Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID | |||||
| 0156 | 03/19/2001 | 619435 | Some vehicles may exhibit a power steering fluid leak from the end seals of the steering rack and pinion. *tt | 05/30/2001 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| 17744 | 04/01/2004 | 10008240 | Power steering noise. *tt | 07/23/2004 | |
| 14211 | 01/01/2000 | 620386 | Some vehicles may exhibit a power steering grunt noise or shudder on slow turns. a new power steering line has been released that will minimize the condition. *tt | 08/07/2001 | |
| 13858 | 03/01/2001 | 620277 | Some vehicles may exhibit a power steering grunt noise or shudder on slow turns. engineering is investigating. *tt | 07/23/2001 | |
| 0145 | 03/05/2001 | 619422 | Some vehicles equpped with a 3.8l engine may exhibit a power steering grunt noise while turning. *tt | 05/30/2001 | |
| 14522 | 12/01/2000 | 616851 | Some vehicles may continue to exhibit a power steering grunt noise after replacing the yf2z-3a719-aa power steering hose per special service message 1421, and after performing bleed procedures. *tt | 03/14/2001 | |
| 14211 | 06/01/2000 | 613904 | Exhibiting a power steering grunt noise or shudder on slow turns. *tt | 09/21/2000 | |
| 8119 | 03/01/2000 | 612660 | Some vehicles may exhibit a power steering grunt noise or shudder on slow turns. engineering is investigating. *tt | 06/12/2000 | |
| 13858 | 02/01/2000 | 612457 | Some vehicles may exhibit a power steering grunt noise or shudder on slow turns. engineering is investigating. *tt | 06/08/2000 | |
| 8119 | 02/01/2000 | 612312 | Some vehicles may exhibit a power steering grunt noise or shudder on slow turns. *tt | 06/07/2000 | |
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||||
| 14603 | 01/01/2001 | 617990 | Information on vehicles exhibiting power steering and pinion leak. *jb | 04/03/2001 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 08/12/2012 | 107000 | 1 | |
| On 8/12/12 as i was driving to new york i notice that every time there is a weight transfer i heard a clunking sound on the right front, after returning to new jersey i took the vehicle to sears auto to have it check out and was told and shown the defect was with the frame work which a recall was done for in 2011. the repair that the did in 2011 to the frame was in my opinion a death trap and i would suggest that you send a inspector to inspect the repair that ford said they did to these frame work, the strap that they put on the frame in my opinion is like putting a band aid on a third degree burn. i took the vehicle back to ford dealer in hackensack nj and they are giving me a hard time, my vehicle has been there from friday and today is saturday @ 1430 they still haven't look at it, maybe because of the color of my skin the really don't care, but i don't think safety should come down to the color of a person skin. thanks for your help. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2012 | 107000 | ||
| On 8/12/12 as i was driving to new york i notice that every time there is a weight transfer i heard a clunking sound on the right front, after returning to new jersey i took the vehicle to sears auto to have it check out and was told and shown the defect was with the frame work which a recall was done for in 2011. the repair that the did in 2011 to the frame was in my opinion a death trap and i would suggest that you send a inspector to inspect the repair that ford said they did to these frame work, the strap that they put on the frame in my opinion is like putting a band aid on a third degree burn. i took the vehicle back to ford dealer in hackensack nj and they are giving me a hard time, my vehicle has been there from friday and today is saturday @ 1430 they still haven't look at it, maybe because of the color of my skin the really don't care, but i don't think safety should come down to the color of a person skin. thanks for your help. | |||
| 07/02/2012 | 114000 | 1 | |
| Gauges go crazy and don't work half the time. abs light is always on. steering creeks. there is a recall for my make, model, and year but ford somehow says it is not part of the recall but may become a recall in the future. this is not acceptable. does someone have to die before they will listen and act? *tr | |||
| 07/02/2012 | 114000 | ||
| Gauges go crazy and don't work half the time. abs light is always on. steering creeks. there is a recall for my make, model, and year but ford somehow says it is not part of the recall but may become a recall in the future. this is not acceptable. does someone have to die before they will listen and act? | |||
| 05/22/2012 | 126030 | ||
| The subframe on the passenger side where the bracket for the front stabilizer is attached rusted completely through, causing the stabilizer bar to break loose. | |||
| 05/15/2012 | 171000 | ||
| My son was driving on the highway. while driving at 40 miles per hour the back axel fractured. this resulted in him crashing into the center cement devider as well as the from left control arm breaking as well. he had to go to the hospital and get checked out. it is a shame that i have to find out about this recall through my insurer. | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 1250000 | ||
| Massively erratic behavior of the instrument cluster. all of the gauges; the speedometer and rpm gauges, heat and all just jump rapidly up and down. sometimes they give false indicators. the heat meter arm goes up when it is not hot. it's really scary. it's been going on for weeks. it doesnt' happen often and i am not sure why it happens. this is a minivan i.e. a family car. i cannot wait to get rid of this car. i'll never buy a ford again. | |||
| 05/15/2012 | 171000 | ||
| My son was driving on the highway. while driving at 40 miles per hour the back axel fractured. this resulted in him crashing into the center cement devider as well as the from left control arm breaking as well. he had to go to the hospital and get checked out. it is a shame that i have to find out about this recall through my insurer. | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 1250000 | ||
| Massively erratic behavior of the instrument cluster. all of the gauges; the speedometer and rpm gauges, heat and all just jump rapidly up and down. sometimes they give false indicators. the heat meter arm goes up when it is not hot. it's really scary. it's been going on for weeks. it doesnt' happen often and i am not sure why it happens. this is a minivan i.e. a family car. i cannot wait to get rid of this car. i'll never buy a ford again. | |||
| 05/15/2012 | 171000 | ||
| My son was driving on the highway. while driving at 40 miles per hour the back axel fractured. this resulted in him crashing into the center cement devider as well as the from left control arm breaking as well. he had to go to the hospital and get checked out. it is a shame that i have to find out about this recall through my insurer. | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 1250000 | ||
| Massively erratic behavior of the instrument cluster. all of the gauges; the speedometer and rpm gauges, heat and all just jump rapidly up and down. sometimes they give false indicators. the heat meter arm goes up when it is not hot. it's really scary. it's been going on for weeks. it doesnt' happen often and i am not sure why it happens. this is a minivan i.e. a family car. i cannot wait to get rid of this car. i'll never buy a ford again. | |||
| 05/15/2012 | 171000 | ||
| My son was driving on the highway. while driving at 40 miles per hour the back axel fractured. this resulted in him crashing into the center cement devider as well as the from left control arm breaking as well. he had to go to the hospital and get checked out. it is a shame that i have to find out about this recall through my insurer. | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 1250000 | ||
| Massively erratic behavior of the instrument cluster. all of the gauges; the speedometer and rpm gauges, heat and all just jump rapidly up and down. sometimes they give false indicators. the heat meter arm goes up when it is not hot. it's really scary. it's been going on for weeks. it doesnt' happen often and i am not sure why it happens. this is a minivan i.e. a family car. i cannot wait to get rid of this car. i'll never buy a ford again. | |||
| 05/15/2012 | 171000 | ||
| My son was driving on the highway. while driving at 40 miles per hour the back axel fractured. this resulted in him crashing into the center cement devider as well as the from left control arm breaking as well. he had to go to the hospital and get checked out. it is a shame that i have to find out about this recall through my insurer. | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 1250000 | ||
| Massively erratic behavior of the instrument cluster. all of the gauges; the speedometer and rpm gauges, heat and all just jump rapidly up and down. sometimes they give false indicators. the heat meter arm goes up when it is not hot. it's really scary. it's been going on for weeks. it doesnt' happen often and i am not sure why it happens. this is a minivan i.e. a family car. i cannot wait to get rid of this car. i'll never buy a ford again. | |||
| 07/08/2011 | 150000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the power steering pump failed four times in one year. the contact's mechanic advised that the power steering pump was defective. the failure mileage was 150,000 and the current mileage was 170,000. | |||
| 07/08/2011 | 150000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the power steering pump failed four times in one year. the contact's mechanic advised that the power steering pump was defective. the failure mileage was 150,000 and the current mileage was 170,000. kmj | |||
| 07/08/2011 | 15000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated the power steering pump failed four times in one year. the contacts mechanic stated that the power steering pump used by the manufacturer is defective. the failure mileage was 150,000 and the current mileage was 170,000.rl | |||
