Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | ||||||||||||||||
| 96V086000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 07/01/1995 to 10/01/1995 | V (Vehicle) | 100000 | 07/17/1996 | ODI | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 05/14/1996 | 05/17/1996 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | The park pawl shaft was improperly positioned when the roll pin that retains it was installed during transmission assembly. if the shaft was not properly positioned, the roll pin may not have lined up with the groove in the shaft and have been crushed at assembly. also, a burr could have been raised on the shaft. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | This could result in the park pawl occasionally not engaging when the transmission selector lever is placed in the park position. this could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral if the vehicle operator does not apply the parking brake. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will inspect the park pawl shaft roll pin. if the roll pin is damaged, both the roll pin and the park pawl shaft will be replaced. in addition, owners will be reminded to fully apply the parking brake, in addition to placing the transmission in park. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | System: power train; transmission; automatic. vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini-vans equipped with ford ax4s automatic transaxles. note: owner notification is expected to begin in mid-june 1996. note: owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time, should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393. | |||||||||||||||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | ||||||||||||||||
| 96V166000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 08/01/1996 to 08/28/1996 | V (Vehicle) | 40000 | 09/23/1996 | MFR | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/05/1996 | 09/23/1996 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. this would allow the vehicle to move even though the gear shift indicator shows that the vehicle is in park. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Unintended and unexpected vehicle movement can result in personal injury and property damage. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park pawl abutment bracket. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Owner notification:owner notification is expected to begin september 23, 1996.note:owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 17358 | 08/01/2004 | 17963 | 10008183 | Groan/buzz/vibration when the gear selector is in park with the vehicle parked on an incline. *tt this bulletin updates previous bulletin 17358, dated 11/01/2003 to include 2005 models. *tt | 07/22/2004 |
| 15370 | 11/01/2001 | 630351 | Some vehicles may exhibit a groan/buzz/vibration when the gear selector is in park. *tt | 04/16/2002 | |
| 15392 | 11/01/2001 | 630356 | Some vehicles may exhibit a park pullout clunk noise when shifting from park to another gear position. *tt | 04/16/2002 | |
| 12178 | 11/01/1998 | 613234 | Information regarding tsb 98-5a-12 (transaxle/transmission/transfer case-vehicles towed behind recreational vehicles-recommended guidelines) does not list towing information for certain model vehicles. *mjs | 06/19/2000 | |
| 9943 | 03/08/1999 | 604751 | Information regarding reprogramming powertrain control modules (pcms). *tt | 05/11/1999 | |
| 97111097237 | 11/10/1997 | 53663 | Concerns with harsh engagements and harsh shifts with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) 628, p0741 and/or p1744. *yc | 03/30/1998 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 980304 | 01/01/1998 | 607705 | Intermittent no forward engagement with or without dtc p1784 action. *ak | 02/06/2001 | |
| 99152 | 07/26/1999 | 608431 | Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt | 01/05/2001 | |
| 12099 | 11/01/1998 | 613084 | Vehicles with the ax4s transaxle have an inline transmission cooler bypass valve located in the cooler line near the radiator cooler. *mjs | 06/16/2000 | |
| 0015 | 01/10/2000 | 612203 | Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs | 06/06/2000 | |
| 13024 | 07/01/1999 | 610767 | Some vehicles equipped with the ax4s transaxle may exhibit a harsh 3-2 downshift when coasting around a corner and then stepping into the throttle to accelerate away from the corner. *tt | 05/12/2000 | |
| 982512 | 04/01/1998 | 603540 | Some vehicles may exhibit a customer concern of inoperative overdrive cancel light. *yc | 02/24/1999 | |
| 9888 | 04/27/1998 | 601238 | Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc | 07/10/1998 | |
| BC2380970501 | 05/01/1997 | 52820 | Harsh 1-2 upshift. *tw | 09/12/1997 | |
| 97511 | 03/03/1997 | 51945 | Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts. *jd | 07/17/1997 | |
| BC3524972301 | 01/23/1997 | 51505 | Vehicles built between 2/95 and 9/01/96 may experience rough/harsh or irregular shifts due to water entering into the transaxle range sensor. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC0141970201 | 01/02/1997 | 51041 | Verify the transaxle installed in the vehicle is the correct model and model year for the vehicle. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC0011970201 | 01/02/1997 | 51009 | A buzz noise in ax4s transaxles on 1996/97 taurus/sable and windstars. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC101209702 | 01/02/1997 | 51184 | Verify the transaxle installed in the vehicle is the correct model and model year for the vehicle. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| 962613 | 12/16/1996 | 50998 | Transaxle - ax4s - extended 2-3 shift and/or higher than expected engine rpm during 2-3 shift at light to medium throttle and/or no 2-3 shift - vehicles equipped with 3.0l engine - service tip. *tw | 06/17/1997 | |
| BC5191961001 | 10/01/1996 | 50469 | For concerns of stalling, reflash pcm w/ 1996 calibration (r11 level). *tt | 04/24/1997 | |
| 95199 | 09/01/1995 | 46466 | The ax4s transaxles contain elastomeric gaskets for the main control cover and the bottom pan. these new gaskets replace the cork-style gaskets. the elastomeric gasket has improved duability and sealing capability and is reusable. | 04/25/1996 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||||
| 981519 | 08/03/1998 | 609559 | Traction control lamp flasing intermittently with diagnostic trouble codes u1009 and/or u1027. *ak | 04/04/2000 | |
| 98153 | 08/03/1998 | 609552 | This tsb is being republished in its entirety to revise the power train control module (pcm) calibration cross reference and revise pcm service part numbers. *ak | 04/03/2000 | |
| BPI9904 | 01/01/1999 | 605850 | Conditions with the trac off lamp illuminating intermittently and ther may also be stored trouble codes u1009 and / or u1027. | 07/29/1999 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES | |||||
| 03148 | 07/21/2003 | 10003748 | New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included. *tt | 10/29/2003 | |
| 5131 | 12/01/1998 | 615326 | Subject regarding vehicles with the ax4s transaxle having an inline transmission cooler bypass valve located in the cooler line near the radiator cooler. *tt | 01/13/2001 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - LEVER AND LINKAGE - COLUMN SHIFT | |||||
| 12616 | 03/01/1999 | 605338 | Information on transaxle service case replacement with oss (output shaft speed sensor) hole. *tt | 06/08/1999 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH | |||||
| 01181 | 09/17/2001 | 625715 | Brake shift interlock.*jb | 11/30/2001 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||||
| 03123 | 06/23/2003 | 10002684 | Torque converter clutch not engaging when commanded and/or diagnostic trouble codes p0741 or p1744 stored in memory. models from 1996 to 2003. *tt | 09/10/2003 | |
| 14773 | 03/01/2001 | 619462 | Information on indexing orange dot on torque converter to flexplate. *tt | 05/31/2001 | |
| 962612 | 12/16/1996 | 50997 | Transaxle - torque converter replacement guidelines and torque converter/transaxle cooling system cleaning procedures - service tip. *tw | 06/17/1997 | |
| 96249 | 11/18/1996 | 50908 | Torque converter - leak test procedure - service tip. *tw | 06/17/1997 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 01171 | 09/03/2001 | 625687 | Transaxle - ax4s - replacement application chart - windstar vehicles only. *nlm | 11/30/2001 | |
| 13024 | 07/01/1999 | 610767 | Some vehicles equipped with the ax4s transaxle may exhibit a harsh 3-2 downshift when coasting around a corner and then stepping into the throttle to accelerate away from the corner. *tt | 05/12/2000 | |
| 99184 | 09/06/1999 | 6090053 | Some vehicles equipped with ax4s transaxle, may exhibit a harsh 2-3 downshift may occur when coasting around a corner and then accelerating. *tt | 03/06/2000 | |
| 996735 | 08/01/1999 | 608455 | Some vehicles equipped with the ax4s transaxle may exhibit a harsh 3-2 downshift when coasting around a corner and then stepping into the throttle to accelerate away from the corner. *tt | 12/01/1999 | |
| 98221 | 11/09/1998 | 603710 | Intermittent neutral condition after driving and coming to a stop. *yc | 03/03/1999 | |
| BC0011972301 | 01/23/1997 | 51384 | Buzz noise in ax4s transaxles. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL | |||||
| 982675 | 04/01/1998 | 603573 | A revised forward clutch inner seal for the axod, axode, ax4s & ax4n transaxle is available with improved sealing and reduced chance of the seal rolling during installation. *yc | 02/25/1999 | |
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY - PEDAL/LINKAGE | |||||
| 12559 | 03/01/1999 | 605294 | Concerns with reverse clutch that could become sheared or torn in extremely cold temperatures. *tt | 06/07/1999 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | ||||||
| PE96015 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 02/23/1996 | 05/22/1996 | FAILURE OF AUTO TRANS PARK LOCK SYSTEM | 96V086000 | |
| Subject vehicles may experience unintended movement (rollaway) in reverse direction with the transmissionin the park position. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 04/15/2003 | 62000 | ||
| Engine: head gasket failure @ 62,218 miles. needed to replace both cylinder gasket heads and resurface same. power door: failure of power door lock on passenger side. transmission: was replaced twice under warranty. other: ignition control module needed replacement. have been advised engine has a sludge condition despite regular oil changes per ford guidelines. | |||
| 07/15/2002 | 78000 | ||
| My 1996 ford windstar van's engine assembly must be replaced due to persistent internal coolant loss into the engine, despite repeated trips to the dealership with complaints of classic head-gasket symptoms. ford displayed blatant neglegence and dishonesty in its dealings with me. i took my van to dealership twice for head-gasket-like symptoms: excessive loss of coolant with no external leakage, gray smoke out of exhaust, and engine running rough. the first time the dealership said no problems could be found. two weeks later i returned to the dealership with the same symptoms, only this time more obvious, and the check-engine light had come on. the dealership determined my engine had overheated and that coolant was lost via the timing cover gasket, which they replaced and then returned the vehicle to me. exactly one thousand miles later i had to have my vehicle towed to the dealership, at which point they condemned my engine due to coolant entering the #1 cylindar. they offered to replace the engine for $3,650, which includes a 20% discount for the timing cover gasket work that was done for nothing. i refused the offer and managed to barely drive the vehicle home, where it now sits, undrivable. aware of the windstar head gasket problems from the beginning, i repeatedly stressed to the dealership my concern that this was a head gasket problem, but they repeatedly explained this was not the problem. they lied by saying no known gasket problems exist on the 1996 windstar, but i researched the nhtsa's records and found tsb 99-13-1 (titled "underdetermined loss of coolant"), which instructs dealerships to replace the gaskets in situations like mine. the tsb is very clear. i wrote the dealership a letter demanding help replacing the engine, but received no reply. i re-sent the same letter and documents to the dealership just yesterday. i can provide copies of all documents, as i have scanned them into a compressed pdf file for e-mail transmission. | |||
| 08/15/2001 | 88580 | ||
| Check engine light on, white smoke emitting from tailpipe, missing, wildly erratic speedometer at 35-40, rear air blows hot. replacements: had gaskets, lower intake gaskets, upper intake gaskets, spark plugs, wires, thermostat, gasket, ? belt, timing cover, timing cover gasket, water pump. speedometer and a/c problem not yet fixed. | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| 12-15-97 at 21,145 miles i reported noticing the coolant level always being low. no leak was found and i was told there must be a leak somewhere in the radiator. 12-27-99 at 56,526 miles i began having a "cold start" problem. it acted like it was not getting fuel. 12-1200 at 74,306 miles i had the same "cold start" problem and the fuel filter was repaced. 12-22-00 at 74,930 a new thermostat & gasket. 12-29-00 at 75,113 a fuel pressure regulator. 03-02-01 at 77,569 miles a new fuel pump relay(ccrm), fuel pump and pvc valve. 09-11-01 at 87,907 miles a mult-function switch. 01-31-02 at 95,069 miles a second ccrm relay. 03-06-02 at 99,348 miles on an 80 degree day "no start" same symptoms as "cold start" problem. instead of not getting fuel it is suspected it is flooding. 4-23-02 at 99,348 miles cold start problem, fuel injectors cleaned. 05-30-02 at 101,330 miles wouldn't start, no fuel pressure-intermittent. had to have it towed. 6-7-02 at 101,388 miles "no start" problem. new fuel filter, fuel pump and sender o-ring. 12-01-2-01 109,530 miles van started steaming - appeared to be a coolant leak or broken hose. added coolant direct in radiator. i have carried own coolant and added frequenlty since 1997, when i was told there must be a leak in the radiator. i could not find any trace of such a leak by putting cardboard under van. suspected the plastic coolant container had a leak. no coolant leaks where ever found during routine oil changes. 12-04-02 109,568 m,iles found leaking front timing cover gasket. replaced headgasket and all else that goes with it. cost of repair $1,915.21. i believe the headgasket defect has been the problem all a long, costing me a small fortune. | |||
| 30000 | 7 | ||
| The consumer requested an investigation of ford motor company and their lack of recalls on some serious defects. *mr. the vehicle experienced a clunking sound, however the dealer stated the clunking sound was normal and then the transmission failed, the transmission was replaced with another ford transmission, which failed on a test drive and one other occasion. coolant leaked into the engine through the intake gasket, which was recalled for the 95 models. the timing chain leaked. there was a recall on the coils in the suspension, which ford would only replace when they failed. the brake rotors failed at 30000 miles. scc *jb | |||
