Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 13186 | 09/01/1999 | 6090542 | Information regarding front cover & water pump bolts-torque valve revision/3.8-4.2l. *mjs | 03/21/2000 | |
| 99207 | 10/04/1999 | 6089651 | Subject on engine coolant leaking into the engine oil on some vehicles. *tt | 02/11/2000 | |
| 99131 | 06/28/1999 | 606484 | Concerns with engine coolant leaking into engine oil on some vehicles. *tt | 08/25/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 971110972310 | 11/10/1997 | 53666 | Experiencing a coolant leak from the upper radiator hose. *yc | 03/30/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 02221 | 11/11/2002 | 10008304 | Engine-gear driven synchronizers-incorrect installation-camshaft position synchronizer (cmp) installation tool correct application. *mj | 07/27/2004 | |
| 870197 | 10/22/2002 | 10000592 | Incorrectly installed gear driven camshaft position (cmp) sensor synchronizer assemblies causing surge, lost of power, malfunction indicator lamp on and diagnostic trouble codes p1336, p1309 and p0340. *tt | 03/25/2003 | |
| 01124 | 06/25/2001 | 622665 | On some vehicles, engine oil may continue to leak from the engine oil pan gasket area after an engine oil pan gasket repair has been performed. *tt | 10/22/2001 | |
| 13180 | 09/01/1999 | 6090538 | Information regarding camshaft position (cmp) sensor alignment tool chart. *mjs | 03/21/2000 | |
| 6997 | 09/01/1999 | 6090310 | Some service manuals may list the incorrect camshaft position sensor alignment tool for vehicles with various engine sizes. *tt | 03/14/2000 | |
| 6996 | 09/01/1999 | 6090309 | Information regarding a change in the torque values of the engine front cover water pump bolts. *tt | 03/14/2000 | |
| 5518 | 03/01/1999 | 605190 | Information on servicing oil pan gasket leaks. *tt | 06/03/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 01246 | 12/10/2001 | 630515 | Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure. *tt | 04/18/2002 | |
| 0214 | 01/21/2002 | 630001 | Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant and/or oil from the cylinder head gasket area. *tt | 04/11/2002 | |
| 01205 | 10/15/2001 | 627927 | Some vehicles may exhibit vacuum or air leaks in the intake manifold and / or engine system causing diagnostic trouble codes p0171 and or p0174. *tt | 02/26/2002 | |
| 0147 | 03/05/2001 | 619424 | Subject regarding engine oil recommendations for use in 2001 vehicles - sae 5w-20 motor oil. *tt | 05/30/2001 | |
| 5271 | 12/01/1998 | 615392 | Subject regarding engine stall on deceleration or during slow speed maneuvering. *tt | 01/16/2001 | |
| 983314 | 02/01/1998 | 607477 | Tsb97-16-10 (mil illumonated-diagnastic trouble codes (dtcs) po300 through po306 comprehensive diagnostic procedures-3.8l engine) does not apply to 19881/2 model year windstar vehicles.*ak | 12/21/2000 | |
| 12174 | 11/01/1998 | 613224 | Some vehicles may exhibit a hard start/long crank, cold start stall, cold rough idle concern. *mjs | 06/19/2000 | |
| 6573 | 07/01/1999 | 610691 | Information on various engines available for the ford qualty renewal (fqr) engine assembly. *tt | 05/11/2000 | |
| 13242 | 09/01/1999 | 6090638 | Information regarding tsb 97-20-08 for 3.8l engines only. *mjs | 03/22/2000 | |
| 99183 | 09/06/1999 | 6090051 | Service tip information on revised oil pan gasket replacement procedure. *tt | 03/06/2000 | |
| 983090 | 02/26/1998 | 607378 | Information regarding vehicles exhibiting a stall on decel condition. *tt | 09/21/1999 | |
| 6386 | 06/01/1999 | 606813 | Information regarding the availability of engine assembly for various vehicles. *tt | 09/02/1999 | |
| 99816 | 05/03/1999 | 606420 | Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt | 08/19/1999 | |
| 98256 | 12/21/1998 | 603644 | Some vehicles may stall during deceleration when coming to a stop. *yc | 03/01/1999 | |
| 982511 | 12/21/1998 | 603649 | Service tips on composite fuel rail. *yc | 03/01/1999 | |
| 980351 | 04/01/1998 | 603519 | Exhibiting a stalling condition during decelerationg to a stop and low speed parking lot maneuvers. *tt | 02/23/1999 | |
| 9879 | 04/13/1998 | 601364 | A vibration may be felt when the vehicle is driven at highway speeds. *yc | 07/27/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||||
| 985018 | 11/01/1998 | 613043 | Experiencng a whine noise coming from the front end accessory drive (fead). *tt | 06/16/2000 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 983581 | 01/01/1998 | 607843 | Some vehicles may exhibit conditions of exhaust drone at 1700 rpm. *tt | 10/13/1999 | |
| 982010 | 10/12/1998 | 603695 | Experiencing a buzzing or rattling noise from the exhaust system. *yc | 03/02/1999 | |
| 9864 | 03/30/1998 | 601312 | Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt | 07/21/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||||
| 984989 | 11/01/1998 | 613028 | Some vehicles may exhibit a malfunction indicator lamp on condition with diagnostic trouble code p1450 due to an obstruction in the canister vent hose. *tt | 06/16/2000 | |
| 981512 | 08/03/1998 | 609551 | A direct replacement part for the evaporative emission canister and bracket assembly. ak | 04/03/2000 | |
| 982310 | 11/23/1998 | 603724 | Mass air flow (maf)- sensor contamination- service tip. *ak | 03/03/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||||
| 13309 | 10/01/1999 | 6092131 | Some vehicles with 3.8l engine may exhibit black soot on the lower section of the right rear quarter panel. *tt | 11/27/2000 | |
| 7120 | 10/01/1999 | 6090716 | Some vehicles may exhibit black soot emitted from the tailpipe leaving deposits on right rearl lower quarter panel. *tt | 03/27/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 07/06/2011 | 126131 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that after having repairs performed on the vehicle under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly), the vehicle would start jerking violently from the rear to the front when driving at speeds above 60 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ball joints, bushing, intake gaskets, spark plugs, and lower controls arms needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the recall repairs were already performed. the vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. the failure mileage was 126,131 and the current mileage was 127,000. kmj | |||
| 07/06/2011 | 126131 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that after receiving repairs for recall nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly), the vehicle would start jerking violently from the rear to the front when driving speeds above 60 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ball joints, bushing, intake gaskets, spark plugs, and lower controls arms needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the recall repairs were already performed. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 126,131 and the current mileage was 127,000. pm | |||
| 08/15/2011 | 195000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact smelled a burning odor while driving approximately 40 mph. the contact stopped the vehicle and inspected under the hood. the contact noticed a flame coming from the alternator. the contact used water to extinguish the flame. the fire department also reported to the scene. the contact replaced the alternator. the approximate failure mileage was 195,000. sm. | |||
| 08/15/2011 | 195000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 40 mph there was a burning smell. the contact stopped the vehicle and inspected under the hood. the contact noticed a flame coming from the alternator. the contact used water to put out the flame. the fire department reported to the scene. the contact replaced the alternator. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 195,000. ds | |||
| 10/31/2011 | |||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact was driving 35 mph and attempted to engage the brakes but the pedal was depressed into the floorboard abnormally with the illumination of the check engine warning light. the contact also mentioned that once he turned on the heater, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the mass airflow sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 200,816. | |||
| 10/31/2011 | |||
| Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact was driving 35 mph and attempted to engage the brakes but the pedal was depressed into the floorboard abnormally with the illumination of the check engine warning light. the contact also mentioned that once he turned on the heater, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the mass airflow sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 200,816. kmj | |||
| 10/31/2011 | 200816 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph he attempted to engaged the brakes but the pedal when down to the floor and the check engine lamp illuminated. the contact also mentioned that once he turn on the heater the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to a local who diagnosed that the mass airflow sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and current mileage was 200,816. pm | |||
| 10/03/2009 | 100130 | 1 | |
| 1998 ford windstar, 3.8 engine. i have problems it started stalling when i stopped at a light or stop, suddenly the car stopped. also when it was in the parking . mechanic made the tune-up but still doing so, now it is doing a white cloud of steam, if i accel, it comes worst, should i wait for a recall or it's a normal problem? *tr | |||
| 06/13/2009 | 140000 | 1 | |
| On june 13th, 2009, my 1998 ford windstar van caught fire from under the hood causing a total loss of the vehicle and damage to the house. i have since learned that there is a recall of this particular make and model relating to electrical fires under the hood. i want ford to pay for the damage and the loss of my vehicle. about 5500 hundred dollars. *tr | |||
| 04/30/2000 | 1 | ||
| Our 1998 ford windstar van erupted in fire while off and parked in drive way. it had not been driven that day. the fire began in the dash on the driver side and spread so quickly that the van was a total loss. *tr | |||
| 08/04/2008 | 138000 | 1 | |
| My wife attempted to start 1998 ford windstar when smoke began to issue from beneath the hood. she immediately removoved herself and dog whereupon the engine caught fire and subsequently exploded. the fire department was called to extinguish the flames but everything fowrward of the firewall was melted down. the windshield had exploded and the interior suffered smoke damage. everything in front of the firewall was an entire loss. this report is filed after learning that nhtsa is involved in investigation of more than 130 other reports of a similar nature. we wish to learn if there is any recourse or class action suit available to us. *tr | |||
