Recalls

CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY
12V193000FORD MOTOR COMPANYfrom 09/01/1997 to 07/03/2003V (Vehicle)27000MFRFORD MOTOR COMPANY05/03/201205/03/2012
Defect SummaryFord is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997, through july 3, 2003, and currently registered or originally sold in virginia. over time, corrosion can weaken the rear axle making it susceptible to torsional stress. corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which, if undetected, can increase and result in a complete fracture of the axle.
Consequence SummaryA fractured axle can affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective SummaryFord will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and install rear axle reinforcement brackets, or replace the axles, as necessary. this service will be performed free of charge. the recall is expected to begin on or about june 18, 2012. owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NotesFord's recall campaign number is 10s13.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
10V385000FORD MOTOR COMPANY V (Vehicle)462750ODIFORD MOTOR COMPANY08/26/201008/26/2010
Defect SummaryFord is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997 through february 28, 2003 and currently registered or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. after many years of vehicle service in these areas, corrosion can weaken the rear axle, making it susceptible to torsional stress. corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which if undetected can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle.
Consequence SummaryA fractured axle can affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective SummaryAs parts become available, dealers will inspect and if necessary install the rear axle reinforcement brackets free of charge. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall is expected to begin on or before september 27, 2010. owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NotesFord's recall no. is 10s13.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov .

Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
POWER TRAIN
1735808/01/20041796310008183Groan/buzz/vibration when the gear selector is in park with the vehicle parked on an incline. *tt this bulletin updates previous bulletin 17358, dated 11/01/2003 to include 2005 models. *tt07/22/2004
1667803/01/200310001934Ax4s transaxle may exhibit no reverse engagement condition. *tt *jb07/28/2003
1546012/01/2001630567Concerns with inaccurate speedometer reading. *tt04/18/2002
1537011/01/2001630351Some vehicles may exhibit a groan/buzz/vibration when the gear selector is in park. *tt04/16/2002
1539211/01/2001630356Some vehicles may exhibit a park pullout clunk noise when shifting from park to another gear position. *tt04/16/2002
1486704/01/2001619303Subject regarding speedometer calibration tolerance specifications. *tt05/23/2001
786601/01/20007866612258The vehicle may exhibit a dtc p0720 and p0722; output shaft speed (oss) sensor concerns.06/07/2000
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
001501/10/2000612203Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs06/06/2000
1302407/01/1999610767Some vehicles equipped with the ax4s transaxle may exhibit a harsh 3-2 downshift when coasting around a corner and then stepping into the throttle to accelerate away from the corner. *tt05/12/2000
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
04210712/13/200404241410014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures. *tt04/28/2005
00T0709/01/2000625871Information regarding powertrain control module reprograming. *yh12/10/2001
1491805/01/2001620183This bulletin states that on some vehicles (including 2002 blackwood) a battery disconnect or parameter reset is required during powertrain control module (pcm) or instrument cluster (vic / hec / icm) replacement. *tt07/19/2001
1396903/01/2000612942Vehicles built from 01/31/00 may exhibit an unable to reprogram the pcm or unable to clear the pcm vid (vehicle identification) block conition, or unable to reprogram the pcm or unable to clear pcm vid block on vehicles where the icm (instr06/14/2000
832503/01/2000612746Some vehicles built from 1/31/00 may exhibit an unable to reprogram the pcm or unable to clear the pcm vid (vehicle identification) block condition, or unable to reprogram the pcm or unable to clear pcm vid block on vehicles where the icm (06/12/2000
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES
0314807/21/200310003748New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included. *tt10/29/2003
1528810/01/2001630186Some vehicles may exhibit transmission fluid leaking at the quick connect for the transmission cooler lines. *tt04/15/2002
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH
0118109/17/2001625715Brake shift interlock.*jb11/30/2001
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER
0312306/23/200310002684Torque converter clutch not engaging when commanded and/or diagnostic trouble codes p0741 or p1744 stored in memory. models from 1996 to 2003. *tt09/10/2003
1477303/01/2001619462Information on indexing orange dot on torque converter to flexplate. *tt05/31/2001
1395703/01/2000612939Some vehicles may exhibit a drone (audible noise) and a tactile vibration in the steering wheel (higher frequency buzz) at 1350 - 1400 rpm (40-45 mph) under a light load with the torque converter locked in 3rd or o/d. *tt06/14/2000
832103/01/2000612744Some vehicles, 3.8l engine, may exhibit a drone (audible noise) and a tactile vibration in the steering wheel (higher frequency buzz) at 1350-1400 rpm (40-45 mph) under a light load with the torque converter locked in 3rd or o/d. *tt06/12/2000
POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY
0117109/03/2001625687Transaxle - ax4s - replacement application chart - windstar vehicles only. *nlm11/30/2001
1315108/01/19996091962Subject regarding a redesigned park system in ax4s and ax4n transaxle. *tt11/17/2000
805302/01/2000612264Some vehicles may exhibit a diagnostic trouble code of p0720, p0722; output shaft speed sensor (oss). *tt06/07/2000
1302407/01/1999610767Some vehicles equipped with the ax4s transaxle may exhibit a harsh 3-2 downshift when coasting around a corner and then stepping into the throttle to accelerate away from the corner. *tt05/12/2000
691809/01/19996090260Information on the redesigned park system in vehicles with ax4s transaxles. *tt03/13/2000
9918409/06/19996090053Some vehicles equipped with ax4s transaxle, may exhibit a harsh 2-3 downshift may occur when coasting around a corner and then accelerating. *tt03/06/2000
9920210/04/19996089641This bulletin mentions that some vehicles with an ax4s or ax4n transaxles have a new redesigned park system in the transaxle. *tt02/10/2000
99673508/01/1999608455Some vehicles equipped with the ax4s transaxle may exhibit a harsh 3-2 downshift when coasting around a corner and then stepping into the throttle to accelerate away from the corner. *tt12/01/1999
9916508/09/1999607659Service procedure for blue service tagged transaxles. *tt10/04/1999
POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY - BELL HOUSING
824204/01/2000613625Some vehicles may exhibit transmission fluid at the bell housing area. **mr07/26/2000
1392403/01/2000612914Some vehicles built before november 1999 may exhibit transmission fluid at the bell housing area. *tt06/13/2000
824203/01/2000612678Some vehicles built before november, 1999 may exhibit transmission fluid at the bell housing area. *tt06/12/2000
POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE
0514510016808Erratic fluid level reading on transaxle dipstick-leaks-4f50n, ax4n, ax4s transaxle. *sc10/11/2005
POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT
1382601/01/2000612883Some vehicles may exhibit a dtc of po720,po722, output shaft speed sensor (oss). *mjs06/13/2000

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
POWER TRAIN
02/02/2013966561
 The first time my wife was driving our 2000 ford windstar van lx. she was crossing over a bridge and the rear axle broke in have.the van was towed to our mechanic he put another rear axle on, to the tune of 1,750 dollars. the year that was 2007. fast forward to feb.2, 2013 i'm backing out of our driveway and guess what happens, you guessed it the rear axle breaks again. *tr
02/01/2013144000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, the rear axle fractured. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the rear axle needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v193000 (power train). the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 144,000. mah
02/01/2013144000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated the driver of the vehicle was driving approximately 10 mph when the rear axle fractured. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diangostic testing. the technician stated the rear axle would have to be replaced. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign number: 12v193000 (power train) that could have been related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 144,000. da
08/20/20122310001
 I have 2 problems with the brakes, problem 1 the master cylinder is leaking, causing the brake light to come on. problem 2 the abs light will come on when driving, it turns itself on and off. power train, the o/d light will flash when starting up, will turn off after a couple of minutes. *tr
08/20/2012231000
 I have 2 problems with the brakes, problem 1 the master cylinder is leaking, causing the brake light to come on. problem 2 the abs light will come on when driving, it turns itself on and off. power train, the o/d light will flash when starting up, will turn off after a couple of minutes.
01/15/201279000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while at a stop light the contact heard a loud bang and the vehicle became resistant to acceleration. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician advised the contact that the transmission would have to be replaced. the transmission was replaced. the contact also noticed that the brake lights were illuminating without depressing the brake pedal. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician stated that the battery should be replaced however, the failure continued after the battery was replaced. the vehicle was not further repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 79.000. kmj
01/06/2012790001
 Sitting at a stoplight, foot on brake. when light turned green, normal pressure on accelerator. loud bang sound. no forward or reverse gear. put vehicle into neutral and pushed into nearby driveway. vehicle towed that evening. faulty transmission. ford dealer says possibly bad torque converter. rebuilt transmission installed. cost to me $3000. ford claims no recall on the part or the assembly. *tr
01/15/201279000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while at a stop light the contact heard a loud bang and the vehicle would not accelerate. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician stated the transmission would have to be replaced. the transmission was replaced. the contact also noticed the brake lights illuminating without depressing the brake pedal. the failure occurs intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic. the technician stated the battery should be replaced. the failure continued after the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 79.000. da
01/06/201279000
 Sitting at a stoplight, foot on brake. when light turned green, normal pressure on accelerator. loud bang sound. no forward or reverse gear. put vehicle into neutral and pushed into nearby driveway. vehicle towed that evening. faulty transmission. ford dealer says possibly bad torque converter. rebuilt transmission installed. cost to me $3000. ford claims no recall on the part or the assembly.
01/15/201279000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while at a stop light the contact heard a loud bang and the vehicle would not accelerate. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician stated the transmission would have to be replaced. the transmission was replaced. the contact also noticed the brake lights illuminating without depressing the brake pedal. the failure occurs intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic. the technician stated the battery should be replaced. the failure continued after the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 79.000. da
01/06/201279000
 Sitting at a stoplight, foot on brake. when light turned green, normal pressure on accelerator. loud bang sound. no forward or reverse gear. put vehicle into neutral and pushed into nearby driveway. vehicle towed that evening. faulty transmission. ford dealer says possibly bad torque converter. rebuilt transmission installed. cost to me $3000. ford claims no recall on the part or the assembly.
08/29/2011107000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact attempted to accelerate forward from a complete stop when she heard a loud pop. she was unable to accelerate forward however, she was able to accelerate in reverse. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where he noticed that water was in the transmission and advised the contact to have the transmission replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current and failure mileages were 107,000. the vin was not available.