| 09/01/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that speedometer does not function properly. the needle moves erratically and makes a ticking noise. consumer is unable to ascertain correct speed while driving. dealer has unsuccessfully attempted to repair 2 times by replacing speedometer cable. ts | |||
| Consumer states that the speedometer jumps all over the place while driving unable to know excatly how fast you are going. dealer contacted. *mr | |||
| 11/25/2000 | 1 | 10/01/2096 | |
| Speedometer very erratic and unreliable at speeds of 45mph or over. *ak | |||
| 03/10/2002 | |||
| When reaching speed of 25mph speedometer needle bounces around, causing no knowledge of speed.*ak | |||
| 06/20/2002 | 10/01/2096 | ||
| At speeds of 35mph or higher the speedometer needle wavers severely making it impossible to determine the correct speed. this defect has been reported to the nhtsa more than 100 times. i reported this to the local ford dealership and was told i had to pay for repairs. at 49000 miles this should not be happening. as a law enforcement officer i have driven numerous ford vehicles well over 100000 miles and none of them have had this problem. this should be considered a manufacturers flaw and be replaced by them. this is definatley a safety issue! if a vehicle operator cannot determine how fast they are going this cvould result in a serious injury. this is even more evident during reduced visiblity and/or at night when it is even more difficult to determine speeds. i appreciate any assistance in this matter if possible.*ak | |||
| 07/25/2002 | 2 | 07/01/2099 | |
| For the second time in three years the speedometer needle is jumping all over the place. after talking with two dealers, a speedometer repair specialist with 30 + years experience, and reviewing the 135 + other driver complaints of the same problem, i can only come to these conclusions: this is a faulty piece of equipment; ford is aware of this defect and refuses to recognize and take responsibility for it; and this is most certainly a candidate for a recall. what else does it take to come to the same conclusion?*ak | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 1 | 08/01/2096 | |
| Speedometer is erratic at speeds above 40 mph and varies plus or minus 30-40 mph. *ak | |||
| 07/04/2002 | 07/01/2098 | ||
| The speedometer no longer gives accurate readings. it bounces up and down after 30 mph. ford tells me there is no known problem with this, however, any internet complaint site certainly does know about this. the '95 windstar has already had a recall for the same problem, why isn't the '96 being taken care of also?*ak | |||
| 01/24/2002 | 3 | 12/01/2095 | |
| Speedometer erratic- swings to 120 mph at 60 or so. replaced original with two salvaged speedo heads. all failed.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2001 | |||
| Odometer gives an inacurate reading past 30mph. consumer is able to keep a designated speed. ford was contacted. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 03/20/2001 | 1 | 02/01/2097 | |
| Speedometer failure was gradual but is troubling because the speedometer needle still moves (very erratically) but does not indicate the right speed. the needle bounces around and the higher the speed the more it bounces. this faulty speedometer is a safety issue in that someone could glance at the speedometer and get an inaccurate reading, then increase speed which may contribute to a severe accident. our private (non-manufacturer) mechanic indicated that this speedometer failure is common for this vehicle. we strongly believe ford should recall or fix these speedometers as they fail. thanks for your help!*ak | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | 09/01/2096 | |
| Speedometer needle fluctuates > ~40mph can't tell the speed *very dangerous* and *unsafe*. *ak | |||
| 04/18/2002 | 1 | 01/27/1997 | |
| Consumer reporting speedometer inoperative while driving, unable to determine the proper speed. dealer and the manufacturer were notified. *jb consumer feels ford should recall these vehicles or at least reimburse consumer for monies paid for repairs. *jg | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | 07/01/2096 | |
| Speedometer started reading erratically as of approx. failure date given. has now become worse and at speeds >40mph speedo indicator jumps wildly. dealer charged $70 to diagnose problem as failed speedometer head. says ford no longer makes or stocks this part and the head must be removed from the dash and sent out for repairs. obtained a written estimate for this repair of $861.00. *ak | |||
| 04/08/2002 | 02/01/2097 | ||
| Speedometer malfunctions when above 45 mph. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2000 | 3 | ||
| Transmission failure, second failure due to accumulator seals, complete overhaul. | |||
| 10/22/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1999 | |
| This is a copy of the complaint i sent to ford regarding problems with the speedometer in my 1996 windstar. i am starting to have the same problem again. considering all the things i've read regarding this problem, i find it hard to believe their is not a recall for this yet. i recently purchased this vehicle (june 1999) in folsom, ca from a private party. the van is in excellent condition with 46800+ miles. recently i started having problems with the speedometer. it would get to approximately fifty miles-per-hour and then start fluctuating +/- five to seven miles-per-hour. the problem gradually became worse, getting to the point that it started swinging wildly and would go all the way to the right. i figured it was probably a speedometer cable. i called my local ford dealer in yuba city to have them give me an estimate. without even looking at the van, they told me it was likely not the cable, but the speedometer unit itself. i asked how they could be so sure and i was told that it was common to see the speedometer go bad in this vehicle. i was floored to learn that the cost of a new one was $333.33, not including labor. now, i have been around long enough to know that new car parts arent cheap, but $333.33 seems rather ridiculous.i then called a speedometer specialty shop, speedometer electric, in marysville to have a second opinion. not that i dont trust the dealer, but because as a technical sergeant in the usaf i just cant afford what the new speedometer cost. mr. larry witherow, longtime owner of speedometer electric, verified that it was not the cable, but indeed the speedometer itself. he also told me he has replaced approximately twenty speedometers from windstars and other ford vehicles in the past few months. this does not include those who had the same problem but could not afford the repairs. it is because of this and the dealers comments as well that i am writing this letter. *ak | |||
| 04/22/2001 | 1 | ||
| Speedometer malfunctioned. consumer was unable to read the speed of the vehicle. speedometer has been replaced. *ak *yh | |||
| 10/01/1998 | |||
| Speedometer 'bounces' above 45mph, cannot tell what speed is,unreadable. *ak | |||
| 12/26/2001 | 02/01/2001 | ||
| Speedometer clicking and reporting a higher spped than actually traveling... cannot tell what the actual speed of the vehicle is.*ak | |||
| 12/20/2001 | 10/01/2001 | ||
| My 1996 ford windstar has an erratic speedometer above 40mph making it impossible to determine how fast i am going.*ak | |||
| 12/12/2001 | 03/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer began flucuating wildly at all speeds along with a clicking noise. since numerous complaints of the same nature, looks like it should be investigated by nhtsa. dealer states cost to fix is $600. hundreds of occurences of same problem. | |||
| 03/01/2001 | |||
| Speedometer malfunctioned. please provide additional information.*ak | |||
| 11/01/2001 | 3 | 11/01/1997 | |
| In dec. 1997 the speedometer in the vehicle started to vibrate and quit working. warranty replaced part at no charge. in january 2000, speedometer started vibrating again. told it was a problem with cable lubrication. contacted dealer and ford and they agreed to pay a percentage of repair cost. november 2001, speedometer has started to vibrate again. contacted ford. they indicated there is not a problem. i have contact with another car owner (same model/year) who's speedometer is not working properly and were told the same thing i was in january. they have elected not to repair due to the high cost. quoted between $600-800 dollars. there is obviously a problem for one car the have 3 speedometers malfunction. how many other owners may have not reported this problem?please help! *ak | |||
| 11/26/2001 | 1 | 06/01/1999 | |
| Speedometer: shakes back & forth on highway . impossible to know speed travelling( unless equipped with good stopwatch & excellent math skills). head gasket- failed .must be replaced. does not meet any extended warranty criteria. *ak | |||
| 08/10/1999 | 3 | 12/27/1998 | |
| 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 | |||
| 11/07/2001 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| The speedometer buzzes and swings widely after ~ 30 mph, indicating up to 100 mph. the vehicle had been returned, when under warranty, to the dealership to find and fix a buzz in the dashboard. the problem typically occurred during cold weather, when the vehicle exeeded 30-40 mph, and came from the vicinity of the speedometer. the delaer was given these symptoms, but could not repair the cause. the problem was made worse by the fact that it occurred sporadically . the buzz never was eliminated by the dealer. the buzz now audible when the speedometer swings widely is a more pronounced version of that same buzz. the dealer and ford refused to pay to repair the problem, even though i maintain the problem occurred while under warranty.*ak | |||
| 08/25/2001 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Failure of the speedometer while driving on the freeway. the speedometer needle jumps erratically while driving faster than 30mph. the speedometer will eventually peg at 120mph, even though you are driving at slower speeds. according to my repair shop, the speed sensor broke, but ford requires a very costly repair that includes replacement of the whole speedometer head and speed sensor. *ak | |||
| 09/23/2001 | 1 | 07/01/1997 | |
| Speedometer bounces and is inaccurate, especially above 45mph. i have seen many other windstar owners report the same thing!*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The speedometer failed. *yh | |||
| 06/20/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states the speedometer system had to be replaced.*jb | |||
| 05/15/2001 | |||
| Vehicle has its second replacement on speedometer since 54,000 miles. when vehicle reaches 30 mph or more needle would bounce back and forth. dealer notified. feel free to provide any further information on this matter.*ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | |||
| At speeds of 40-50 mph speedometer will jump from 30-90 mph intermittently. vehicle not taken to dealer yet.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 1 | ||
| Speedometer does not read actual speed driven. also, speedometer jumps at times. consumer has contacted dealer. dealer is not willing to provide any assistance. *ak *slc | |||
| 06/26/2001 | 2 | 11/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer would move back and forth when vehicle reaches 30 mph or more. dealer was notified, and repairs were made. *ak speedometer was replaced, however new speedometer makes the same abnormal noise that the old one did prior to failure, consumer feels this one will also fail and speed will not be able to be determined. *slc | |||
| 04/30/2001 | 1 | 09/01/1999 | |
| Speedometor needle is erratic after 55 mph needle bounces between 95-60 mph also makes a irratating buzzing noise | |||
| 08/08/2000 | 08/01/1998 | ||
| Speedometer needle floats, cruise control doesn't work. continues. | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1996 | |
| I have a 1996 windstar and the speedometer is unable to indicate speed of vehicle. the speedometer just jumps around. it use to just jump around at round 40-50 mph but it has completed failed now. it jumps around and make a clicking sound all the time.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| I have researched this on the internet and it is a problem that has affected many windstar owners. ford has even issued a tsb - 99-7-9 re speedometer needle wavers and sticks. that's the problem i have. it costs over $500 to fix - so many people are opting not to fix it. also, those that repair have the same problem occur over and over again. you shopuld make ford recall on this issue.*ak | |||
| 02/01/2001 | 1 | 12/09/1996 | |
| While driving and turning wheel or with any movement in steering there comes a loud squeaking noise, contacted dealer, and dealer stated that there could be a problem with ball joints.*ak problem began about 50000 miles. also this vehicle has a faulty speedometer. *yh | |||
| 02/06/2001 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| The speedometer had to be replaced (not covered under extended warranty) because it was jumping all over the place. secondly, the door ajar light and audible bell indicate a door is open, when in fact, all of them are tightly closed; this happens intermittently, seems to happen more in inclement (cold and/or wet) weather. | |||
| 02/01/2001 | 1 | 02/01/2001 | |
| Speedometer display is erradic. at approx. 30 mph, the speedometer can register up to 65 mph. at 65 mph, the gauge needle is on the peg at the extreme speed. this is not isloated, i know of 2 other vans, same year, that have this problem, one belongs to a salesman at the ford dealer. dealer says the computer unit needs replacing, minimum of $600. no ford recall has been issued. no one seems willing to help. | |||
| When driving over 45 mph speedometer is not reading the actual speed driven which prevents consumer from knowing actual speed traveling. consumer has contacted dealer. please provide any further details.*ak | |||
| 03/20/2001 | |||
| At speeds of 30 mph and higher speedometer does not register. dealer found speedometer head needs to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 03/26/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving could not determine what is speed that vehicle is traveling. also, sometimes could feel that vehicle was going fast, but speedometer would not show what was current speed.*ak | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 100 | 03/01/2001 | |
| Bought this van used. on second day of ownership this started. speedometer is erratic after 35 mph. have read hundreds of complaints on this problem online. i beleive there should be a recall on this as this can be a safety problem. how can you tell how fast you are going?*ak | |||