| 04/16/2008 | 133549 | 1 | |
| I own an 1998 windstar 3 liter engine. on april 16,2008 i parked my car (nose down hill) during a rain storm. later that evening i notice the running lights were on and would not turn off. i then unhooked the battery. the next morning i jump started the car and drove it briefly to recharge the battery and noticed a smell of hot or burning wires. i looked under the hood and noticed pooling water in the engine compartment. after the engine dried completely the smell went away. while no fire resulted i was extremely concerned. i read the story concerning your investigation of the windstar and thought it relevant. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2008 | 220000 | 1 | 07/10/1998 |
| Two weeks ago our 1998 ford windstar minivan, with 220,000 miles on it, caught fire under the hood while parked, and was totally destroyed. we had been carefully following the maintenance schedule from ford motor company. during the week before the fire, we had problems with the interior lights not always turning off when we exited the van. *tr | |||
| 10/12/2007 | 1 | ||
| No problems with the windstar before the incident. the vehicle was parked and unattended when the owner was alerted by other residents that it was on fire. the smoke was white in color and coming from the front left area of the engine compartment. at the time the fire department arrived, the fire had made its way through the fire wall into the passenger compartment. the investigator determined the fire appeared to have started in the front left corner of the engine compartment evident by the heavier burning in that area there is a v-pattern noted on the back side of the radiator pointing to the center of the engine. the fire appeared to have breached the fire wall at the area where the main wiring harness and steering columns come through into the passenger compartment. cause was ruled undetermined. *tr | |||
| 11/20/2006 | 76000 | 4 | 11/20/2006 |
| Camshaft position sensor failed and was replace 3 times. again it is shot. this causes the van to stall and have extremely high idle. causes to stall usually while stopped, sometimes hesitates upon acceleration. also: had to pull abs fuse due to pedal not depressing. works excellent without abs. also:transmission doesn't upshift when accelerating at high speeds/rpm's. have to let off gas and repress for van to shift to next gear. *tr | |||
| 12/04/2005 | 74000 | 1 | 06/02/2000 |
| My heat wouldn't come on sometimes, then the hot light came on. had it in the shop 2 times, everytime said it was fine, only changing out temp gauge. dec 2005 3rd time took it in, same problem only oil light would also flicker at low idle pulling into parking spot. took it back in and told them they had to find out what was wrong, it had been going on too long. told then heavy residue on oil cap, could see dark marks around exhaust pipe. loosing radiator fluid slowly. i am no mechanic but all i researched showed head gasket. to make story brief, they told me same day all was ok, computer read fine. i told them i was not satisfied and to keep testing. took 3 days, then they call me to say the problem was that the head gasket had failed. of course my extended warranty had ended 2 weeks before. they claimed i had been driving it with no oil and tried to get me to buy a new engine! i had been checking the oil myself, never ran low. oil pan thick with gunk. i had it in for all reg maint, why would it have gotten that bad? $3200.00 later i had new head gasket water pump, oil pump, and various seals and hoses. picket it up, following day had it back for not wanting to start, rough idle. another $175.00 later i got it back. unhappy to know this has been an on going issue and my 98 windstar, fell in the age/miles time frame for the issue. knowing that one van had this issue they should have know from all my descriptions what the problem was. if found 2 weeks earlier it would have been covered under warranty. oil light still flickers now and then when pulling into parking spot. i will never but a ford product again. company was unwilling to work with me, give me any breaks. *nm | |||
| 01/03/2007 | 1 | 11/27/1997 | |
| I just found out that my head gasket is blown on my 1998 ford windstar. i read up on this and saw that this has been an ongoing problem with ford and they haven't done anything to correct this problem nor do they offer you a solution to fix this problem at their expense. *jb | |||
| 01/04/2006 | 76300 | 1 | 11/17/1997 |
| Found lot of white smoke from the exhaust. left at repair shop. repair shop called and mentioned that it is head gasket damage. the repair shop also mentioned that he has seen lot of similar problem with 3.8 l ford windstar gl minivans. not sure what to do since it might cost about $2,000 to fix. *jb | |||
| 10/19/2005 | 97276 | 1 | 08/30/1996 |
| Vehicle loss coolant gradually over the last couple of years. i never saw any leaks under the vehicle. on several occasions the car was abruptly pulled off the road because we thought it had caught on fire, but we could not determine the cause of the burning smell, we also had brought it to a mechanic on several occasions to evaluate but he could not determine the culprit. the vehicle overheated on oct19th and sprayed coolant and steam which was the first time there was a physical indication that there truly was a problem. the vehicle is presently in the shop at my expense to repair the head gasket, intake manifold and timing chain cover gasket. | |||
| 11/30/2004 | 76000 | 1 | 05/15/1998 |
| Took van in to have routine oil change and coolant replaced. repair shop said the head gaskets were gone. called ford customer service they said sorry but no help was available. had vehicle towed to dealer. bill to repair estimated at 1400 usd. van has been maintained and given good service. don't think head gaskets should leak at 76000 miles.*ak | |||
| 04/17/2004 | 57600 | 2 | 07/02/1997 |
| At approximately 57,600 miles my 1998 ford windstar developed an antifreeze leak. i took the vehicle to my local garage and it was diagnosed as a leak at the timing cover gasket. i had this repaired at a cost of $1453. two weeks later, as i was driving to a baseball game, my car began to stall. it was hard to start, and the oil light was flickering when the car was running and there was a loud rattle coming from the engine. there was no warning before this happened, the temperature gauge was normal, no rattling sounds from the engine,etc. i had the car towed back to my local garage. my mechanic diagnosed the rattling noise as coming from the lower bearings, the engine bearings were failing at 57,800 miles!!!! i called my local ford dealer where i had bought the windstar and asked them if there were any open programs on the engine, since when the timing cover gasket had failed, i had searched the internet to see if this was a common failure( it was). the ford dealer was no help, i then called ford customer service and they were no help. i then wrote a letter to william clay ford and he had a blaine yung call me on 5/8/2004. mr. yung was also no help, quoting that the warranty was 3 yrs./36,000 miles. meanwhile i had to have the car repaired at a cost of $4200, new remanufactured engine, tune-up, etc. i believe that the defect on the timing cover gasket which caused the original antifreeze leak, leaked antifreeze into the crankshaft and caused the engine failure. this car has been well maintained and should have gotten me at least to 120,000 miles before i need to replace an engine. i have owned many other cars and have gotten at 150,000 miles out of them before i had to do any major repairs (engine or transmission). i feel ford should back their products and own up to this defect. *la | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| When we purchased the van, we also bought a diamondkote warranty ,for 499.99$ and told at the time of purchase that is was a good warranty.we then found out that we should not have been sold the warranty and plaza ford lincoln will not honor it, we can't even get a refund, so we spoke to someone at diamondkote and this person told us that we should not have been sold the warranty and have been trying to get a refund ever since,either from plaza ford lincoln or diamondkote. i had intentions of suing ford motor company two years ago when my husband took my two daughters to halifax, because my 8 year old had cancer at the time, she had a appointment at the i.w.k hospital and it was by the grace of god that thay were not killed when the front suspention spring broke in which case my husband lost steering. i spoke to a lawyer who sadly told, because there was no death or injury there was nothing he could do,well my 8 year old who is now cancer free was so scared, she still gets very scared to get in a vehicle. i could go on but for now this is just the begining. i am going to pursue the matter of the diamondkote warranty further,and possibly more.we have had alot of vehicals before but never a ford with as much trouble as this has been. | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 23956 | ||
| On october 1, 2003 the transmission failed at 23,956 miles. it neutralizes at 10 mph or higher. contact with the dealership stated it was out of warranty and i could bring it in for repair. they would not cooperate with providing me the name and means of contacting the zone rep. repair cost at $1800.00 with transmission shop. | |||
| 12/15/1999 | 50930 | ||
| A/c oct. 99 $168.98, dec. 99 $134.40 suspension july 01 $664.61, dec. 99 $515.85, jun 01 $61.78, body jun 01 $443.61 other cd player jun 01 $19.50 and $366.86 turn signal jan 02 $161.04 dome light jan 02 $84.02 jan 02 $89.72 door oct 99 $134.52, mar 03 $285.07 steering sept.02 $258.82, mar. 03 569.32 computer controls sept. 00 $106.02 engine jan 02 $784.75 coolant smell (found front cover gasket leaking) sept. 02 85.95 (told throttle body worn out, sold me update computer software, seams to run better) currently in shop for check engine light and a/c system intermittent. mechanic found engine problem, says main bearings or crankshaft bad, possibly due to coolant in oil system from january 02 problem | |||
| 05/15/2003 | 77034 | ||
| Head gasket blew. never ran hot. always serviced on time. talked to owner at the ford dealership, who in turn had me talk to the service mgr. he told me he would look into it and see if there was anything ford would do about it. he never called me back, so i called him after a week. he said he left a message on my answering machine. i don't have an answering machine...then he tells me the only problems with the 3.8 engines was in the t-birds, not the windstars. by this time i have already looked on the net and seen the problems are with the windstars as well. he then tells me to come in and talk with the owner. i had already taken off work to do this. i now have the van at my mechanic to be repaired. i will never again buy a ford product. i personally believe that if ford is producing a faulty product, they should take the blame when it tears up. i know from the net that they did a repair, or trade in allowance on some years for the same problem, but stopped this program in 1998. there was never a recall. i think they tried to just ignore it and see if it would go away! | |||