08/29/2011107000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact attempted to accelerate forward from a complete stop when she heard a loud pop. she was unable to accelerate forward however, she was able to accelerate in reverse. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where he noticed that water was in the transmission and advised the contact to have the transmission replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current and failure mileages were 107,000. the vin was not available. kmj
08/29/2011
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while stopped the contact attempted to accelerate forward when she heard a loud pop noise. she was unable to accelerate forward; however, she was able to accelerate in reverse. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where he noticed that water was in the transmission and advised the contact to replace the transmission. the manufacturer was aware of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current and failure mileages were 107,000. bw
08/10/2011115800
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact noticed a leak coming from underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty transmission. the manufacturer was aware of the failure; however, offered no further assistance. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 115,965. the approximate failure mileage was 115,800.
08/10/2011115800
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact noticed a leak coming from underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty transmission. the manufacturer was aware of the failure; however, offered no further assistance. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 115,965. the approximate failure mileage was 115,800. rvk
08/10/2011115800
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact noticed a leak coming from underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty transmission. the manufacturer was aware of the failure; however, offered no further assistance. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 115,965. the approximate failure mileage was 115,800. bw
07/29/2010156000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was inoperable so the contact pushed the vehicle off the road and into a parking space. the contact towed the vehicle to his residence. the contact called the dealer who stated they needed to perform a diagnostic test. the contact stated the transmission needed to be replaced. the contact stated the faulty transmission was a known issue for his year, make, and model. the failure mileage was 156,000.
07/29/2010156000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was inoperable so the contact pushed the vehicle off the road and into a parking space. the contact towed the vehicle to his residence. the contact called the dealer who stated they needed to perform a diagnostic test. the contact stated the transmission needed to be replaced. the contact stated the faulty transmission was a known issue for his year, make, and model. the failure mileage was 156,000. rvk
07/29/2010156000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was inoperable so the contact pushed the vehicle off the road and into a parking lot. the contact towed the vehicle home. the contact called the dealer and the dealer stated the vehicle needed a diagnostic test. the contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer and stated the transmission needed to be replaced. the contact stated the faulty transmission is a known issue for this year make and model. the failure mileage was 156,000
10/31/201072000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact was traveling 35 mph when transmission failed. the vehicle did not give any warning before stopping. the vehicle was towed to a dealer and they stated it was a gear in the transmission that needed to be replaced. the dealer stated the part had been re-engineered, because it was defective. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage and current mileages was 72000.rl
09/27/2010184000
 I was traveling on the chicago interstate i-290 at around 3:30 am when my rear axel snapped on my 2000 ford windstar minivan. the incident occured on the morning of september 27th, 2010 on a clear day with ideal road conditions but in a long term construction zone. i was traveling about 45 miles per hour and in light traffic when the axel snapped on the passengers side causing me to jerk violently to the right and through construction barriers into an open lane and onto the shoulder a short distance later. any other time, this could have been tragic but given the early hour of my travel to work and the reduced speeds due to ongoing construction i was able to control the violent movement to the right without injury or mishap. the car was towed a short time later to a local repair shop and i searched for information on broken axels and windstars i found the information on the ford recall. a local dealer paid for towing to ther lot, and arranged for a long-term loaner vehicle and for vehicle rental insurance. the car was maintained in a regular fashion but was 10 years old and had 184 thousand real miles on the odometer. it remains at the ford dealer in elmhurst, illinois awaiting word from ford motor company on any repair or replacement discussions. no offers of correction, repair, or replacement have been made to this time, october 20th, 2010 best regards,
05/27/201093800
 We have a 2000 ford windstar that we took to our mechanic for inspection. while being inspected, the mechanic noticed that the rear beam axle was rotted and cracked. this is the 2nd rear axle that rotted out on the van. 1st one was replaced in july 2008. car is still at mechanics garage, awaiting instructions for repair. ford has no recall on the axle.
07/10/200872000
 We were backing slowly out of the driveway. the van sounded like something was caught underneath the vehicle and was dragging. we got out of the car to see what the problem was. we noticed the rear wheels were both tilted inward and the rear axle was dragging on the ground, damaging the driveway. the van had to be towed to an independent mechanic in which the rear axle was replaced. the failure mileage was approximately 72,000 miles.
10/25/20091062891
 Rear axel broke in half while driving over a draw bridge on the belt parkway in brooklyn ny. i kept control of the van even though the rear wheels were not vertical. *tr
08/21/2008900001
 Loud thunk suddenly then car wouldn't go forward,transmission no good had it rebuilt 92000 miles,cigarette lighter /power point fuse constantly blowing,odometer/speedometer fuse blowing twice so far,abs light intermittently going on. *tr
06/15/200270500
 During the first 2 years of driving the vehicle there was always a noticeable thunk when the gearshift was first engaged. on two separate occasions i inquired of the dealer what this might be and was advised that it was not unusual and that i should use the parking brake at all times to minimize this problem. in any event, after 2 1/2 years of mainly highway driving the transmission simply failed one day while i was on a major highway driving about 110 km/hr. it was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the failure as arising from a hydraulic line that had burst inside the transmission leaking a contaminating fluid into the transmission fluid which subsequently resulted in a melt-down of the working parts inside the transmission.
05/15/200370000
 I complained of a rattling noise sounding like chains under the hood of the van , starting from 7,700 miles to the present. each time taking it in and being told that they could not find a problem, to them fixing something and the noise still being there. i stated to them on several occasions that the van was not riding right. i complained of a loud grinding noise when i turned the wheel. again, they said nothing was wrong. the brakes where always rubbing and they replaced the pads. i was told semi-metallic pads make noises. they replaced the computer, because i complained that upon accleration the van would make a pinging noise. i was told it was combustion with the gas. i followed there recommendations about what gas to use, and other things to do. it still continued and they stated that they could do nothing else about it. i owned a '98 winstar and never had these problems and it did not drive the way my 2000 did. right now the van is sitting in my garage, with a broken transmission and i cannot get help from ford.i lease the van and i refuse to pay for repairs on a van, that ford should be resposible for. my lease is almost over and they should back their product up. i put alot of extra money in this van to keep it well maintained. i feel ford should help me.
12/15/200240868
 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.
06/15/200356000
 Second transmission failure. first failure occurred at 29000 miles in october 2001. second failure occurred june 2000 with 56000 miles on the car and only 27000 miles on the rebuilt transmission. ford has offerred to pay 50% of the repair cost for the first transmission. i told them i believe this is a safety issue because both times the transmission failed without warning. i am very unhappy with the quality of the transmission and ford's offer to only pay 50% for an obvious defect in their transmission.
06/15/20030
 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
07/15/200342000
 Transmission failure. remanufactured transmission installed. as well as new tie rods.
10/15/200373000
 Nature of failure: transmission failure vehicle: 2000 ford windstar lx 73,000 miles. date of failure: october 22, 2003 cost of repair plus towing: 2,178.00
 When turning either left or rightsteering would make a lot of noise. its very hard to turn steering wheel. odometer mileage runs very fast, and not showing correct mileage. *ak
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
06/22/2011115552
 While driving my 2000 ford windstar in a grocery store parking lot, preparing to go onto a very busy road, the van made a loud bang and slammed to a stop. i was alarmed as i had my foot on the gas pedal at the time and i was going about 10 miles an hour. the jolt from the sudden stop was enough to jerk myself and my 3 children forward, it was rather shocking. if i had been going 65, or if there had been a car close behind me, and it slammed to a stop, it would have had catastrophic results. i pressed the gas to go, and nothing. the only gear that would work was reverse. i had to park it and call a tow truck, it was taken to a ford dealer who determined the transmission needed to be replaced. the van had 115, 552 miles on it.
06/09/200580000
 2000 ford windstar lx transmission blew out while driving on interstate i85 in va 80,000 miles on it. fluid came spewing out the back end of the van. $2500 cost to replace the entire transmission. no warning signs that there was a problem with the transmission
06/22/2011115552
 While driving my 2000 ford windstar in a grocery store parking lot, preparing to go onto a very busy road, the van made a loud bang and slammed to a stop. i was alarmed as i had my foot on the gas pedal at the time and i was going about 10 miles an hour. the jolt from the sudden stop was enough to jerk myself and my 3 children forward, it was rather shocking. if i had been going 65, or if there had been a car close behind me, and it slammed to a stop, it would have had catastrophic results. i pressed the gas to go, and nothing. the only gear that would work was reverse. i had to park it and call a tow truck, it was taken to a ford dealer who determined the transmission needed to be replaced. the van had 115, 552 miles on it.
06/09/200580000
 2000 ford windstar lx transmission blew out while driving on interstate i85 in va 80,000 miles on it. fluid came spewing out the back end of the van. $2500 cost to replace the entire transmission. no warning signs that there was a problem with the transmission
06/22/2011115552
 While driving my 2000 ford windstar in a grocery store parking lot, preparing to go onto a very busy road, the van made a loud bang and slammed to a stop. i was alarmed as i had my foot on the gas pedal at the time and i was going about 10 miles an hour. the jolt from the sudden stop was enough to jerk myself and my 3 children forward, it was rather shocking. if i had been going 65, or if there had been a car close behind me, and it slammed to a stop, it would have had catastrophic results. i pressed the gas to go, and nothing. the only gear that would work was reverse. i had to park it and call a tow truck, it was taken to a ford dealer who determined the transmission needed to be replaced. the van had 115, 552 miles on it.
06/09/200580000
 2000 ford windstar lx transmission blew out while driving on interstate i85 in va 80,000 miles on it. fluid came spewing out the back end of the van. $2500 cost to replace the entire transmission. no warning signs that there was a problem with the transmission
08/17/2010
 2000 windstar-cruise control slowly stopped working, almost like a loose button or wire was the issue, then completely stopped, abs light randomly going on and off then finally staying-stopping distances increased, tach, speedometer, and other dash gauge needles swinging wildly while driving- tach stopped working first then speedometer(witnessed by iowa highway patrol), od off light started coming on at random times. finally stayed on, transmission slipped occasionally when at stop signs. took it to trans. shop no codes found, next day the van would not shift into any gear. van is now a yard ornament. issues ongoing over the course of about a year.
01/18/2009100000
 Ford windstar 2000 - transmission failed at 110,000 and rumor is that ford knew these were weak but installed them anyway. power steering pump failed three times between 60,000 and 100,000. power steering pistons each failed around 80,000. heater/air conditioning air flapper failed - replacement was $1500 installed. sliding door release stuck at 80,000. the car is a junkstar. i'll never buy another ford - they build with plastic and lightweight junk and they just fail - fail - fail.
09/27/2010184000
 I was traveling on the chicago interstate i-290 at around 3:30 am when my rear axel snapped on my 2000 ford windstar minivan. the incident occured on the morning of september 27th, 2010 on a clear day with ideal road conditions but in a long term construction zone. i was traveling about 45 miles per hour and in light traffic when the axel snapped on the passengers side causing me to jerk violently to the right and through construction barriers into an open lane and onto the shoulder a short distance later. any other time, this could have been tragic but given the early hour of my travel to work and the reduced speeds due to ongoing construction i was able to control the violent movement to the right without injury or mishap. the car was towed a short time later to a local repair shop and i searched for information on broken axels and windstars i found the information on the ford recall. a local dealer paid for towing to ther lot, and arranged for a long-term loaner vehicle and for vehicle rental insurance. the car was maintained in a regular fashion but was 10 years old and had 184 thousand real miles on the odometer. it remains at the ford dealer in elmhurst, illinois awaiting word from ford motor company on any repair or replacement discussions. no offers of correction, repair, or replacement have been made to this time, october 20th, 2010 best regards,
08/14/2010104000
 While driving a 2000 ford windstar that had been regularly maintained and brought to the dealership for every checkup, the transmission decided to go out. i had parked the car and when i went to go forward, nothing happened. the car had been running great up until this point and there were no warning signs of the transmission being ready to give. i had to get the car towed to get a rebuilt transmission. i do not have the old part, but have heard it is a rather common problem among '99-'03 windstars.
09/26/2010111500
 My 2000 ford windstar just died as i was pulling into the driveway today 9/26/2010. the car wont move forward in drive, but goes backwards in reverse. for the last few years its been jerking and racing and i called ford and told them about it. they said the jerking when you shift is normal. i took the vehicle to the dale jarret ford in charlotte nc to service another recall and i mentioned about the jerking when you shift and the needles flipping out. he said that his wife's car had similar issues and it was the alternator. the salesman shifted the gear up and down and said it was definetely the alternator and it would cost $350 to fix. i took it to another place that said the alternator was fine, it was the cluster that made the needles flip out. nice goin' ford guy!! the overdrive light had been flickering since saturday morning and by sunday afternoon, the transmission looks like it is fried. please let me know if there is a recall or any other options. thanks 7049706463
09/15/2009120000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar . the contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle will jump in and out gear and will shift hard . the radio also comes on and off all by itself. the dealer has not been contacted and the vehicle has not been diagnosed. prior to this issue the vehicle was in a transmission shop for a replacement to the shifter box and a seal was put on for transmission leakage. the failure mileage was 120000 and the current mileage was 140000.cv
06/01/200880000
 Intermittent failure of the abs and traction control system. when the engine heats up a little the abs and traction control lights come on indicating that they are no longer working. in the morning when the car is first started the light are off for awhile until the engine has had time to heat up.
08/30/201072000
 2000 ford winstar returning from trip to virgina from baltimore; o/d light starts flashing and then fluid and smoke pour from under car at 55 mph, found mechanic right off freeway exit, mechanic finds that transmission self-destructed. replacement with good warranty is $3500. looked online and there are many, many same situations but no recall from ford. this could have been very dangerous on the washington beltway.
05/14/2010130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle is very hard to shift. he hears a loud banging noise when shifting and the vehicle also looses power. the failure is more pronounced on an incline. ford motor company has not been contacted nor has the dealer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were approximately 130,000. rd
08/30/201072000
 2000 ford winstar returning from trip to virgina from baltimore; o/d light starts flashing and then fluid and smoke pour from under car at 55 mph, found mechanic right off freeway exit, mechanic finds that transmission self-destructed. replacement with good warranty is $3500. looked online and there are many, many same situations but no recall from ford. this could have been very dangerous on the washington beltway.
05/14/2010130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle is very hard to shift. he hears a loud banging noise when shifting and the vehicle also looses power. the failure is more pronounced on an incline. ford motor company has not been contacted nor has the dealer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were approximately 130,000. rd
07/18/200975000
 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.
08/02/201082000
 At 82,000 miles car was running bumpy and o/d off light was flashing. i took it to ford and they told me that the transmission is nearly broken and should be replaced for $3300. i got it rebuilt at aamco for $2300.
08/02/2009119000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 25mph the vehicle started jerking very hard, after driving home and parked she noticed there was a leak in the automatic transmission. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop where she was told she needed to replace the transmission. the dealer and manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 119,000....mw
08/02/201082000
 At 82,000 miles car was running bumpy and o/d off light was flashing. i took it to ford and they told me that the transmission is nearly broken and should be replaced for $3300. i got it rebuilt at aamco for $2300.
08/02/2009119000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 25mph the vehicle started jerking very hard, after driving home and parked she noticed there was a leak in the automatic transmission. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop where she was told she needed to replace the transmission. the dealer and manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 119,000....mw
08/02/201082000
 At 82,000 miles car was running bumpy and o/d off light was flashing. i took it to ford and they told me that the transmission is nearly broken and should be replaced for $3300. i got it rebuilt at aamco for $2300.
08/02/2009119000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 25mph the vehicle started jerking very hard, after driving home and parked she noticed there was a leak in the automatic transmission. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop where she was told she needed to replace the transmission. the dealer and manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 119,000....mw
08/02/201082000
 At 82,000 miles car was running bumpy and o/d off light was flashing. i took it to ford and they told me that the transmission is nearly broken and should be replaced for $3300. i got it rebuilt at aamco for $2300.
08/02/2009119000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 25mph the vehicle started jerking very hard, after driving home and parked she noticed there was a leak in the automatic transmission. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop where she was told she needed to replace the transmission. the dealer and manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 119,000....mw
04/11/2010132000
 I hit a small pot hole and when i got to the parking lot i was told my rear tires were side ways. my husband was able to get the car home 2/10ths of a mile. when the mechanic look at it he said the pot hole wasn't the problem. it was already cracked. he said he had repaired a number of axles on ford. also, my transmission began skipping at the same time this whole incident started. when we first bought the van, i was in line in the cafeteria and a gentlemen asked me if i was picked each day in a windstar and i said yes. he informed me that windstars are notorious for having transmission problems. i know know he is right.
03/15/2010130000
 2000 ford windstar se van. transmission problems. at 35.500 miles the original transmission failed and ford replaced it. overdrive light blinks and additional repairs have been needed. i have been on several websites regarding ford transmissions (2000 - 2005) year models of vans, suv, and light trucks. the blinking od light is a recurring theme (hundreds of complaints) and requires expensive repairs. ford has to be aware of this transmission defect, but has not nothing!!!
11/21/20091552731
 As typical with ford windstars my 2000 ford windstar transmission malfunctioned in the middle of driving on a major roadway almost causing a severe accident that would have injured me and my wife and three kids and the occupants of the other vehicle. there are several complaints about ford windstar transmissions failing and this is not the first transmission to fail in our vehicle. the costly repair for what seems like a problem with numerous windstar vans should be the responsibility of ford this issue could kill someone if a failure was to occur on a major interstate when vehicles are traveling at high rates of speeds and drivers do not have time to react to a sudden transmission blowout. this is a very serious safety issue that occurs without warning and ford should be held responsible especially after they received stimulus money from all of us taxpayers. they should be held responsible for their junk. this will be the second transmission replaced the first one was replaced by a ford rebuild which is the one that failed. with a pricetag of over $2000.00 that's hard on people who live paycheck to paycheck. *tr
01/01/2008
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the cruise control and the abs light were flashing. the dealer stated that the fuse that controls the abs light and the cruise control were faulty as well as a leak in the master cylinder. a year after the fuse was replaced, the abs light began flashing again and the gas gauge was not working properly. the transmission also began to fail. the vehicle is currently at the dealer. the contact is aware of the safety risk since the failure could potentially cause a crash. the current mileage was 124,545 and the failure mileage was unknown.
06/30/2009870001
 Transmission failed in the loading zone at the airport. towed to local transmission repair shop; advised that cost to replace with a used transmission would be $2800. current blue book for this vehicle is $2125 in fair condition. *tr
05/12/20091500001
 Ford windstar 2000, transmission failure in the middle of a busy highway. i am 55 years old and have a bad back and had to risk my life to push this vehicle off the road so i would not get hit by traffic on a rainy evening! luckily, my aged mother was not in the car at the time. if you look up www.carcomplaints.com and research ford transmission, you will see that this is not an isolated incident. no wonder they can't sell their cars! this transmission was just rebuilt two years ago for the same problem. *tr
05/01/20091380251
 Transmission failure, pulling on to roadway from gas station , windstar made it 10 feet, snap, bang then stuck in middle of street, cars around ended up on grass but no accident. re tried to move nothing car only has reverse, now after searching the web finding out very common problem with ford windstar, someone will get hurt / killed from this problem,and ford knows all about it, now i have to spend 3000.00 on a new transmission, for a 50.00 part deep inside the trans just breaks when it breaks..... that obviously has a factory defect that is being ignored, just like the ( tfi module recall of the late 90's). *tr
12/11/200742000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving approximately 25 mph in the driveway, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and there was no response. the failure occurred without warning when the gear shifter was placed into drive or reverse. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the failure was related to the automatic transmission. a rebuilt transmission was installed in the vehicle. the failure mileage was 42,000 and current mileage was 50,000.