| 01/17/2004 | 70000 | ||
| 2000 ford windstar lx power steering failed and needed replacement at about 75,000 | |||
| 12/05/2010 | 91000 | ||
| On 4 or 5 occasions over several days in early december, we lost control of the van's steering while making a turn. the van would just continue to careen in whatever direction it was heading. i scheduled service with my ford dealer, but when it was taken in, they said my rear axle was cracked and they couldn't test the steering until such time as the axle could be replaced. i noticed there was an investigation into front end problems on windstars as well, and thought i should report my problem. | |||
| 10/15/2010 | 159000 | ||
| I was driving 55mph on dixie highway in groveland twp., mi. my mounting bracket that is a factory weld to the engine cradle broke away from the engine cradle and pulled my drive shaft out of the transmission. this is on a 2000 ford windstar. the weld broke due to corrosion from salt eating away the weld itself. my vehicle is undrivable, luckily no one was hurt. i had myself and my 3 children under the age of 7 in the vehicle at the time of the incident. ford motor company is telling me that there is not a recall on my vehicle and that they will not pay to tow it to the dealership or to fix it. i am appalled by this. this is clearly a design defect and not my responsibility to fix. the detroit free press had an article on this very problem on december 23, 2010. it stated there have already been over 300 claims of my nature. the article stated this organization was investigating this matter. i ask for any help you can give me in getting ford to fix my vehicle. | |||
| 12/05/2010 | 91000 | ||
| On 4 or 5 occasions over several days in early december, we lost control of the van's steering while making a turn. the van would just continue to careen in whatever direction it was heading. i scheduled service with my ford dealer, but when it was taken in, they said my rear axle was cracked and they couldn't test the steering until such time as the axle could be replaced. i noticed there was an investigation into front end problems on windstars as well, and thought i should report my problem. | |||
| 10/15/2010 | 159000 | ||
| I was driving 55mph on dixie highway in groveland twp., mi. my mounting bracket that is a factory weld to the engine cradle broke away from the engine cradle and pulled my drive shaft out of the transmission. this is on a 2000 ford windstar. the weld broke due to corrosion from salt eating away the weld itself. my vehicle is undrivable, luckily no one was hurt. i had myself and my 3 children under the age of 7 in the vehicle at the time of the incident. ford motor company is telling me that there is not a recall on my vehicle and that they will not pay to tow it to the dealership or to fix it. i am appalled by this. this is clearly a design defect and not my responsibility to fix. the detroit free press had an article on this very problem on december 23, 2010. it stated there have already been over 300 claims of my nature. the article stated this organization was investigating this matter. i ask for any help you can give me in getting ford to fix my vehicle. | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 187000 | ||
| We purchased our 2000 ford windstar van in late september, 2010. within the past month, beginning in mid november, we noticed a moaning and/or grinding sound when turning the steering wheel. i have read many similar complaints online and people mentioning that they lost control of their steering eventually and this worries me, as we just purchased this used windstar when our previous vehicle was totaled in a nearly fatal accident. i am concerned for my family's safety, which includes 2 young children. i hope ford takes notice of these many complaints and stop putting the lives of many in potential danger. i drive over a waterway bridge, each and every day and if this is a safety hazard, i would like to have it addressed. i would like my vehicle recalled for the sake of my family's safety. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Check engine light has been on for several thousand miles, from about 40,000 to current 130,000. the code that comes up can be 1 of about 10 things. nothing corrects this. i have the 3.8l engine and the check engine light has been on. had a mechanic pull the codes up and they are bank 1 running lean and bank 2 running lean (p0171) and (p0174). was told could be mass airflow sensor, o2 sensor (1 of 4), vacuum issues, head gasket or a few others. i have replaced the maf sensor and all 4 o2 sensors at about $200.00 a piece. still on. 2nd issue. noise from front end when turning. 3rd issue. currently sitting at ford dealer with fractured rear axle for last month. also abs light goes on and off all the time. | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 187000 | ||
| We purchased our 2000 ford windstar van in late september, 2010. within the past month, beginning in mid november, we noticed a moaning and/or grinding sound when turning the steering wheel. i have read many similar complaints online and people mentioning that they lost control of their steering eventually and this worries me, as we just purchased this used windstar when our previous vehicle was totaled in a nearly fatal accident. i am concerned for my family's safety, which includes 2 young children. i hope ford takes notice of these many complaints and stop putting the lives of many in potential danger. i drive over a waterway bridge, each and every day and if this is a safety hazard, i would like to have it addressed. i would like my vehicle recalled for the sake of my family's safety. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Check engine light has been on for several thousand miles, from about 40,000 to current 130,000. the code that comes up can be 1 of about 10 things. nothing corrects this. i have the 3.8l engine and the check engine light has been on. had a mechanic pull the codes up and they are bank 1 running lean and bank 2 running lean (p0171) and (p0174). was told could be mass airflow sensor, o2 sensor (1 of 4), vacuum issues, head gasket or a few others. i have replaced the maf sensor and all 4 o2 sensors at about $200.00 a piece. still on. 2nd issue. noise from front end when turning. 3rd issue. currently sitting at ford dealer with fractured rear axle for last month. also abs light goes on and off all the time. | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 187000 | ||
| We purchased our 2000 ford windstar van in late september, 2010. within the past month, beginning in mid november, we noticed a moaning and/or grinding sound when turning the steering wheel. i have read many similar complaints online and people mentioning that they lost control of their steering eventually and this worries me, as we just purchased this used windstar when our previous vehicle was totaled in a nearly fatal accident. i am concerned for my family's safety, which includes 2 young children. i hope ford takes notice of these many complaints and stop putting the lives of many in potential danger. i drive over a waterway bridge, each and every day and if this is a safety hazard, i would like to have it addressed. i would like my vehicle recalled for the sake of my family's safety. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Check engine light has been on for several thousand miles, from about 40,000 to current 130,000. the code that comes up can be 1 of about 10 things. nothing corrects this. i have the 3.8l engine and the check engine light has been on. had a mechanic pull the codes up and they are bank 1 running lean and bank 2 running lean (p0171) and (p0174). was told could be mass airflow sensor, o2 sensor (1 of 4), vacuum issues, head gasket or a few others. i have replaced the maf sensor and all 4 o2 sensors at about $200.00 a piece. still on. 2nd issue. noise from front end when turning. 3rd issue. currently sitting at ford dealer with fractured rear axle for last month. also abs light goes on and off all the time. | |||
| 11/19/2010 | 90000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 185000 | ||
| The subframe, located at the front underside of the 2000 windstar, is supposed to help keep the engine and other integral parts of the windstar in place and stable. it has been compromised on this vehicle with 185,000 miles, and broke during a turn into a park after church on the aforementioned date (10-10-10). fornunately the results were not deadly but could have been if we were driving on the interstate which we frequently do. what happened was a detachment of the drive axle (half shaft) from the transmission, which occurred when the lower control arm mount separated and caused the wheel to pull free from the drive axle. furthermore there were no warnings prior to any of the aforementioned failures. the area of the subframe affected by this corrosion is located on the passenger side where it attaches to the lower control arm. this is the first time it has occurred. this vehicle was towed to tps transmission in toledo oh and is being repaired. the sub frame is being replaced and i will ask that the old part be returned. in the meantime what is going to be done with this obvious growing problem? | |||
| 05/13/2009 | 110653 | 1 | |
| The steering on the van starting feeling loose. we occasionally noticed a sound in rear right when pulling out of our driveway. took it to the shop to check tires and shocks. they found the rear axle had snapped and was broken 75% of the way through. they replaced the rear axle. *tr | |||
| 09/10/2009 | 105000 | 1 | |
| Purchased a vehicle off of the white allen lot with additional coverage with wynn's plus extended warranty on may 31, 2009. in august 2009, the van is very loose and unsteady while driving. took to grismer on september 5, 2009 to find that the front tie rods needed to be replaced. still unsteady especially in the rear. on september 10, 2009 the rear axle beam broke in two! the warranty company will not cover, and i come to find out through researching that across the u.s. thousands of persons have had this axle break on them nearly missing death on highways and byways. ford is aware of the defective axle beam yet has made no attempt to my knowledge to recall. lives are hanging in the balance and it seems they are more concerned about losing money. i can understand the concern especially with the economy the way it is. however, the consumer should not have to pay with their lives and the lives of their children because ford decided that money was more important than human life. not to mention had they been more concerned about quality vs. quantity, perhaps this would not be a complaint that thousands of people have to make. the money spent repairing the defect that is not covered ($1,000) still doesn't give you peace of mind that you and your family are safe because they have made no effort to replace the part with one that is not defective. you just replace it with another defective part! when did human life become so insignificant that a car company who knows that there is a safety issue, can ignore it putting lives at risk and make money off of the rolling dead! if you are like me, you need to get to work, pick up, drop off kids, go out of town. as long as there is no recall effort for this part, americans take the risk of never coming home to their families or their families not making it home from a little league football games, soccer, ballet etc. it is tragic and someone needs to do something before lives are lost. no action has been take. *tr | |||
| 05/28/2008 | 97356 | 1 | |
| 2000 ford windstar lx van with approx 97,000 miles. my wife was driving at a slow speed in a parking lot and all of a sudden there was a loud bang and she could not steer the vehicle. fortunately, she was able to stop the van. one wheel in the front was straight and the other front wheel was turned at a 45 degree angle. we had the car towed to the ford dealer. the problem was the sub frame rusted out, causing the transaxle to pull away from the transmission and dropping the engine. the repairs included replacing the sub frame assembly,transaxle, seals etc. the dealer told me that this was highly unusual for this to happen.... i contacted ford and they told me they would do nothing to cover any portion of the cost. i believe this is a safety related issue because if my wife was driving on the open road and this happened, she would not be able to steer the vehicle and the end result would be a collision. i have saved all the parts for future investigation. *tr | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Researching problems with my van i ran a search to see if there are any recalls or technical service bulletins for my current problem: a leaking rack and pinion. while searching i ran across a site (http://www.fordwindstarrecall.info/) regarding the brake pressure differential deactivation switch (2b264). i experienced the symptoms (without the fire) of the switch leaking and now have problems with the abs light staying on and the dealer i took the van to told me the abs module needs replacement. the electrical connector to the brake switch showed signs of heat like it shorted out. i asked the service rep at the time if there were any tsb's or recalls and i was told no. i replaced the switch and have had no other problems but i need to replace the abs module. the switch was weeping fluid but failed unexpectedly and the brake master cylinder was nearly pumped out of fluid. thinking about it had the master cylinder ran out of fluid and the abs module rendered inactive from the dripping brake fluid the consequences could have been fire. *tr | |||
| 09/19/2008 | 152800 | 1 | |
| My wife and i were driving on i-94 in jackson, mi, on our way from ann arbor, mi, to chicago, il on friday 9/19/08 at approximately 10:30 am. going 70 mph, in the right lane (of two), the vehicle suddenly began veering off the pavement onto the grassy shoulder. the steering wheel was completely inoperable. we sheared off a road sign, which in the process, penetrated our radiator, and with me depressing the brake fully, we finally came to a stop off the highway after approximately 75 yards. we later learned that the right control arm had snapped off of the frame, thereby rendering the van unsteerable. fortunately, we walked away from this frightening incident, but thoughts of what might have been remain with us. our insurance adjuster deemed the vehicle a total loss. i hope that you will investigate this situation, as i have discovered in a simple google search that we are not alone in having experienced the terror of a defective control arm on a 2000 ford windstar. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2002 | 52147 | ||
| At this time we are leasing a 2000 windstar lx and we can't wait to turn it in to the dealership - and we plan to never purchase another ford product again. we have purchased a used honda accord and expect that we will be quite happy with it... there was a recall on the exhaust/emissions was fixed and the light came on again and will not go out - eastgate ford, dayton, oh does not know why the light will not go out. the paint on the luggage rack is peeling off. the door actuator on the passenger sliding door - does not work - it takes 2 people to open the door, one inside and one outside. the power steering pump is faulty. ford has a service bullentin out - but there is no recall because ford does not believe there is a safety issue here - i do not agree. proper steering is pretty important and if a smaller size female or male was turning left and the pump failed, it could be quite hazzardous. our biggest complaint is the way ford motor company and eastgate ford have treated us. there is no accountability on either part. ford or eastgate won't stand behind their product. | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 42000 | ||
| Transmission failure. remanufactured transmission installed. as well as new tie rods. | |||
| 1 | |||
| The steering failed and caused loss of control. *nlm | |||
| 11/27/2002 | |||
| Steering wheel there is a moaning noise. dealership cannot find cause of the noise ,and doesn't think it is a safety issue. but informed consumer that he should have it checked frequently. please provide more details.*ak | |||
| 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 | |||
| 07/06/2000 | 5 | 09/01/1999 | |
| 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 | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 150000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the engine would not shut off after several attempts. in order to shut off the engine, the contact disconnected the distributor cable. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the failure may have been attributed to a defect within the steering column. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer would not offer any assistance. the current and failure mileages were 150,000. | |||
| Consumer states while traveling without any indication vehicle lost all power steering. dealer was contacted and replace steering rack pump and pulley. please provide further information. ts | |||
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 03/25/2011 | 159000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that he received notification of nhtsa campaign id numbers: 10v385000 (suspension: rear:axle: non-powered axle assembly), 00v351000 (electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash) and 01v261000 (visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs. the vehicle was left with the dealer for over a month and once the vehicle was released to the contact, the power steering would abnormally pull the vehicle to the right. in addition, the windshield washer would only spray to one side instead of both. the anti-lock brake warning light was also illuminating on a consistent basis. the dealer was contacted and they advised him to junk the vehicle. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 159,000. | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID | |||
| Consumer noticed while traveling vehicle lost all power steering. dealer was contacted and replaced steering rack pump and pulley. please provide further information. ts | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 08/04/2000 | 2 | 06/01/2000 | |
| Power steering pump is whinning and causing vehicle to lurch a low speeds. the dealer has replaced the pump, the ford plant has sent engineer to look at it, no one knows what is going on. this is prevalent on many new windstars. i am afraid that failure of pump will cause me to loose control or have engine quite and loose all power. i have contacted ford and they don't seem to care or have any real concerns.*ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 06/28/2006 | 1 | ||
| Power steering grunt or banging sound, especially when making right turns. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving power steering completely failed. mechanic diagnosed that failure of the rack and pinion caused problem.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 40000 | 0 | 06/20/2001 |
| My power steering makes a groaning noise every time i turn--this has done this 6 months after i purchased the vehicle---i have kids--this scares me that i may lose control--it sounds like it is going to snap any minute--i have read many complaints about this problem--i need help. nlm | |||
| 07/29/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| I was involved in a head-on accident on a freeway. the driver of the other vehicle had fallen asleep, and, therefore, had not slowed down her vehicle. the impact took the front driver's side wheel off my vehicle and we rolled part way over until the ditch stopped my vehicle. my vehicle was claimed a total loss. the airbags did not deploy. i have a photo of the vehicle after the accident and the vehicle is currently located in brandywine, md at the insurance auto auction waiting for a sale date. i contacted ford to see if they could assist in finding out why the airbags failed to deploy. they told me that i would have to pay to have the airbags checked at a ford dealer, that there was nothing they could do. this answer was not acceptable to me, since it would seem they should be concerned as to why the safety equipment failed. i am hoping nhtsa can assist me in finding out the reason for the failure. thank you.*ak | |||