| 05/15/2001 | 37000 | ||
| This van has all the defects and complaints listed on thegovt. recalls the nhtsa site and others ihave too much info to put on this site if there is anyone i can send my complaint to please let me know iam putting it back into the shop again ive been thru a nightmare along with trying to assure my 4 kids that they were safe in this van thankyou angela wallace and by the wat the dealer that sold me this van will not cooperate at all | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 84000 | ||
| Head gasket failure. faulty head gasket design in my opinion abs/traction control unit. current problem tsb states that fuel tank manufactured with incorrect depth - fuel pump wiring is rubbed until electrical short occurs - and fuel pump fuse blows - vehicle is then stuck in traffic, in the middle of an intersection etc. fords recommended fix is to replace the fuel tank and pump assembly however, they will not contribute anything to the cost of the repairs caused due to their faulty design. | |||
| 01/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| At 55,000 miles my 1998 windstar with the 232 cubic inch engine, you guessed it, blew a head gasket. after reading about the problems with previous models, it looks as though ford has more problems a"head" (sorry had to). what steps should i take to help the other consumers make complaints so we aren't out thousands of dollars for repair costs that is obviously a ford problem? what steps can i take to get ford to cover the costs of this repair? sincerely, | |||
| 10/15/2002 | 80000 | ||
| Head gasket failure on 3.8 liter v-6 engine | |||
| 04/14/2004 | 90000 | 1 | 06/15/1998 |
| The head gasket on my 1998 ford winstar 3.8l engine has failed at 90,000 miles, well short of what i would have expected. it appears that ford has issued a recall for older 3.8l engines which have had head gasket failures, but not for this model year. i am registering this complaint in the event that other ford owners are experiencing the same problem. | |||
| 02/25/2004 | 100000 | 1 | 12/10/1998 |
| Head gasket failed.*ak | |||
| 85000 | 1 | ||
| 1998 windstar head gasket failure. *mr the consumer noticed the coolant was low and had it to topped off. the coolant level continued to fall. the mechanic refused to change either fluid due to the head gasket failure. there was a recall on the 95' models but it appeared that ford did not fix the problem. refer to odi# 10028678 *scc *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving engine started idling high and running rough. dealer has been notified.*ak | |||
| 07/06/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that the engine head gasket failed. dealer notified.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| The head gaskets failed and were replaced. also, the coolant flowing through the cylinders caused a major engine problem. *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 12/15/2003 | 70880 | 1 | |
| 1998 ford windstar head gasket failure with vehicle just over warranty coverage status. normal maintenance record as well as driving techniques/habits. *nm | |||
| 02/11/2004 | 83000 | 1 | 10/30/2000 |
| Heater on car wasn't working, smelling something burning. advised that windstars with 3.8 engines seem to experience head gasket failure wherein coolant is either being burned or mixing with oil and will cause engine failure. advised to contact ford, nhsta and local dealer. *ak | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 55000 | 2 | |
| The consumer had to refill the vehicle with coolant fluid often due to engine overheating. *ak | |||
| 12/09/2001 | |||
| Vehicle started smoking, and when consumer lifted up the hood there was a smell of coolant sprayed all over vehicle, and leaking from underneath onto the ground. transmission was replaced. but problem was still there. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1999 | 5 | 05/01/1997 | |
| Ne lamp light on- al maroone ford attempted to repair 4 times, but was unable. 5th time svc engine light appeared, the van broke down with a blown engine. fluid leaked into oil, causing gasket to blow through engine block. ford will not admit past problem | |||
| 10/03/1999 | 1 | 03/01/1997 | |
| Routing of hose caused contact with battery tray corner causinghole in hose | |||
| 05/14/1998 | 03/01/1998 | ||
| The 1998 ford windstar has on several occasions cut off in the middle of left hand turns i've made in intersections. it also cuts off if whenever i have to come to a sudden stop. for example once in september of 1998, in the middle of a left hand turn at a busy intersection another driver driving west ran through the caution light while i was turning. i had to slam on my breaks to keep her from hittting me and my car cut off. when i drive up hills it stalls[my drive way] and cuts off. three days after i brought the van home it leaked what looked like to be antifreeze. it also hesitates when i slow down. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||
| Consumer received recall letter , but dealer has not honored recall as of yet.*ak | |||
| 03/09/1998 | |||
| Fire starting underneath the hood due to snow, causing the cooling fan to be inoperative and caused a fire. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| Radiator hose. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 11/12/2009 | 184347 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while parking he smelled a burning odor, and then saw flames inside of the engine compartment. he was able to extinguish the fire himself. the manufacturer was notified, and he was advised to call nhtsa because they would not provide assistance. no repairs were made. the failure and current mileages were under 184,347. | |||
| 01/03/2008 | 1 | ||
| Brake malfunction, display of service engine soon. *tr | |||
| 03/20/2006 | 90000 | 1 | 03/31/1998 |
| I have a 1998 ford windstar in which i recently had to replace an oil pan because the mechanic told me that it had warped and was causing an oil leak on the exhaust system. no one has ever heard of a faulty oil pan is there anyone else with this problem?*jb | |||
| 12/10/2005 | 1 | 01/22/1999 | |
| Service engine light was on and van was running rough. diagnostics indicated that the intake maniford runner control vacuum motor was stuck. van would overheat if not replaced. *nm | |||
| 06/12/2005 | 101721 | 2 | 12/20/2003 |
| 1998 ford windstar 3.8l engine, head bolts stretched causing coolant leak into engine, head gasket was not blown so wynn's service contract will not pay for $1800 repair. this is the second major expense, i had to replace the transmission at 80,000 miles. | |||
| 01/07/2005 | 42200 | 5 | 09/24/1998 |
| Engine shuts down intermittently when decelerating into a turn. it also shuts down momentarily (vehicle bucks) or fully (stalls completely) during normal driving, independent of speed. the latter problem is much more common than the former! consequence: several near-miss rear-end collisions, especially at highway speeds. the dealership could not replicate the problem. an independent technician replicated but could not properly repair the problem(s). the problems have been occurring for more than two years. *nm | |||
| 10/25/2004 | 1 | ||
| My heating was working intermitently so i brought the vehicle to crown ford in lynbrook to diagnose the problem. i was told that the head gasket needs to be replaced. the radiator also needs to be replaced due to the head gasket leaking into it. cost for the repair would be approximately $2300. there was a recall on previous years vehicles and there are many tales of woe regarding this problem posted on the web. i don't believe ford has fixed this problem sufficiently for the vehicles produced after 1996.*ak | |||
| 05/02/2004 | 60683 | 1 | 03/01/1997 |
| While driving 30 mph, the head gasket failed . as a result, a loud noise from the engine was produced. *ak *sc *jb | |||
| 12/29/2003 | 98000 | 1 | 08/05/2002 |
| Our 1998 fird windstar engine siezed | |||
| 02/11/2004 | 83000 | 1 | 10/30/2000 |
| Heater on car wasn't working, smelling something burning. advised that windstars with 3.8 engines seem to experience head gasket failure wherein coolant is either being burned or mixing with oil and will cause engine failure. advised to contact ford, nhsta and local dealer. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 89500 | 1 | 07/01/1998 |
| Failed head gasket in 3.8l engine. *ak | |||
| 12/28/2003 | 94000 | 1 | 01/09/1998 |
| Head gasket failure leading to complete engine failure. *jb | |||
| 12/30/2003 | 68000 | 1 | 11/09/2001 |
| Purchased a 1998 windstar on 11/20/01. we had to replace the transmission only four months later, at only 44,000 miles. this van currently has a busted head gasket and is inoperable at only $64,000.00 miles. these issues with this make and model are quite common and wide-spread. for motor company is quite aware. both problems could have caused serious accidents and property damages. they are excessive and extraordinary. *la | |||
| 12/15/2003 | 112000 | 1 | 03/02/2001 |
| At 112,000 miles, my ford windstar has developed a head gasket leak internally which has resulted in extensive internal engine damage that now requires complete engine replacement. i have 2 professional repair shops diagnosis and both agree that it needs an engine replacement for the reasons stated above.*ak | |||
| 10/06/2003 | 89000 | 2 | 08/15/2000 |
| The first sign of trouble occurred when the vehicle was brought into the repair shop. informed by the mechanic that there was a problem with the head gasket, in which the radiator fluid was leaking into the engine and that the repair cost would be approximately $1,500 (canadian). ford was notified but refuses to acknowledge and to compensate the problem because it?s not covered in its extended warranty even though its warranty is for seven years or 160,000 km. *la | |||
| 09/20/2003 | 101600 | 1 | 12/20/1997 |
| Blown head gasket on 1998 ford windstar. head gasket is not a service item and should last for the life of the vehicle. there are many reports of similar problems with the ford 3.8l engine. | |||
| 41000 | 4 | ||
| Problems with transmission, torque, power steering, and front end stable rods & arms. *mr the transmission and torque had been replaced twice, the power steering once, the font end stable rods and arms twice and remained bad. the battery light had come on and the idler pulley was replaced, there was a creaking/cracking noise when turning the wheel and the outer tie rods were replaced along with the toe being reset, there was a clunk when going over the bumps, there was a vibration underneath due to the transmission, the engine light would come on and off and seemed like the shifts were erratic, the transmission leaked badly, and on some occasions the starter did not engage. *scc *jb | |||
| 07/08/2003 | 3 | 10/04/1998 | |
| I am seeking action to alleviate the cost of maintenance problems i have experienced with my 1998 3.8l v6 ford windstar gl. over the past few years, my windstar has displayed reoccurring and extensive mechanical problems in the front end, brakes, and engine that have resulted increasing amounts of time and money spent on repairs. from research, i have found that our difficulties are not an isolated event, and are in fact a common problem in the 1998 windstar, and are the same problems found in the 1995 windstar. the most recent event was the requirement to have the head gasket replaced. the local ford dealer provided this service which cost $1500.00 in parts and labor. upon completion of the repairs the van was not roadworthy, a new short block was needed due to damage caused by the faulty head gasket. i have been quoted over $6000.00 for this job. in addition to the mounting repair costs, i am forced to rent a car so that we have transportation while we consider options with our windstar. my windstar has less than 100,000 miles. it is not uncommon these days to have vehicles operate this long before requiring the first tune-up. in order to maintain this van, i have spent the time i have ownwd this vehicle and a lot of money taking my windstar into service centers to have inferior parts, such as the plastic tie-rod ends and brakes, replaced many times. i have also spent a fortune on rental cars while our windstar sat unserviceable. we have born this cost with the expectation that investing money in repair would result in safe, reliable transportation for our family. with this major repair, the months of exhaustive diagnosis and trial repair jobs to fix the problems that arrise, the multiple tie rod end replacements, and brake system repairs, i feel that i am entitled to compensation from the ford motor company. *ak | |||
| 06/30/2003 | 85000 | 1 | 03/16/1998 |
| Blown head gasket on 1998 ford windstar at 85,000 miles. *ak | |||
| 07/08/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that vacuum motor switch fails. he also states that the rubber diaphram fails all the time. this part of the auto is suppose to be working in relations with the intake manifold.*ak | |||
| 88000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, the vehicle stopped in the middle of traffic without warning. the dealer stated the transmission and head gasket needed to be replaced.*ak *jb | |||
| 05/10/2003 | 169000 | 1 | |
| The head gasket failed. a technical service bulletin was issued for the earlier models. *jb | |||
| 03/23/2003 | 81093 | 1 | 09/01/1997 |
| While driving 35 mph engine locked up without warning , leaving the consumer without power. the dealer was notified. *nlm. *ak | |||
| 01/05/2003 | 80000 | 1 | 12/04/1999 |
| I have maintained my 1998 ford windstar very well - having all recommended maintenace performed. it has only 80,000 miles on it and the head gasket now has a leak. coolant has leaked into the #4 cylinder. the dealer wants $3500-4500 to put a new engine in it. the head gasket leaking is a known problem with windstars. ford has has a program for earlier models to replace the engine. but ford has yet to apply the program to the 1998 models. i expect a ford vehicle to get at least 180,000 miles when the owner has all recommended maintenance completed. i want ford to pay for a new engine! i was to put another 100,000 miles on that van. | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer statedthere are problems with the vehicle. dealer was contacted and they stated there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. ph | |||
| 2 | 06/24/1998 | ||
| When shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, the van would vibrate. the dealership stated they replaced the motor mounts, however the condition still persists. the motor mounts were replaced again due to the same problem of unknown vibration. nlm *jb the passenger side front tire wore out. the tie rod ends were replaced. *jg | |||
| 08/29/2002 | 1 | 09/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle was parked and head gasket blewout. vehicle had to be towed. dealership is aware of problem.*ak *yh | |||
| 06/07/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2097 | |
| Head gasket failure, coolant leaked into cylindar, bent connecting rod.*ak | |||
| 05/28/2002 | 1 | 07/01/1997 | |
| White smoke coming from the exhaust and the engine was missing due to blown head gaskets. dealer contacted. *ak also found blown intake manifold gasket. transmission replaced at 45,000 miles. *tt | |||
| Vehicle was losing anti freeze , and engine would keep getting close to overheating. contacted dealer, and dealer replaced head gasket.*ak | |||
| 04/08/2002 | 1 | 05/01/2097 | |
| Head gasket failure/replacement - ford has had ongoing problems with the head gaskets on the 3.8 engines. ford informed me that they do have programs for this problem on earlier models but have not extended them to cover the 98 models. while my windstar is a 98 model it was built in january of 1997. *ak | |||
| 11/12/2001 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Brake hose leak caused a sudden total loss of breaking power. amazingly, there was no accident. the gasket failure was attended to at the first hint of a problem, since i had the same problem on my ford taurus one month prior. | |||
| 12/17/2001 | 32000 | 1 | |
| While driving, the engine fell out to the ground. dealer said someone removed the engine bolts. *ak there were no existing bolts. (engine support held in place by friction on the threads until final failure) *scc *jb | |||
| 02/01/2001 | 1 | 09/01/2000 | |
| # 4 cylinder was checked by ford dealer as defect, but it was headgasket paid $300.00 for computer check wrong information, car kept stalling before and after installation due to head gasket failure while making turns or sudden stops. *ak | |||
| 07/29/2001 | 1 | 09/01/1997 | |
| The 1998 ford windstar 3.8l v-6 engine's head gasket leaked on our windstar and the coolant contaminated the engine oil, which created engine failure due to excess bearing wear. in the last 2,000 miles we lost approximately 2 quarts of coolant. ford says it does not have a recall for the 3.8l head gasket problem and will not compensate us for the costs of installing a new fqr 3.8l engine. the new fqr engine only has a 24 month/24,000 mile warranty, which may fail again after the 2year/24,000 mile and the customer is taken advantage of again! ford is aware of the 3.8l engine head gasket problem and has had the problem since 1988 model year. ford has issued two onps (owner notification program) 98m01 which extended the warranty for 5years/60,000 through 1995 model years, and the 00m09 which extended the 98m01 warranty to 7years/100,000. i have checked the nhtsa complaint database and found they are still having problems with the 3.8l head gaskets through the 1999 windstars, mustangs, sables, taurus, lincoln continentals, and cougars. many of these vehicles are having the problem as early 18,000 to 36,000 miles but the bulk are having the problems in excess of 3years/36,000 and the customer is stuck with a huge repair bill, of $4,000 to $6,000 dollars. ford claims they corrected the problem after the 1995 model year with new head gaskets even though it is obvious the problem has not been corrected. ford has sold and still may be selling a product that is defective that could lead to creating accidents with multiple fatalities. ford has admitted to the fact that the 3.8l head gaskets should not fail before 7 years/100,000 miles for vehicles manufactured through 1995 with the 00m09 owner notification program. ford is still having a problem with the 3.8l head gaskets failing through the 1999 model year! why aren't they taking care of these problems. why hasn't the government (nhtsa) investigated this and permit ford to take advantage of the consumer?*ak | |||
| 02/20/2001 | 1 | 09/01/1999 | |
| Engine failure 1 month after head gasket replacement and approximately 2000 miles. *ak | |||
| 02/15/2001 | 1 | 09/01/1997 | |
| Blown head gasket is diagnosis after noticeable loss of antifreeze and heat in vehicle. | |||
| 11/27/2000 | 1 | ||
| The idler pulley and drive belt were replaced, failure was causing noise. *mjs | |||
| 11/27/2000 | 1 | ||
| The front cover gasket failed and causing leakage. *mjs | |||
| 09/22/2000 | 1 | 07/01/2000 | |
| Head gaskets were leaking anti-freeze, had no heat under 30mph. | |||
| 05/01/1999 | 11/01/1997 | ||
| Transmission failed @ approx. 24,000 miles without warning, had to be towed, took 3 weeks for dealer to replace, transmission failed again with approx. 49,000 miles, unable to get out of 1st gear, drove to dealer for repair - transmission has never seemed right on this car - at a reguarly scheduled service appointment we specifically asked the dealer about the transmission, they said it was fine and shortly thereafter the transmission failed - upon review of the other reported complaints re: transmissions for the 98 windstar,i do not feel i drive a reliable car - i have also had brake problems with this vehicle - they started smoking when driving in the mountains - i have also had problems with power window locks as well as problems with oil leakage *ak | |||
| When making a turn / reverse there is a noise present. dealer replaced the mounts to correct problem. *yc | |||
| 05/04/1999 | |||
| With no prior warning vehicle stalles while driving 30-35 mph. abs brake light comes on. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1998 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Motor mount broke. *yc | |||
| 05/01/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1997 | |
| Motor mount broken. mjs | |||
| 01/18/1999 | 6 | 01/15/1999 | |
| When vehicle starts to pickup speed after making a turn, it would have a strong jerking motion, like having a tow chain attached. *ak | |||
| 1 | 04/11/1998 | ||
| Piston and gasket failed causing the vehicle to shift harshly and make noise. | |||
| 07/09/1998 | 2 | ||
| Transmission would jerk as if being rearended. front end would work itself loose. had to replace bushings, tracking bar & motor mounts due to being defective. vehicle is not drivable after being in an accident. *ak | |||
