Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE | |||||
| 01156 | 08/06/2001 | 623944 | Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc | 10/31/2001 | |
| 9811451 | 04/01/1998 | 603605 | Vehicles may exhibit a high pich whistle from the heater core housing case. *yc | 02/25/1999 | |
| 982677 | 04/01/1998 | 603575 | Some vehicles may exhibit a high pitch whistle from the heater core housing case. *yc | 02/25/1999 | |
| VISIBILITY - REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER | |||||
| 12263 | 12/01/1998 | 615516 | Information used when performing rear wiper pinpoint tests. *tt | 01/17/2001 | |
| VISIBILITY - REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER - MOTOR | |||||
| 5346 | 12/01/1998 | 615429 | Manual correction when performing rear wiper motor pinpoint test. *tt | 01/16/2001 | |
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | |||||
| BC3381972301 | 01/23/1997 | 51454 | Adapters are available to convert vehicle j hook windshield wiper arms to a conventional pin style. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC1022097230 | 01/23/1997 | 51582 | Adapters are available to convert windstar j hook windshield wiper arms to a conventional pin style to allow the use after market booted winter blades. *jd | 06/27/1997 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | |||
| 04/26/2010 | 230000 | ||
| Vehicle is a 1998 ford windstar.while driving the windshield washer,seat belt,and door ajar warning lights flash on and off.while this is happening the wiper blades stop working,power windows will not operate and on a few occasions the headlights will blink with the warning lights.i understand that this is an old vehicle but i have researched this issue and have found hundreds of complaints about the same problem.not just restricted to this year.it is also an issue that happens just after a few years of service.i would think that wiper blades malfunctioning due to an electrical issue would be a safety concern. | |||
| 12/16/2009 | 1 | ||
| On december 16th 2009. i was driving down west 117th towards madison/lakewood in cleveland, ohio and was trying to come to a stop (slow down and stop) to allow an ambulance to pass (there was a car in front of me that was also slowing downa nd that came to a stop at the street lot)this is on a major street near an highway intersection. i put my foot on my brake to slow down the vehicle and come to a stop but it would not slow down or stop. the brake had went out. i ended up hitting the car in front of me hard (an suv) and doing quite a bit of damage to my vehicle. the other driver vehicle was so far as i could tell undamaged. on my vehicle the front light is broken, my bumper is damaged, and my hood is damaged. i, myself and the driver i hit could have gotten seriously injured. so far we are bothfine and no injuries occurred. however he may turn around and come after me if he decides to. and i now can not drive my vehicle. i received a recall notice on my vehicle brake about a month ago around early november. maybe in end of october. the very day of my accident (happened around 12:15 noon) i was going to go home and call ford about the recall. there is a worldwide recall on my vehicle model and many others. and i have had nothing but problems since i bought it. i have had to make numerous repairs on it and still had problems and this accident. ford should be held responsible for this and should compensate me with another vehicle in good condition especially since i have spent so much time and money into replacement parts for this windstar. or give me my money back or something. i'm glad my kids were not with me when this happened and that the man i hit was also alone and is ok. what can be done about this? i have had to replace the following items since i got this vehicle: o2 sensors (both), alternator, belt, windshield wiper blade, and make back blades don't work at all, the transmission, the steering column box, door handle and components inside and more! | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM | |||
| 11/22/2003 | 85000 | 20 | 02/26/2001 |
| 1998 windstar defroster blend door failure, which causes the windshield to ice up and we are unable to see. it appears to be a design problem and ford wants $1000 to replace the entire heating unit.*jb | |||
| 11/28/1997 | 5 | ||
| When applying brakes there is a very loud grinding noise coming from the brakes, and when stopping the vehicle and applying the brakes they will go straight to the floorboard. also, air conditioner and the heat has been repaired five times, and the problem is back. *ak | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE | |||
| 1. transmission will shift erratically , and a loud noise will occur and motor will shake. ford engineering was sent out and determined transmission needed work, but no dealer will honor warranty. 2. brakes will fail in the winter and in slippery roads, causing pedal to go to floor and vehicle will not stop. 3. all doors lock by themselves/ lights flash on and off, and heater and defroster motor will come on even without the key in the igntion. vehicle will even start up by itself. *ak | |||
| 03/01/1998 | 1 | 06/01/1997 | |
| The problem seems to be related to a blend door which blends heated air with a/c. the door apparently does not position properly and so a cold mixture is delivered o the front compartment. the rear ventilation controls work perfectly (this is the extra capacity heat & a/c option). repairs have been attempted in severn visits to two different dealerships over the past eight months but the problem still persists. although the blend has been replaced the problem has not been fixed. the dealer indicates that this is a problem that ford needs to fix. ford has not accepted responsibility for the problem to date and i am without heat in the front compartment. | |||
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | |||
| 05/01/2000 | 05/01/1997 | ||
| I am a letter carrier for the united states postal service in whitestone, ny. we have 33 1998 ford windstars in our fleet. i have noticed 3 recurrent problems in our vans, in the three years that we have had them. first, the vehicles have manual crank windows, not power windows. the driver side window regulator has failed on several vehicles, perhaps 6 of them, and on a few of them, failed more than once. there has got to be better material used in these window regulators for the future. the failure rate is really unacceptable. the second problem that i have noticed, is a squealing noise coming from the front suspension. i have heard this on many vehicles so it seems that this is also an engineering defect. the third recurrent problem is a strange one. when the weather gets warm, the computer reads that there is an open door, yet all of the doors are securely locked. the reminder chimes will ding, the icon will appear on the dash, and the interior lights stay on. strangely enough, when the speed is over 15mph, the chimes will stop dinging, but the dashboard icon will stay lit. one of our vehicles has been to the shop 8 times for this problem, and they still can't figure out what the problem is! if i see these recurrent problems on a small sample of 32 vehicles, i can only imagine that the same problem must happen all over the country wherever windstars are being used. somebody in authority, please investigate these problems! thanks. | |||
| 11/05/1997 | 1 | 11/02/1997 | |
| Front right window fell out. *yc | |||
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | |||
| 01/23/2002 | 3 | 02/19/1998 | |
| I owe 3 windstars all three have problems with power windows not going down. | |||
| 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. | |||
| 06/15/2003 | 54000 | ||
| I purchased my 1998 windstar with approx 20,000 km on it in 1999. just after the warranty expired (at 60,000 km) i noticed 2 large bubbles in the paint on the two front doors. i took the car to the ford dealership where they agreed to pay 80% of the cost of repainting. this was not entirely agreeable to me but i felt i had no choice. my vehicle how has 86,000 km on it and the paint is peeling on the roof and around the sliding door. i have contacted ford canada but have not heard back from them as yet. other problems encountered include having to replace a motor for the power windows, the fan mechanism (the blower would not move off of defrost), a leaking brake cylinder as well as what i would consider standard maintenance such as brakes, tires. i am also having intermittent problems with the electrical system eg. the warning bell signalling that the lights have been left on or the keys are in the ignition goes off for no reason. this then prevents me from being able to lock the vehicle. | |||
| 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 | |||
| 05/15/2003 | 99000 | ||
| Rear sway bar broke in half on low speed turn if this would have happened on a freeway exchange or off ramp this would have resulted in a rollover and possible death! | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 50000 | ||
| I own two 1998 ford windstar minivans, both of them have the same problem with the sliding door causing the panel light to come on and the car interior lights to stay on for up to two hours after you have exited the vehicle. i have read in a report that this has been a problem with some of these vehicles. i have a sister that also owns a windstar and a brother that just traded his in. they have never had this problem to my knowledge. what is causing this and how is the problem fixed? the dealer's mechanic where i purchased it from told me that it is supposed to be like this, but i know it is not. 12 second delay is normal not two hours. i think he was just as stumped as my husband and i have been with this problem. again please let me know what is causing this to happen and how it can be repaired. | |||
| 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, | |||
| 07/15/2002 | 80000 | ||
