1998 Ford Windstar Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH DURING WARM WEATHER, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FLAME COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE CONTACT USED WATER TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAME. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO REPORTED TO THE SCENE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

ON JULY 3, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WITH MY FAMILY. WHILE WAITING FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL TO CHANGE, WE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VAN. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO GET WORSE UNTIL FLAMES APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS SUMMONED BUT THE VAN WAS EVENTUALLY DESTROYED BY FIRE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD PUT OUT THE FIRE. PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, THE VAN WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGES WERE NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY MALFUNCTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE PARKING HE SMELLED A BURNING ODOR, AND THEN SAW FLAMES INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE HIMSELF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND HE WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 184,347.

1998 FORD WINDSTAR, 3.8 ENGINE. I HAVE PROBLEMS IT STARTED STALLING WHEN I STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP, SUDDENLY THE CAR STOPPED. ALSO WHEN IT WAS IN THE PARKING . MECHANIC MADE THE TUNE-UP BUT STILL DOING SO, NOW IT IS DOING A WHITE CLOUD OF STEAM, IF I ACCEL, IT COMES WORST, SHOULD I WAIT FOR A RECALL OR IT'S A NORMAL PROBLEM? *TR

ON JUNE 13TH, 2009, MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN CAUGHT FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE IS A RECALL OF THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL RELATING TO ELECTRICAL FIRES UNDER THE HOOD. I WANT FORD TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE AND THE LOSS OF MY VEHICLE. ABOUT 5500 HUNDRED DOLLARS. *TR

MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO START 1998 FORD WINDSTAR WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO ISSUE FROM BENEATH THE HOOD. SHE IMMEDIATELY REMOVOVED HERSELF AND DOG WHEREUPON THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES BUT EVERYTHING FOWRWARD OF THE FIREWALL WAS MELTED DOWN. THE WINDSHIELD HAD EXPLODED AND THE INTERIOR SUFFERED SMOKE DAMAGE. EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL WAS AN ENTIRE LOSS. THIS REPORT IS FILED AFTER LEARNING THAT NHTSA IS INVOLVED IN INVESTIGATION OF MORE THAN 130 OTHER REPORTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE. WE WISH TO LEARN IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE OR CLASS ACTION SUIT AVAILABLE TO US. *TR

I OWN AN 1998 WINDSTAR 3 LITER ENGINE. ON APRIL 16,2008 I PARKED MY CAR (NOSE DOWN HILL) DURING A RAIN STORM. LATER THAT EVENING I NOTICE THE RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I THEN UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. THE NEXT MORNING I JUMP STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT BRIEFLY TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY AND NOTICED A SMELL OF HOT OR BURNING WIRES. I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED POOLING WATER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER THE ENGINE DRIED COMPLETELY THE SMELL WENT AWAY. WHILE NO FIRE RESULTED I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED. I READ THE STORY CONCERNING YOUR INVESTIGATION OF THE WINDSTAR AND THOUGHT IT RELEVANT. *TR

TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN, WITH 220,000 MILES ON IT, CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE PARKED, AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. WE HAD BEEN CAREFULLY FOLLOWING THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. DURING THE WEEK BEFORE THE FIRE, WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT ALWAYS TURNING OFF WHEN WE EXITED THE VAN. *TR

BRAKE MALFUNCTION, DISPLAY OF "SERVICE ENGINE SOON". *TR

NO PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSTAR BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNATTENDED WHEN THE OWNER WAS ALERTED BY OTHER RESIDENTS THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. THE SMOKE WAS WHITE IN COLOR AND COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT AREA OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AT THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE FIRE HAD MADE ITS WAY THROUGH THE FIRE WALL INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT EVIDENT BY THE HEAVIER BURNING IN THAT AREA THERE IS A V-PATTERN NOTED ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE RADIATOR POINTING TO THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE BREACHED THE FIRE WALL AT THE AREA WHERE THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND STEERING COLUMNS COME THROUGH INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CAUSE WAS RULED UNDETERMINED. *TR

FORD WINDSTAR THROWING PERSISTENT SES LIGHT P0740. THIS WAS COMMON WITH ALMOST MOST WINDSTARS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE MANIFOLDS/GASKET. ROUGH RIDE AND STALLING AT DANGEROUS POINTS. *AK

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT MY HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN ON MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. I READ UP ON THIS AND SAW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FORD AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM NOR DO THEY OFFER YOU A SOLUTION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE. *JB

CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACE 3 TIMES. AGAIN IT IS SHOT. THIS CAUSES THE VAN TO STALL AND HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH IDLE. CAUSES TO STALL USUALLY WHILE STOPPED, SOMETIMES HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION. ALSO: HAD TO PULL ABS FUSE DUE TO PEDAL NOT DEPRESSING. WORKS EXCELLENT WITHOUT ABS. ALSO:TRANSMISSION DOESN'T UPSHIFT WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH SPEEDS/RPM'S. HAVE TO LET OFF GAS AND REPRESS FOR VAN TO SHIFT TO NEXT GEAR. *TR

ENGINE OIL FOUND IN COOLANT. TIMING COVER GASKET FAILURE. LOUD ENGINE KNOCK FROM REAR VALVE BANK- POSSIBLE WRIST-PIN/LOWER INTAKE GASKETS/VALVE PROBLEMS. *NM

I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR IN WHICH I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE AN OIL PAN BECAUSE THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT HAD WARPED AND WAS CAUSING AN OIL LEAK ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF A FAULTY OIL PAN IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS PROBLEM?*JB

FOUND LOT OF WHITE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. LEFT AT REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND MENTIONED THAT IT IS HEAD GASKET DAMAGE. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAS SEEN LOT OF SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH 3.8 L FORD WINDSTAR GL MINIVANS. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO SINCE IT MIGHT COST ABOUT $2,000 TO FIX. *JB

SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND VAN WAS RUNNING ROUGH. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFORD RUNNER CONTROL VACUUM MOTOR WAS STUCK. VAN WOULD OVERHEAT IF NOT REPLACED. *NM

MY HEAT WOULDN'T COME ON SOMETIMES, THEN THE HOT LIGHT CAME ON. HAD IT IN THE SHOP 2 TIMES, EVERYTIME SAID IT WAS FINE, ONLY CHANGING OUT TEMP GAUGE. DEC 2005 3RD TIME TOOK IT IN, SAME PROBLEM ONLY OIL LIGHT WOULD ALSO FLICKER AT LOW IDLE PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT. TOOK IT BACK IN AND TOLD THEM THEY HAD TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG, IT HAD BEEN GOING ON TOO LONG. TOLD THEN HEAVY RESIDUE ON OIL CAP, COULD SEE DARK MARKS AROUND EXHAUST PIPE. LOOSING RADIATOR FLUID SLOWLY. I AM NO MECHANIC BUT ALL I RESEARCHED SHOWED HEAD GASKET. TO MAKE STORY BRIEF, THEY TOLD ME SAME DAY ALL WAS OK, COMPUTER READ FINE. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT SATISFIED AND TO KEEP TESTING. TOOK 3 DAYS, THEN THEY CALL ME TO SAY THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED. OF COURSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD ENDED 2 WEEKS BEFORE. THEY CLAIMED I HAD BEEN DRIVING IT WITH NO OIL AND TRIED TO GET ME TO BUY A NEW ENGINE! I HAD BEEN CHECKING THE OIL MYSELF, NEVER RAN LOW. OIL PAN THICK WITH GUNK. I HAD IT IN FOR ALL REG MAINT, WHY WOULD IT HAVE GOTTEN THAT BAD? $3200.00 LATER I HAD NEW HEAD GASKET WATER PUMP, OIL PUMP, AND VARIOUS SEALS AND HOSES. PICKET IT UP, FOLLOWING DAY HAD IT BACK FOR NOT WANTING TO START, ROUGH IDLE. ANOTHER $175.00 LATER I GOT IT BACK. UNHAPPY TO KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE AND MY 98 WINDSTAR, FELL IN THE AGE/MILES TIME FRAME FOR THE ISSUE. KNOWING THAT ONE VAN HAD THIS ISSUE THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOW FROM ALL MY DESCRIPTIONS WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. IF FOUND 2 WEEKS EARLIER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OIL LIGHT STILL FLICKERS NOW AND THEN WHEN PULLING INTO PARKING SPOT. I WILL NEVER BUT A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN. COMPANY WAS UNWILLING TO WORK WITH ME, GIVE ME ANY BREAKS. *NM

VEHICLE LOSS COOLANT GRADUALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I NEVER SAW ANY LEAKS UNDER THE VEHICLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CAR WAS ABRUPTLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BUT WE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING SMELL, WE ALSO HAD BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO EVALUATE BUT HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CULPRIT. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON OCT19TH AND SPRAYED COOLANT AND STEAM WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A PHYSICAL INDICATION THAT THERE TRULY WAS A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY IN THE SHOP AT MY EXPENSE TO REPAIR THE HEAD GASKET, INTAKE MANIFOLD AND TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET.