW TRANSMISSION BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NEVER GONE. I WROTE FORD BUT NO HELP. THEN I MOVED TO SOUTH JERSEY AN DSHOWED IT TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES AND THIS PAST JAN I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WILL STAY AND NOTHING MORE CAN BE DONE. SO AT PRESENT EVERY TIME I STAR THE VAN AND ACCELERATE AND THEN LEAVE THE PEDDLE THE CAR LUNGES. IN SLOW TRAFFIC THIS A REAL ANGER BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE CAR IS NOT IN MY CONTROL. THE CHANGE IN GEAR IS VERY ROUGH.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND STAYS DOWN. DRIVER HAS TO APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP. DLR COULDNT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MJS

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STEERING GEAR RACK BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND A LEAKAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID. ALSO, VEHICLE VEERED TO LEFT AND RIGHT ALL OVER THE ROAD. CONSUMER THEN SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. FIRST FAILURE AT 46,561 MILES, SECOND AT 62,500. *AK

THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A LOW SPEED AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS BLINDED. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS TO INTERIOR. DEALE RHAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

HAD POWER STEERING OIL REPLACED, STILL NOISY PUMP

BRAKES FAILED WHEN APPLIED AND WERE GRABBING AND MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE RESULTING LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT. NLM

AT 40-60 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL UNEXPECTEDLY.DEAREL HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TWICE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

BOTH OUTER TIE RODS REPLACED. MJS

WHEN MAKING A TURN / REVERSE THERE IS A NOISE PRESENT. DEALER REPLACED THE MOUNTS TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *YC

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED RAPID WEAR ON FRONT BRAKE PADS, PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BRAKE PAD WAS COMPLETELY WORN AND GRINDING INTO ROTOR WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED.*ET

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLING, UNABLE TO BE FIXED. MJS

SERVICE MANAGER AT FORD OF OCALA TELLS US THERE IS A FORD TECHNICAL BULLETIN ABOUT A CHAFED ELECTRICAL WIRE IN OR NEAR THE FUEL TANKS ON THESE VEHICLES...THIS GIVEN AS A POSSIBLE REASON MY 98 WINDSTAR IS HAVING FUEL PROBLEMS. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHEN IDLING OR CRUISING INTO A TURN, MOSTLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT APPLIED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 10 TIMES. *AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, CONSUMER NOTICED GRINDING NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK *YC

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. NLM

CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE OF RECALL 97V16500, VEHICLE WAS MAKING GRINDING NOISE WHEN STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED AND WAS HARD TO TURN, POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED THAT DIDN'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THEN DEALER FINDS A BAD RACK AND PINION WHICH HE IS GOING TO CHARGE CONSUMER FOR FIXING. *SLC

VEHICLE HAS A JERK AT LOW SPEED (1ST AND 2ND GEAR). *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. AS A RESULT, WHEN DRIVING SPEED CANNOT BE DETERMINED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. YH

EXIT LINE FROM THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE , CAUSING A VERY STRONG GAS ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING GEARS MAY HAVE DAMAGED INPUT SHAFT BEARING. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V165001. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

VEHICLE IS STALLING WHEN SLOWING DOWN/TURNING AND IN PARKING MANEUVERS POSSIBLY DUE TO COMPUTER MISFIRE AND CARBON BUILD IN ENGINE. 3 TSBS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. *AK

I HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING AN INFANT CAR SEAT THAT I COULD ANCHOR PROPERLY IN MY CAR. I TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERY MAJOR MANUFACTURER'S INFANT SEAT, AND THEY ALL FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE SEAT PROPERLY AGINST A FRONT END CRASH. FINALLY, I FOUND A SEAT MADE BY BRITAX CALLED "HANDLE WITH CARE". THIS SEAT HAD A TEATHER STRAP THAT ENABLED ME TO PROPERLY SECURE THE SEAT TO WITHSTAND A FRONT END COLLISION. I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER REQUIRING ALL MANUFACTURERS OF INFANT (REAR FACING) SEATS TO ALSO PROVIDE TEATHER STRAPS. THE BRITAX SEAT COST $140.00. MOST CONSUMERS WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH A SEAT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ME AND I WILL BE GLAD TO PROVIDE THE DETAILS. THANKS, RANDY HAUFE. *AK

CONSUMER'S CHILD WAS ABLE TO PUT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, SHIFT GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, HITTING A PARKED CAR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. OWNER BELIEVES THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SWITCH THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKES. *AK *ML

FUEL WILL LEAK WHEN FILLING UP GAS TANK TO FULL, POSSIBLY DUE TO FAILURE OF O-RING. TANK STILL LEAKED AFTER O-RING REPLACED. OWNER HAS NOT REPLACED TANK. *AK *ML

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND WOULD POWER NOT GAIN DUE TO BLOWN TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK