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 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 04192 | 10/04/2004 | 10010714 | Spark knock on acceleration - vehicles equipped with 3.8l engine only. *tt | 12/07/2004 | |
| 02221 | 11/11/2002 | 10008304 | Engine-gear driven synchronizers-incorrect installation-camshaft position synchronizer (cmp) installation tool correct application. *mj | 07/27/2004 | |
| 17056 | 08/01/2003 | 10003166 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on / no start / erratic shifting. *tt | 10/09/2003 | |
| 03161 | 08/18/2003 | 0347 | 10003115 | Check engine light on and lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) p0171/p0174 (system too lean bank 1 or 2) stored in memory. *tt | 10/08/2003 |
| 0338 | 02/17/2003 | 10002484 | Check engine light on and lean diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) p0171/p0174 (system too lean bank 1 or 2) stored in memory. *tt | 09/03/2003 | |
| 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 | |
| 14935 | 05/01/2001 | 620231 | Some vehicles may exhibit a hooting sound from the vacuum management valve (vmv). *tt | 07/23/2001 | |
| 13180 | 09/01/1999 | 6090538 | Information regarding camshaft position (cmp) sensor alignment tool chart. *mjs | 03/21/2000 | |
| 13181 | 09/01/1999 | 6090540 | Information regarding camshaft position (cmp) sensor alignment tool chart (continued). *mjs | 03/21/2000 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 15213 | 09/01/2001 | 625749 | Some vehicles may exhibit an engine noise that sounds like a connecting-rod knock or lifter noise. *tt | 12/03/2001 | |
| 13922 | 01/01/2000 | 620490 | Some vehicles equipped with 3.8l engine may exhibit a slight spark knock on heavy acceleration with 87 octane fuel. *tt | 08/13/2001 | |
| 14330 | 01/01/2000 | 620417 | Some vehicles may have slight spark knock on heavy accel with 87 octaine fuel. hot weather and lower octane fuel may exaggerate condition. *tt | 08/07/2001 | |
| 0147 | 03/05/2001 | 619424 | Subject regarding engine oil recommendations for use in 2001 vehicles - sae 5w-20 motor oil. *tt | 05/30/2001 | |
| 00218 | 10/16/2000 | 618552 | Information on spark knock on acceleration on vehicles equipped with 3.8l engine. *jb | 04/16/2001 | |
| 00223 | 10/30/2000 | 618560 | Some vehicles equipped with 3.0l engine may exhibit a spark knock condition on heavy acceleration with 87 octane gasoline. *jb | 04/16/2001 | |
| 00255 | 12/11/2000 | 616822 | Some vehicles equipped with the 3.0l 2-valve engine may exhibit a spark knock condition on heavy acceleration with 87 octane gasoline. *tt | 03/13/2001 | |
| 13518 | 11/01/1999 | 614642 | Some vehicles equipped with 3.8l engine may exhibit a hum / moan from the underhood area with the engine running. *tt | 11/29/2000 | |
| 14213 | 06/01/2000 | 613905 | Concerns with vehicles exhibiting a slight spark knock on heavy acceleration with 87 octane fuel. *tt | 09/21/2000 | |
| 14060 | 04/01/2000 | 613706 | Some vehicles may exhibit mil illumination with diagnostic trouble codes p0171/p0174. **mr | 07/27/2000 | |
| 8233 | 03/01/2000 | 612675 | Vehicles equipped with 3.8l engine may exhibit a slight spark knock on heavy acceleration with 87 octane fuel. *tt | 06/12/2000 | |
| 8233 | 02/01/2000 | 612423 | Some vehicles equipped with 3.8l engine may exhibit a slight spark knock on heavy acceleration with 87 octane fuel. *tt | 06/08/2000 | |
| 7542 | 11/01/1999 | 610868 | Some customers may experience a hum / moan from the underhood area with the engine running on vehicles equipped with 3.8l engines. *tt | 05/16/2000 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||||
| CSP-08B01 | 05/16/2008 | 10026389 | Ford: certain 1999-2001 model year vehicles up to 6000 lb gvwr registered in new york and certain 2001 vehicles up to 6000 lb gvwr registered in the state of maine, certified for sale in california-federal emission warranty refund. *pe | 10/23/2008 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 02/03/2012 | 117000 | ||
| 2 weeks after i bought, what i thought was going to be the best car i ever owned, the check engine light came on. since i'm a single mom with 5 kids, im very tight on money, therefore, i went to the auto part store, put it on the machine, hoping i could do what i did with all other vehicles i owned, buy the parts, go online and read up on fixing it my self. i had just put all my savings into buying the van. the store clerk, gives me a list of 4 codes and the list of possible fixes. i get home go online and found out that not only is it not easy for someone like me to do, but its going to be a good $1200-$1500 for a mechanic to fix. and worse of all, it as been a major issue with this make and model, ford knows about the problem and even put out a repair kit just for the issue, but still refuses to recall the vehicle after numerus complaints. well your little kit maybe inexpensive for people who can fix it them selves but when you have to pay a mechanic to do the work its more then a simple repair. if a car as been treated good by its owner, as not been abused and maintnance kept up with over the years, then the only major (above $1000) repairs that we should have, are repairs due to accidents or normal wear and tear. when almost ever one who owes one of them as the same problem, around the same time, then it is a defect in the making of the car and should be the responsability of the ford company. the the fact that ford had to come up with a repair kit, is admitting there is a defect with the van. i should have check this website before i bought the van. do your reserch people! | |||
| 12/06/2009 | 113205 | ||
| Just pulled into a parking space and put vehicle in park mode when without warning i heard a loud clanking sound. turns out the transmission failed. i had to get it rebuilt. i have had numerous problem with this vehicle in many areas and have spent a lot of money getting things fixed and replaced on it | |||
| 06/02/2010 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds he noticed that engine warning light illuminated on the instrumental panel. he also noticed that there was a knocking noise coming from the engine. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed the contact that the spark plugs had failed which caused a small fire under the hood damaging the engine. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000. tb | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 115432 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. upon starting the vehicle she heard a clicking noise coming from the center of the dashboard. after a few minutes the clicking noise stopped. prior to this failure she would usually hear the same clicking noise whenever she operated the temperature gauge on the air conditioning unit. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where she believes she was told the motor for the air conditioning unit needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. she also stated while driving at any speed the vehicle would bounce and she could feel vibrations. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed and was not repaired. the vehicle would also stall intermittently after starting. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the idle air control was repaired. the failure and current mileages were 115,432. sm. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Check engine light has been on for several thousand miles, from about 40,000 to current 130,000. the code that comes up can be 1 of about 10 things. nothing corrects this. i have the 3.8l engine and the check engine light has been on. had a mechanic pull the codes up and they are bank 1 running lean and bank 2 running lean (p0171) and (p0174). was told could be mass airflow sensor, o2 sensor (1 of 4), vacuum issues, head gasket or a few others. i have replaced the maf sensor and all 4 o2 sensors at about $200.00 a piece. still on. 2nd issue. noise from front end when turning. 3rd issue. currently sitting at ford dealer with fractured rear axle for last month. also abs light goes on and off all the time. | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 115432 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. upon starting the vehicle she heard a clicking noise coming from the center of the dashboard. after a few minutes the clicking noise stopped. prior to this failure she would usually hear the same clicking noise whenever she operated the temperature gauge on the air conditioning unit. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where she believes she was told the motor for the air conditioning unit needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. she also stated while driving at any speed the vehicle would bounce and she could feel vibrations. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed and was not repaired. the vehicle would also stall intermittently after starting. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the idle air control was repaired. the failure and current mileages were 115,432. sm. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Check engine light has been on for several thousand miles, from about 40,000 to current 130,000. the code that comes up can be 1 of about 10 things. nothing corrects this. i have the 3.8l engine and the check engine light has been on. had a mechanic pull the codes up and they are bank 1 running lean and bank 2 running lean (p0171) and (p0174). was told could be mass airflow sensor, o2 sensor (1 of 4), vacuum issues, head gasket or a few others. i have replaced the maf sensor and all 4 o2 sensors at about $200.00 a piece. still on. 2nd issue. noise from front end when turning. 3rd issue. currently sitting at ford dealer with fractured rear axle for last month. also abs light goes on and off all the time. | |||
| 12/19/2008 | 112000 | 1 | |
| Abs light lit check engine light on. *tr | |||
| 10/16/2008 | 81000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while backing out of the driveway at 5 mph, the bracket that supports the lower passenger side control arm failed. a mechanic stated that the engine cradle needed to be replaced. the manufacturer and dealer were not notified. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 81,000. | |||
| 05/26/2008 | 88000 | 1 | |
| Mar 2008 we took our 2000 ford windstar van in for a clicking noise. was told that the plastic manifold intake valve was broke. they said to fix it would be about $800 but if the noise did not bother us we could leave it. may 2008 was rear ended and two days later van broke down. took it to harris ford in lynnwood was told the manifold was completely broke and had to have it repaired at a cost of $1200. i know the plastic manifolds were recalled on other models and think the vans should have been included. what is my recourse? *tr | |||
| 02/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| Pressure sensor on the master cylinder leaked taking out the speedometer, odometer, abs and cruise control. *tr | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2000 ford windstar with multiple manufacturer defects. consumer states these are some of the problems windshield washer fluid pump failure, reverse sensor system failure, brake light switch is sticking and more. *kb the message center started to read error when displaying the outdoor temperature. the consumer found one of the male prongs on the sensor plug had corroded and broken off, which indicated that the sensor plug was not adequately protected from moisture. one of the coolant lines to the rear heater corroded and failed at the point where it crossed under the frame at the rear of the vehicle. the check engine light illuminated. the mechanic stated the engine was running lean due to an air leak. the coolant crossover tube sprang a leak. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2003 | 40000 | 500 | |
| Have had constant problems with my 2000 ford windstar since 40,000 miles. have already done the overhaul for the check engine light and the abs light still comes on and off daily for the last 3 years. replaced the cruise control activation switch 2 years ago, but i guess the leaking fluids have destroyed my ecu. also have cleaned and checked all wheel sensors which has not helped at all. i used to be a ford man, but after these problems and $$$ spend, i'm very cautious of fords now! *tr | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 108400 | 1 | 10/15/2005 |
| Engine coolant disappearing without explanation. took into dealer to learn it was a common leak in the front cover gasket that could lead to engine failure. i own a 2000 ford windstar with a 3.8l v-6. *jb | |||
| 08/04/2006 | 90000 | 1 | 03/15/2001 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 mph, the check engine light illuminated intermittently. during the time that the light was illuminated, the vehicle ran normally. while the check engine light was not illuminated, the vehicle was sluggish, and would not run smoothly. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, where the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the problem. the battery was replaced, however the problem became worse. | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 12000 | 3 | 08/01/2001 |
| The consumer complained about multiple problems with the vehicle on numerous occasions. the driver noticed smoke coming from underneath the vehicle, and pulled over. the smoke went out on its own. the driver had the vehicle towed. the second incident involved the transmission exploding while driving. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and the mechanic determined that the transmission and the engine needed to be replaced. *ak only four of the seat belts worked. *sc *jb | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 5 | ||
| 2000 ford windstar se stalls at red lights and when idling -- dealer kept insisting nothing wrong, yet would stall. in shop in october returned to us as working -- stalled in december again. *jb | |||
| 11/22/2004 | 58000 | 3 | 02/01/2004 |
| After pumping the brakes they could not stop the vehicle, and the check engine light was on. dealer replaced the anti lock braking system , but the check engine light problem had not been repaired.*ak...also,overdrive light came on dealer replaced shaft sensor. *ak | |||
| 08/09/2004 | 45000 | 1 | |
| While at a stop vehicle stalled. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/14/2004 | 41500 | 4 | 07/21/2000 |
| The van started to idle very rough, from complete stall to racing, intermitently, then check engine light came on, to compensate, car needed to be placed in neutral at complete stops, dealer service indicated intake manifold gasket failed, caused, in part because of original manufacture of a plastic part that is no longer availble. replacement part is indicated to be aluminum , several other gaskets replaced in a costly repair that ford refused to cover under warranty on van with only 41,500 miles. *ak | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 50269 | ||
| Manifold gasket leak. tbs article no. 03-16-1. this repair was done 7 months earlier than this and we paid a $200.00 deductable and our warranty company paid the rest. 7 months and 13,800 miles later it went again and they never did the tbs to it the first time and they wouldn't pay for their error in not taking care of the problem the first time. our warranty company would not pay as it's a faulty part from ford and it should have been addressed at the 7 month prior apt. i had also brought it in a few months prior to this oct. visit as the engine light was on and they said it was because my gas cap wasn't on tight enough and was charged $85.00 for this visit. i wonder if this was a sign of what was happening. we we're treated terribly by ford not only with not paying for their error but disrepectfull and uncalled for language and behavior. | |||
| 12/15/2002 | 40868 | ||
| 12/02 engine light came on - had to have upper plenum gasket, o-rings, vacuum elbow and valve cover with gasket replaced for $600.00. 4/03, car less than 3 yrs. old but with 44k miles, the transmission blew: weld broke on the "drum over the planetary gear". so warranty expired at 36k miles but windstar still under 3 yrs. old. i expect a car to last at least 3 years before anything this expensive happens. want ford to pay for repairs and extend warranty til windstar is paid for in 2005. | |||
| 06/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| Right from the day i bought the van, i have had one issue or the other. here are some of the major issues. 1. tires - my new van had bumps on all 4 tires. every tire dealer told me they would burst on driving. they were general tires. i went to ford many times and opened a case with them also to no avail. after 12,000 miles, i decided to buy 4 new tires myself for the safety of my family at my own expense. 2. at 15,000 miles, i had to get my front brakes changed as they had reached their end of life. 3. at 15,000 miles, i also had to get my transmission fluid as well as drop pan changed as they worn out 4. at 30,000 miles, i had to get my front brake pads again changed (these were also worn out). what is surprising is that my rear brakes are fine 5. at 30,000 miles, i also had to get my transmission fluid as well as drop pan changed as they worn out 6. at 40,000 miles, my check engine light came on, for which i had to get the entire cooling system changed as well as had major engine work done to remove the light. the bill was in a few thousand, and i still don't know what they did to get it all fixed 7. at 45,000 miles, i had to get front rotors and brakes again. 8. at 45,000 miles i also had to get my front tie rods changed as they were squeaking 9. my automatic door sensor has never worked since i bought the van. if you shut the doors using the electronic door openers, and if something is in the way, it will still shut the door trapping the item, rather than reversing the process. 10. my drivers side power seats have just failed, and i am yet again faced with a large expense. i will never buy a ford again | |||
| 04/05/2004 | 51000 | 1 | |
| When driving through an intersection vehicle stalled. this caused consumer to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for inspection. *ak | |||
| 03/08/2004 | 45000 | 1 | |
| While the vehicle was parked consumer heard a loud noise coming from the steering wheel when turning left/right. then, vehicle surged forward. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak dealer also performed diagnostic on vehicle, and found that the cause was a bad idle air control valve. consumer declined repair on idle air control valve after diagnosis from first dealer. however, idle air control valve was replaced by a different service dealer. *la | |||
| 12/19/2002 | |||
| Consumer states while traveling 65 mph without any indication engine indication light flash speed drop and over driver lights started blinking. dealer was contacted techician notice transmission needed to be replace transmission is on the third repair. please provide further information. ts | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 07/18/2009 | 75000 | ||
| My 2000 ford windstar had transmission problems that started in late 2008. automatic transmission lever was hard too shift into any gear. a few months later the transmission started leaking. as the months went by the leaking got worse. in may of 2009 there was now quite a bit of transmission fluid leaking from the transmission, causing the need for fluid to be added in order for the transmission to work. problem fixed in july of 2009. transmission oil seal was defective on the van, even though it only had 75,000 miles on it. head gasket needed replaced as well. total price: $1700. | |||
| 03/20/2004 | 57000 | 1 | |
| Since buying my windstar, 2000; used, 57,000 miles i have had one problem after another. within two weeks after purchase my transmission would jump then straighten out and go on. i had it checked by five different places and all stated there was nothing wrong. it stopped completely during a family trip and i had to purchase a new transmission. it had a knock in the engine ever since i bought it but it finally got so bad i thought the prudent thing to do was to get it overhauled. there crank shaft was not smooth and had to be machined and rebuilt. i have had several different issues concerning the electrical system; abs stays on, sliding door lock failure, interior lights come on while driving and will not go off, all instrument dash lights flash on and then seem to recover, now my whole electrical system is acting up. the radio always went off when you cut off the engine and open the door, but now my battery is dead and while charging it the head light came on, (but none of the switches were turned on), oh and about 10 months ago i had to replace the alternator. no warning except right before it died the light started cutting off and on. i cannot afford another purchase at this time. i am sick of this. *tr | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 120000 | 1 | |
| My check engine light came on, and i had it diagnosed with codes p0171, and p0174, engine too lean. i have been told from the ford dealer, and other mechanics i called that it is a common thing on ford windstars, and that it's not a if it will happen problem, it's a when it will happen problem. it's a design flaw in the intake manifolds, which prices ranging from $800 to $1500 to repair. ford should do a recall on all windstars and have these problems fixed for their customers at no charge. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2007 | 78000 | 1 | |
| The intake went at 58,000 miles brought to ford dealer and it was covered under warranty . 1 year later had same problem and van was out of warranty and ford refused to cover had to pay $1,800 dollars. then last year the transmission went van had 78,000 miles. ford will not fix they would not repo it. they are now trying to sue me for a defective vehicle. *tr | |||
| 04/30/2007 | 101016 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| Tl*contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated. the mechanic stated that the vehicle needed to have the upper input and the upper gasket replaced. the mechanic changed the fuel filter, performed a tune up, and replaced the ignition wire. the contact was responsible for the cost of the repairs ,which totaled $900. the diagnosis listed code po133 , sensor slow response. after the repair was performed another failure occurred. the vehicle accelerated without warning while driving 40 mph. the failure occurred while the contact's foot depressed the brake pedal or when the vehicle idled. the rpm needle also fluctuated from high to low. the current and failure mileages were 101,016. *ak | |||
| 12/19/2005 | 58000 | 1 | 04/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's check engine light illuminated. the contact took the vehicle to an independent repair shop for inspection. the independent mechanic determined the left valve covers and upper intake gaskets were wrong for this type of vehicle and needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 06/23/2005 | 40000 | 1 | 01/19/2002 |
| I just did a copy/paste of what i sent to ford:--description of issue/concern: i took my van in for service. the check engine light was on and i could smell and see oil on the left side of the engine. turns out it was the front valve cover, and i'm told that there was a tsb on this problem. it cost me $1000.00 to get this repaired. this is obviously a known problem, my in-laws have the same model windstar and they had the same problem, it cost them more. i should not have to pay for repairs to parts that were made/engineered wrong by ford. now i hear of a problem with the cruise control causing fire, even without driving the van. it could be sitting in my driveway in the middle of the night and catch fire, and ford is not going to fix this problem either. a fire in the van parked next to my house while me, my wife, and kids are sleeping, that's not a problem you are willing to fix? *jb | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 28000 | 1 | 05/15/2000 |
| Dt: while driving ,the engine light came. we took the car to the dealership the next day. service dept said that the valve cover allowed the oil to leak into the system. the repair cost was $636.00. i asked the service man, how do we know this will not happen again? he replied, ford designed a new valve cover that would prevent this from happening again. *nm *tt *sb | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer request for recall on ford windstar 2000, sounds like valves rattling. *bf | |||
| 03/05/2004 | 15 | ||
| My 2000 ford windstar ,still under extended warranty, has a life-threatening bug. the engine, without warning, will stall while driving. it is intermittent, and very odd, but at whatever speed you are. *ak traveling, suddenly you realize that you have lost power to the engine, braking system and steering system, yet you are moving at the speed of traffic in a 3000+ pound vehicle without control. the vehicle has been taken to south bay ford multiple times and they state that there diagnosis of the car shows the vehicle to be in good heath. yet, it keeps happening and will likely result in an accident if it continues. vehicle is covered under warranty. | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 49800 | 4 | |
| While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalls. the consumer managed to pull over and restart the vehicle. the dealership was notified, but did not red resolve the problem. the cause was not determined. please provide more information. *nm | |||
| 12/23/2003 | 42076 | 1 | 04/01/2000 |
| While driving ,the piston blew out into the engine and caused the vehicle to stall. *ak the engine was replaced at the owners expense. *jb | |||
| 36000 | 1 | ||
| While driving the driver could smell a burning odor and the engine light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the intake gasket failed and was causing oil to leak. *nm | |||
| 12/08/2003 | 1 | ||
| 2000 windstar with design flaw with the front valve cover causes costly repairs.*ak | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 45000 | 12 | 03/01/2001 |
| We have owned this 2000 ford windstar since february of 2002. i have lost count of how many times we have taken it back to the dealer because of the poor gas mileage. it was getting 13 mpg and the dealer said that was normal. but over the past 3 months we have taken it back to the dealer 8 times because of the check engine light. the dealership has replaced the upper/lower intake gaskets, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel line, mass oxygen flow sensor, both o2 sensors, valve cover gaskets, and a couple of other things too. the gas mileage actually got worse after several of the repairs. we are averaging between 9 - 10 mpg. in addition to the engine problems, our door locks don't work right and the interior lights don't work at all automatically...we have to turn them on and off. the door locks on the sliding doors have to worked by hand. i am so sick and tired of this car. we have had to cancel two road trips because of the problems, because i don't trust the car out of town. it already left me stranded overnight because the transmission blew up two months after we bought it.*ak | |||
| 38700 | 1 | ||
| Check engine light illuminated. consumer shifted the battery and the indicator light turned off. *ak | |||
| 04/30/2001 | 29 | 8 | 04/03/2001 |
| Engine pings and stutters. engine check shows carbon build-up dealer -- marshall ford replaced intake hoses and a long list of other things and now 2 years later i am stuck with a van with the engine light on and since the warranty is up, they refused to fix or tried to fix anything when this is the same problem that i had from day of purchase. carbon builds up no matter what i do. the dealer had the van in for repair off and on a total of over two months. *la | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 73000 | 1 | 05/17/2000 |
| Per dealer repair: trace to lower vacuum leak, r&r lower intake gaskets, install undated parts cost of $600. this was on top of a $2000 transmission repair at same time, separate complaint, and also after two tie rods replaced. *la | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 30000 | 1 | 09/29/2003 |
| The truck idles ruff. the wrong engine motor valve cover bolts were used at time of the truck being manufactured. as a result the bolts caused an oil leak in the engine. the dealership replaced the bolts. please provide more details. *ph there were eight bolts covered with plastic which melted and caused oil to enter the engine and run rough. mechanic informed the consumer that many of these bolts have been replaced. the consumer feels ford should cover the cost of repairs, not him. *ph | |||
| 10/25/2003 | 38000 | 7 | |
| The air flow unit attached to the top of the engine makes a clattering noise. the dealer/service dept. inspected and described the noise caused by a piston driven mechanism inside this air flow chamber. apparently this unit helps with fuel efficiency. it needs to be replaced and ford motor co. will not replace it.*ak | |||
| 09/30/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving vehicle shut off without warning. *ak | |||
| 05/30/2003 | 47767 | 1 | 12/05/1999 |
| 2000 ford windstar, 47,000 miles. check engine light comes on. one item diagnosed is a leak in the intake manifold spacer. ford service says intake manifold spacer is not covered under warranty. a)intake manifold is covered for 7 years, 70,000 miles in ca b)intake manifold is in two pieces, upper and lower. the spacer is what goes between both pieces of intake manifold. c)you cannot use one part of the intake manifold without the other, you must have that spacer, therefore it is part of the intake manifold unit. in addition, tsb 01-20-5 was issued for windstar years 1997-2001 stating that there is a known issue with a leak in the intake manifold. that's five years that this was a problem. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2002 | 38000 | 1 | 09/01/1999 |
| Ford admits this is known about the check engine light but won't pay to fix the problem due to being out of warranty.**** dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****769755. *ak *jb | |||
| 02/04/2003 | 49753 | 1 | 04/09/2001 |
| While my wife was driving our 2000 ford windstar down the highway after picking my son up from school, she noticed that at least 3 cars had passed her with their windshield wipers on during a perfectly clear day. she looked out the back window and could not see anything. we later found out the hot engine coolant was spraying out from the bottom of the vehicle and spraying onto the trailing cars creating a visibility hazard. the cause of the incident was the failure of the head gasket on the windstar. this could have had a very serious impact on other drivers or my wife due to a lack of visibility due to the engine coolant spraying over the windshields of other vehicles. ford motor company under went a huge recall campaign in 2000 for head gasket failures in several vehicles for model years 1996-1999. ford claims they resolved the problem with the head gaskets, but considering i had a failure at less than 50,000 miles that warranted an engine replacement i don't believe the issue has been resolved. *jb | |||
| 11/11/2002 | 59600 | 1 | |
| The vehicle stalled without warning.*jb | |||
| 12/12/2002 | 44000 | 07/24/2000 | |
| My 2000 ford windstar had to have a new intake manifold when it had only 44,000 miles due to a defect causing the system to run too lean. the code was 0171. it is ridiculous to have to replace a part of this nature when the vehicle has only this many miles on it and all maintenance has been performed as recommended by the manufacturer. | |||
| 10/26/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning the vehicle will shut off causing consumer to pull over and it will be hard to get the vehicle back started. dealer notified. ts | |||
| 05/22/1996 | 0 | ||
| Engine check light keeps coming on and off for last 4 years. dealer states that oxygen sensor was bad. also, head gasket needed to be changed. *ak | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 03/01/2000 | ||
| Engine pings (detonation) when warm- dealer reset computer on first visit- claimed a manufacturer defect in valve cover on second visit-claimed that recall will be forthcoming when replacement parts become available. *ak | |||
| 09/30/2000 | 03/01/2000 | ||
| Engine pings (detonation) when warm- dealer reset computer on first visit- claimed a manufacturer defect in valve cover on second visit-claimed that recall will be forthcoming when replacement parts become available. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 05/22/2006 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Intake manifold needs replaced and valve cover. $1500.00 this is obviously a manufacturer defect/poor design. a 6 year old car should not need the intake manifold replaced. *jb | |||
| 03/18/2005 | 55000 | 17 | 07/07/2000 |
| My 2000 ford windstar will stall, while driving, without warning causing a loss of power to the engine, braking system and steering system in a 3800 pound vehicle. this is an intermittent problem, but repeats itself every 2 or 3 weeks or so. the last time it caused my wife to transverse into a stop sign controlled intersection in a populated residential area of los angeles county without brakes or steering. it has happened 15 times to myself and my wife and twice to south bay ford since approximately nov of 2004. i believe that ford dispatched engineers to south bay ford in hawthorne california who stated that this is an issue of fuel tank design and is not correctable. south bay ford and ford motor company together appear to be ready to return the vehicle to me with the instructions don't let the fuel tank drop below 1/4 of a tank. the stated reason is that the ford windstar has a rectangular fuel tank that when driving on grades can cause the fuel to move to a part of the tank that will not pump the gas to the engine (this is supposedly a known bug and possibly associated with a service bulletin). i asked why, assuming that my driving habits (and my wife's) have not changed in relation to our letting our tank get below 1/4 tank, then why has this only surfaced as a problem in the last 4 or 5 months? why not the first 3.5 years?!? this car is covered by an extended warranty for one more year. the car has been in the shop for nearly three weeks now. ford can not fix the problem, but will not take ownership of it either. | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 45000 | 12 | 03/01/2001 |
| We have owned this 2000 ford windstar since february of 2002. i have lost count of how many times we have taken it back to the dealer because of the poor gas mileage. it was getting 13 mpg and the dealer said that was normal. but over the past 3 months we have taken it back to the dealer 8 times because of the check engine light. the dealership has replaced the upper/lower intake gaskets, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel line, mass oxygen flow sensor, both o2 sensors, valve cover gaskets, and a couple of other things too. the gas mileage actually got worse after several of the repairs. we are averaging between 9 - 10 mpg. in addition to the engine problems, our door locks don't work right and the interior lights don't work at all automatically...we have to turn them on and off. the door locks on the sliding doors have to worked by hand. i am so sick and tired of this car. we have had to cancel two road trips because of the problems, because i don't trust the car out of town. it already left me stranded overnight because the transmission blew up two months after we bought it.*ak | |||
| 08/10/2002 | 1 | 04/04/2000 | |
| Transmission will downshift very roughly, driver gets thrown forward. dealer cannot find cause.*ak the transmission was down shifting with a terrible jolt at low speed. the vehicle was difficult to start when cold and damp, also when the ignition was switched off and then back to start the engine fires and runs. the vehicle stalling was determined to be fuel pump failure. the gas mileage dropped from 23 mpg to 16 mpg and the vehicle burns more oil. the lights flicker when driving at night and a/c is on, also the vehicle shakes while idling with the a/c on. the driver?s seat cut and slashed the consumer?s clothing. there was a weak green light from the battery. vehicle vibrates at high speed. the driver?s door was difficult to shut. *yh | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 15 | ||
| Vehicle stalls at any speed. it has been examined by dealer 15 times. dealer cannot correct the problem, computer shows no error code.*ak | |||
| 03/27/2001 | 15 | 04/01/2000 | |
| Manufacturer states; van is built to their specifactions, thus there is nothing wrong with it. no safety defect listed. *ak | |||
| 06/16/2002 | |||
| At 35 mph engine will make a clunking noise with no warning. cause unknown. dealer notified.*ak | |||
| 03/07/2002 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle is using 1 quart of oil in 1000 miles. vehicle inspected by ford tech engineer. found no exterior oil leakage and states vehicle operating as designed at this time. *tt transmission fluid was leaking from the pan gasket. the servo cover was resealed. updated *jb | |||
| 10/15/2001 | |||
| A ticking noise continues to come from engine when running and while driving. vehicle been to the dealer on two occasions, and problem is reoccurring. feel free to provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 03/17/2002 | |||
| After hitting brakes vehicle appears to lose power, and feels like it's going to lurch forward. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 02/02/2001 | 0 | ||
| There was a churping noise on right driver's side of car, took to dealer, and they replaced housing for motor.*ak | |||
| 02/13/2001 | 2 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Motor replaced at 20000 miles. 2 weeks later, new motor was knocking like first one after 500 miles. currently, third motor will be installed. consumer trying to give vehicle back. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | ||
| Since vehicle's last motor was put in, when shifting gears, it sounded like engine was ready to fall out.*ak consumer ended up trading vehicle, dealer offered a buy back. *slc | |||
| 01/28/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| The engine shut off while turning left. nearly hit by oncoming traffic. despite reassurance from dealer that this problem has been fixed, we are concerned the vehicle remains unsafe. these concerns were heightened by the september 12, 2000 article in the new york times. | |||
| While driving engine will begin to stall and suddenly die out, causing a loss of all power. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 1 | 01/29/2000 | ||
| Soon after parking vehicle consumer noticed that vehicle was on fire without any indication in car port. *ak consumer heard loud noise like a high- pressure leak and in a manner of seconds a white smoke turned to black and then to flames. flames was comming from under the hood. *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 11/20/2009 | 170000 | ||
| Ford windstar 2000: my car engine light and abs light on when start the engine. also has overdrive light flashing when start engine and when swift gears. | |||
| 03/25/2006 | 80204 | 3 | 08/10/2003 |
| I own a 2000 ford windstar and i had to take it to be serviced because the intake gaskets and isolator bolts have worn out due to time. as a result the car sometimes trembles in parking mode and idles and stalls when the car stops at a red light or stop sign. i did find it suspicious that these parts have worn out after only six years of use, (less than the common 10 year lifespan of a car). according to the ford service counselor this problem has lately become more frequent with this car model. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 49000 | ||
| The abs system still is not working right. the mechanics say that the abs and the emissions could very well be caused by the same problem - a faulty computer. both modules have been diagnosed to be bad, however, the local ford dealership has been unwilling to use a "post warranty adjustment" to help fix this problem. it seems unreasonable that with just over 60,000 miles these types of problems can be considered anything but manufacturer defects. | |||
| 01/15/2002 | 52147 | ||
| At this time we are leasing a 2000 windstar lx and we can't wait to turn it in to the dealership - and we plan to never purchase another ford product again. we have purchased a used honda accord and expect that we will be quite happy with it... there was a recall on the exhaust/emissions was fixed and the light came on again and will not go out - eastgate ford, dayton, oh does not know why the light will not go out. the paint on the luggage rack is peeling off. the door actuator on the passenger sliding door - does not work - it takes 2 people to open the door, one inside and one outside. the power steering pump is faulty. ford has a service bullentin out - but there is no recall because ford does not believe there is a safety issue here - i do not agree. proper steering is pretty important and if a smaller size female or male was turning left and the pump failed, it could be quite hazzardous. our biggest complaint is the way ford motor company and eastgate ford have treated us. there is no accountability on either part. ford or eastgate won't stand behind their product. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 12/14/2003 | 57000 | 10 | 05/12/2001 |
| To whom it may concern, i would like to know how many service bulletins does it take before a manufacturer initiates a recall on the item. i own a 2000 ford windstar. your service bulletin database has 191 entries for this make and model. although my van represents numerous conditions of the 191 entries, i am only concerned with the 11listed for the lean condition codes p171 and 174 listed in service bulletins 03161, 03123, 16920, 0347, 0338, 15740, 15522, 01205, 14353, 14060, and 8532. obviously, ford has a problem with plastic intake components and engines exibiting a lean condition. i did not research any other make and model ford product, and i would bet that there are similiar problems elsewhere. i personally think it is time for a recall. i have had my van in for repairs for this condition four times this year and my certified mechanic doesn't think that the latest fix ford published will correct the problem. so in the meantime, i carry a socket and ratchet with me and when the check engine light comes on, i unhook my battery to clear the code. any information you can provide me to a permanant solution to this problem would be greatly appreciated. sincerely, karl j. bodien. *ak | |||
| 05/22/1996 | 0 | ||
| Engine check light keeps coming on and off for last 4 years. dealer states that oxygen sensor was bad. also, head gasket needed to be changed. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CRANKCASE (PCV) | |||
| 06/17/2001 | 47707 | 1 | 04/10/2001 |
| Crankcase valve located on valve cover failed --- had to replace the entire valve cover --cost $349.03 at local ford agency -- vehicle had 47707 miles on it the left valve cover was replaced . *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||
| 10/21/2000 | 4 | 10/21/2000 | |
| While consumer is driving passenger's side door can come open without any assitence. consumer's child almost fell out of door. this happend while consumer was on highway. contacted dealer, and dealer said there was nothing wrong with door.*ak the cause for the sliding door opening while driving was determined to be detent switch failure. the humming noise while cruising was caused by vapor management valve failure. *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 07/22/2006 | 54600 | 1 | 09/28/2003 |
| California version of the windstar; catalytic converter not operating correctly, causing back pressure to the engine, caused engine input air control valve to become overloaded with carbon deposits which in turn also failed. for 3 months catalytic converter replacement parts have not been available $1400 estimated repair bill for catalytic converters. *jb | |||
| 07/20/2006 | 54000 | 2 | 08/30/2000 |
| Upper and lower intake manifold gaskets replaced twice, first at 30k then at 50k | |||
| 12/19/2005 | 58000 | 1 | 04/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's check engine light illuminated. the contact took the vehicle to an independent repair shop for inspection. the independent mechanic determined the left valve covers and upper intake gaskets were wrong for this type of vehicle and needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| Ford windstar 1996 intake manifold gaskets replaced. *bf due to the mis-design of the intake manifold failed prematurely. the intake manifold was plastic. *sc | |||
| 03/15/2005 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle experienced a problem with the valve cover. it was leaking and causing the intake manifold o-rings to fail. the immediate result caused the engine to run very lean. too much air caused the spark in the engine to be too hot. *ak | |||
| 08/23/2004 | 47000 | 08/10/2000 | |
| The check engine went on and the codes p0171 and p0174 were found. there was an extreme loss in gas mileage leading up to this situation, down to ~10mpg. the gasket manifold, the line leading to it, and the cover assembly for a rocker arm were all replaced at a cost of $543.10. this on a 4yr old vehicle with only 47,000 miles. the dealer acknowledged that they had seen this before in the windstar. kind of got the idea it was a chronic problem that should be covered by ford! in the course of repairing this they also determined that the left front axle seal was leaking and the servo cover gasket was leaking also. these were estimated to cost $465 so i will be spending over $1000.00 on this vehicle for defects in less than 5 years and under 50,000 miles. what a pile of junk! it will be a long time before i go back to ford if ever. | |||
| 02/05/2005 | 75000 | 9999 | 06/26/2000 |
| Check engine light came on..took to ford service dealer...told me seal to intake manifold was leaking. they do them all the time!! problem is it only requires a few inexpensive seals to repair. ford will only sell the complete intake manifold with seals. the intake manifold costs @ $600 so the cost of replacing a few faulty seals is 800-$1000. why does ford not recall these seals or at least come out with a seal repair kit, so the consumer does not have to throw away a good intake manifold. i have owned this van since new, and i see that i am not the only one that has filed a complaint on this same item. if ford will not attempt to rectify this small problem, i will definitely be shopping elsewhere. *jb | |||
| 09/28/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated that emission light came on. she took the vehicle to the mechanic to be checked. after checking the vehicle, she was told that the intake manifold was leaking. also, mechanic stated that vehicle was too new to have this problem. | |||
| 07/30/2004 | 4 | 08/15/2000 | |
| Manifold gaskets failed, exhaust sensors failed, fuel injector wires rubbed together causing arc and fuel injector failure, spark plug replaced, spark plug wiring harness failed. van has approx. 48,000 miles. also having problems with electrical; power doors, power locks, front-driver power seat, back-up sensors all have failed at one point or another. van has been serviced for all problems on at least four separate occasions over the period of ownership. we purchased new.*ak | |||
| 10/20/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 05/24/2000 |
| 2000 ford windstar van check engine light coming on and rough idling, took van to ford and the problem was intake manifold gasket $850.00 repair van had 40000.0 miles, what was funny is my boss has the same van and same thing happened to him at 43000.0 miles. i think this is happening more than 4 occurences as stated. *ak | |||
| 03/03/2004 | 38000 | 5 | 11/18/2003 |
| I bought this vehicle in nov 2003 from pacific coast ford in federal way wa. it is now march 2004, i have in the past 4 months had to replace the battery, which would not hold a charge. the tires replaced due to the front pasenger side tire blowing out while driving on the freeway. next thing was the brakes front and back. the van started all of a sudden making a terrible grinding noise. when i took it in to have it looked at they said it needs brakes. next i had to have my back windshield replaced due to it shattering with no explanation. the van had not been driven since friday. sunday morning my neighbors came to my door to tell me that they were standing outside smoking when all of a sudden my back window had shattered. following that i had to have the head gasket replaced along with the spark plugs. which is a manufacture defect on ford's end. when i took my van into the dealer they told me what was the problem also gave me a bulletin update on the problem. the original exhaust manifold gasket has a small hole in it, then new exhaust manifold does not have this hole. if you ask me ford should be fixing that! since i have bought this van and had all this trouble i have been online looking up everybody else's comments on this van and all are the same. faulty head gaskets, brakes, wiring, doors, battery, glass not being installed properly, tires bulging causing blowouts. it seems to me that ford should own up to these problems. before this i had financed a brand new 2000 ford escort drove it down to california from washington when there was a sudden death in the family and never had not 1 problem with it. the only reason i upgraded to a van is because i have 3 kids and sometimes i have a friend of theirs or something so really we need the room of a van, but with all of this trouble i am thinking about going back to a car! can anyone help me nail ford on these issues? i am compiling a file and mailing it to headquarters. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2003 | 1 | ||
| While traveling on the highway carbon fuel intake into manifold clogged up, causing fumes and bad smoke. *ak | |||
| 12/13/2002 | 49000 | 2 | |
| On 12-13-02 i was told by mile one where i purchased my warranty to have my van towed to a ford dealship because it had a mechanical breakdown.the service manager john locket said that the van had what he called an intermix in the engine,he said that coolant and the oil had somehow mixed together.i asked him what caused that to happened and he said that it could be a blown headgasket or a cracked cylinderhead. i called him on 12-23-02 and he said told me that the mechanic said that he couldn't tell what the problem was so i would have to give my permission for them to break down the engine at my own expenses and i was told the samething by mile one,i agreed.i contacted the service manager sam steward of kia of glen burnie where i purchased the van and he agreed to call and speak to the service manager john locket at the ford dealership.he told him that he would have everything worked out after christmas. mr.steward told me to keep in touch and to let him know if i needed anymore assistance.i contacted him again the first part of january and i told him that they still couldn't find the problem so i made a conference call to mr. locket with mr.steward's permission. mr.locket explained to mr.steward and myself that i would have to give my permission to have the engine pulled out to have the blocked checked to see if it is cracked i agreed again. mr.steward asked mr.locket why was it taking so long to find the problem and he said that he was short on help.i spent over 1200 dollars on a rental van and had to catch rides with friends to and from the babysitters and work.i am stress out and i feel like mile one do not want to honor the warranty.i was told today by the ford dealership service manager john locket that i had to pay a 1000 dollar deductible and they would pay the rest to replace the engine. the engine is covered under the warranty so why do i have to pay a 1000 dollar deductable. | |||