12/11/2008421301
 Automatic transmission failure when stopped at intersection went to accelerate and main drive gear failed. lost all forward drive gears only reverse gear worked. this latest automatic transmission failure occurred at 87,736 miles on 12-11-2008. automatic transmission failed earlier on same vehicle at 42,130 miles on 12-3-2004. both times main drive gear separated from drive cup according to my transmission shop. transmission required a complete re-build both times. transmission shop indicated this is common design issue with ford windstars and looking at nhtsa web site there are a lot more folks suffering from this ford design issue. have the 3.8 l 6 cylinder engine in this van. us consumers should file a class lawsuit against ford for their failure to re-call this known design issue. have drive gear part that failed if nhtsa would like to analyze part. i will never by another ford product and advise no one else to buy one. had talked with ford on 1st occurrence and ford refused to stand by their product since it was outside of the 3yr / 36,000 mile warranty. know wonder why the american auto companies are becoming history... . *tr
03/20/2004570001
 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
10/15/20081100001
 Sending unit under front of brake master cylinder leaks. corroded wiring harness of transmission causing erratic operation and a warning message about the transmission. could have caused an engine compartment fire or a locked up transmission while driving. *tr
07/30/2008862241
 2000 ford windstar transmission leaking. it started intermittently and then became more serious. leaving a stream and trail of transmission fluid in my garage, my driveway and the street in front of my house. i have brought it to a reputable transmission repair shop and they tell me i need a complete rebuild. i have received a second opinion which is the same as the first. the lowest repair cost is $2200. after researching for similar issues with the ford windstar, i am amazed that there are several (too many) complaints regarding the same problem. this cannot be coincidence. if the transmission design ford provided in these vehicles is not reliable, ford needs to step up and repair these issues under warranty even though it has long expired. chrysler realized they had an issue and revised their warranties to 10 years and 100,000 miles. ford needs to follow suit. *tr
08/27/2008714001
 71,000 automatic transmission in need of being rebuilt. frequent problem according to internet search. ford should recall. *tr
08/17/2008861251
 Our van has 86000 miles on it. the o/d light started flashing and i took it to the ford dealer to have it checked out. three weeks later while my wife was driving the van, there was a loud noise and the van would not go in reverse, will ease forward in neutral and is jerky in drive. *tr
08/18/2008832121
 I have a 2000 ford windstar lx and it has 83,000 miles on it. it was kept up well and the transmission went out of it and will cost about $2000 dollars to replace it. i feel that ford should resolve this problem since it seems to be a recurring problem with the windstars. *tr
08/10/2008600001
 Minivan caught fire as result of transmission torque converter failure. driving on a short excursion (about 50 miles at highway speeds) with girl scouts the driver noticed that the rear window was not clean or clear as normal. as they approached a traffic stop the transmission over-drive light started flashing. when the vehicle pulled away from the stop it was not able accelerate above 45 mph and approximately half mile from the stop the driver was alerted of fire under the vehicle by passing drivers. the minivan driver immediately pulled over to evacuate passengers and call for help. when the van was stopped and its engine turned off the fire subsided with little damage. the fire department arrived and put absorbent to dry oil dripping from under the vehicle in the area behind the front wheels. the van was towed to a dealer where it was inspected and found that the torque converter had failed. as of 8/13/08 it is there waiting for repairs. the dealer recommends replacing the transmission. *tr
08/01/20081320001
 The problem i will be having very soon lots of others have already had. it is with the 2000 ford windstar. my o/d off light on dash is flashing. upon research this is a huge problem. ford will not recall it. it is a faulty transmission that they are using. i have only had my windstar for about 2 months. it was running fine till the past week or two. my trans will go out. lots of people keep replacing the trans just to have it go out again w/o warning for most. i drive on the highway almost everyday. i have 4 kids with me. if my trans goes out and i am on the highway...that could be fatal. ford does not think it is a safety issue. how could that not be a safety issue? tons of complaints are being made about the trans they are using on their vehicles. not just the windstar either. accidents could happen from this. do people really have to get into accidents and die before it is considered a safety issue? why not prevent it from happening in the first place? *tr
08/04/2008776831
 My wife was at a stop sign on an incline, pressed the gas pedal to turn and experienced what sounded like a crash. the van would not go forward, only reverse. she coasted backwards down the hill, we got a tow truck and went to a repair shop (after business hours). they called the next day and said that the transmission basically exploded on the inside. one site i have visited has 41 complaints of the same nature, yet ford is doing nothing about the design flaw in the 2000 windstar van transmissions. *tr
03/01/2007780001
 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
04/24/2008101203307/02/2000
 While at a complete stop in my 2000 windstar i accelerated to cross a busy highway and heard a loud clunk. the transmission failed and left me to drift into cross traffic where i was almost hit by a mack truck. i swerved in an almost u-turn like fashion and was able to pull to the side of the highway next to the road i had originated from. this is the third transmission to fail in this vehicle. the first failed at about 37,000 miles. luckily i had purchased an extended warranty so the dealership fixed it but they made me produce my original contract to prove i had the extended warranty. the second time was about 15 months ago, after ford's refusal to help i took it to aamco and i paid $2800 to repair. after being referred to this website i was astounded at how many people have had the same experience. i was almost killed this morning, when is enough enough? *tr
10/01/2007670001504/01/2005
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 55 mph, the vehicle jerked and the overdrive light blinked. the mechanic stated that the vehicle needed a rebuilt transmission. as of november 6, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the failure mileage was 67,000 updated 01-14-08. *kb updated 12/12/07.
08/18/20071058721
 On aug. 18, 2007, i was getting off the freeway near my home when my transmission slipped out of gear and would no longer drive. i had it towed to our mechanic who told us it was a transmission problem and had to be taken to a transmission specialist. after inspecting it we were told that the transmission had been leaking fluid from the reservoir into the transmission and had the sensor system worked i would have been able to fix it 8 weeks earlier at a low cost, however the sensor, which was good, was not read by the main system and we had no idea there was a problem. we had no visible leakage because it was within the transmission itself and burned the inside of the transmission. the specialist told us we were lucky we were off the freeway because it would have caused a terrible accident had the transmission gone out while driving. i reported it it to ford who have refused to pay for it so we had to pay for the whole transmission to be rebuilt, a cost of more than $1900 not including towing and rental car. the transmission specialist also said this is a common problem in the 1999-2000 ford windstar, which is the model vehicle i have because it was a manufacturer defect and nothing i did, i would like to know how to be reimbursed for all my out of pocket expenses and i think ford should issue a recall on the sensors that would have ultimately saved me a lot of time and money. it took 2 weeks to fix. *tr
05/26/2007123000106/01/2002
 2000 ford windstar transmission failure due to sheared off sun gear in ax4s transmission. failure occurred as vehicle was being accelerated from a dead stop into heavy cross traffic. all forward gears inoperative as van then slowly came to a stop in the middle of cross traffic. after a bit of panicking to figure how to get out of traffic we found that the reverse gear still functioned. pulled vehicle without accident out of traffic.*jb
11/11/200451763105/13/2000
 Backing out of driveway when van made loud clunking noise when placed in drive and would not move. new transmission needed $2400! i will never buy another ford vehicle. *nm
06/25/200665000509/20/2000
 Our 2000 windstar has had continuous problems from 20,000 miles on. recently at 60k miles, our transmission began to fail. we were under extended warranty. each time we went to ford service, we were told a seal was broken and repaired. two months later, the same problem. three months later the same problem and same diagnosis. at 70 k, the check transmission light came on and the o/d light began flashing. although we demanded a new transmission, ford service refused, telling us that a seal was once again broken. within two days, the same problem causing a breakdown out of state. new service rep. rolled his eyes when he saw what the prior service department did, but 4 days later, told us that a defective part was installed and that a new part would be put in. of course, no new part was put in and on transit home, the check transmission light and o/d lights came on again. i would never ever ever ever buy a ford again as a result of their lies and failure to fulfill warranty commitments. *nm
06/10/200644106/01/2002
 Transmission failure 2000 ford windstar. i have a ford windstar a couple weeks out of warranty and the transmission failed. i had complained to the dealer about acceleration problems before and now they are telling me they are not going to cover it. i believe they stalled until the warranty was out so they would not have to repair the problem. i looked online and found that ford has had a history of transmission problems with the windstar. this is something that should of been taken care of by the manufacturer. *jb
02/20/200592000103/10/2000
 Had just stopped and was pulling out onto the highway when a clunk sound from under the van was heard. there was no power, no forward or reverse motion. the transmission was gone. it had to be towed home and we were told that since it was no longer under warranty the cost would be ours to bear. it sits in the garage as i have no money to pay the $2400 mechanic bill. ford knew about this and yes has done nothing. this is the second windstar i've owned that has had transmission trouble. the first being a 1995 with head gasket troubles. *nm
02/21/200670000306/01/2000
 Dt*: the contact stated when the vehicle was pulled into an intersection, the vehicle stopped. this happened at 32,000 miles and the vehicle was towed to the dealership. the transmission was replaced. then at 62,000 miles the vehicle was being driven 70 mph, and the transmission stopped. the vehicle was pulled over and towed to the dealership. the dealership replaced the transmission again. the vehicle is now at the dealership because there was a grinding noise coming from under the vehicle. the diagnostic test determined the torque converter was causing the malfunctioning of the transmission. the transmission will be replaced a third time at 70,000 miles.
01/30/2006120000101/05/2000
 In fall of 2005 my broth-in-law had his transmission replaced twice on a 1999 ford windstar minivan. fee from dealership (ford in williamsburg, va) was in excess of $2500 each replacement. in january 2006 my own 2000 windstar van's transmission failed in an intersection in traffic. vehicle was towed to ford dealership in wmbg and diagnosed as transmission failure, fee $2700. for a second opinion, vehicle was towed to mr. transmission in hampton, transmission dissected and laid out for analysis. metal fragments had destroyed the transmission. i was told this was a frequent occurrence with ford windstars. in early models, a metal tube for the coolant doesn't have any support and breaks or tears from vibration. in later models this tube has a support to prevent that. the ford service people, when confronted, said transmissions can fail, you never know. we asked is this common in windstars? answer no. no mention of prior knowledge, no mention of recall. when one considers 2 windstars, years 1999 and 2000, 3 destroyed transmissions between them, and denial on the part of the manufacturer, this warrants investigation. it is negligent to not make the public aware of the possibility of slipping out of gear in traffic and not institute a recall to replace transmissions on early models. it is criminal to charge owners $2500+ for a manufacturing design flaw. the fact that later models have the issue corrected implies prior knowledge. this should be investigated. *nm
12/05/200578000109/09/2000
 Transmission went out on 2000 windstar with 78000 miles. this is not the first case i herd of on this problem. *nm
10/31/2005800001
 Blown transmission on a 2000 ford windstar. *nm
05/17/200576000112/01/2003
 Dt: contact states: she had a 2000 ford windstar and it came out of park without hitting the brake. vehicle doesn't have to be running. her two year old child got the car out of park ,and it rolled down a hill and hit a tree. the car was totaled. she contacted ford, and they said they were not going to pursue the matter.*ak
03/27/200548000102/01/2004
 I purchased my car from poway honda in february 2004. one week after driving it off the lot the check engine light came on, they claimed to fix it and it came on four more times after that. we also complained that the car was clunking into gear between 1st and 2nd gears. no one could find a problem, a couple weeks later transmission fluid was spraying out all over the back of the car, they claimed to not be able to find a leak. we literally had the car in every month since then. poway honda, where i purchased the vehicle, refuses to even help me anymore. finally, a year later, the transmission started making funny noises. perry ford rebuilt the transmission. one week after that we had to pull over on the side of the freeway (with 5 children in the car) because it was spraying transmission fluid again and smoking, the car was towed to perry ford. they overhauled the torque converter. now, one week later the overdrive light is blinking indicating a transmission problem. the car sputters into gear. also, when the car is in cruise control it doesn't slow down going down hill, the gears do not catch and it just gains more speed. i am so furious with ford motors and sick and tired of dealing with this piece of junk that i will never by another ford vehicle and i would advise no body else to either. *jb
03/25/2005109/04/2004
 Went into doctors office and when i turned the car off i heard a loud noise. when i came out i started the vehicle and attempted to reverse and the vehicle would not go into reverse. *jb
12/20/200412000308/01/2001
 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
02/02/200572000109/16/2002
 My wife was stopped at a stoplight. light turned green, she went to make a left hand turn. about half way thru the turn, there was a loud clunk. at that point my wife could only coast thru the intersection. stepping on the accelerator did nothing. had van towed and looked at. transmission failed. mileage at 72,000.
01/19/200577000204/01/2004
 While driving 55 mph vehicle jerked and vibrated uncontrollably. driver was able to pull over, and a mechanic inspected the vehicle and determined that transmission needed to be replaced. *ak the consumer stated that the vehicle does not engage or move in any gear. the consumer tried to pull from a stop sign and the vehicles engine revved up but the vehicle did not move. *tc
01/31/200537000110/10/2000
 1/31/05: put van is drive and a loud clunky noise occured and the vehicle would notmove. i needed the transmission rebuilt at $2295.00. the van only has 37,000 miles and it is out of warranty off course. dealer says too bad. stay away for ford windstar. *ak
01/02/200562000103/31/2000
 At approximately 62,000 miles the transmission in my 2000 ford windstar suddenly failed. i was starting up from a traffic light at a busy intersection when i heard a loud clunk from underneath the car and the car stopped moving. the car would go in reverse only. i had it towed to an independent repair shop to fix the transmission. the problem was that the sun gear had sheared off. (research on the internet indicated this is a common problem with this car.) i had a mechanical engineer look at the broken part and he concluded that the weld was not defective, it was just poorly designed. the replacement part has been redesigned and is now reinforced, which would indicate to me that ford is well-aware of the design flaw. (since they went to the trouble of redesigning the part) this is just the latest in a long line of problems that i have had with this car.*ak
11/27/2004994201
 While driving vehicle started to hesitate. vehicle was towed to a transmission shop, where the transmission was replaced.*ak
04/10/200237502103/01/2002
 Consumer transmission failed on the bay bridge. nar 1-22-03 the consumer was experiencing problems with the transmission prior to the failure. the transmission would hesitate from 1st to 2nd gear, but the consumer was told on 2 occasions it was normal. the abs lamp illuminated and the dealer replaced the relay. the windshield washer warning light had come on, the washer bottle had to replaced. the vehicle also shuddered while braking. *jb
12/08/2003105/01/2003
 Vehicle could only go backwards as a result of transmission failure. *ph the vehicle was purchased as is therefore the transmission was not cover under any warranty. *nm
11/01/200469000109/21/2004
 The intermittent function on my windshield wiper motor has failed. ford has a recall on certain models of my vehicle, but evidently my particular vehicle is not included in the recall even though i have the malfunction. vehicle also has hard shift when downshifting going around a corner. *jb
11/15/200470000105/15/2004
 Bought 2000 ford windstar less than 6 months ago . van just turned 70,000 mi wife was stopped at busy intersection,tried to accelerate,and transmission clunked, and made an awful noise .transmission failed. would not go forward. ford dealer said it would cost $ 2,500. an expense i cannot afford, especialy right before christmas. sure would be nice if ford mo. co. could do something about their poorly manufactured vehicles !!!!*ak
10/14/200477000101/17/2000
 Transmission in 2000 ford windstar failed at 77000 miles. required total replacement. *jb
07/29/2004545121
 While at a stoptransmission made a noise ,and the vehicle would not accelerate. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak
08/20/2004600001
 Problem incident--- ford dealership using bg products transmission flush system to perform the 60000 mile emission service induces a serious transmission leak. dealer says the bg process can not cause such a problem. sent the vehicle away with a serious transmission leak.
08/17/200447000107/22/2003
 When i put the van in drive in the a.m., it hesitated like i had it in between gears. as i pulled out into the highway, we heard a loud crunch like we bottomed out. as we are sitting in the middle of a busy road with on coming traffic, the van only went in reverse!! much to the surprise of on coming traffic. this mini van has only 47,000 miles and has been babied for a long time. *jb
07/11/2004850001
 While driving 30 mph, the vehicle lost power. the consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. *jb
07/17/200469000102/01/2004
 While driving, the overdrive light flashed. the vehicle was towed and the dealer determined that the transmission was defective. *ak the power locks did not operate properly, the rear seat belt was damaged when the vehicle was purchased, the inside lights did not go off when the door was shut. *jb
05/30/200438000108/03/2000
 While driving pulling alight utility trailer my overdrive off light came on.when i tried to disengage the overdrive nothing happened. i took this vehichle to the dealer of purchase, and i was told there was no serious problem.i read in my ourners manual that this flashing od off light indicated that the transmission needed imeadiate service. i then took the vehicle to a larger dealership and they told me that the transmission would not go in overdrive and that the transmission fluid was burned. they said i needed a new transmission and they offered to install a ford rebulit for aproximatly $2400. the van had only 49900 miles. i told them i was not interested in purchasing anything from a companey who couldn't build a transmission that would not last more the 41000 miles. i contacted an independent transmission service who could install a rebuilt transmission at about the same cost and it would be garenteed for 75000miles. ford would only gaurentee ther transmission for 36ooo. i told this dealership i would never do any more bussiness with ford , and i would spread the word every where i could about their infearior products.*ak
07/09/20041
 While starting the vehicle and shifting from park to drive consumer heard a loud noise coming from underneath of the vehicle. then, vehicle won't move. an independent repair shop repaired the transmission. *ak
06/30/2004520002
 While driving at 40 mph consumer heard a lot of squeaks and noises in the engine compartment. several days later , while driving at 30 mph, the noise was heard again ,and vehicle stalled while making a u-turn. also, the right front axle broke. mechanic determined that the transmission needed to be repaired.*ak
03/11/200471000512/18/1999
 Transmission broke when vehicle was just out of warranty this past winter. we have had to have it replaced 5 times since then. he continues to hesitate and we have talked to several other windstar owners who have also had to get multiple transmissions. is there a problem with ford transmissions?*ak
04/29/2004103/21/2004
 We purchased a 2000 ford windstar limited on 3/21/04 from a ford dealership in ionia, mi. we were told the van had been very well maintained and had been gone over mechanically by their people. it only had 38,549 miles on it. we have only had it a month and the transmission has gone out of it. do we have any recourse? at the time this happen, the vehicle was being driven up a hill in heavy downtown traffic. luckily no one was hurt, the van just would not go any where except backwards. my college age son and his buddie guided the van backwards into a parking lot a few feet away to wait for a wrecker. it was towed 35 miles, which is where it is sitting until we can decide what to do. i had mechanic look at it, but he felt it should be covered. he did not tear it down.*ak
04/29/200445000
 While driving and coming to complete stop at a stop sign automatic transmission would not go into gear. transmission totally failed , only the reverse gear was working. vehicle was towed to the dealer. technician indicated they could replace it with a new transmission or rebuilt it at consumer's expense.*ak
09/27/2003301571
 Transmission failure. *ak
02/02/200450000205/01/2000
 My complaint is with my 2000 ford windstar. in approx. june of 2003(don't have exact date because vehicle is at dealership), with no warning my transmission failed. had it towed to dealership where purchased. easy care warranty refused claim due to fact transmission was flushed 1000 miles past recommendation. dealership nor ford motor co. provided no help. had vehicle towed to local mechanic for repair. local mechanic documented that transmission had no impact on failure. cost of repair was approx. $2100. in jan. 2004, engine light came on. local mechanic ran diagnosis and stated it must be repaired by ford dealer. stated that drivability was ok. took into dealership today, feb.2, 2004. once again, easy care refused claim because it was a poorly designed part and they were aware of this. once again, ford motor co. was no help. stated that vehicle's warranty had expired. per easy care, there is a revised valve cover that has better baffling system. ford has a design flaw. ford will not stand behind their parts, therefore, the warranty is meaningless and the customer must pay for poor design??!! the repair will cost in excess of $700. i would like ford to incur the cost of repair due to acknowledgment of defective design.*ak
01/27/200442000111/25/1999
 Complete failure of the transmission at 42,000 miles. no forward gears- only reverse. heard a loud bang when attempting to accelerate from a red light.*ak
01/16/200457114108/01/2000
 Transmission failed. i was in heavy traffic, i stopped to let another auto pass. i was not able to move my car. the rear sun gear drum broke in two pieces, which was the cause of failure. total cost $2,426.79 note: i have broken pieces. many failures for 2000 to 2002. *jb
01/17/2004104/09/2003
 Was stopped at a traffic light and once the light had changed and i was able to proceed the vehicle would not move forward. the vehicle would move in reverse but not in the forward gear. had to have the vehicle towed to the dealership where it was purchased and it was found that the sun gear had broken causing additional damage to the transmission. cost for the repair to the vehicle is estimated at over $2000.
10/15/200370000112/09/2000
 Transmission on my 2000 windstar lx totally failed at 70,000 miles. repair cost over $2,500. i wrote to ford and complained, as i am aware of this happening to many other people with windstars, many with less milage, one as low as 45,000 miles. ford has refused to extend the warranty on the transmission, although it must be obvious there is a defect. their customer service reps claim to have never heard of a transmission problem in a windstar before. i find this impossible to believe.*ak
05/14/200339100106/20/2001
 While driving at approximately 35 mph, the ford 2000 windstar experienced total transmission failure without warning of any kind. the vehicle had 39000 miles! it was never used in any heavy-weight situations and never towed anything. my wife used it to drive the kids around town and to do the grocery shopping. ford has refused to stand behind this vehicle. my requests for assistance went all the way to detroit. their customer service department representatives were rude. the costs for towing and replacement of the transmission were $2149.58.*ak
11/12/2003730001
 Heard very loud noise, car would not go in gear. transmission had to be repaired at cost of $2000. *la
11/10/200342000102/01/2003
 Consumer stated that while driving and stopping at a light he had no gears, except reverse and park. consumer had vehicle towed to the mechanic. after mechanic evaluated the vehicle consumer towed it to a transmission shop. he then called the manufacturer, and was told to contact a ford dealer in his area. consumer contacted a ford dealer, and was told that they could not do anything because he did not purchase the vehicle from them or had the service done there . *ak transmission and torque converter had to be removed. failure was the result of a broken sun gear. consumer still has the part. *ph
10/27/200346500104/09/2000
 My 2000 ford windstar with (46,000 miles) recently began making a small whirring or ticking noise under the hood. examination by the service department at a local dealer indicated that the origin of the problem was the transmission. upon teardown of the transmission, it was discovered that the stator support bearing had blown apart. the dealer wished to replace the entire transmission for $3700. an independent mechanic also examined the car and found that in addition to the stator, the pump shaft, torque converter, and clutches would all need to be replaced. there was no damage to the gear train or the solenoids. it seems unbelievable that such extensive damage manifested itself in nothing more than a small ticking sound that mechanics at the dealership were at first unable to even detect. it is even more amazing and frightening that the vehicle was still drivable. there was nothing suspicious found in any previous service visits to suggest that such a failure was imminent and no dashboard warning lights of any kind. had this vehicle failed while in transit, serious injuries may have been possible. *la
10/20/200355000108/16/2003
 While leaving our parking lot the transmission made a few hard jerks while stopped and then would not go in a forward motion, tried to go in revese nothing. pushed the van back to a parking space, called ford custermer service and was told no warranties or customer satisfaction programs (seceret warranties) exsited.called around to survey options and noted that the windstar has had at least 3 upgrade kits issused for the transmission. found a lot of complaints for the same problem. called ford again, asked about the various other complaints and was told that this transmisson has never had problems that any information obtained from non-ford sources is false or incorrect. when asked about the transmisson upgrade kits (info found on ford's website) was met with the same response that the transmisson has never had a problem and non-ford info.... aamco estimates $2200 to $3500 for a rebuilt to new transmisson, ford offers no help. we are looking for a class-action or other information to get ford to own-up to and pay for a known failure in there transmisson that dates back to 1991 windstars/tauras. odometer reading 55,000. *ak
10/21/200335000106/01/2003
 The transmission just quit without any prior warning or problems. left wife and kids stranded in middle of busy street. *la
09/26/20024300004/04/2003
 2000 ford windstar 43,000 miles, my wife was driving down the freeway and all of the sudden the transmission went out. there was no warning or noise of any kind. this happened while she was driving freeway speeds. i went to my mechanic and he said one of his employee had the same van and the same thing happened to him at 37,000 miles. i went to work and a co-worker said the same thing happened to his dads van around 40,000 miles. ford should fins a transmission that will last longer than that few of miles.
09/27/200345133107/05/2000
 While driving 45 mph, the automatic transmission stopped functioning. the transmission had to be rebuilt with new components. *ak *scc *jb
09/29/20031
 While driving at 65 mph automatic transmission failed. *ak
09/17/200350623112/17/2000
 Transmission ax4s failed at stoplight. gear was sheared off drum. vehicle had 50,623 miles when failure occurred. transmission was overhauled at a cost of $2037.92.
09/15/20037850012/31/1999
 Transmission has always kicked forcefully and abruptly in low speed or on deceleration at low speed. there has been a transmission fluid leak(indicated by red fluid on and around the the transmission pan) but the fluid level has remained constant and at approved limits. we have mentioned this to dealers but have always been told that was normal and that if the transmission fluid level was within specifications then there was not a problem. on this date as we accelerated from a four-way stop there was an extremely forceful kick and the van lost power and forward motion and actually began to drift backward. the dealer told us we required a new torque converter, some new gears replaced, and that we would be better off having the entire transmission replaced.
460001
 Vehicle stalled while driving at highway speed. vehicle was towed to a dealer, who found that vehicle needed a new transmission. *ak
08/20/200348000
 Complete transmission failure with only 48,000 miles.
08/15/200347000109/12/2000
 Transmission on 2000 windstar needs to be replaced after 47,000 miles.*ak
07/18/200356000212/28/1999
 Automatic transmission failure twice. first failure at 29k mile in october 2001. transmission was repaired under warranty. second transmission failure was at 56k vehicle miles but only 27k miles on rebuilt transmission. both failures occurred without warning. second failure is 3k miles outside of 2yr/24k warranty provided by ford. i believe sudden transmission failure is a severe safety issue.
07/12/200306/21/2001
 Bought van from dealer june 2001 with 28,000 miles; ongoing issues with automatic transmission over 24 month period; 34,000 miles, harsh vibration and slipping on acceleration (at times no faster than 35 mph getting on interstate), rebuild under 3 yr, 36 warranty (torch converter other internals); 1 year later, 58,000 miles, same symptoms with fluid leakage, transmission totally gone, replace with new rebuilt transmission under purchased extended warranty; 4 months later, 64,000 miles same symptoms, slippage, harsh vibration, rebuild torch converter under warranty; 4 months later (june 2003) transmission starting to show same symptoms, dealer can not duplicate; now constant vibration when torch converter is locked in,clunking, slipping on acceleration around corners, end of july filed under lemon law at state, waiting to hear from them.
07/25/2003111/30/2001
 Sudden transmission failure at 34,000 miles. no warning. all forward gears failed. manufacturer offering secret warranty. problem appears to be common to all windstars as far back as 1994. *ak
400001
 Automatic transmission is slipping primary when in overdrive. cause unknown. *ph
07/26/20033720010/23/2002
 While attempting to make a left hand turn at stop sign i heard a clunck and could not drive forward. after a few cars drove around me and my young children someone finally stopped to push my windstar into a parking lot that was close by. i needed to have the van towed and was told the transmission needed to be replaced. i have 37200 miles on this vehicle and it is not quite 4 years old. as angry as i am i also have to be thankful that this sudden transmission failure didn't happen just 2 weeks earlier when my family and i were on vacation in virginia. i am looking to ford at this time to have my vehicle fixed with assistance through a goodwill program so far i have not been successful. i also understand that this is a common problem that ford seems to be aware of.
07/25/20031
 Consumer stated that transmission would not change properly. vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and was told that a new transmission was needed.*ak
06/06/200359000103/19/2000
 While sitting at stop light, went to proceed, no acceleration--transmission went. towed to dealer, not under warranty--$2700 later ford replaced with a brand new transmission--3 years, 36,000 mile warranty. says to me that ford knows something is wrong here since they didn't replace with a rebuilt one. i would like to be reimbursed the $2700 and the cost of the rental car needed for 7 days.3 years with this van, 3rd year of problems--1st year-tie rods, 2nd year-fuel injection problem, 3rd year-replace transmission. please help.*ak
07/22/200330502111/01/1999
 While attempting to make left turn at traffic light, vehicle failed to go forward. it would go in reverse, so i drove it backward into a parking lot and had it towed to dealer. has 30,500 miles, ford will not assist me in the 2600.00 reapair of the required new transmission. i am very unhappy.*ak
07/09/20031
 While driving at any speed transmission jerked. dealer has inspected and could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak
112/08/2001
 The consumer stated that the anti-lock brake system warning light flashed intermittently while driving and the brakes made noise. the battery and wipers failed on the same day. the transmission was replaced but continued to experience problems. *ak *nlm
06/27/20031
 While driving 35 mph gears went out and vehicle would not shift into drive. vehicle was towed to the owners residence. owner will contact the dealer for an appointment. *ak
06/24/200329992111/13/2002
 While pulling up to an intersection the vehicle jerked and the transmission wouldn't go backward or forward. the cost for repairs were $530.00. *ak *cb
05/31/200340000308/30/2000
 2000 ford windstar lx park on slight incline, no keys in ignition or brake pedal depressed. 2 year old kneeling on drivers seat, pulled down on gear shift lever, transmission released and vehicle rolled 100 ft and collided with another parked vehicle. i took possession of the leased vehicle 8/30/2000, i found a repair was made for the exact condition 8/28/2000 after vehicle repair history report was run. *nlm
06/18/20031
 While traveling at about 55 mph on the highway, the transmission failed. *ak
05/02/200381000202/23/2001
 My transmission failed at 42,000 miles in 09/01 and was replaced by dealer under extended warranty. the second transmission failed at 81,000 miles in 05/03 was told warranty was expired (only good for 24,000 miles). i had to pay $2900 to have transmission rebuilt. 3 transmissions in a car with less then 100,000 miles seems very excessive to me. was told by at least 6 different transmission repair shops that ford windstar's was the number 1 auto they replaced transmissions on. several shops told me ford was aware of the problem and have recently found the problem and vans made after 02/03 had the defect fixed but ford was not putting a recall on this known problem. *nlm
04/02/2003400001
 The automatic transmission failed while driving and caused the engine to cut off and the vehicle would only go into reverse gear. *nlm
05/05/200336640202/02/2003
 Second failure of automatic transmission in 2240 miles. *nlm
05/12/20034300007/08/2000
 Transmission failed at 43,000 miles and less than 3 years. *jb
05/09/200340000103/01/2000
 The vehicle was in drive, but went into reverse when the gas pedal was pressed. this was caused by transmission failure per dealership. *jb *scc *jb
 The vehicles transmission locked up while driving and caused the vehicle to stall. the dealer has been notified. *nlm
03/21/200380000107/01/2001
 The consumer was able to put the vehicle into gear without pressing the brake pedal. *jb the consumer's son put the keys in the ignition and pulled the gear shifter into gear without the vehicle being started. the consumer was pulled and dragged behind the vehicle approx. 30 feet. the consumer sustained multiple injuries with road rash. his clothes were ripped to shreds. at that time, ford had done nothing to correct the problem. *ph *jb
01/15/200339890110/12/1999
 Purchased new transmission for vehicle at 38500 miles due to torque converter failure that damaged transmission beyond repair. new ford factory transmission installed in december required rebuild iin january of 2003 after only 1500 miles.
12/18/20024300007/18/2002
 I was driving up an incline when my 2000 windstar van made a very loud noise and suddenly stopped in the middle of the street. i turned the van off for a minute or so then re-started the vehicle and attempted to proceed forward but the van started going in reverse instead. i had to have that windstar with apprximately 43,000 miles towed home because it would not go forward. i have contacted ford motor co. customer service to no avail. all they could tell me was that the van has more than 36,000 miles so they we're not responsible for the expense of replacing the transmission. the van is at a ford dealer at this very moment. it is estimated that the cost to replce the transmission will exceed $2000.00 . i now know that there have been numerous complaints about the ford windstar 2000 transmissions please have something done about this problem before some one dies.
01/15/2003
 While driving the vehicle the over drive light would come on. the transmission is no longer working. dealer has been notified. ph
11/02/2002107/01/2000
 While at a stop light in a construction area, at 9:00 pm on a busy intersection, the transmission failed to do anything, no gears at all. my wife was alone when this happened amd it was very frightening to be alone in the dark with a car that will not move, and people blowing their horns and yelling at her. we finally had the car towed to the dealer and in the morning were told by the service department the transmission was no good and had to be replaced even though there was only 43,000 miles on it and only on the road 26 months. ford did not want to take responsiability for it and neither did the dealer, saying we did not have an extended service contract. if ford can't guarentee a transmission for more than 36,000 miles this disaster is going to rival ford's tire problem's of the last few years. the ntsb must look into this potential life threating problem. dt
11/27/2002699311
 While driving at any speed, and without any indication, the transmission failed causing the vehicle not to accelerate. dealer notified. ph the vehicle made a popping noise which was slight and irregular. the transmission has been replaced. *jg
11/15/2002103/01/2000
 Transmission failed after accelerating from a stop in bumper to bumper traffic. dealer won't provide details of the component failure only that the transmission must be replaced. the dealer serviced the vehicle at the required intervals for routine maintenance but claims because i didn't have the trans case drained by them at 30,000 that the unit failure is my fault. my '95 windstar had the transmission fail at 50,000 miles. seems like a pattern i should learn from. dt
11/14/20021
 Transaxle failure dealer advises entire transaxle needs to be replaced. dt
11/06/2002106/01/2000
 Premature transmission failure, saw several other complaints in internet. cost of repairs $2838.06. dt
10/21/2002102/01/2000
 Total failure of transmission and torque converter while driving on off highway street. vehicle was driven under normal conditions, no towing or pulling stress warranty expired. dt
10/01/2002
 Consumer was attempting to merge onto interstate travelling approximately 55 mph. depressed throttle pedal to accelerate and vehicle dropped into passing gear. once on interstate, vehicle continued to accelerate and pedal was stuck to the floor. consumer turned the engine off, placed van in neutral and restarted. van suddenly accelerated back to 65mph. consumer had to turn off engine and coast until van slowed down enough to pull over.mr
09/17/2002103/01/2000
 Had esp contract for 60000 and transmission failed at 62000... 2000 lousy miles over and the ford dealer or ford customer service would not honor the extended contract.. the transmission locked up, car stopped hard and i hit steering wheel with no pain however.. this would be dangerous at high speed... i had it repaird at aamco but would like ford to reimburse me for $2279. ts
08/10/2002104/04/2000
 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
03/27/20011504/01/2000
 Manufacturer states; van is built to their specifactions, thus there is nothing wrong with it. no safety defect listed. *ak
10/01/2001
 While driving transmission would not shift to next higher gear. dealer rebuilt transmission at 35700 miles. at this time, transmission is shifting down while driving.*ak
 Vehicle was at a complete stop, went to accelerate and heard a popping noise. vehicle stalled out. transmission failure. *ak
03/07/20021
 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
03/28/2002110/01/2099
 This vehicle is junk!!!!!!!! ford motor co. is of no help. no safety defec tlisted. *ak
03/27/2002111/01/2000
 During family trip transmission failed while parked at gas station. had towed to independent dealer to repair because ford dealer was too busy and warranty had expired. called ford, they were no help at their customer service number and two dealerships. would like ford to reimburse me $2237 for transmission rebuild and replace. not asking for damages or a refund, just the cost of transmission.*ak
 Transmission vibrates and clunks excessively when put into gear. dealer contacted part replaced.*ak
01/01/2001
 Vibration and knocking noise coming from underneath vehicle. gears are stuck while shifting. dealership is aware of problem.*ak
01/19/2002104/01/2000
 Consumer was at a stop light and transmission failed without any warning at 38,483 miles, dealership replaced transmission and paid 60% of cost for transmission. *ak *tt
11/30/2001108/01/2000
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
10/31/20011
 While traveling approximately 50 mph transmission would jump out of gear into neutral intermittently. a private mechanic diagnosed that a gear broke loose and destroyed interior components of transmission. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak
112/01/1999
 Although board ford in whittier fixed the transmission problem at no charge, i was informed by the service tech. that this is a problem with the windstars. i was curious to find out why the vehicle wasn't recalled re: the transmission, i was very lucky that i wasn't in a bad part of town or on a freeway when the car flopped out on me. ford should consider recalling the defeated transmissions on the windstars. i've had several recalls on this vehicle already, aside from the other problems it's had that have not been recalled. for instance, brakes going out on 20,000 miles, ignitions coil being replaced, and electronic locks not properly working.*ak
07/01/2001105/01/2000
 Wife was driving vehicle on a 2 lane road with no shoulder at about 45 miles per hour. transmission all of a sudden would not go into gear. transmission totally failed. this was about 2 hours after i had picked up the vehicle from the dealership for the same problem. when i picked it up they said they could not duplicate the problem, so there must not be anything wrong. *ak
07/15/20001
 Automatic transmission shift gear was hard when changing into first gear. dealer notified.*ak the problem has been fixed. *et
06/10/2000
 Vehicle intermittently and unexpectedly acts like it wants to stall.when giving it gas it doesn't get any power. contact dealer, and dealer can't fix it.*ak
01/01/2001
 Speed relay sensor in automatic transmission has failed approximately three times since january 2001. dealership has examined vehicle and failed to effectively remedy problem. please provide any additional information.*ak
02/21/2000
 Transmission jumped out of gear. *ak
03/01/2000101/01/2000
 The transmission is whining, loud groaning/rubbing noise, and a loud groan and vibration that is felt through the vehicle at 800, 1100 & 1600 rpm. ford said it was exhaust system creating problem and has tryed to correct with no luck. the problem is coming from transmission and ford refuses to repair. *ak
07/17/2000111/10/1999
 While stopping at a stop light transmission went. was told by dealer that vehicle needed a new transmission. *ak the dealer indicates that the manufacturer allows only failed part replacing not replacing the transmission. *yh
11/07/20000
 While driving about 50 mph transmission lost power when trying to accelerate. could not drive forward, and reverse was only gear working.*ak
07/06/2000509/01/1999
 Check engine light keeps coming on. last time(5) same part was replaced as first time it happened am now worried that the transmission will break down again. i have notified ford and requested they abide by md. lemon law don't know what else to do. *ak
10/10/2000101/01/2000
 Transmission had to be replaced.
09/01/2000202/01/2000
 At 632 miles we had a cracked seal replaced, along with the rear electric sliding door which was adjusted, on 04/00 we still had problems with the door and another door as well an electrical problem was found.on 09/00 transmition needed to be replaced and door was still inop, along with the other door. this vehicle is an unsafe lemon. the service repair facility made many attempts to repair the problems with the doors, among many other many major defects.we demand our rights under the ca. state lemon law to replace this vehicle.
07/18/2000105/01/2000
 My wife was coming off the freeway off-ramp and realized she had no brakes. the peddle had no give so she stood on the peddle and it slowed her down enough to make the turn and pull into a parking lot across the street. she then called to get the van towed to the shop. she was very lucky that she didn't have to make any sudden stop on the freeway because she wouldn't have had any brakes. she was also very lucky that there wasn't anyone in front of her on the off-ramp. it was the power booster that failed and then it took several weeks for them to get the parts as it was on a national back order, which lead me to believe alot more people were having the same problem. there was no warning the brakes were going out at all. the transmission has been making a loud clunking noise since about a month after we bought it and doesn't seem to shift right. we had it checked out in the shop at the time it was in for the brakes and the replaced a bracket. the van still does not seem to shift right at this time.
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
08/29/2005112/14/2003
 I have a 2000 windstar sel. it is jerking when put in reverse or in drive. the gasket has a leak problem. the transmission light came on 9/29/05. i called a ford dealership to also question about the cruise control switch that is made of plastic that can heat and catch on fire located near the brake and they ignored my complaint. i had the oil changed and i asked the mechanic to point out that plastic piece and he showed it to me whereas, the dealer just refused. i am driving around with a van that jerks and possibly could catch on fire! *nm
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
11/12/20030
 The child was playing inside of the vehicle while it was parked. the child hit gear shift causing the vehicle to roll backwards and hit a tree. please fill in additional information. *ph
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - LEVER AND LINKAGE - COLUMN SHIFT
06/26/200454000101/30/2004
 A 2 year old child was able remove the gear shifter lever from park into drive without depressing the brake pedal. the vehicle was parked with the engine running when this happened. this resulted in consumer's vehicle rear ending another vehicle. the manufacturer was contacted, but didn't provide any helpful assistance.*ak
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH
1
 The consumer child was able to move the gear shift lever out of park, the consumer feels the information in reference to the interlock system in the owners manual is misleading. nlm
04/24/2002
 Vehicle can shift out of gear without applying brake pedal. dealer was not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further information.*ak
12/15/2001
 While parked in driveway and idling vehicle jumped from park into reverse, and rolled backwards. had emergency brakes on. dealer contacted. please add vin. *ak
09/25/2001101/28/2001
 While engine was running consumer left the vehicle in park, vehicle went into reverse and hit another vehicle. dealer could not identify cause. *ak *yd
09/26/20010
 While vehicle was left running in park, consumer got out of vehicle, and shut door, immediately vehicle started to roll down a hill. consumer heard automatic door locks lock when vehicle started to move. children were trapped inside. vehicle rolled into a tree, and airbags deployed. please provide any further information. *ak
05/30/200011/01/1999
 With the key switched on (engine not running), the transmission can be easily shifted without depressing the brakes. this can cause serious injury if a child is involved and the airbag deployes. we tried this on our van after a friend had a 3 yr old child shift their ford expedition into neutral and run through a wall. our vehicle shifted very easily every time we tried it. *ak
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER
06/09/2006100100205/27/2000
 Dt*: the contact stated that while driving 70 mph on the highway the torque converter seal ripped away ending up burning the transmission. the dealer indicated that there was a torn seal. prior to this incident the overdrive symbol from the panel started to blink. this incident did not result in an accident. the contact took the vehicle to a service dealer in which a transmission flush was performed. the dealer also put an additive to the transmission seal.
08/26/200440000108/10/2000
 At about 40,000 miles a vibration started to occur in the right front wheel between 5 & 40 mph. i took it to a ford dealer an was told this is not uncommon and it is caused by a defective torque converter. the dealer flushed the transmission. this vibration appears to be less when the fulids are cold. this problem will continue until i have the transmission overhauled. the car now has about 43,000 miles on it.*ak
08/20/2004600001
 Problem incident--- ford dealership using bg products transmission flush system to perform the 60000 mile emission service induces a serious transmission leak. dealer says the bg process can not cause such a problem. sent the vehicle away with a serious transmission leak.
09/15/20037850012/31/1999
 Transmission has always kicked forcefully and abruptly in low speed or on deceleration at low speed. there has been a transmission fluid leak(indicated by red fluid on and around the the transmission pan) but the fluid level has remained constant and at approved limits. we have mentioned this to dealers but have always been told that was normal and that if the transmission fluid level was within specifications then there was not a problem. on this date as we accelerated from a four-way stop there was an extremely forceful kick and the van lost power and forward motion and actually began to drift backward. the dealer told us we required a new torque converter, some new gears replaced, and that we would be better off having the entire transmission replaced.
04/02/200340000103/01/2000
 Automatic transmission failure. riding along at constant velocity it would knock like you are going over rumble strips. with a few thousand miles we took the van into the dealer reporting a clunk at about 10 mph. they said it was not a problem. at 40,000 miles now they say i need a new torque converter. not knowing i had previously brought the van in we told them about the clunk and they said it was a problem. my neighbors who bought the same van from the same dealer the same day also had the transmission replaced about 1 month ago with about 39,000 miles. her van just quit in the middle of an intersection. *jb
11/27/200238500110/01/1999
 Torque converter failed with no warning. upon failure, debris shot up into transmission. internal damage to transmissin was so severe that we had to purchase a new transmission. vehicle had only 38,500 miles at time of incident.
POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY
04/25/2010130000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving at speeds of 35 mph, the contact was barely ale to maintain control of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where she was advised by the mechanic that the rear axle was cracked. the manufacturer advised the vehicle was not under recall and to have the dealer repair the vehicle. the manufacture would offer no further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 130,000.
04/15/2010129000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 25 mph, the contact noticed a clanking noise in the rear of the vehicle. he inspected the vehicle and noticed that the rear axle was covered with rust, split in two pieces and was hanging from the side of the tire. the contact called the manufacturer and was informed that they were unaware of such a failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 129,000. the current mileage was approximately 130,000.
03/30/200889000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact noticed that the rear of the vehicle swerved side to side so he pulled over to the side of the road. he then noticed that the left rear axle was broken. the contact then drove the vehicle to a local repair shop where he was informed that the failure was located within the rear axle which was replaced. the contact called the manufacturer who told him that if the failure became a recall, he could be reimbursed. the current and failure mileages were approximately 89,000.
03/19/2010130000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 15 mph, the driver noticed the back end of the vehicle would sway when he drove over a bump. the driver examined the vehicle and noticed that the rear axle was broken. the vehicle had not been inspected by the dealer at the time of the complaint. the failure and current mileages were approximately 130,000.
11/06/2009100000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the vehicle was parked when the rear end vehicle collapsed. the contact stated that both rear tires were positioned inwardly. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the failure was contributed to a broken rear axle frame. photographs are available upon request. the vehicle has been repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 100,000.
12/15/2009150000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. he stated that the rear axle broke in half while driving less than 5 mph in reverse. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who stated that rust caused the axle to brake in half. the vehicle was repaired at the owners expense for $1000.00. the ford manufacturer has not been notified of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 150,000.
12/16/2009117000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 40 mph he heard a clanging noise coming from the vehicle. the next day while driving the rear end of the vehicle started to shimmy. he pulled over to the side of the road after he saw smoke. he towed the vehicle home. upon vehicle inspection he noticed that brake system was corroded and that the axle had fractured. he was in the process of contacting the service manager. no repairs were made .the failure and current mileages were 117000.
11/23/2009107151
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the rear axle stabilizer bar has fractured. the dealer was contacted but no assistance was provided. the manufacturer was notified, but no assistance was provided. the failure mileage was 107,151.
11/30/20091319851
 Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar lx. while driving 60 mph the axle failed without warning. she had to drive on the shoulder to stop the vehicle from rolling over. the vehicle was towed to her place of residence. the dealer nor the manufacturer were contacted. the failure mileage was 131,985. updated 01/05/10. *lj the consumer stated when she attempted to switch lanes, a loud pop came from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle began to rock back and forth until the vehicle finally stopped. updated 01/05/10.*jb
10/13/20091120001
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while entering the driveway from a six hour trip, the rear side of the vehicle malfunctioned. a local mechanic advised her that the rear axle fractured in half. the vehicle was being repaired. . the current and failure mileages were 112,000. updated 11/12/09 *cn updated 11/16/09
04/10/200989000
 Tl*- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the rear axle stabilizer bar fractured without any prior warnings. as a consequence her risk for serious injury and crash were increased. she had the vehicle towed to a local repair shop in which a technician stated that the rear axle needed to be replaced at an expense exceeding $1500.00. as of current date the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 89,000.
03/12/200979000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving various speeds, the rear of the vehicle would make a rumbling sound when driving over potholes. the vehicle was taken in for an oil change and the mechanic noticed that the rear axle was cracked 3/4 of an inch into the wheels on the driver's side. through online research, the contact discovered that this was a common issue with the windstar. he feels that this is a major safety issue. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 79,000.
03/12/200857620104/01/2000
 I own a 2000 ford windstar purchased brand new from kistler ford in toledo. the vehicle has never been in an accident and has been up to date with the maintenance work according to the manufacturer's recommendations. on march 12, 2008 i was traveling on holland-sylvania road near central avenue in toledo, ohio when my rear axle broke. this is a heavy traffic area and could have resulted in a serious accident. i pulled over and had the vehicle towed to midas muffler. midas replaced the axle within several days at a total cost of $912.69. attempts to have this issue remedied with ford and kislter ford were denied for want of warranty. ford mechanics have informed me that this is clearly a defect which the manufacturer should be responsible for. *tr
04/10/20071
 2000 ford windstar with broken axle customer states that the axle snapped in half for no apparent reason**cc the consumer also owned a 199 ford taurus. there was a constant leak coming from the ford taurus and the dealer was unable to determine the problem. consequently, the vehicle caught on fire. the consumer believed the problem was due to a recall on the ford taurus regarding the air conditioning system. *jb
11/25/20051
 Consumer requesting to be reimbursed for 2000 windstar defective parts. *ts the rear axle cracked and caused the vehicle to sway back and forth while being driven. the consumer had it repaired at a independent repair shop. the consumer took the cracked axle to the dealer who wrote down his vin and indicated that he should be hearing from ford soon. *nm
02/28/200560000108/22/2000
 2000 ford windstar with 60k suffered transmission failure 2/28/05, in the middle of rush hour on a busy street with 5 kids on board. a web search verified that this is happening to numerous 2000 windstar owners, i believe that ford should be investigated and the transimssions be recalled, this is a very dangerous situation.
06/30/2004520002
 While driving at 40 mph consumer heard a lot of squeaks and noises in the engine compartment. several days later , while driving at 30 mph, the noise was heard again ,and vehicle stalled while making a u-turn. also, the right front axle broke. mechanic determined that the transmission needed to be repaired.*ak
04/10/2002206/01/2000
 Exciter ring came loose from axle assembly, causing abs to intervene when it shouldn't have, with resultant loss of braking. this has occurred twice with this vehicle, the left axle in october 2001, at 24215 miles, and the right axle in may 2002, at 34625 miles. both times we nearly rear-ended another car, when the abs unexpectedly reduced braking power.
POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT
11/22/200458000302/01/2004
 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
03/08/2001
 Right front wheel bearnig locked up while traveling at hwy speed of 80 mph. dealer notified ,and repairs were being made under warranty. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak
POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL
09/01/2000202/01/2000
 At 632 miles we had a cracked seal replaced, along with the rear electric sliding door which was adjusted, on 04/00 we still had problems with the door and another door as well an electrical problem was found.on 09/00 transmition needed to be replaced and door was still inop, along with the other door. this vehicle is an unsafe lemon. the service repair facility made many attempts to repair the problems with the doors, among many other many major defects.we demand our rights under the ca. state lemon law to replace this vehicle.
POWER TRAIN - AXLE HUBS
01/25/20081260002
 I noticed that the rear end of the car was bouncing as i went around a corner. i immediately brought the car home and noticed that both rear tires were bowing out at the bottom. i put the car up on a jack to investigate and saw where the rear axle had severed half way through in two different spots. rust was visible at one location. the worse of the two sever points was on what appears to be on a vertical seam in the metal. i was very fortunate that it happened to me as i was running to the store just prior to my wife taking our three daughters to ballet - for which she would have been driving on a major interstate. i have now seen at least 4 other comments of the same issue on the internet. this is definitely a manufacturer defect and needs to be recalled before there is a fatality. *tr
POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE
11/19/201090000
 2000 ford windstar, the control arm front passenger side detached from the frame while my wife was driving to work on 11/19/10. luckily there were no other cars coming or she would have hit them head on. all vehicle controls were lost; no steering , no transmission drive train. the vehicle swerved out of control until luckily, the vehicle stopped partly on the side of the road. the vehicle had to be towed. i also noticed a hole in the rear axle which there is a recall for. the vehicle obviously cannot be driven and i am unsure if the transmission is damaged due to the drive axle being pulled out of it.
03/03/2010130000
 Rear axle snapped at about 30 mph. destroyed both rear shocks and driver's side rear wheel.
02/13/20101890001
 I had just had our 2000 ford windstar serviced at our ford dealer a few days before where they replaced worn sway bars and bushings. i was backing out of our driveway when i heard a snap and then could here something metal dragging on the ground. i pulled back into my driveway and looked under my car to find that the rear axle had broken in about the center of the axle. i had it towed into our ford dealer to find out what happened they took a look at it and said it snapped and that there was no sign of wear before it broke. i asked if there was any previous knowledge of this happening or if ford was aware of this issue and was told no. *tr
POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION
01/08/20036800010/09/1999
 The transmission in our vehicle, a 2000 ford winstar sel, went on us while driving the on a busy six lane road. the vehicle does have 68,000 miles on it. however, i've produced maintenance records for ford and the dealership which clearly show we've followed ford's maintenance recommendations; included having the transmission serviced by the dealership (at 42,000). this seems to be one example in a long line of ford transmission failure. when will the nhtsa, or another government agency, finally step in and confront ford? ts
10/24/20011
 Transmission leaking from pan gasket and servo cover. dealer resealed transmission and replaced fluid. *tt
1
 Recall number 00v164000-fuel line fittings. recall repairs were not preformed, and vehicle was still experiencing the problem.*ak consumer stated the transmission is also bad, there is a bad vibration, also there is a heavy pull to the right.*slc
POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION - COLUMN SHIFT ASSEMBLY
08/20/2004550001
 The transmission failed with 55,000 mile on it. we took it to norristown ford in pa and we need a new transmission. it cost us $3000.00. *ak

Some parts © 2024 Advameg, Inc.
Based on public records. Inadvertent errors are possible.
This web site is not associated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by and has no official or unofficial affiliation with the vehicle's manufacturer.