| 02/15/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer operates erratically. when traveling at speeds of 40 mph or above, bar indicating speed jumps around. *ak *slc | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 0 | ||
| Speedometer fluctuates at speeds above 40mph. this makes it hard to tell how fast your going.*ak | |||
| 02/10/2001 | 02/01/2001 | ||
| The day i bought this 96 ford winstar minivan, i had tested 2-3 others. they each had the bouncing speedometer problem - once you went past 50 mph, it would bounce from 50-70 or 60-90 or whatever. also, after a certain speed it didn't work at all - at one point my speedometer said i was going 110 mph and people were passing me left and right. anyway, when i test drove the windstar i bought, it was the first one that didn't have a bouncing speedometer. my friends and i all commented on it at the time. but that evening, as i drove back to my friend's house (i bought the van in their city, not mine), the speedometer began bouncing. it was saturday and the dealership was closed, so i called monday morning. they kept repeating that it was as is and there was nothing they would do about it. after i brought the car home and started asking around, i found out the bouncing speedometer was a common windstar problem. so i brought it to the closest dealer, about 1-1/4 hours away, and they also agreed it was a common problem but had not been recalled. it cost me $350 to fix it! i was thoroughly disgusted and e-mailed a complaint form to ford but to no avail. i guess i'm just stuck paying the money.*ak | |||
| 02/01/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1999 | |
| Speedometer becomes erratic when speed over 45 mph, accompanied by buzzing sound from instrument cluster. needle jumps up 15-20 mph making it very difficult to judge speed. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 02/01/1996 | ||
| The speedometer jumps above 45 mph. the needle bounces around and we have no idea how fast we are going. this is a safety hazard that has effected thousands of ford owners. ford needs to recall the speedometers. | |||
| At 40 mph and higher speedometer jumps . dealer will be notified.*ak | |||
| 02/05/2001 | |||
| Head gasket failure; was told car engine was not under warranty and total repair cost was over $3,500. asked to speak with district rep but told i could not. told this person would contact me speedometer bounces at speeds over 40mph, making it useless for determining actual speed. *ak | |||
| 01/15/2001 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer is unreliable when drivng at speeds of 45mph or over due to a defective cable.. *ak the service station reports indicated that there were 15 repairs done on these models in one year period. *yh | |||
| 10/15/1998 | 1 | 02/01/1997 | |
| Speedometer reads up to 45mph, then jumps erratically above that level. it is impossible to read speed between 45 and top speed. this is a common problem in 1996 windstars and constitutes a safety defect! *ak | |||
| 11/18/2000 | |||
| When vehicle reaches 30 mph speedometer would commence to bounce back and forth, and a grinding sound from the odmeter area. manufacturer notified, and informed consumer that the part was out of warranty, and not cover under a recall. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 1 | 07/11/1996 | |
| Speedometer is erratic after 30 mph, therefore, consumer cannot indicate correct speed. no satisfaction from manufacturer. *ak *slc | |||
| When driving speedometer was waving back from 20 to 90 mph. consumer contacted dealer, dealer noticed transmission pan had metal in it which caused transmission to be replaced. also, noticed a fume odor in passenger compartment, and contacted the dealer. dealer noticed that coolant and timing cover were leaking fluid onto head gasket. please provide any further details.*ak | |||
| 09/08/1999 | 2 | 02/01/1997 | |
| 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 | |||
| 12/04/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1999 | |
| My 3.8l windstar was checked at 60k at dealer.at 68k check engine lamp stayed on. dealer identified the problem as head gasket failure & informed engine has to be replaced.vehicle received back after repair (new engine) after paying heavy & now has speedometer problem | |||
| 12/22/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1999 | |
| My 3.8l windstar was checked at 60k at dealer.at 68k the speedometer is erratic. noticed about 60 very similiar complaints by consumers at this site. cant drive confidently/safely. *ak | |||
| 03/17/2000 | 1 | 05/01/1996 | |
| Speedo head jumps. when driving vechicle, the speedometer needle will start waving. you can't tell how fast your traveling. service center stated this is real common on 1996 windstar. windshield wiper motor froze. can't clean rear window. | |||
| 12/04/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Ford has a history of head gasket failures on the 3.8 engine from 1995 on.also speedometer cable head has went out for the 2nd time!*ak | |||
| 12/15/2000 | |||
| Speedometer malfuctioned. needle kept bouncing back and forth. dealer had replaced speedometer at 65,000 miles, and problem reoccurred at 95,000 miles. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak | |||
| While traveling speedometer started jumping around giving wrong reading. dealer repaired speedometer, but problem returned. please providr further information.*ak | |||
| 12/15/2000 | 0 | ||
| Consumer took car into dealer's shop for a broken speedometer, and mechanic noticed a head gasket leak. alerted consumer to some recalls on those vehicles, but they had a different year. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1998 | 2 | 08/01/1996 | |
| When driving consumer noticed speedometer needle was making a clicking sound. also, needle raised above actual speed traveling. consumer has contacted dealer, dealer has replaced speedometer, problem has reoccurred. *ak two years later, the speedometer head had to be replaced again. the consumer states that a new vehicle that experience speedometer failure every 50000 miles should have a defect and is unsafe. *yh | |||
| 03/26/1999 | 2 | ||
| Speedometer head failed two times. * | |||
| 10/20/2000 | 7 | 08/01/1998 | |
| While driving 65 mph with cruise control on vehicle sped up. while getting ready to exit off the highway vehicle stayed under cruise control module. as consumer attempted to slow down, vehicle was moving 65 mph without any control from consumer. in order to make vehicle stop consumer had to press brake pedal with both feet, and shift vehicle into neutral. eventually, vehicle was able to slow down, and consumer turned vehicle off, dealer replaced 2 lock tabs because one had slipped on the cruise causing it to stay on. trip speedometer was replaced, it would not go past 799 miles. at 30 mph and over, the over drive light will flash. left front wheel cover was replaced due to it making ticking noises at lower speeds. sliding door squeaked, dealer lubed the sliding door. front rotors replaced and rear drums turned, a clicking noise was heard. *ak *slc | |||
| 05/23/2000 | 05/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer became very erratic, jumped all around, had cable replaced but it is not completely working correctly still jumps slightly. mechanic says we need to service the instrument cluster and ford would have to repair original cluster. i would take up to at least a week. he has had to service many. (neuberts tire and auto repair, tabernacle, nj 08088) i know the speedometer is not reading the correct speed. *ak | |||
| 03/03/1998 | 02/01/1996 | ||
| The speedometer began to show erratic movements at all speeds. it would fluctuate up to 10 to 30 mph at highway speeds rendering it's function useless. ford denies any known defect and refused an implied warranty for the item. due to cost differences i chose to have it replaced at a local repair shop using a new ly purchased speedometer head from the ford dealership.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 3 | 11/01/1997 | |
| Head gasket leaking, master cylinder froze up and caused smoke and damage to brake system on 3 wheels, abs light kept coming on, in for repairs on several occasions and light was disconnected by dealer, engine light on: o2 sensor replaced, speedometer failed to register speeds, driverside window goes down while driving, replaced by dealer, door open light turns on randomly, sliding door fails to lock with electric locks. what is going to be next? | |||
| 05/01/2000 | 2 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer begins to fluccuate at 50 mph, randomly jumping from 50mph to 80mph - previously went out at 47k miles, and only solution offered by hansel ford was to replace speedometer/odometer assembly ($400) because of broken speedometer head assembly - 52k later, exact same problems, and ford's only recommendation is replace speedometer/odometer again at my expense - given that the speedometer displays an erroneous reading starting at 50mph and the freeway speed limit is 55+mph, i have no reliable indication of my actual speed, which is particularly worrisome when i tow a tent-trailer. additionally, i don't know if the odometer is recording mileage correctly. there has been a tsb refering to this problem, but i have not been able to find the details out about it, so i don't know how to begin to correct the problem. *ak | |||
| 07/04/2000 | 05/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer fluctuated all over dial when car went over 30 mph; transmission just failed while car was being operated, it failed to shift and did not move while in traffic; brakes fade when coming to a stop all the time (i have requested repairs repeatedly, told no problem detected); car continues to roll 6-8 inches when parked on an incline; rear suspension creaks when getting in and out of car; several leaks in engine had to be repaired (gasket??). *ak | |||
| 07/03/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| While traveling on a busy interstate, engine light went on. van lost speed and started overheating. i was able to make it off highway. van died had to be towed. told it was cracked head due to coolant leakage. warranty company refuses to pay claim.. speedometer flips around, estimate repair cost is $475. warranty company refusee to pay. | |||
| 08/03/2000 | 08/01/1997 | ||
| Nothing but problems since purchasing 1)door ajar light constantly illuminated-all doors checked none ajar 2) engine check light occasionally comes on-happened right after purchase and catalytic converter replaced obviously didn't fix problem 3)occasionally power windows/locks and a/c will go out unless adjustable fan speed turned to high 4)recently front passenger door will open at random usually during a turn-luckily no one sits in that seat 5)speedometer will occasionally flicker higher while driving at speeds greater than 65mph all of these problems have surfaced in the past 1-1.5 yrs and have continued since then. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| Speed needle goes up and down from 50mph to 120mph register on the speedometer . consumer had the speedometer replaced at 45181 miles by ford dealership, mechanic did the actual work. *ak transmission failed at about 32,000 miles. *yh | |||
| 07/01/1999 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 01/06/2000 | 1 | ||
| Speedometer does not work properly above 35 miles per hour. failed at 35 mph-jumps to 60 the to 90mph. *et | |||
| 03/01/2000 | |||
| I purchsed the vehicle with the knowledge that it had 50,000 miles on it. the car was not runnig as well as i thought it should for a car with low miles i had it back in the shop where i purchsed it several times when the mechanis there mentioned carfax.com. i got a report which stated there was a odometer rollback. i took it back to the dealer where they did a title search which in my mind had been doctored. i don't feel i received the all the information needed. i have the carfax report which shows mileage at 103,443 on 9-21-98. then on 10-9-98it shows mileage at 34,818. the car continues to run terribly. i need to get to the bottom of this and find some answers. i feel i was ripped off and i want my money or a new car for the same amount i paid with the same low miles. please help me if you can or put me intouch with an agency that can help me. thank you. *ak | |||
| Speedometer has been replaced twice because the needle fluctuated from 0 to 120 erratically. first speedometer was replaced with 35,000, and the second at 38,000. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| 06/18/2000 | 1 | ||
| While going down interstate 75 car pulled back, rpms went very high to 3 and 4, and speedometer declined very rapidly. contacted dealer who said that vehicle's speed sensor needed to be repaired. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1998 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer failure | |||
| 01/13/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer jumps between 70 - 100 mph at low (40) or high (65) speeds. makes buzzing noise. very dangerous as it is misleading and distracting (unnerving) to the driver. dealer never heard of this problem. owner paid $525 repair. | |||
| 01/01/2000 | |||
| Speedometer does not register properly. needle would jumps back and forth while driving. dealer notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was out of warranty, and repairs would only be done at consumer expense. *ak | |||
| 05/02/2000 | 02/16/1997 | ||
| Consumer has complained to manufacturer about speedometer not working & nothing was being done. consumer couldn't determine speed, and felt that it was a safety hazard. consumer informed by mechanic of a tsb issued by ford regarding this problem, which calls for replacement under 3 yr warranty. this problem occurred in this vehicle just after 3 years, and dealer refuses to repair it under warranty. *ak *ml | |||
| 01/20/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Speedometer does not register correctly, speed always erratic. fails at different speeds at different times during the day. unknown how many times replaced on vehicle. i bought it used. have not yet tried to price the repair. looking to see if any info on help on how to handle. this is very inconvenient.*ak | |||
| 06/15/1998 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| The speedometer fluctuates abructly 10 to 25 mph at different speeds, it is difficult to judge the proper speed. ford declined to help in matter and acted as if they never heard of the problem. problem occurred in my daughter's '96 windstar as well and replaced same at her expense for $550, ford wanted $880. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| The speedometer reads near 100 mph while the vehicle is only traveling at speeds betweem 30 and 70 mph. nlm | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer jumps while going 50mph or faster. also, makes rattling noise. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The speedometer wavers wildly from 55 to 110 with no increase in vehicle speed. this may be caused by oil not being injected properly during manufacturing. nlm | |||
| 1 | 08/01/1998 | ||
| Speedometer malfunctioned when it gets up to 45 mph or more. yh | |||
| While traveling noticed speedometer works eratically. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1999 | |||
| While traveling noticed speedometer reading 40 rpms. then would jump to 100 rpms without depressing the gas on normal traveling. also, the reading for how fast the vehicle is travelling jumps around and is inaccurate. ford is aware of the problem and has issued a tsb. *ak *ml | |||
| 12/01/1999 | 01/01/1999 | ||
| Speedometer needle jumps, will not indicate correct speed, causing safety hazard.dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 02/18/2000 | 03/01/1996 | ||
| My neighbor also had her speedometer break on her 1996 ford windstar. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| While accelerating, speedometer needle jumps at 20 mph to 40 or 50 mph. the needle continues to waver. actual speed is much lower than shown speed. definite safety problem. dealer will only replace head and not fix. replacement will break too based on research from reputable speedometer shops. *ak | |||
| 12/18/1999 | |||
| While driving speedometer does not register the correct level speed due to a malfunction within the speedometer head. *ak | |||
| Speedometer floats. when driving the needle will jump up and read 90 mph when the vehicle is only going 40mph. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| Speedometer floats and does not read the right speed that the vehicle is really traveling. it reads 20mph more than what it is doing. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 3 | |||
| Possible design flaw of speedometer fluctuates back & forth causing difficulties while driving. vehicle experienced its first failure at 27,000 miles, but has 80,000 miles on it and needs a third speedometer. *yc | |||
| 12/18/1998 | |||
| Due to the defective design of speedometer owner had to replace it 3 times, and the previous owner once. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 2 | 11/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer head failed twice. yh | |||
| 08/01/1999 | 05/01/1999 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 04/04/1999 | |||
| While driving over 30 mph speedometer needle fluctuates back and forth, not registering the correct speed. dealer was not notified about this problem. *ak | |||
| Speedometer reading is incorrect, reading stated faster speed then actually traveling. consumer contacted the dealer, dealer stated the speedometer needed replacing. please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 12/11/1999 | 09/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer jumps to 120mph when traveling at 65mph, seems to work fine until you reach 40mph then it will jump. cost to repair was $493 ford would not cover cost even under extra-care extended warranty. *ak | |||
| 11/29/1999 | 15 | 01/01/1997 | |
| Whenever vehicle reaches a speed of 50 mph , speedometer cable head malfunctions causing rapid fluctuations on speedometer dial of + or - 30 mph. this makes it extremely difficult to maintain safe and proper highway speeds. | |||
| Speedometer needle jumps between 50 mph -120 mph, not indictating speed of vehicle, causing safety hazard. manufacturer is aware of defect. *ak | |||
| 07/15/1999 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 09/23/1997 | 2 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Car failed to go after coming to a stop at red light many times , abs light stays on,emergency brake light stays on,speedometer spins out of control,interior lights sometimes stay on, | |||
| 10/09/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| 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. | |||
| 09/02/1999 | |||
| Speedometer malfunctions intermittently while driving 60mph. contacted dealer.*ak | |||
| 02/06/1998 | 2 | ||
| Speedometer erratically changes its readings making it impossible to tell what speed the vehicle is going. this is the second time it has happened. dealer is replacing the speedometer for the second time. *ml | |||
| 08/27/1999 | 02/01/1995 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 06/15/1999 | 2 | 09/01/1995 | |
| Original spedometer failed at 27000 miles, replacement by ford only lasted 20000 miles. dealer and ford customer service both refused to cover the replacement saying it is out of warranty. based on my experience and having read the reports on ford speedometers, they are placing defective equipment in thier cars and are not living up to their responsibility to their customers nor their suppoed commitment to quality. *ak | |||
| 05/12/1999 | |||
| Speedometer acts erratically when going over 50 mph, and there is a grinding noise behind the dash when this happens. the speedometer head was replaced which corrected the problem at owner's expense. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1999 | 06/15/1997 | ||
| Speedodometer is working intermittently. when consumer is driving he can't determine the speed he is traveling. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1999 | 03/01/1997 | ||
| I am unable to attain a replacement part from the dealerships in the area. i have been told that the parts are on emergency back order and that it will take 4-6 weeks to get the part. currently when the vehicle exceeds 30mph the speedometer jumps all over the place, and it is impossible to determine a rate of spped. i am wondering about a equipment recall, etc. since it appears that a great demand for this failed component exists. is ford taking any corrective action? the wait for the part seems excessive. *ak | |||
| 01/15/1999 | 30 | 10/01/1996 | |
| When driving at higher speeds on the interstate, the speedometer malfunctions, i.e., traveling at 65 mph, the speedometer shot up to 90 mph. *ak | |||
| 01/10/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Speedometer began to indicate much higher speed than actual above 50 mph. needle was erratic and made a chirping noise. complained to ford. had dealer replace (saybrook ford, ct). made video showing failure mechanism (rotating element rubbing speed 'cup') and wrote letter to ford. ford sent back video unwatched and informed me that they will not reimburse for parts and labor. i believe that this is a manufacturing defect which is supported by the large number of complaints on speedometers (see odi id 702130, 827746, 830141) | |||
| 02/01/1997 | |||
| Disc brakes are warping from excessive heat buildup within the abs brakes. dealer contacted, and stated the design of car has small brakes. repair work done at owner's expense. also, headlights are filling up with water when raining, could cause major problems/speedometer does not work properly. provide further information. *ak | |||
| 11/30/1998 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| The service and parts depatment of apple ford, columbia, maryland reports to me that they're seeing a pattern of failed speedometer heads on windstars. currently, 7 or 8 are back-ordered at that dealership alone. the service manager reports that a similar problem occurred with 1995 taurus's. while not directly a safety defect, if consumers are going to be made to repair what appears to be a manufacturing defect, my sense is that may will choose to forgo this expensive repair. one then has to ask, how many ford drivers do we want on our highways who are unaware of their speed? please investigate to see if their is a pattern of failed speedometer heads in ford windstars, particularly 1996 models. if there is, consider a recall. thank you. | |||
| 09/15/1998 | 1 | 05/01/1997 | |
| Replaced original speedometer on 4-23-98. replacement failed on 8-20-98 with only 15000 miles. ford motor co. refused to help. ted russell ford offered to pay 1/2 of the cost to replace. | |||
| 10/15/1998 | 1 | ||
| The consumer is an owner of a fleet of ford windstars. the consumer stated that on several of the vehicle, the speedometers have not been operating properly. the speedometers have been reading too high. in addition, the needle bounces back and forth to different speeds. the manufacturer has not been contacted. *ak *nlm | |||
| 09/09/1998 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| While driving the vehicle speed could not be determined due to malfunctioning of the speedometer. cause unknown. *ak *slc | |||
| 04/12/1998 | 01/13/1996 | ||
| Speedometer inacurate by approx 9 mph. has been replaced twice. | |||
| 12/09/1997 | 2 | ||
| Blown engine gasket and speedometer off by five miles (recalled). | |||
| 3 | |||
| When the consumer first contacted the dealer no tools were available to fix the problem, on the second and third trip parts were not able to remedy the problem.*ak recall 96s39. *slc | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 125000 | ||
| I purchased a 1996 ford windstar van 3.0 l in june 2010. i have had numerious issues with this vehicle from day 1 to current most dangerous is the blowing spark plug which has blown out 2 times forcing me to drive it to a place where it could be parked for repair first time blow out was 7 days after purchase repaired by a mechanic now 2000 miles later again blew out ford should be ashamed of themselves for ignoring such a huge hazard this could seriously ignight fuel fumes and cause a major fire, explosion while some one is driving with there children to find a repair shop unaware of the danger and damage this could cause, second issue is a failing shifting modual or tranny and this has happend alot driving and all of a sudden the vans transmision shifts to a 1st or 2nd gear causing exstream change in speed and in heavy traffic we have almost been rearended several times due to this issue, vessil must be pulled over and trans reset by shifting to park and sometimes shutting off the vehicle and starting it again.ford dealer gave us a 3000. estimate to replace transmission and told us we would continue to replace trans aprox every 70,000 miles this is a chump way to build cars and they have managed to get more money out of repairs than sales i will never own another ford again safe or not. ford should be forced to reclaim all these dangerouse vehicles and replace all money spent on repairs and purchase of the vehicles due to indagerment and there is no way they didnt know about these problems. | |||
| 08/21/2009 | 187569 | 1 | |
| There was no crash. there was no warning what so ever. i was driving a client home from a picnic and pulled into a parking lot to park and smoke started rolling out of the engine compartment. i got my passenger who was in a wheelchair to safety and opened the hood to find flames coming from the top of the transaxles. i put out the fire. the transaxles range sensor and plug just forward of the range sensor were the cause of the fire. the wiring harness above coming out of the black box(fuse box) was also burnt. this problem has not been repaired. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2008 | 153000 | 1 | |
| The park pawl shaft occasionally does not engage when the transmission selector lever is placed in the park position or other position. therefore, the vehicle either does not stay still or does not move when placed in gear. *tr | |||
| 12/09/2005 | 125000 | 200 | 07/08/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving on normal road conditions at any speed the transmission slipped continously and would not go into overdrive when gas was applied while trying to pass other vehicles. the vehicle was taken to the dealership who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a reputable transmision service. the contact disregarded the option because it was too far and the towing too expensive. a tire was also punctured while repairing a coil spring. after the tire was replaced without being balanced the vehicle lost its aligment. | |||
| 02/09/2005 | 9 | 03/21/1999 | |
| Start van everything fine. stop at store,etc. restart van starts jerking and goes into second gear and will not go back into drive mostly jerking all the way or slips into drive and then back to second with a jerk over and over again. don't have money to fix if really bad so please what could this be?? give time to sit overnight and start its ok again??*ak | |||
| 04/05/2004 | 134000 | 4 | 07/01/2002 |
| I brought my 1996 ford windstar in for an oil change, and was told tie rods failed and needed to be replaced. , then, next day, they phoned and advised me that transmission was defective because the pan was full of shavings, also, power steering rack was leaking, and intake gasket needed replacement. , a total of $5000 to fix this vehicle. i bought it at 118,000 miles, and this happened shortly after owning it for one year. currently, it has 134,000 miles, and cannot be driven. i parked vehicle then started it after being parked for a week. heard a noise from front, and then white smoke came out of the tail pipe. i do believe that paul cornies, the dealer that i purchased vehicle knew that they were selling me a lemon. it has caused me a lot of hardship as i no longer work due to health reasons. i filed for disability insurance, and was told that i had a preexisting disease , and refused to pay the insurance. currently, i have a junker in my driveway that i can't afford to fix , and a bill for the next 3 years, since i still owe for it. i will never buy another ford. *ak | |||
| 07/12/2004 | 130000 | 1 | |
| While driving the consumer was unable to shift gears. the consumer was able to pull over and noticed that fluid was leaking from underneath the vehicle. the dealer informed the consumer that the transmission needed to be replaced. *jb *nm | |||
| 17000 | 4 | ||
| Automatic transmission had been replaced four times at approximately every 17,000 miles. the cause of the malfunction of the transmission was not disclosed to the consumer by the dealer. *ak | |||
| 10/04/2003 | 116786 | 4 | 02/03/2003 |
| 1996 ford windstar auto transmission failure. intermittently will lock in 1st or 2nd gear shifting up. also transmission, intermittently will down shift into 2nd gear while crusing at 60-70 mph. this sometimes lasts hours and then for no apparent reason desides to shift absolutly fine. i have changed the fluid, filter and gasket. internally looks very clean minuscule amounts of filings and no apparent contamination. i would like to know what computer modules and or sensers are involved. i have heard of the,transmission control module (tcm) and the-----(pcm)?...what are this ? what is their purpose? are there others?where are they located?what do they cost? i cannot beleive the transmissions needs a $2000 rebuild when it performs perfectly most of the time. logic convinces me it may very well be as simple as plug and play. yet no transmission shops want to hear of it, they want to rebuild. my complaint is not with the equiptment but with the experts , especially the dealers taking advantage of customers. case in point, the head gasket blew out on the windstar dealer priced the repair no less than $1450.00 and not to be surprised at final cost upwards of $2200.00. i had it towed 70 miles to my local mechinic and the costs including the tow job was $237.00. i wish he was a transmission mech. but he is not.you have my e-mail address i assume you wanted that to help me. answer my questions about the computer module etc..and please do not give my address to any other sites for that matter to anyone at all. do this, you will earn my trust, i will be greatful, you just need to ask.*ak | |||
| 09/17/2003 | 103289 | 1 | 01/25/2002 |
| Automatic transmission failure possibly due to low transmission fluid following guidelines in owners guide . after failure and subsequent replacement. i found an article in newspaper quoted from ford regarding fluid level maintenance which was different than recommendation in the owners guide. *la | |||
| 09/18/2001 | 1 | ||
| When stopped at stop sign, van hesitated to shift into gear for about 5-10 seconds and then jerked into drive. this happened numerous times..took to dealer and they couldn't tell me what was wrong, just that it needed to be replaced. had transmission overhauled...$1800 that i didn't have. 1 yr later now having more problems with transmission, when going around corners van seems to slip into neutral until it's straightened out. when proceeding from a stop at a light or stop sign, vehicle feels like it's spinning the tires, but the power isn't getting the tires, after letting off the gas it moves, but this is very hazardous, especially in heavy traffic..will be taking the van to get fixed....again. no more fords for me!!!!*ak | |||
| 08/05/2003 | 85550 | 1 | 10/05/1999 |
| Replaced rack and pinion for the second time 8/01 ( by dealership) and 5/03. also replaced front end bearing in 1999 and transmission. wiring harness in 2000. rear a/c does not work and that's only the items i can remeber.*ak | |||
| 07/03/2003 | 98800 | 5 | 11/29/1996 |
| Continuous failed transmission. have had 4 actual rebuilt/replacements. begged for exteded warranty, received. shortest lived transmission was 300 mi. 1 mo. out of warranty, transmission failed again, on highway, 100 mi from home with 3 disabled children in car. will be vehicles actual 6th transmission. has now 98k mi, bought new off lot (1st transmission in 1st yr owned). irionically person 1 mi down the highyway had 1999 windstar who's tranmission had also just failed. bought car for children due to safety, is nothing but a lemon and ford won't do anything about it.*ak | |||
| 06/08/2003 | 71000 | 1 | 03/26/1996 |
| Engine spewing water. diagnosed as freeze plugs blowing 72,000 miles. at 42,000 miles transmission had to be worked on. jumped out of drive to neutral. vehicle has had regular maintenance since purchased new. *jb | |||
| 05/06/2002 | 44400 | 2 | 06/01/1996 |
| Since we drove this car off the lot, it has been plagued with electrical problems. as soon as our warranty ran out, the transmission failed at 44,400. two adults and 4 children were on our way to a 4th of july celebration when the transmission stalled at an intersection. lucky for us all traffic was stopped and no major accident occurred. we took it to our dealer and asked for assistance since there was a tsb out on the transmission in ford windstar's. we were denied assistance. our problem was the aluminum piston that were reported in the tsb. in may 2001, the check engine light came on and we took it to a ford dealer. they replaced the irmc value. cost $1000. recently, the check engine light came on again and smoke was coming out of the tail pipe. we took it to crossroads ford, the dealer we bought the car from. they once again denied to help us with the cost. we towed the van to a quality ford in durham, nc. they have contacted ford to see if they will assist us with the cost. the estimated cost is $3500-$4000. *jb ****dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over artemis****761964 | |||
| 05/01/2003 | 94000 | 1 | |
| Failure of transmission | |||
| 04/26/2003 | 39500 | 1 | 01/03/2002 |
| While driving the transmission failed which caused the vehicle to decelerate. *nlm transmission replaced. *tt | |||
| 03/22/2003 | 72000 | 1 | 05/04/1996 |
| Transmission failed internally, causing outside case to crack, and started leaking transmission fluid. needed to replace transmission for $2400. this at 72,000 miles, and after replacing entire engine (under extended warranty) at 59,000 miles. this vehicle has been serviced per the owner's manual, since buying new. the only satisfaction is that ford has lost money on this vehicle because of all the warranty work done for the first six years of it's life. have had major problems with the last 4 fords i have owned, all at less than 60,000 miles. no more fords in my future. *jb | |||
| 03/21/2003 | 80000 | 3 | 10/11/1999 |
| Transmission slippage. occasionally during stop and go transmission will not up shift out of 1st to higher gear. appears random. dealer could not re-create problem, and therefore could not find a problem. however, after doing some research, this appears to be a very common problem with 1996 ford windstar's. the only solution appears to require a rebuilt transmission. but, again nhsta complaints include owners having to have transmission rebuilt more than once. *jb | |||
| 10335 | 7 | 10/06/1996 | |
| The abs light had flashed periodically, the transmission had burnt out, and the engine had become contaminated with coolant. the consumer had requested reimbursement for the charge of the rebuilt engine. scc *jb | |||
| 01/14/2001 | 62000 | 3 | 04/12/1999 |
| Abs and check engine light constant, replaced o2 sensor, replaced abs brakes, transmission problems causing vehicle to jerk and not change gears when running or parked, coolant leaking and door sensors are bad. all document known issues on.*jb http://www.carsurvey.org/modelyear_ford_windstar_1996.html - something needs to be done about this. this has gone on far to long and is putting peoples life at stake. i have children in my van and all of these are big issues that need to be address immediately. | |||
| 06/15/2002 | 70000 | 09/16/1998 | |
| Transmission failure in 1996 ford windstar, requiring complete replacemen at approx 70k miles | |||
| 03/28/2000 | 07/01/2096 | ||
| Ford extended warranty on 3.8 l engine for 1995 model due to engine failure caused by defective gasket sets. however, is not doing so for like failure on 1996 model 3.8 l engines. engine seized on our vehicle with approximately 48000 miles despite maintenance and timing chain gasket set replacement an approximately $1200 repair. dt | |||
| 02/01/2002 | 1 | 09/01/2097 | |
| No summary. dt | |||
| 01/28/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| Currently, the van is at the dealership and we are awaiting an estimate on the head gasket. our warranty expired on august 31, 2002 and ford will not help with the cost of the repair. the transmission is also being checked as it has begun leaking only 10 months after we had it replaced. our mechanic stated that these are commonly seen with this vehicle and stated the failure of the head gasket is due to the defective fire ring. no reason was given as to why the transmission failed in january of 2002 and to why it is now leaking. dt | |||
| 08/01/1997 | 10335 | 3 | 10/06/1996 |
| The brake system and it's components failed, the abs light had come on constantly, the transmission burned out, and the engine was contaminated with coolant. the consumer requested a new vehicle or a new engine. mr scc | |||
| 09/01/2002 | 3 | ||
| Transmissions failed 3 times since vehicle purchased in 1999. very concerned about safety while driving vehicle. 1st replacement at 33000/2nd at 34000, and 3rd at 65000. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2001 | |||
| When vehicle is going 65mph rpms escalate higher that normal ,and vehicle dies out. no warning is detected when sticking between gears. please provide more information.*ak | |||
| 05/02/2002 | |||
| While driving at speeds above 50 mph vehicle will drop into nuetral without the indicator ever moving. contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak | |||
| 03/08/2002 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| This car has barely 75,000 miles on it. we are told it costs $2,800 for a rebuilt transmission. upon investigation on the internet, i found that transmission failure in the windstar is a chronic problem (along with the door locks and rear hatch failing). i believe the transmission should be recalled. just fyi-our extended warrently expired one year ago. *ak | |||
| 09/08/2000 | 1 | ||
| The transmission in this vehicle failed at an unacceptably low mileage. when it failed, it caused a surging that was dangerous. the speedometer should not fail at such a low mileage. it fluctuates wildly. we do not have the resources to get it fixed and can't tell what speed we are driving.*ak | |||
| 04/01/1996 | |||
| Transmission shifts hard. *ak | |||
| Transmission completely shutdown, has been replaced. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2001 | 03/01/2001 | ||
| Bought car 3/01-immediately replaced cat. converter. overdrive lt flashing-needed new transmission, torque converter, planetary gears, solenoids; had to realign;speedometer off by at least 10 mph; need new rack & pinion-power steering fluid leaking; nothing but problems have spent so much money and also been without car for over a month -only had it 7 months! | |||
| 08/21/2001 | 3 | 11/24/2000 | |
| While driving transmission went out. vehicle jolted about 3 times, and then coasted to a stop. vehicle felt like it was in neutral,and would not go into any other gear.*ak ford customer representatives are defensive when consumer talks to them regarding the problems and they are unwilling to help in any matter. *slc | |||
| 06/20/2001 | 1 | ||
| Prior to recall notiifcation (96s50) vehicle would go in and out of gear while traveling at speeds of over 50 mph, vehicle was taken in for recall to be performed, however transmission consequently failed, consumer believes that ford knew that they built a defective transmission.*jb | |||
| When driving vehicle fails to shift into gears which has caused problems when accelerating. also, when brakes are applied a noise occurs in front end of vehicle cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| 02/12/2001 | 5 | ||
| Transmission will not go into drive or reverse, it slips into other gear thatis not specified, dealership is aware of problem. vehicle was in shop more than five times.*ak | |||
| 06/21/2001 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Transmission self destructed at 60950 miles. wanted to add this to you list of failed windstar transmissions in the hope that a recall may someday happen. ford seems to know about this problem but wants to do nothing about it. i am out $2300.00. this was the cost to have my transmission rebuilt. at the present time i have recieved no financial assistance from ford. i will keep trying until i get the money i spent to get my transmission rebuilt back, even if i have to use the legal system. thank you for your time.*ak | |||
| 01/18/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1997 | |
| Original transmission failed at 37900 mi. - detected when trans fluid leaked onto hot engine part and smoked. original warranty expired at 36,000 mi. dealer told me that fmc would sell me an extended powertrain warranty for $250. the warranty would cover the previously diagnosed transmission failure and would cover any other major trans/engine problems up to 75,000 miles, provided i am still the owner of the vehicle. i purchased the extended warranty and was glad i did when the replaced trans failed ta 42,952 miles. the dealer replaced that trans, i had to pay a $50 deductible. in jan. 2001 (58,100 miles) the warranty had to be used again. this time it was for upper and lower manifold seals. however, this time it would cost me $213 because they also had to replace the spark plugs, which were not covered by the extended warranty. just last month, 6/22/2001 the vehicles engine light came on again, just as it had in january 2001. the vehicle was running rough, stalling, engine was 'misfiring. the end result this time was replacement of the spark plug wires, coil assembly, a-s sensor, and a spark plug. this vehicle was sold to me as not needing a tune-up until 100,000 miles. sure sounds to me like i've already had that tune-up and i'm only 1t 65,000 miles!! then theres the a/c problem(s). in june the a/c was only blowing air through my defrost vents on top of the dash. the dealer repaired a vacuum leak and now they replaced a high psi switch, cost was $100 each time. *ak | |||
| 12/22/1996 | 0 | ||
| Vehicle shifts very hard when changing gears. *ak | |||
| 04/20/2001 | 1 | 04/01/1998 | |
| This van has been an albatross! i had to take it in 3 or 4 times and get nasty before the dealership would admit that there was a transmission problem- and then agree to fix it. i know they were waiting for my bumper to bumper warranty to expire. the head gasket/engine problem absolutely fries me. no vehicle with 62,000 miles on it should require a new engine and head gaskets. that repair cost me $5000.00 and no one will help me. we all know about the 94 and 95 recalls. what about the 96's??? the problem has not been fixed. i have called ford customer service several times, and have tried the dealer for help. no one will help me. the concensus is this: ford motor company does not care enough about the products they produce (or the customers who purchase them) to make an intolerable situation right. i have heard of so many cases like mine- ford has definately lost a customer. if they won't stand behind their produsts, i certainly won't buy another one!*ak | |||
| 05/04/2001 | 0 | ||
| Gears switched from drive to second, then it stayed in second. took vehicleto a mechanic, and he said that metal chips were all in transmission and it needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2001 | 09/01/1996 | ||
| Cannot up shift to 3rd gear. rpms go up and down when vehicle is on a slight incline.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2001 | 0 | ||
| Transmission quit operating at 85,000 miles. transmission went out at 4000 miles. consumer was traveling 10 to 15 miles on highway. dealership wa saware of problem. *ak | |||
| 04/19/2001 | |||
| Transmission will fail to engage after making a stop. on the first incident, dealership could not determine that there was a cause because no computer code came up when examining vehicle, and there was not a transmission specialist available. a second dealership/mechanic observed the defect, but could not determine cause due to no computer code showing on vehicle. a separate mechanic advised consumer that defect could be a result from a piston within transmission cracking. please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak | |||
| 08/11/1997 | 5 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Vehicle has had two separate transmission overhauls. vehicle has been to dealer five seperate times for engine problem. manufacturer has been contacted but does not seem to be concerened with my issues or problems.*ak | |||
| 10 | 03/01/1996 | ||
| Automatic transmission has been rebuilt due to the transmission not shifting into gear. after the transmission has been rebuilt consumer noted that overdrive light was illuminating on dash. due to overdrive light being illminated on dash transmission could wear out again.*ak | |||