| The transmission failed after having the fluid and pan gasket changed within the previous 6 months. since it is a '98 and although it has the same transmission as earlier years (whose transmissions have been replaced at no cost to the owner because of either recalls or secret warranties) ford refused to replace this transmission at cost. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| I bought this van because of the clean condition of it . i have the 3.0 ltr engine which has been excellent. the transmission so far is ok. steering is a dangerous mess with almost everything new and 3 alignments. if you take your eyes off the road even for a second you can end up in a ditch. my wife & i both went off the road in a 1 month span. we both have excellent driving records. the front end seems ok to ford. something serious is wrong with the steering. won?t let my wife drive it anymore. has a little vibration that you cannot get rid of. sending this to you because i called ford and they said there was no safety recall or any steering issues with that van. had a service bulletin in front of me at that time stating there was. but that is not the problem. ford denied the all of the above. am afraid to sell to someone because i think someone will get hurt. don?t know why ford keeps putting in the same bad parts year after year. i have had all the dome light problems and door locks etc. they will still say no problems. bought it used at a good price thinking it was a bad tire causing the problems. if accident occurs will seek damages | |||
| 02/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| Paint is peeling off of van interor remain on panel shows door open when its not and the lights will not go out until you reach about 20mph try driving at night with this. | |||
| 12/11/2000 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Power steering line malfunctioned while driving, rendering vehicle difficult to steer, dealer has repaired vehicle.*ak consumer also stated the air conditioner was not cooling, there was a loose connection at compressor, the doors would not lock, the power door actuator was the cause of the doors not working, windows would not go down because of a bad window motor.*jb | |||
| 08/31/1999 | 100 | 09/01/1997 | |
| *since purchase new, one tire would go nearly flat weekly. took it to the dealer to have it checked when they checked the window mechanism and the abs sensor light--no problem found. took it to 3 different tire stores (2 goodyear)--no problem found. it went bald after only 18k and 2 rotations. no problem since purchasing 2 new tires. alignment was not a problem--done @ 10k & 21k. weather did not effect air loss, either. *drivers auto-down feature has never worked consistantly. has nearly caused accidents & is very frustrating. dealer has checked it too many times to count--same with the *abs light on the dash coming on and not going off. i think they changed fuses once--still happens, but not as often. would that effect safety? i don't know if the system will work properly while the light is flashing. *wiper problem is very intermittent--of course. when on slow intermittent (1 or 2) speed, will speed up on it's own to very fast & then must be turned off & back on again in order to get the correct speed set again. temp & time run does not effect malfunction at all--happens hot or cold & after 3-5 minutes or up to an hour. back wiper has always chattered when wiping--worse when cold. *can you change this window? it's hard to tell what you type and very hard to correct errors.( dot number: 97s ? tire size: p215/70r15 ) | |||
| 08/01/1998 | 1 | 07/01/1998 | |
| Electric window motor failed. mjs | |||
| 01/04/1998 | 1 | 11/01/1997 | |
| Electric windows only work with key off and out of ignition. | |||
| VISIBILITY - REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | |||
| 11/28/1999 | 12/01/1998 | ||
| 1)all 5 lugs: nuts sheared off from the right front passenger hub, causing the wheel to leave the vehicle. the body of the vehicle traveled approximately 200 feet until it stopped. 2)the rear brakes had to be replaced with new pads and rotors. dealer couldn't explain why this was a problem. 3) the next day the right passenger mirror electical system no longer worked. 4)the parking brake consistently does not disengage after use. we no longer use it, possibly creating a safety hazard. 5) the vehicle intermittently stalls out at low speeds or upon stopping. additionally the initial gears shift hard and loud. 6) the rear seat will not move on the track. *ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 1 | 05/10/1998 | |
| Exterior rearview mirror switch failed. mjs | |||
| VISIBILITY - REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER | |||
| 01/31/2002 | 53000 | 100 | 06/07/2001 |
| Electronics-door ajar warning light stays on specifically when weather is damp or mild. this causes door locks to unlock by themselves even when vehicle is in motion, also door chime keeps chimming. battery looses power because dome lamp stays on for extended period of time. rear windshield wipers will not work if illuminated door ajar warning is caused by opening or closing rear liftgate. repairs have been made to driver door switch at the cost of $100 parts and labor, however the passenger door, side slider and rear liftgate have the same problem. im not sure if doors are really closed or not. since the doors wont stay locked, i believe this poses as a safety hazard to all passengers. mechanics have told me that this is a common problem with mini vans. *nm | |||
| 04/12/2003 | 1 | 02/28/2003 | |
| Loss of front right wheel while driving.*mr while driving the front passenger side wheel separated from the vehicle. the separation caused damage to the front passenger side fender. it was later determined the wheel in question separated from the vehicle as a result of inappropriate clamping force to the assembly. it also appeared that the lack of clamping force was the result of an under torqued wheel or a wheel and a brake rotor combination the was inappropriately seated. the rear wipers were defective and the air conditioner was inoperative. *nlm *jb | |||
| 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 | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD | |||
| 1 | 09/22/2001 | ||
| There is rust located on both sides and the top of the windshield. the rust wasn't visible under the molding until replacement had begun. *jg *jb *nlm | |||
| 09/08/2001 | |||
| While driving 50 mph passenger took a magazine and gently swatted at a mosquito on windshield. windshield shattered, outside temperature was 50. no injuries. *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 | |||
| 05/07/1999 | 1 | 09/07/1998 | |
| Rear windshield exploded from inside which may have caused injuries. common problem. dealer cannot determine the cause. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 05/15/1998 | 1 | 05/15/1998 | |
| Passenger side window will not go down. nlm | |||
| 04/01/1997 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Front windshield defective, causing windshield to make whistling noises. *yc | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | |||
| 04/12/2003 | 1 | ||
| When tilting the steering wheel windshield wipers would not work. dealer notified.*ak | |||
| 09/23/1999 | 1 | ||
| The windshield washer failed and was replaced. *yh | |||
| 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 | |||
| 08/31/1999 | 100 | 09/01/1997 | |
| *since purchase new, one tire would go nearly flat weekly. took it to the dealer to have it checked when they checked the window mechanism and the abs sensor light--no problem found. took it to 3 different tire stores (2 goodyear)--no problem found. it went bald after only 18k and 2 rotations. no problem since purchasing 2 new tires. alignment was not a problem--done @ 10k & 21k. weather did not effect air loss, either. *drivers auto-down feature has never worked consistantly. has nearly caused accidents & is very frustrating. dealer has checked it too many times to count--same with the *abs light on the dash coming on and not going off. i think they changed fuses once--still happens, but not as often. would that effect safety? i don't know if the system will work properly while the light is flashing. *wiper problem is very intermittent--of course. when on slow intermittent (1 or 2) speed, will speed up on it's own to very fast & then must be turned off & back on again in order to get the correct speed set again. temp & time run does not effect malfunction at all--happens hot or cold & after 3-5 minutes or up to an hour. back wiper has always chattered when wiping--worse when cold. *can you change this window? it's hard to tell what you type and very hard to correct errors.( dot number: 97s ? tire size: p215/70r15 ) | |||
| 10/01/1999 | 1 | 11/01/1998 | |
| Replacement windshield wiper (pass) does not seem to fit correctly-none of the wipers in dealer stock fits with same positive locking action as the orginal wiper blade. appears that wipe blade assy can pop off under some conditions | |||
| 09/10/1998 | 1 | 02/10/1998 | |
| Wiper harness failed. yh | |||
| 1 | 06/01/1999 | ||
| You can call me to get details or ford can call. both wiper and seat were safety items and caused us to drive this new van in a very unsafe mannor . the wiper motor had to be replaced first then some module. took about one week to get the wipers fixed. the driver seat tilts and slides forward so people can get in and out the back. the retaining nut fell off the stud that holds the cable on. since two push nuts were under the seat and both would not stay on the stud i think the studs are undersized. once the cable pops off the seat tilts forward and the slide is free to move forward or back but no way to lock the slide or tip the seat back. i had to drive like this to get home. face about 2 - 3 inches from the steering wheel. call for more details if you want. | |||
| 07/28/1999 | 1 | 06/01/1999 | |
| Driver side wiper failed during a major downpour in rush hour traffic. visibility was next to zero. managed to get vehicle to the side of the road without incident. in checking wiper arm i found the nut attaching the wiper arm to the wiper motor assembly had come lose. because of the loose condition, wiper arm would not move more than 1-2 inches. a simple washer or lock washer under the nut would have prevented this failure. | |||
| 12/01/1997 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Windshield wipers failed. | |||
| 1 | 04/11/1998 | ||
| Windshield washer inoperative. | |||