| 02/28/1998 | 3 | ||
| While driving at any speed the vehicle stalls and the brakes grind. had to be replace brakes twice and engine once. consumer is hearing a banging noise coming from the vehicle and the vehicle will cut off without prior warning. *ak | |||
| 12/12/1997 | |||
| There was an engine head gasket leakage and the dealer fixed the leak. also, the vehicle will shift from first gear into second gear, and from second to first while driving or sitting in traffic. the dealer can't detemine the problem, and the vehicle has been in the shop three times and they can't find the problem. *ak | |||
| 08/30/1998 | |||
| 25 gallon oil tanks are collapsing, leaving room for only 16 or 17 gallons of gasoline. dealer contacted, and stated they are not responsible for the defect. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 05/28/2006 | 1 | 05/17/1997 | |
| Engine oil found in coolant. timing cover gasket failure. loud engine knock from rear valve bank- possible wrist-pin/lower intake gaskets/valve problems. *nm | |||
| 05/11/2005 | 7000 | 08/27/2004 | |
| Service bulletin #01205 or nhtsa #625715 i have a ford windstar gl 1998 i only had it turn over to 70,000 and my engine light keeps coming on and i'm getting trouble code po 171 and i'm also notice that fuel gage don't not go to the full mark and i had to have all 4 h2o sencer replace and now my odemeter and trip meter quit working and i only have 72,000 on my van is there something i can do with these vechile problems that i shouldn't have with such low miles i just bought the van in aug 2004 with only 56,000 are any of these problems on the recall list . please help if you can i can't afford to keep repairing my van that should be a recall problem.thanks for any help you can give me | |||
| 05/06/2003 | 112000 | 3 | 02/04/2003 |
| I have a 98 windstar mini van . after the minivan has been running for awhile and you go to stop it will go dead or what you call stalls. so after i crank it back up and try to take off again it will stall again. so therefore i have to make sure there is no traffic coming,because there has been some close calls of me and my children getting into a wreck due to this piece of $#*$.the interior lights will not go off, so my husband had to take the light bulbs out: also the passenger side window will not go down or up. this thing is so bad i wish jimm skinner ford would have just kept the piece of $#*$. *nm | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 50000 | 0 | 08/01/1998 |
| Vehicle check engine light is illuminated. engine developes a rough idle at stop while driving and has on ocassions stalled completely. not in warranty at present time. taken to independant repair shop and diagnosed with ford tsb 01205. replace manifold gasket and bolts, etc. ford motor needs to issuse recall on the problem asap. | |||
| 09/03/2002 | 3 | 01/01/2099 | |
| Vehicle died completely with power steering and electrical all off, lights and all when driving at night.*ak | |||
| 04/03/1998 | 1 | ||
| While driving the vehicle hesitates and stall, also the engine light was illimated.*yh | |||
| 1 | |||
| While parked for a day inside of insured's garage, a fire started in the engine compartment, claim 23-c025-105. *jg | |||
| 1 | |||
| While parked for one day, engine compartment caught on fire, claim 23-c025-105. *slc | |||
| 09/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer heard a large pop and saw smoke, vehicles engine compartment caught on fire, claim 42-1402-914. *slc | |||
| 01/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer smelled gas and pulled over, consumer looked under the hood and there was fire shooting from the engine, claim 42-1328-321. *slc | |||
| 03/12/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim 59-v719-855. *slc | |||
| 01/06/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer smelled something like plastic, pulled into service station and opened the hood and saw a fire in the engine compartment, adjuster stated that the upper intake gasket, fuel pressure regulator, upper and lower pieces of servo, and some of the fuel line and vacuum lines were damaged, claim 36-a159-793. *slc | |||
| 09/28/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire under hood in engine compartment, claim 04-1243-985. *slc | |||
| 08/16/2001 | 1 | ||
| While in motion, insured rear ended another vehicle, causing the vehicle to rear end someone else, vehicle caught on fire possibly mechanically related, there were two injuries in the accident, claim 43-r763-433. | |||
| 09/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| Insured was traveling when he smelled something funny. flames had start to come up from the hood. insured tried to put fire out but couldn't, possible transmission leak onto manifold, claim 40-2554-562. *jg | |||
| 03/28/2000 | 3 | 12/01/1999 | |
| The engine was making a knocking noise, consumer was informed that a new engine was needed, the check engine light came on again and there was a noise in the front end consumer was informed that a flywheel was needed, the check engine light came on again and it was determined that there was an oil leak.*jb | |||
| 08/16/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer rearended another vehicle, that vehicle ran into another vehicle, consumers vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, 2 people were injured in the accident, fireman stated fire could have been mechanically related, claim 43-r763-433. *slc | |||
| 06/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| While in motion, the egine caught on fire, claim 53-c579-741. *jg | |||
| 09/28/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire under the hood, claim 04-1243-985. *jg | |||
| 01/06/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle one was driving and started to smell something like plastic. insured pulled into sevice station, lifted the hood and found a fire burning inside the compartment, claim 36-a159-793. *jg | |||
| 03/12/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle loss, fire under hood, claim 59-v719-855. *jg | |||
| 01/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While in motion insured smelled gas and pulled over. looking under the hood, he saw flames shooting from the engine, claim 42-1328-321. *jg | |||
| 09/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, insured heard a large popping noise, smoke emmited, then an fire erupted, claim 42-1402-914. *jg | |||
| 06/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, engine compartment caught on fire, claim 53-c579-741. *slc | |||
| 09/26/2001 | 1 | ||
| Insured was traveling when he smelled something funny. flames had start to come up from the hood. insured tried to put fire out but couldn't, possible transmission leak onto manifold, claim 40-2554-562. *jg | |||
| 09/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, insured heard a large popping noise, smoke emmited, then an fire erupted, claim 42-1402-914. *jg | |||
| 1 | |||
| While parked for a day inside of insured's garage, a fire started in the engine compartment, claim 23-c025-105. *jg | |||
| 03/12/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle loss, fire under hood, claim 59-v719-855. *jg | |||
| 01/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While in motion insured smelled gas and pulled over. looking under the hood, he saw flames shooting from the engine, claim 42-1328-321. *jg | |||
| 08/16/2001 | 1 | ||
| While in motion, insured rear ended another vehicle, causing the vehicle to rear end someone else, vehicle caught on fire possibly mechanically related, there were two injuries in the accident, claim 43-r763-433. | |||
| 01/06/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle one was driving and started to smell something like plastic. insured pulled into sevice station, lifted the hood and found a fire burning inside the compartment, claim 36-a159-793. *jg | |||
| 03/28/2000 | 1 | 12/01/1999 | |
| The engine failed and the dealer replaced it. there was a noise in the front end due to flywheel failure. *yh | |||
| 06/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| While in motion, the egine caught on fire, claim 53-c579-741. *jg | |||
| 09/28/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire under the hood, claim 04-1243-985. *jg | |||
| 01/17/2001 | 1 | 07/01/1997 | |
| Contacted bill ford, chairman, fmc, in writting, 2x,, no written response.no safety defect mentioned. *ak | |||
| 01/06/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer smelled something like plastic, pulled into service station and opened the hood and saw a fire in the engine compartment, adjuster stated that the upper intake gasket, fuel pressure regulator, upper and lower pieces of servo, and some of the fuel line and vacuum lines were damaged, claim 36-a159-793. *slc | |||
| 1 | |||
| While parked for one day, engine compartment caught on fire, claim 23-c025-105. *slc | |||
| 09/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer heard a large pop and saw smoke, vehicles engine compartment caught on fire, claim 42-1402-914. *slc | |||
| 08/16/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer rearended another vehicle, that vehicle ran into another vehicle, consumers vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment, 2 people were injured in the accident, fireman stated fire could have been mechanically related, claim 43-r763-433. *slc | |||
| 01/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| While driving, consumer smelled gas and pulled over, consumer looked under the hood and there was fire shooting from the engine, claim 42-1328-321. *slc | |||
| 03/12/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle experienced fire in the engine compartment, claim 59-v719-855. *slc | |||
| 06/25/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving, engine compartment caught on fire, claim 53-c579-741. *slc | |||
| 09/28/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught fire under hood in engine compartment, claim 04-1243-985. *slc | |||
| 02/20/2002 | 30 | ||
| Consumer states when coming to a stop, the vehicle stalls and loses all power. vehicle will keep rolling, and it is hard to maneuver. dealer contacted.*ak *yh | |||
| 07/01/2000 | |||
| During operation at any speed engine will stall unexpectedly. problem occurred a few times beginning in july of 2000, and is progressively increasing in frequency. dealership has not examined vehicle for this problem. please provide any additional information / documentation.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 2 | ||