| 03/26/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving transmission won't shift gears, and sometimes will stay in neutral where transmission will lose power while not shifting. a cause could not be found.*ak | |||
| 03/06/2001 | 1 | 04/01/1998 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| When driving speedometer was waving back from 20 to 90 mph. consumer contacted dealer, dealer noticed transmission pan had metal in it which caused transmission to be replaced. also, noticed a fume odor in passenger compartment, and contacted the dealer. dealer noticed that coolant and timing cover were leaking fluid onto head gasket. please provide any further details.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2000 | 6 | 05/01/2000 | |
| Transmission replaced around 40000 miles due to its jumping, rpm's went up and down. currently, happening again. *ak the consumer states the transmission had been replaced six times but the problem was not solved. as the result the consumer was very much concerned about safety. *yh | |||
| 11/07/2000 | 2 | 03/26/1996 | |
| When coming to a stop and trying to accelerate it was like vehicle was in neutral, it would roll, but couldn't go anywhere. then, it would jump into drive. *ak | |||
| 10/31/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1996 | |
| My windstar has had several problems which cannot be found or corrected by the dealer until now, they can see that the slipping transmission needs to be replaced. i am afraid to spend $2,500 on a repair as the other undetectable problems are quite scary and have made me question the safety of this vehicle for a long time. the biggest problem is that the brakes will occasionaly grab hold of the front right tire for a split second while i am driving!! it happens and lets go so fast that it has never caused a problem but i am worried one day it won't let go! the car also has some electrical failings that just make me feel this car is not worth fixing, my speedometer bounces all over the place, the door ajar bell rings on and on sometimes, and the passanger window doesn't always go up and down. i really feel i need a new car, but am quite sad about having a $24,000 vehicle that is only 4 years old and is only worth $5,500 for a trade in. i have heard there were so many transmission & head gasket problems with the 95's that ford gives a special rebate upon trade in for a new ford, can you help me???*ak | |||
| 10/13/2000 | 1 | ||
| Van had been in for diagnostic check and maintenance on 9/21. no problems found. with no warning, transmission began to slip. was able to drive in 2nd gear to repair shop and home, but told needed new transmission @$3500. this is my primary transportation used for business and home. still owe $10,000. can't trade with bad transmission. please help | |||
| 10/20/2000 | 7 | 08/01/1998 | |
| While driving 65 mph with cruise control on vehicle sped up. while getting ready to exit off the highway vehicle stayed under cruise control module. as consumer attempted to slow down, vehicle was moving 65 mph without any control from consumer. in order to make vehicle stop consumer had to press brake pedal with both feet, and shift vehicle into neutral. eventually, vehicle was able to slow down, and consumer turned vehicle off, dealer replaced 2 lock tabs because one had slipped on the cruise causing it to stay on. trip speedometer was replaced, it would not go past 799 miles. at 30 mph and over, the over drive light will flash. left front wheel cover was replaced due to it making ticking noises at lower speeds. sliding door squeaked, dealer lubed the sliding door. front rotors replaced and rear drums turned, a clicking noise was heard. *ak *slc | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 02/01/1997 | ||
| In the past two weeks the transmission has slipped twice. when at a complete stop and accelerating the vehicle has to be put into park and then back into drive. this is very dangerous. there is only 56000 on vehicle. battery light continually comes on this can be very nerve wracking when in heavy traffic. . speedometer fluctuates and flops around after 40mph, sometime sticks at 50mph. rear wipers work when they want. we have just returned from serving 8 years overseas, this is our only vehicle and from the research we have just been able to start this windstar is headaches with the same problems. i would like to be able to take my family to see relatives they have not seen in over 8 years but this vehicle is unsafe. *ak | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 02/01/1997 | ||
| In the past two weeks the transmission has slipped twice. when at a complete stop and accelerating the vehicle has to be put into park and then back into drive. this is very dangerous. there is only 56000 on vehicle. battery light continually comes on this can be very nerve wracking when in heavy traffic. . speedometer fluctuates and flops around after 40mph, sometime sticks at 50mph. rear wipers work when they want. we have just returned from serving 8 years overseas, this is our only vehicle and from the research we have just been able to start this windstar is headaches with the same problems. i would like to be able to take my family to see relatives they have not seen in over 8 years but this vehicle is unsafe. | |||
| 09/07/2000 | |||
| Was at stop sign & started to move forward. suddenly vehicle just stopped/stalled. had vehicle towed to dealership & was informed by mechanic the problem was in the transmission & would need to replace it.*ak | |||
| 06/06/2000 | 09/01/1998 | ||
| Since the transmission failure i have met others who had the exact same problem with the 96 windstar. this is not an isolated incident.. the failure of the windshield wipers is a safety problem. *ak | |||
| 09/12/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Please,we are parents whit 3 kids,is very hard for us to pay this extra money for this defect vehicle , to this moment we changed:transmission -twice 02sensor (transmission)-catylitic converter left/raight-coil ignition system ,we get this car whit 48.000mi. on 1998 .for my all family and the good name of the ford deller tanks for yuo help. *ak | |||
| 09/13/2000 | 07/01/1999 | ||
| The transmission was replaced on this vehicle at 15,000 miles but is now starting to act up again. it frequently shifts hard when upshifting and often downshifts whenever the gas pedal is released. although the transmission hasn't failed yet, it will only be a matter of time and the vehicle is now out of warranty protection. i noticed when checking the nhtsa web site that this seems to be a common problem for this vehicle type.*ak | |||
| 08/10/2000 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Ford dealer mechanic told me that he has repaired many of these transmissions at premature mileage levels (less than 80,000 miles). ford has authorized replacement of many original parts with new designs to reconcile the substandard original design. for my transmission the mechanic said failure was the result of a defective aluminum piston, a problem that has developed in many ford transmissions. *ak | |||
| 08/20/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| No summary | |||
| 08/10/2000 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Ford dealer mechanic told me that he has repaired many of these transmissions at premature mileage levels (less than 80,000 miles). ford has authorized replacement of many original parts with new designs to reconcile the substandard original design. for my transmission the mechanic said failure was the result of a defective aluminum piston, a problem that has developed in many ford transmissions. *ak | |||
| 08/20/2000 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| No summary | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1999 | |
| Vehicle bought in 3/99 throttle body linkage broke repaire bill $500.00 shortly thereafter sensor went out (fuel)bill 256.00 later noticed squeking in front end advised it was tie rod ends not fixed yet this thing has broke me have had many occurences with speed odometer going crazy after 45mph recently noticed popping when turning steering or appling the brakes but before i could get it fixed transmission begin to either not shift upward ,slip at 45mph and has downshifted after reaching speeds of 45mph (on i-85) has jerked several times ..was told anywhere from 100.00-2000.00 ? seems i have not been alone in my disquest with ford...only problem not encountered head gasket thank god please help us working folks against this big boy on the block thanks | |||
| 07/01/2000 | 07/01/1998 | ||
| 1996 ford windstars have major transmission trouble. we have only had our van for 2 years and it is very upsetting that a car manufacturer cannot make a vehicle that will make it to 100,000 miles. ford states that you can go 100,000 miles before needing a tune up but they don'y mention that their transmissions won't make it that far. i have been on the internet researching this problem and have found that many people have this problem but ford does not reply with any help or hope. the ford transmission problem expands outward, not just on the windstar vans. there should be a recall or something should be done because most of the owners are still making payments on these new vehicles that are suppose to be able to make it for 100,000 miles. on the sites i searched, alot of people have only gotten 40,000-55,000 miles on their vehicles before the problems began. this is not ordinary and cannot be looked upon as normal wear and tear because it has happened to too many people. ford needs to be made to recall and correct their vehicles. they should be responsible for what they build and sell. we have already taken our van to the shop 2 times, and the 3rd is in the near future because it still is not fixed.please, please, please check into this and see if something can be done to get our vehicles repaired so we don't have to take out loans to pay for repairs that should be repaired by ford, on a vehicle we are still making payments only . thank you. | |||
| 07/10/2000 | 05/01/1996 | ||
| Transmission slipping intermittently while driving, engine drops to 45 mph and rpm goes to 5000 at highway speeds. on some occassion during stop and go transmission does not change from 1st to 2nd gear. took vehicle to dealer and they cannot find any problem. this is becoming a dangerous situtation. *ak | |||
| 07/22/2000 | 2 | 10/01/1998 | |
| Transmission rebuilt twice within a year, and new engine | |||
| 07/04/2000 | 05/01/1996 | ||
| Speedometer fluctuated all over dial when car went over 30 mph; transmission just failed while car was being operated, it failed to shift and did not move while in traffic; brakes fade when coming to a stop all the time (i have requested repairs repeatedly, told no problem detected); car continues to roll 6-8 inches when parked on an incline; rear suspension creaks when getting in and out of car; several leaks in engine had to be repaired (gasket??). *ak | |||
| 07/18/2000 | 1 | 07/01/2000 | |
| The automatic transmission will either refuse to shift into the higher gear or will downshift on its own. continuing so that eventually (after 10 to 15 minutes) it will no longer shift from first into second. the problem is not continual. the dealship had the van for three days after it first occurred. they were unable to get the problem to reoccur for them. the day after we picked the van up from them the problem arose once again. at present we are trying to figure out what step to take, what the problem could be and how to get the problem to reoccur while at the dealer. of, couse the problem always occurs on the weekend or in the evening after closing. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| At about 60000 miles the windstar would fail to move after stopping at a traffic light. on occasion the vehicle would make noise, similar to what you would expect if a plastic container was caught under the vehicle. took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. vehicle is less than five years of age and less than 60000 miles. dealer offered no assistance, financial or otherwise.*ak | |||
| 07/13/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Consumer was traveling about 55mph and engine check light blinked on and off on the dashboard. also, transmission slipped out of gear. computer chip was replaced, but problem still continued. anti-freeze was leaking from the transmission. in addition, spark plugs were replaced, and head gasket needed to be replaced. *ak computor diagnosis indicated that cylinder #4 malfunction. the dealer said that doing tune up will solve this problem but did not. *yh | |||
| 05/12/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1999 | |
| Dealer states i have aimplied warranty whatever that mean. no safety defect listed in summary. *ak | |||
| 04/03/2000 | 5 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Engine coolant needs filling every 2-3 days, transmission skips, engine check light always illuminated and interior door ajar light never goes off. *ak | |||
| 03/23/2000 | 01/01/1997 | ||
| After three fairly reliable years and only 58,000 miles, i have had head gaskets blown and a transmission that is showing signs of failure. after researching on the internet, i see that i am not alone in having these problems with the windstar. i have never felt compelled to complain about a vehicle before. the thought of this car leaving my family stranded on a busy stretch of freeway (which it almost did) due to a premature engine failure and factory defect is inexcusable.*ak | |||
| 04/10/2000 | 0 | ||
| While driving about 40 mph feels like transmission is shifting into second gear. then vehicle will move slowly without a warning. consumer contacted ford, the dealer repaired the failed sensor at no cost. *ak.et. | |||
| 03/14/2000 | 5 | 08/22/1996 | |
| Vehicle will not shift into gear when on an incline. a recall has been issued on the vehicle's make and model. however this vehicle was not included due to vin. dealer has inspected vehicle. *ak | |||
| 12/27/1999 | 1 | ||
| Transmission failed. yh | |||
| 02/24/2000 | |||
| While driving along all of sudden vehicle experiences hard upshifting or down shifting. occasionaly when coming to a stop sign then proceeding, motor revs and transmission does not engage. took it back to the dealer in september. dealer replaced a sensor, but still has not taken care of the problem. vehicle is not longer under warranty. *ak | |||
| 04/07/1999 | |||
| Transmission stalls when driving and stopping at the stop sign. also, transmission slips putting vehicle in drive from park. *ak | |||
| 04/23/1999 | 8 | 08/01/1996 | |
| No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/23/1999 | 8 | 08/01/1996 | |
| After stopping or at a decreased speed for turning van stalls or misses upon acceleration. *ak | |||