| Courtesy lights will intermittenly work. they will come on when driving at night, or sometimes they will not come on at all. *ak experiencing other electrical problems with the reverse lights, interior lights, automatic door locks, door check light, and signal lights operating intermittently, consumer states that the engine is noisy and the engine check light is always on, the seat belt is loose, passenger side arm rest is loose, and the back window wiper is inoperative. *tt | |||
| 03/28/2000 | 3 | 12/01/1999 | |
| The engine was making a knocking noise, consumer was informed that a new engine was needed, the check engine light came on again and there was a noise in the front end consumer was informed that a flywheel was needed, the check engine light came on again and it was determined that there was an oil leak.*jb | |||
| 11/08/2001 | |||
| Vehicle was traveling aproximately 65mph and engine shut down. power brakes and steering went out without warning. brake pedal was pushed to the floor to stop vehicle. dealer stated it would be too expensive to find out what was the cause. | |||
| 09/23/2001 | |||
| While driving vehicle stalls. when vehicle shuts off, engine check and battery lights come on.*ak | |||
| 10/18/2001 | 31 | 02/15/1999 | |
| While driving, vehicle will stall. when coming to a stop vehicle will also stall. engine light will come on and go off. this happens very often. contacted dealer and dealer stated engine light has to stay on at least 15 minutes before vehicle could be put on computer. *ak *jb | |||
| 07/01/1998 | |||
| When in stop and go traffic with cooler weather conditions the engine nearly stalls out when stopping. this affects the power brakes and the power steering making it difficult to control. complaints to dealers and ford customer care have not resolved this issue. problem developed after installing a rebuilt transmission at 30,000 miles. ford can not find the problem after at least four trips to the shop. this vehicle could have been submitted under the lemmon law and replaced but was not.*ak | |||
| 09/14/2001 | 4 | 03/01/2000 | |
| All stalling has occurred when slowing for a turn from a slow speed (from about 30 mph to 15 mph.) once nearly caused an accident when power steering, brakes, etc were lost and nearly rear-ended car immediately ahead. another stall was in middle of busy traffic which was held up until engine started again. all stalling occurred when on public thoroughfares, turning either right or left. problem began in february 2000 at approx 44,000 miles odometer reading. | |||
| 09/21/2000 | 20 | ||
| When proceeding through a light or stop sign after a stopping, vehicle will die. consumer can restart it again. *ak | |||
| 07/24/2001 | 2 | 07/01/1998 | |
| This vehicle has had two engines, transmission work and a lot of smaller problems. right now it is having the drivers seat track and adjusters replaced. would like to be part of a class action suit. the windstar may be safe, but it isn't reliable.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2001 | |||
| Vehicle stalls when making slow turns. not taken to dealer yet.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2000 | 35 | 05/12/2000 | |
| While traveling in warm weather ,making sudden stops/parking and while in stop and go traffic, vehicle would stall without any indication. please provide further informaiton.*ak air bag light illuminated due to faulty module, the drivers side door adjar switch was sticking causing the door adjar light to illuminate, outer tie rod failed causing noise in the front end, vehicle experiences loss of power/slipping due to faulty transmission, check engine light illuminated and vehicle stalled, dealer replaced sensor, speedometer was off. nlm | |||
| 05/24/2001 | 1 | 08/01/1999 | |
| Unexpected catastrophic engine failure. low milage vehicle with complete service records and no warning threw piston rod during normal operation. dealer estimates cost to repair at $4900. dealer estimates damage due to failed head gasket. antifreeze leak filled cylinders. *ak | |||
| 11/13/2000 | 6 | 04/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle is experiencing a stalling problem, dealer has replaced the alternator and performed tsb 982506, however problem is still occurring, a customer service rep from ford was supposed to call consumer back regarding problem and has not. *slc consumer states he has since discovered that the problem with the vehicle is an engineering defect in the fuel injector causing the engine to shut down at slow speeds when the vehicle is turning.*jb | |||
| 12/29/2000 | 10 | 11/30/2000 | |
| Consumer has experienced several problems with the transmission, dealer has replaced it once, however problems continue, consumer has filed for a request for arbitration, vehicle bucks, jerks, and jumps into gear before taking off. vehicle shimmies from one side to another upon acceleration, there is a thumping sound heard also at times while driving. vehicle experienced a speed sensor circuit problem. speedometer jumps. problem with power steering, dealer adjusted rack and pinion and made other repairs to steering mechanism. right side brake light bulb failed. battery failed. consumer stated it felt as if vehicle was going to stall sometimes, engine has no power at acceleration, engine belt was noisy and was replaced. tire had a slow leak due to loose tire valve. *slc | |||
| 11/13/2000 | 5 | 04/01/1998 | |
| First incident 11-13-00. engine stalled making left turn against oncoming traffic. van serviced at ford country, henderson, nv and alternator changed. four more of same type incidents in february. car returned to ford country in henderson for this complaint. mileage 35024. they performed tsb 982506. sent letter and called ford customer service. andrea insisted that the car be looked at once more at colorado river ford in kingman, az. she said she made appointment and arranged for a loaner van or large car. contact was steve. we drove 40 miles for the appointment.. on the way we had another stalling incident. we arrived for the appointment, steve did not have a loaner car. we had to leave and when at home called ford again. we were promised a call back from andrea within 1/2 hour. it is now more than 24 hours and we are still waiting for the call back. this is a very dangerous situation. we were told by two people at the dealership in henderson that ford is aware of this problem. stalling could cause a crash situation with both oncoming traffic and traffic behind us. does the body count have to rise before something is done about it? will this become another situation like the tire problem? i will also be sending a copy of this to you in the mail. *ak | |||
| 05/22/1999 | 2 | 04/24/1999 | |
| Various problem with power lock locking by itself/windshield wipers working intermittently/dome light not operating, and door ajar light staying on. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on several occasions, and problems still reoccurring. *ak possible electrical problem with failure of power locks, windshield wipers, dome light, door ajar light, door ajar switch, lift gate door ajar switch, battery saver relay inoperable, and washer light illuminating. brakes noisy at times, dealer stated this was due to brake dust. power steering is noisy when turning back and forth, dealer replaced tie rod end. sliding door rattles while driving over bumps, dealer added foam tape to back side of panel, driver door rattles, sliding door hard to open at times, dealer lubed sliding hinges and latch. dealer replaced shocks due to rattling noise when riding over bumps. drivebelt replaced. maf sensor replaced due to hesitation. window guide did not fit tight. *slc | |||
| 02/26/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving straight or when making an u turn about any mph steering wheel will lock up without a prior warning. then, engine will stall. dealer said this problem could not be found. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2000 | |||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 1 | 06/13/1998 | ||
| Vehicle experiences rough idle, erratic idle and stalling which has been a problem since new and has continued to deteriorate to frequent stalling while driving, the dealership has failed to yield any remedy to the mechanical issue. nlm | |||
| 10/15/2000 | 3 | 08/01/1997 | |
| Engine will have lower than normal rpm when first coming to a stop. has stalled 3 seperate times. | |||
| 5 | 07/01/1998 | ||
| I have had 2 windstars - the first a 1995 had multiple problems. the dealer - premier ford would not fix the van and ford's complaint department was tedious and unresponsive. therefore, i turned to arbitration which resulted in replacement of the vehicle under the lemon law in nc. because of this, i reluctantly purchased a 1998 windstar. this vehicle has had the head gasket replaced before it had 36,000 miles. it started stalling. the van was taken to lee motor, a ford dealer in wilson, nc. they could not find anything. since that time, it has continued to stall at least 5 times that i can document. it has concerned me that the recent news regarding stalling includes up to 1995 windstars. there is a very great safety issue here - as great if not worse than the problems with the much publicized tire recall. | |||
| 10/12/2000 | 15 | 02/01/1998 | |
| Engine stalls when wheel turned to far left/right. | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehcile will stall when motor is hot, putting consumer in a dangerous situation.*ak sliding door malfunctions. *yh | |||
| 08/01/2000 | |||
| Vehicle stalled without prior warning. vehicle has been at dealership several times.*ak | |||
| 3 | 08/01/1998 | ||
| Van stalled twice when in slow turn, usully would restart now it is stalling and will not restart at all. | |||
| 07/07/1999 | 3 | 06/01/1999 | |
| On numerous occassions this vehicle while stall when coming to a stop (stop sign/traffic lights). this vehicle has been to the repair shop over 8 times and was last worked on for this problem in june 2000. then in july 200 while on vacation the power steering pump failed and the emission control failed. although the dealership has been repairing the problems the vehicle has lost it's creditability as being safe. | |||
| 01/20/2000 | 03/01/1998 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2000 | |||
| Intermittently while driving vehicle stalls unexpectedly, which when coming to a stop or going through a drive trough may cause a rear end collision. been to dealer several times, but could not determine the cause of problem. please provide further information.*ak | |||
| While traveling at any speed vehicle would stall without any indication. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| Vehicle is stalling when slowing down/turning and in parking maneuvers possibly due to computer misfire and carbon build in engine. 3 tsbs have been issued. *ak | |||
| 1 | 02/09/1998 | ||
| Vehicle continually stalling, unable to be fixed. mjs | |||
| 02/02/1998 | |||
| The engine experiences intermittent slow speeds and lack power. | |||
| 01/15/2000 | 7 | 03/24/1998 | |
| When moving slowly to turn or to park, orfully warmed up,1/2-full tank of gas. vehicle stalled or shut off without prior warning. contacted dealer, and was told that there was an air leak. dealer made the necessary repairs. *ak.et. | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 3 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle has been in numerous times for new seals on front right passenger door for wind noise: also been in for failed brake system numerous times and front rotors have been on back order for almost 2 months: in numerous times for front end alignment-checked and rechecked by several ford dealers and they cannot do anything, vehicle has always pulled to the right; engine has died several times and would not start back up; front pads on brake system have been replaced and rotors turned at only 10,000 miles still grinding and will not stop correctly; vehicle feels to me as unsafe for my wife and two younger boys. *ak | |||
| 05/12/1997 | 6 | ||
| Consumer experiencing ongoing problem with vehicle stalling intermittently. also, transmission is slipping whenever vehicle comes to a stop. sometimes vehicle would have to shift into park and back into drive for the gear to engage.vehicle been in/out dealer shop for stalling and transmission slipping on three occasions each. *ak | |||
| 10 | |||
| Vehicle stalls out when idling or cruising into a turn, mostly when the gas pedal is not applied. dealer has not seen vehicle. problem has occurred 10 times. *ak | |||
| 08/01/1999 | 5 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Transmission pump failed, causing planet gears to come apart. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1999 | 02/01/1999 | ||
| I am so scared to drive our van- i have no idea what to do. thia van showed be considered a lemon- or ford should repair it. we purchased the van cause we had another little one on the way(making 4 kids) in the past we had old vechilcles. we decided to spend the $$ and have a reliable vechicle since we have 4 kids and travel around town alot. first my air codtioner goes out in july, 99 (electrical- no power to it). we did not have the $ to fix. than in august,99 we started experiencing intermittent neutral condtion after driving and coming to a stop. had to rebuild the transmission- due to a faulty clutch piston that ford knows is causing problems in ax4s windstar 3.8l. engine - stalls usually when driving at low speeds, such as o turns or coming to a stop. scared to death that somesone will run into me. steering- vechile pulls to the right so badly that in seconds i am in another lane. have had it relighned. the other seroius problem is i will start van or have foot on brake and it itermittally accerates in surges on its own. my foot in not near the gas- i am so scared to death that i will lose control of it resulting into an accident. i am so scared to drive this van and it is only a 98. what am i to do. i do not want to wait for and acident or death to someone. please help!! i need some advice. i have no warranty on van- but yet with so many problems why should the consumer have to pay when ford knows of the problems with the vans- what does it take - death!!! i need to know what is causeing these problems. i can not afford to keep taking them to mechanics and not getting it fix. shouldn't ford have to take this piece of crap back-please help!! | |||
| 09/19/1999 | 07/01/1997 | ||
| Slowing from cuising speed to make a turn onto a side street, the engine stalled creating the potential for an accident. stalling caused the power steering to fail making the vehicle difficult to manuver through the turn and loss of power created the possibility that i may not have been able to clear traffic. if my wife had been driving the minivan she surely would not have been able to avoid oncoming traffic. | |||
| 07/15/1997 | 7 | 02/01/1997 | |
| 6 months after purchasing the van's problem with stalling out when stopping and then proceeding through intersections. it had been taken to the dealer once in roanoke (majic city ford)_ and again in charlottesville, va with no problems found. the car comes to a complete stop with 'service engine soon light and can't be started until put in park and then started. also, as odd as it seems, it only occurs when turning 'left'. the air conditioning when started (max ac- ac- defrost settings) make a bang noise att the right front underside of the van. it occurs a few times in a row and then stops only to begin weeks later. the van has been brought into brady-bushey for this with no repair work performed because it did not happen when they tested it. they told me to bring it back when it happens again. but then, when it stops making the noise how am i suppose to prove this noise? | |||
| 05/12/1999 | |||
| When driving at any speed and without any prior warning, vehicle is stalls and cuts off. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1997 | 1 | 03/01/1997 | |
| Engine. air conditioning. | |||
| 08/20/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Engine caught fire while parked in driveway. car was not running at the time. the car was driven home from work, (about a 20 minute ride), and had been parked for about 5 minutes when the fire occured. | |||
| 03/03/1999 | |||
| While driving van stalls without any type of warning. this condition almost caused two rear end crahses. the dealer is not able to determine what is causing this problem. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| 07/20/1999 | |||
| For no apparent reason the vehicle just cuts off while driving. the first time a computer adjustment was made, the second time(july 23rd) the electric fuel pump was replaced. the vehicle is being service for the third time(aug 5th) for the same problem. each time the vehicle had to be towed to the dealership. *ak | |||
| When traveling at any speed vehicle will cut off without prior warning. consumer has contacted dealer and dealer has replaced parts. please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 08/01/1998 | |||
| While driving vehicle stalls unexpectedly which may cause a crash. been to the dealer several times, and dealer cannot determine the problem. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1997 | |||
| While making a left/right or u turn engine completely shuts down without warning. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1998 | |||
| Dealership installed another transmission at 7,000 miles because of our repeated complaints about the bucking sensation/the vehicle is still bucking/other problems developed such as the lunching forward in second gear, shifting into gear began to produce a grinding noiseand a very obvious vibration in the steering wheel has developed/ford keeps ignoring us after our repeatedly contacting them/we have now filed under the lemon law in the state of connecticut/ we have been treated very shabbily by ford ! | |||
| Vehicle has been to the dealership 5 times for the same hard shifting, transmission problem since new. problem is better ,but i expect failure before warranty expires. the transmission has a hard 1-2 shift since i bought it new on 13 jan 98. the lemon law caused firm to offer me an extended warranty of 5 years/75,000 miles instead of fixing the problem. i'm very dissatisfied with the transmission, and dealership service shop's performance. recently, the brakes have developed a vibration and the engine sometimes stalls at slow speeds. i took the van back to the dealership on monday 5 april 99 for the same transmission problem, and the two new problems. the last several new vehicles i've purchased have been fords. my next vehicle probably won't be a ford. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1998 | |||
| Intermittently while decelerating vehicle will stall unexpectedly which may cause a crash. please provide further information. dealer cannot determine the problem. *ak | |||
| While making a right turn the vehicle cut off and the steering wheel locked up, causing loss of vehicle control. cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| While decelerating engine would stall without indications. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 02/19/1997 | 3 | ||
| While driving and proceeding to come to a stop the vehicle will intermittently stall. consumer has contacted the dealer, several repair attempts however continues. brake rotors warped causing grinding of the brakes while stopping. *ak | |||
| 08/21/1998 | 5 | 07/16/1998 | |
| The engine hesitates or stalls in a slow turn. | |||
| 10/20/1998 | 5 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle stalls at low speeds, took back to the dealer twice and they reprogramed the computer. problem still exists. | |||
| 10/10/1998 | |||
| When driving and coming to a stop, and when pulling out, the enigine stalls or shuts down. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 07/07/1998 | 25 | ||
| Engine has trouble starting and intermittent lunging and rough idle. | |||
| 08/01/1998 | 20 | 05/08/1997 | |
| Intermittent stalling. | |||
| 06/06/1998 | |||
| When driving at slow speed the engine cuts off. this usually happens without warning. the manufacturer is aware of the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/30/1998 | |||
| Consumer experiencing problem with vehicle shutting off at random whenever consumer needs to make a turn. vehicle been in dealer shop two times and condition still occurs. *ak | |||
| 3 | 09/01/1997 | ||
| Vehicle stalls usually when driving at low speeds, such as on turns or coming to a stop. | |||
| 10/27/1997 | 2 | ||
| Vehicle experienced low engine idle condition on deceleration or stop turns. the vehicle has been into the dealer for repair twice. *ak | |||
| 09/19/1997 | 2 | ||
| When driving the vehicle stalls at any time, the engine just dies. the van has been at dealership twice for repairs ( on sept 19th & oct 8th & 9th) that did not solve problem. a computer device has been hooked up to the engine to capture any errors when the van stalls. *ak | |||
| 10/09/1997 | 3 | ||
| While driving at approx 20 mph or coming to stop, feels little shaking in steering wheel, then vehicle will turn completely off, no power in engine or electrical system. this also happens when going uphill, or quick stopping, it will then stop and it will restart just like normal. this defect has no set pattern. dealership claims cannot find problem. this defect can result in an accident. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 11/25/2003 | 4 | ||
| Ford windstar tension pulleys on their serpentine belts are defective. *la | |||
| 12/29/2000 | 10 | 11/30/2000 | |