| 01/25/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Auotmatic transmission slips out of gear into a neutral after you come to a stop. you then have to put it in a low gear to get in back in drive. this can be a hazard in traffic. the power steerinng pump makes a loud grinding noise much louder than the normal sound the pump makes, the dealer has said previously that it is normal for the windstar. the passenger side power window has stopped working, unk reason has not been looked at. these problems are occurring in other windstars of the same year . | |||
| 01/04/2000 | 2 | 05/01/1996 | |
| Transmission also went when car was i yr old. obviously a lemon. help. *ak | |||
| 12/16/1999 | 12/01/1997 | ||
| Was driving approximately 35mph and transmission blew up. heard a rattling noise prior to the blow up. pulled off road & vehicle died. was not able to move forward. transmission was goine. smoke had appeared later. vehicle towed. mechanic informed owner looked like a grenade had exploded inside. contacted manufacturer & told vehicle over 36,000 miles & not under warranty. nothing could be done. transmission not repairable. *ak | |||
| 09/01/1999 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 10/01/1999 | 12 | 08/01/1996 | |
| 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 | |||
| 1 | 04/01/1996 | ||
| Vehicle experiencing hard shift. nlm | |||
| 10/26/1999 | |||
| Nhtsa recall # 96v086 000/ power transmission: experienced a problem with vehicle starting to roll out of drieway after being parked. dealer notified and informed consumer that vehicle was not part of recall and repairs would be at consumer's cost. *ak | |||
| 10/14/1999 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| Overdrive light flahsing - advised by ford dealer to no longer drive. eec tested found faulty valvebody. this was the third major incident with front brakes. at 26,107 miles the front brake system was completely rebuilt. at 38,831 miles the rotors wer | |||
| 11/01/1999 | 0 | ||
| While driving transmission started making a loud sound. consumer drove car to dealer. dealer looked at it and said tha t transmission was full of metal. bearings were rattling around in transmission. that was the noise consumer heard. *ak | |||
| 09/21/1999 | 3 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 09/25/1999 | |||
| Automatic transmission malfunctioned, causing stalling and hesitation while driving which may resultin a crash. common problem. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 09/10/1999 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 08/05/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| 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. | |||
| 08/05/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| No summary. | |||
| 09/20/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| 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. | |||
| 02/28/1997 | |||
| When trying to take the vehicle out of park, the park pawl hung up, causing loud noise and it is very hard to get out of park. dealer can't determine the cause of the problem. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1999 | 3 | 03/01/1998 | |
| 3 transmission failures in less than 18 months | |||
| 02/03/1999 | |||
| Whenever transmission gets hot it would make humming noises after driving 50-60 miles. been to dealer & informed by mechanic, after test driving vehicle, the cause of humming noise could not be located. *ak | |||
| 07/04/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| 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. | |||
| 07/04/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Transmission failed causing other components to fail. *yc | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| Forward clutch piston failed , cracking transmission, causing fluid to leak, and resulting in transmission slipping.tsb has been sent out # 98-22. *ak | |||
| 08/03/1999 | 2 | 11/01/1995 | |
| 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. | |||
| 06/12/1999 | |||
| Without prior warning transmission went out. dealer checked the vehicle out, and there was a lot of metal in the oil pan. *ak | |||
| 07/15/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1997 | |
| No summary | |||
| 07/10/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| 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 | |||
| 07/04/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Total automatic transmission failure at 36.5 months, 44,400 miles | |||
| 04/29/1999 | |||
| While backing out vehicle, it felt like it was pulling. also, it would make a lot of horrible noises prior to transmission breaking down. it cannot be shifted into gear or able to move. *ak | |||
| 02/25/1999 | |||
| Vehicle been experiencing ongoing problem with overdrive slipping. dealer/manufacturer notified . can nhtsa provide addtional information or help in this matter. *ak | |||
| 05/26/1999 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Transmission failed at 44,000 miles,irratic downshifting,required rebuild including replacement of forward clutch piston, ford covered 60% *ak | |||
| 01/30/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| While in florida i stopped at a traffic light at which time the transmision would not downshift.i had to manually down shift to move.vehicle taken to sarasota fl. dealer.transmission was rebuilt for $1800.no explanation given for failure.manufacturer no help in solving situation.i have been a loyal owner of ford motor co. products for well over40 years.very unsatisfied at this time. *ak | |||
| 04/23/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| No ummary listed for this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/22/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Transmission fails to reengage after coming to a stop. upon acceleration, may suddenly engage at a high r.p.m. causing vehicle to lurch forward. also will slip into neutral while driving at highway speeds, and then re-engages without warning. *ak | |||
| 02/15/1999 | 1 | 11/01/1996 | |
| Transimission failed. *yc | |||
| 03/22/1999 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 08/27/1998 | |||
| While driving 55-60 mph consumer heard noise, vehicle shifted into lower speed. vehicle would not go over 30-35 mph. possible cause defective transmission. *ak | |||
| 06/30/1998 | 1 | ||
| Owner accelerated and the vehicle would not move ( vehicle was in drive) the overdrive light came on. dealer inspected vehicle ( transmission was gone). *ak *slc | |||
| 09/01/1998 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Ford told me tsb's were only to help mechanics to solve problems that they know exists, but that they don't give me any right unless i purchased their extended warranty coverage. don't consumers have any rights? i bought this van because it got 5 stars in crash tests. i didn't know it would first inactivate the abs by losing its sensor. then another sensor would go, causing the van to downshift to low 1 when you were driving 55 miles an hour down the road. they should stand by their product. my van also clunks when i take it out of park. i refuse to pay my dealer any more money for something that i think that they should fix. i spent $140 to find out my abs sensor was defective, another $90 to have it replaced. then another $95 to have the sensor replaced in the transmission. *ak | |||
| 01/15/1999 | |||
| Automatic transmission malfunctioned, causing slippage in gears and the rpm to go high. sometimes wont go into gears. dlr is replacing the transmission. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 01/08/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| No summary listed on this vehicle. | |||
| 3 | 09/01/1996 | ||
| Transmission keeps failing | |||
| 01/01/1999 | 2 | 09/06/1996 | |
| While traveling at highway speeds,transmission suddenly shifted into lower gear without warning, almost causing loss of control. if the road was wet, vehicle would have crashed. | |||
| 02/14/1998 | 5 | ||
| Transmission makes clunking noises when backing vehicle up or when starting to move forward. will be taking vehicle to dealer. *ak | |||
| 1 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| Transmission failed. | |||
| 06/01/1998 | 1 | 12/01/1997 | |
| The aluminum piston on the automatic transmission causes the transmission to stall, especially at stop signs and lights. in some instances the vehicle rolled into the intersection and it would not move for 5-10 seconds or more until the transmission finally kicked into gear hard which jolted the car forward. this creates a safety hazard in the intersection. apparently ford is aware of this problem and has a new steel piston, but it costs owners $1600 - $2000 to have it fixed. many of us cannot afford such a high amount for repair and take our chances on safety while we save up money for the repair. | |||
| 11/07/1998 | 4 | 11/01/1996 | |
| This problem gives you no warning. you will be at a stop in heavy traffic. the transmission will dis-engage caausing you to become a hazzard. this failure occured at 51000 miles. when i took the vehicle to the dealer, there were(3) other people there for the same problem with the same mileage. i spoke to the service manager about the problem, he stated this defect happens all the time. i went to an indendent transmission shop, they see the problem all the time. ford has addressed the problem in newer vehicles and the rebuild kits for the transmission by changing the material of a piston. we i contacted ford customer service, they were aware of the problem but stated we do not have to do anything to re-imburse the owners with the faulty transmissions unless the nhtsa forces us to fix it. this failure costs owners of ford windstars $1400. i am an enginner myself. and i do not believe that at 51000 miles a major repair like this is warrented. where i live , there are (4) owners of windstars. three out of those (4) vehicles have had to have their transmission rebuilt for this problem. please help us with this because ford knows this is a problem but will not do anything about it unless you tell them to. | |||
| 1 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| Transmission failure causing surging. | |||
| 07/17/1998 | |||
| Vehicle would not go over 30mph when the ignition was turned off oil started to leak from the vehicle. the dealer informed owner that the transmission fluid had evaporated, causing various parts to melt together. the manufacturer has been notified. | |||
| 06/01/1997 | 2 | 09/12/1996 | |
| Transmission malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to slow down while driving at a high speed, almost causing an accident. also problems with putting the vehicle in an reverse postion. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak | |||
| 07/13/1998 | |||
| Cruise control was set at 70mph. vehicle suddenly downshifted to 40 mph. dealer informed owner that the transmission sensor malfunctioned and replaced it. manufacturer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 06/02/1998 | 3 | 12/31/1997 | |
| The vehicle's transmission shifts down without notice, causing vehicle to 50 mph to 10 mph or less. this causes driver head to hit steering wheel and the children to be jolsted. the vehicle traveling behind just escaped impacting us in the rear. | |||
| 04/13/1998 | 7 | ||
| Was coming to a red light after driving 35-40mph & had stopped. started to pull out, but vehicle failed to move. the gears did not shift. vehicle did not shut down. applied accelerator & nothing happened. it was still running even though it stalled. took to dealer & had it checked. mechanic found nothing wrong. *ak | |||
| 12/16/1996 | 1 | 05/27/1996 | |
| Overdrive light failed. | |||
| 09/30/1997 | 3 | 09/17/1995 | |
| Transmission problems, causing vibrations. | |||
| 09/12/1997 | 3 | 05/22/1996 | |
| Transmission failed. | |||
| 09/01/1996 | |||
| Transmission failure due to the cracking of the forward clutch piston. *ak | |||
| 07/27/1997 | 2 | ||
| Under normal operations of vehicle, transmission changes from drive to low gear on its own, results in sudden reduction of speed, no prior warning. *ak | |||
| 07/02/1997 | |||
| Van was parked running in the driveway, passenger exited the vehicle while in park. car sat in park for 1-2 minutes and started to roll. there is a recall on the model of vehicle make and year, but this vehicle was not included in the recall . *ak | |||
| 07/02/1997 | |||
| -vehicle was in park for about 1-2 minutes and the vehicle popped out of gear and rolled down the street. driver started running behind vehicle and was pinned between the vehicle and light, and suffered some damage to her left side. there is a recall listed on the transmission 96v-086000. dealer says that this is what the recall states will happen, but they say that this vehicle is not listed on recall for the park pawl roll pin popping out of gear. dealer has vehicle now in shop for the problem, but owner is responsible for the fee. *ak | |||
| Consumer says the transmission will not go into reverse when stopping, it shifts down with a loud thump, also when putting vehicle in gear there's a loud thump. when driving vehicle transmission slips, engine continues racing and the vehicle's not moving. *ak | |||
| 01/11/1997 | 1 | 11/22/1991 | |
| Transmission defect, causing vehicle to roll back while in the park position/accident/injury. | |||
| 11/20/1996 | 1 | 11/21/1995 | |
| Defective transmission, causing vehicle to roll backwards while in the park position/ accident. | |||
| 09/09/1996 | 8 | ||
| Transmission growls and sounds lke it is going to drop/hit the ground; also brake pedal gets mushy/soft, vehicle loses control. there is also loss of steering power. *ak | |||
| Owner received recall notice, contacted dealer and was told parts were not available. recall#96v086000. *ak | |||
| Owner received recall notice 7-1-96, contacted dealer and was told parts were not available.*ak | |||
| 10/15/1995 | |||
| Auto-tran: vehicle keeps rolling when coming to stop, shifted to park, keeps rolling on flat surface and incline, no warning. *ak | |||
| #pe96-015 truck in park position,slipped out of park into reverse. please describe. *ak | |||
| 02/09/1996 | |||
| Went attempted to put vehicle in reverse vechilce went forward. tried six times shut off vehcile remove key and restarted it was fine. please describe details. | |||
| 02/08/1996 | |||
| When in park vehicle rolls if on incline. tt | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||
| 1 | |||
| Problems with gas fumes coming from the exhaust system.*mr( doris stewart on behalf of her parents robert stewart and jacqueline stewart).*ts. the vehicle overheated at idle, the dealer replaced the head gaskets, the air condition stopped working and there was a problem with the power train control module. *jb | |||
| 03/20/2002 | 40 | 11/01/1996 | |