| Consumer has experienced several problems with the transmission, dealer has replaced it once, however problems continue, consumer has filed for a request for arbitration, vehicle bucks, jerks, and jumps into gear before taking off. vehicle shimmies from one side to another upon acceleration, there is a thumping sound heard also at times while driving. vehicle experienced a speed sensor circuit problem. speedometer jumps. problem with power steering, dealer adjusted rack and pinion and made other repairs to steering mechanism. right side brake light bulb failed. battery failed. consumer stated it felt as if vehicle was going to stall sometimes, engine has no power at acceleration, engine belt was noisy and was replaced. tire had a slow leak due to loose tire valve. *slc | |||
| 11/27/2000 | 1 | ||
| The idler pulley and drive belt were replaced, failure was causing noise. *mjs | |||
| 05/22/1999 | 2 | 04/24/1999 | |
| Various problem with power lock locking by itself/windshield wipers working intermittently/dome light not operating, and door ajar light staying on. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on several occasions, and problems still reoccurring. *ak possible electrical problem with failure of power locks, windshield wipers, dome light, door ajar light, door ajar switch, lift gate door ajar switch, battery saver relay inoperable, and washer light illuminating. brakes noisy at times, dealer stated this was due to brake dust. power steering is noisy when turning back and forth, dealer replaced tie rod end. sliding door rattles while driving over bumps, dealer added foam tape to back side of panel, driver door rattles, sliding door hard to open at times, dealer lubed sliding hinges and latch. dealer replaced shocks due to rattling noise when riding over bumps. drivebelt replaced. maf sensor replaced due to hesitation. window guide did not fit tight. *slc | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle has noisy fan belt. yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 84000 | 1 | |
| Consumer complained about a blown head gasket problem. anti- freeze was mixing with the oil, causing white exhaust fumes. consumer contacted the dealer and described the problem over the phone. dealer told consumer it will cost $1500.00 to repair. the problem. vehicle was no longer under warranty.*ak | |||
| 12/15/1999 | 50930 | ||
| A/c oct. 99 $168.98, dec. 99 $134.40 suspension july 01 $664.61, dec. 99 $515.85, jun 01 $61.78, body jun 01 $443.61 other cd player jun 01 $19.50 and $366.86 turn signal jan 02 $161.04 dome light jan 02 $84.02 jan 02 $89.72 door oct 99 $134.52, mar 03 $285.07 steering sept.02 $258.82, mar. 03 569.32 computer controls sept. 00 $106.02 engine jan 02 $784.75 coolant smell (found front cover gasket leaking) sept. 02 85.95 (told throttle body worn out, sold me update computer software, seams to run better) currently in shop for check engine light and a/c system intermittent. mechanic found engine problem, says main bearings or crankshaft bad, possibly due to coolant in oil system from january 02 problem | |||
| 05/15/2001 | 37000 | ||
| This van has all the defects and complaints listed on thegovt. recalls the nhtsa site and others ihave too much info to put on this site if there is anyone i can send my complaint to please let me know iam putting it back into the shop again ive been thru a nightmare along with trying to assure my 4 kids that they were safe in this van thankyou angela wallace and by the wat the dealer that sold me this van will not cooperate at all | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 10 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Engine stalled on an off . called dealership, they said because of the emission control was on recall campain. after they fixed the emssion control, the problem still existed. brought the car in and the dealer said it is out of warranty. nothing they can do. the recall just done about 3 months ago this year.*ak | |||
| 07/07/1999 | 3 | 06/01/1999 | |
| On numerous occassions this vehicle while stall when coming to a stop (stop sign/traffic lights). this vehicle has been to the repair shop over 8 times and was last worked on for this problem in june 2000. then in july 200 while on vacation the power steering pump failed and the emission control failed. although the dealership has been repairing the problems the vehicle has lost it's creditability as being safe. | |||
| 02/21/1999 | 5 | 05/01/1998 | |
| The amp to the radio and cd keeps burning out and the last time it caught on fire. it's been fixed (again) but i'm still scared to drive it. my van stinks like electrical burnt transformer. they said they found a short, but i wonder??? also, why is my exhaust putting out so much black soot on my van? i clean it off and every time i drive it, it becomes all sooted up again. my left tie rod went out too. is that normal for such low mileage? i'm very unhappy with this vehicle. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 06/24/2003 | 3700 | 2 | |
| I purchased a 1998 windstar van from the ford dealer located in corning ca. i have had nothing but trouble with it passing smog for the oxy sensor. and the transmission has never worked right. the turbo thing is bad. when i went to trade it in i found that the vehicle was out of canada. and these things were part of the recalls reported to you. but, ford of corning said they did nothing to this van before selling it to me. i found 14 things wrong with this vehicle. i acted up a month after purchase. but i was on aware of my rights as a consumer. also, i was not sure what oms meant. the van is stuck in folsom,ca at aamco transmission repair shop. financed through fireside bank. ford of corning said they did nothing to the van before i purchased it but cleaning it. *nm | |||
| 10/25/2003 | 50200 | 1 | 12/27/1997 |
| Check engine soon light came on. i took it to the ford dealer where i purchased my 1998 ford windstar. i told the service advisor i had a coolant leak. when the mechanic did the diagnostic test he said the leak was at the valve covers and intake. the gaskets had to be replaced at a price of over $900. it appears to be a major problem of the 1998 ford windstar which is not covered under the defect warranty. my windstar had just over 50,000 miles on when this defect happened. *ak | |||
| 06/09/1998 | 3 | 11/02/1997 | |
| While driving there is excessive smoke coming out of the tail pipe, mechanic does not have solution for consumer concern. *ak dealer replaced defective bank #2 hego sensor. but consumer states problem still exist. door light on dash board illuminated. a special part was ordered. *tt | |||
| 05/22/1999 | 2 | 04/24/1999 | |
| Various problem with power lock locking by itself/windshield wipers working intermittently/dome light not operating, and door ajar light staying on. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on several occasions, and problems still reoccurring. *ak possible electrical problem with failure of power locks, windshield wipers, dome light, door ajar light, door ajar switch, lift gate door ajar switch, battery saver relay inoperable, and washer light illuminating. brakes noisy at times, dealer stated this was due to brake dust. power steering is noisy when turning back and forth, dealer replaced tie rod end. sliding door rattles while driving over bumps, dealer added foam tape to back side of panel, driver door rattles, sliding door hard to open at times, dealer lubed sliding hinges and latch. dealer replaced shocks due to rattling noise when riding over bumps. drivebelt replaced. maf sensor replaced due to hesitation. window guide did not fit tight. *slc | |||
| 1 | 10/10/1998 | ||
| Oxygen sensor failed. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 05/23/2007 | 20 | ||
| Ford windstar throwing persistent ses light p0740. this was common with almost most windstars. there should be a recall for the manifolds/gasket. rough ride and stalling at dangerous points. *ak | |||
| 06/30/2003 | 55800 | 1 | 05/18/2000 |
| Current mileage approx. 55,800. . on a recent trip to cape may, nj (approx. 150 miles from our home in bayside, ny ),the engine seized and the car died on the garden state parkway. the car was brought to the nearest ford dealer/ service station, chapman ford (june 31,2003), where it is being serviced currently. the technician could not evaluate the damage until july 2,2003, where he stated that a rod broke causing a puncture in the oil pan therefore causing a loss of fluid and a seize of the engine. at lease inception, we took an extended warranty through ford hempstead with interstate warranty services. this warranty company ordered a complete tear down of the engine to find out why the rod broke, we agreed knowing that it was due to no neglect on our part, the tear down did not occur until july 10th and was examined on july 11th by an inspector hired by interstate. the claim is now being denied, even though we supplied them with all the documentation they requested on the upkeep and maintenance of the car. their claim is that the last maintenance (oil change, filter and lubricants) were not done. we have the documentation to prove that monahan ford, flushing, ny did this maintenance along with other work in january. also, hempstead ford, hempstead, ny, did service on the car april 2003 for the exact hesitation in acceleration that we experienced immediately before the engine seized. unfortunately monahan ford went out of business and we are being told that our car was not kept in good condition when documentation proves it was in two separate dealerships within a sixth month period. i now am faced with a $5000.00+ bill to repair a car that was kept well and has an extended warranty. i am being forced to file suit with monahan ford for fraudulent service and file suit with hempstead ford for failure to correctly analyze the car's problem. | |||
| 07/08/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer states that vacuum motor switch fails. he also states that the rubber diaphram fails all the time. this part of the auto is suppose to be working in relations with the intake manifold.*ak | |||
| 01/17/2003 | 01/15/1999 | ||
| Driving at about 35 mph in moderate traffic, engine slowed, oil and check engine light came on. engine began making a sputtering sound and white smoke billowed from the tail pipe. vehicle decreased speed rapidly, endangering three children. engine diagnositc proved blown head gasket. | |||
| 1 | 02/02/1998 | ||
| Black carbon getting on the body from the exhaust pipe and tail pipe extension installed. | |||
| 01/04/1999 | |||
| The exhaust was emitting black smoke. the tail pipe had black soot inside. took to dealer & mechanic cut tail pipe on side. according to manufacturer's instructions, it would run it underneath van & then turn down. its an engine manifold design flaw. | |||