| At original new car deliver and recurring at approx. 800 mile increments, the traction control system (an component of the 4 wheel disk abs option) disables itself and ceases to function. the car has been returned to the dealer and numerous complaints to ford have also been issues. i loss the value of traction control which is one of the reasons i purchsed this vehicle and paid a substantial upgrade fee for this option. despite many attemtps to resolve the problem still continues. traction control remains disabled until the car can be shut down and restarted. this is dangerous to do on a highway and means i go without traction control for long periods. this problem was also the source of a nys lemon law action. more than 4 ford dealerships have been asked to correct this problem without success.*ak | |||
| 03/09/2001 | 2 | 06/01/2000 | |
| We bought this van 07/25/00, since then it has had head gasket replacement, and two engines, 0-2 sensors, heater plug, now the pcm, we have only driven our van for @ 6 months, all repairs have been done at dealership, today is 11/24/01. and our van is at the dealership as i submit this. i have copy of all records. thank you, john | |||
| 08/31/2001 | 40 | 11/01/1996 | |
| Since date of original delivery this car has intermittently deactivated the traction control component fo the 4 wheel disk brake option. this enhanced safety feature was purchased as i beleived it made the vehicle somewhat safer in avoiding problems in poor traction situations. however about once every 700 miles, including day of deliverry with only 25 miles on the clock the trac off light starts to flash indicating that i no longer have the safety advantage of traction control. i either pull off road and turn car off/on which resets the traction control or continue to drive without the benefit of this while also suffering the disruption of seeing a flashing alarm. neither of these are safe situations. a nys lemon law suite was initiated about this situation 2 years ago. the dealer has tried to correct over a dozen times without success. often they claim they need to get the error code & an not remedy without it. while we have had numerous failures the dealer has had only 2 attempts with the light on. they blew one and in 8/31 they did succeed to get a code but have yet to correct. are there other reports of this safety feature erroneously disarming itself?*ak | |||
| Tracking control system light/ abs brake light illuminate, indicating malfunction within the systems. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| The tracking control light and abs brake light illuminate, indicating a problem within the system. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 2 | 05/01/1996 | ||
| Traction control system system failed on two occasions, switch replaced. mjs | |||
| 05/13/1998 | 1 | ||
| Traction control sensors failed causing wheels to lock up on slippery surfaces. (qcaw) | |||
| 03/15/1997 | 7 | 01/20/1996 | |
| Traction control system failed. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES | |||
| 05/14/2002 | 1 | 03/01/2096 | |
| 1. auto transmission front seal premature failure causing leaks. 2. 5.5 x 15 steel rim cracked due to material defects, causing dangerous steeling responses. both defects have been reported to ford san francisoc region, but ford deny responsibility. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 16000 | 1 | |
| 1996 windstar minivan park pawl pin is defective. gear moved out of park hitting consumer. *ts a recall had been issued regarding the problem. however the consumer was told her vehicle was not included in the recall. *jb | |||
| 10/01/1996 | 5000 | 1 | 10/01/1996 |
| Dt: when the owner bought the car in 1996 he noticed that the gear shifter was hard to remove from park. the gear shifter developed a lot of play. when the car was in drive the gear position indicator showed that the car was in reverse or neutral. when the car was in reverse the gear position indicator showed park. the owner was concerned that the car may roll out of gear becuase it was usually parked on a small hill. the owner took vehicle to the dealership for the first time in 1996.the dealership did not know what was wrong. the transmission was replaced in 1997 while under warranty. the owner was unsure if the transmission was replaced. the owner stated that even after replacement of transmission, the vehicle always had the the gear position indicator problem. the owner took vehicle to the dealership a couple of years ago, and the mechanic told him that the car was hard to shift into gear. then the owner checked and saw that there was a recall on the transmission. the owner's vehicle was not included in the recall. *ak | |||
| 07/07/1996 | 1 | 07/07/1996 | |
| Gearshift sticks on occasions. | |||
| 11/17/1997 | |||
| While driving the vehicle the gear shift disengages. the dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 09/27/1996 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Transmission jumped out of the park position/rolling backwards down hill, causing accident. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - LEVER AND LINKAGE - COLUMN SHIFT | |||
| 09/02/1997 | 4 | ||
| Vehicle stopped at light/sign & then ready to move forward, cannot engage vehicle into drive position. its an intermittent problem. dealer cannot find problem. informed owner to wait until it's worse before the problem can be found & fixed. dealer finally replaced transmission on 10/24/97. no other occurrences since latest repairs. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH | |||
| 01/17/2003 | 80000 | 1 | 10/01/1996 |
| The vehicle rolled back with the gear in the parking position on the drive way | |||
| 03/19/2002 | |||
| Vehicle was put in park with engine running. consumer got out and walked around the side, and noticed vehicle rolling forward. consumer jumped in vehicle and applied the brakes, and vehicle hit garage door. cause was unknown. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 03/03/1999 | 07/11/1996 | ||
| After exiting the passenger was left in the vehicle as the passenger went to take the key out of the ignition ,the vehicle jumped into the reverse gear and back into another vehicle . dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 12/12/1998 | |||
| Recall 96s50. when the car is in park it does not engage and it will roll. dealer has not been contacted to remedy the problem. provide further information. *ak | |||
| 06/20/1998 | |||
| While parked in incline position and the key is out of the ignition the child switched transmission gear from park position to neutral position with the emergency parking brake on, the vehicle rolled down almost. please provide details. *ak | |||
| 05/15/1997 | 09/15/1996 | ||
| Interlock system does not prevent the gear from shifting from one gear to another. *ak | |||
| 03/13/1996 | |||
| Vehicle rolled away while vehicle was parked, and keys were out of ignition. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||
| 10/01/2001 | 03/01/2001 | ||
| Bought car 3/01-immediately replaced cat. converter. overdrive lt flashing-needed new transmission, torque converter, planetary gears, solenoids; had to realign;speedometer off by at least 10 mph; need new rack & pinion-power steering fluid leaking; nothing but problems have spent so much money and also been without car for over a month -only had it 7 months! | |||
| 09/12/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Please,we are parents whit 3 kids,is very hard for us to pay this extra money for this defect vehicle , to this moment we changed:transmission -twice 02sensor (transmission)-catylitic converter left/raight-coil ignition system ,we get this car whit 48.000mi. on 1998 .for my all family and the good name of the ford deller tanks for yuo help. *ak | |||
| 04/15/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1998 | |
| Torque converter blew. stranded vehicle. almost caused fire from spewing transaxle fluid onto hot engine parts. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/23/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving rear axle cracked in two parts. no reason was found, and dealer /manufacturer had been contacted.*ak | |||
| 09/03/2000 | |||
| Consumer was traveling 20mph & heard a strange sound from rear wheel area. consumer stopped & saw the wheel up against the wheel well. underneath the metal bar (axle) was broken. vehicle has been repaired,but consumer was looking for some type of reimburstment. vehicle has not been damaged for this to happen.*ak | |||
| 01/02/1999 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Driving west bound on i-94 just part menomonie, wi, the left rear wheel fell off around 7:30 pm on 1/2/99. about 40 miles before that, the abs light came on. the brake pedal would go to the floor, but you did have minimal braking power by pumping the brakes up. the tow truck operator and my brother (who came to pick us up), thought it was a froozen wheel bearing. the patrol officer who took the rest of the family to the perkins while i waited for the tow truck found the wheel with the drum attached to it (all lug nuts were tight). within the first couple of months of ownership of the car, the right rear wheel bearing had frooze and locked the car up. we have also had to add about 4 ounces of brake fluid each year to the system due to the brake light coming on. we have also complained that when going down a hill and braking hard that the steering wheel would shimmy pretty bad. some other backgound on the wheel falling off is that we left gulf shores, alabama at 2:00 pm on 1/1/99. we drove i-65 up to i-90 in indiana. and then took i-94 heading for st. paul, minnesota. due to the bad weather those days (1/1/99 and 1/2/99), we had to drive through rain, freezing, rain, snow, and high winds. as stated, the wheel fell off around 7:30 pm on 1/2/99 about 3 miles past (west of) menomonie, wi. i had to wait until about 8:50 pm for the tow truck due to other cars being in the ditch. they couldn't tow it to stillwater, minnesota (where i leave, about 50 miles away) since they were busy that night. northtown ford called on 1/8/99 and stated that it would cost around $1,800 to $2,000 to fix. i've asked for the cause(s) of this failures, but they have been unable to tell me. please contact me if more information is needed and let me know what my next steps should be. thanks. | |||
| Owner states while backing out of the driveway her rear axle broke. owner also notes that dealer said it was from a pothole. *ak | |||
| 10/16/1996 | 10/01/1997 | ||
| Vehicle hit curb and was sideswiped at about 3mph backwards. impact bent rear axle assembly, causing other parts to fail. also shifted axle so that tire jammed body at wheel well. vehicle could not be driven. *ak | |||
| While backing out at approx. 4mph, tie rod end detached and axel pulled out from vehicle, resulting in wheels couldn't rotate. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL | |||
| 03/01/1998 | 6 | 04/02/1997 | |
| Outer hood panel separated from body of vehicle prior to recall (97v-180). in addition, replaced front electric door latch/multifunctioned wiper switch/windshield wiper switch/engine cylinder head gaskets due to coolant leak, and differential seal. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/04/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| 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. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | |||
| 08/01/1996 | 1 | 01/01/1996 | |
| Axle boot on driver's side ripped. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||
| 10/01/2001 | 03/01/2001 | ||
| Bought car 3/01-immediately replaced cat. converter. overdrive lt flashing-needed new transmission, torque converter, planetary gears, solenoids; had to realign;speedometer off by at least 10 mph; need new rack & pinion-power steering fluid leaking; nothing but problems have spent so much money and also been without car for over a month -only had it 7 months! | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT | |||
| 06/02/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| Axle broke at where wheel baering is. causing abs teeth grind against steering nuckle and lower ball joint. the drive axle should never break this way. please let know where can i attach picture.*ak | |||
| 08/12/1996 | 1 | 08/03/1996 | |
| Consumer states on occasion when set in park it will sometimes pop out and go into neutral. *slc | |||
| 3 | |||
| When the consumer first contacted the dealer no tools were available to fix the problem, on the second and third trip parts were not able to remedy the problem.*ak recall 96s39. *slc | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 08/10/1999 | 3 | 12/27/1998 | |
| 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 | |||
| 1 | |||
| The transmission sensor failed. *yh | |||
| 08/11/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Have had the minivan in several times for symptoms of the head gasket failure only to find problem after warranty expired. transmission has always clunked when shifting into drive or reverse, this is a daily problem the dealership cannot find. windshield cracked overnight in november. we don't think the windshield should have been so fragile. | |||
| 01/01/1999 | 1 | ||
| Speed needle goes up and down from 50mph to 120mph register on the speedometer . consumer had the speedometer replaced at 45181 miles by ford dealership, mechanic did the actual work. *ak transmission failed at about 32,000 miles. *yh | |||
| 06/01/1996 | 7 | 02/28/1996 | |
| Transmission failure. abs light comes on, rear hatch failing to open, ignition switch failing to start vehicle, blower motor failure, front brake pads wear quicly, and hood recall. | |||
| 01/22/1998 | 10/23/1995 | ||
| Vehicle suddenly slower down to 35-40 mph while on the highway, just avoided being hit in the rear brought vehicle to dealer where they replaced sensor that determines shift lever location. as car had 41,000 miles, dealer refused to cover defect under warranty even through car was just over 2 years old. | |||
| 05/23/1998 | 05/14/1998 | ||
| When we were leaving the city we noticed the motor was reving too high. we stopped the van and noticed when we started that it would not shift out of 1st gear (it is an automatic). later, after letting it sit i drove it again and accelerated it up to 65 mph, it shifted ok. suddenly it downshifted into 1st gear. took it to dealer the next day and they could not find anything wrong. it is working alright at the moment but in looking over the internet i have found numerous complaints dealing with similar problems. | |||
| 05/23/1998 | 05/14/1998 | ||
| I am looking for wheel rim failure information on 1986 to 1988 buick, lesabre and buick electra estate wagons. the rims of the 1986 have some wear at the mounting holes resulting in imperfect centering. buick refuses to tell me if there is a known problem replacing the lug nuts that came with the rims with standard centering lug nuts! the original lug nuts and rims were made with large flat areas and relying on the diameter of the lug nut to do the centering. i can not afford new rims, if new lug nuts would work i'd rather do that. but the rims seem to be some kind of alloy. can you help? | |||
| 09/01/1996 | 2 | 01/08/1996 | |
| Transmission failed due to the cracking of the forward clutch piston. *ak | |||
| 09/03/1993 | |||
| Called a couple of weeks ago, parts not available and no instructions from the maufacturer on performing recall 96v086000. *ak | |||