| 02/28/2000 | 1 | 02/17/2000 | |
| Vibration that started at 50 mph. taken to dealer who said it was caused by power steering unit, and that ford was aware of this problem, but had no remedy. *ak the problem of the power steering failure is a very serious safety hazard. *yh | |||
| 05/31/2000 | 9 | 01/01/2000 | |
| Vehicle experienced many problems with steering that dealer could not figure out, dealer finally installed the new line, but when the vehicle was started the pressure built-up and blew part of the power steering out damaging the rack and pinion steering. *slc | |||
| 09/14/2000 | 1 | 09/06/2000 | |
| Power steering failure. *slc | |||
| 05/31/2000 | 9 | 01/01/2000 | |
| Vehicle experienced many problems with steering that dealer could not figure out, dealer finally installed the new line, but when the vehicle was started the pressure built-up and blew part of the power steering out damaging the rack and pinion steering. *slc | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 10/10/2003 | 66500 | 1 | 03/10/2000 |
| When i put new tires on my 2000 ford windstar the front end started vibrating at 45 to 60 mph i have a 75000 mile warranty on the van and it had 67000 miles on it at this time. ford told me it was not covered by warranty,there was no part causing the vibration,but they have a tech service bulletin saying to replace just about all of the front end parts (none are defective) with an entire kit of parts! the kit is not covered under the warranty,even though ford has enough trouble with this situation to have a tsb and an entire kit if parts to fix it. *cb | |||
| 02/01/2002 | 1 | ||
| No summary listed fotr above vehicle. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - KNUCKLE - SPINDLE - ARM | |||
| 10/31/2000 | 1 | 04/01/2000 | |
| While in a left hand curve, driver heard a banging noise. then, vehicle went out of control. the left front wheel did not strike any objects. the pin fell out of the spindle that connects to the suspension, thus, causing loss of control, which caused a crash | |||
| 10/31/2000 | 0 | ||
| While coming around a little curb heard a banging noise. then, vehicle went into a tail spin. took to dealer, and they found that pins fell out of spindle.*ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/27/2006 | 1 | 10/22/2002 | |
| We have a 2000 ford windstar sel limited. yesterday on 1/27/06 we were turning into a driveway when the tie rod broke. the tie rod gouged into the drive and then apparently forcefully flew up and bent the rack and pinion and link. it scared my family that was in the car at the time. the car became undriveable, and we had to have it towed to a repair shop. that was where we learned the extent of the damages. the cost of repairs at this time was estimated to be over $600. it did not seem that a tie rod should just break like this. we were fortunate that no one was injured, and that we were close to home when this happened. we will be without the vehicle for almost a week while it was being repaired. the police came to the scene as we ended up blocking traffic, but they did not make an official report. *ak | |||
| 12/08/2005 | 1 | ||
| Issues with repeated replacement of tie rods ends. *jb | |||
| 10/04/2005 | 2 | 02/01/2002 | |
| Within in matter of 2 months, both front tire inner tie rods broke. luckily for the safety of me and my children, i was not driving at a high speed (highway) which would have caused a tragic fatal accident. *nm | |||
| 11/12/2003 | 73000 | 1 | 05/17/2000 |
| Per dealer repair: trace to lower vacuum leak, r&r lower intake gaskets, install undated parts cost of $600. this was on top of a $2000 transmission repair at same time, separate complaint, and also after two tie rods replaced. *la | |||
| 44873 | 1 | 07/12/2000 | |
| Problems with tie rods on both ends of the vehicle. *mr there was a squeaking noise in the steering wheel to the left and right. the service dealer suggested the problem was possibly wear of the tie rod end. the vehicle was taken to windstar and the mechanic identified the squeaking tie rod ends and replaced them. the consumer requested compensation for the repair because both tie rod ends squeaking were present within the 3 year 36,000 mile warranty. *scc *jb | |||
| 36000 | 1 | ||
| Tie rods are wore out and could break apart while driving. this was not due to normal wear and tear. the rods needed to be replaced.*ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 05/30/2006 | 1 | ||
| Van makes a grunting / crunching sound usually on right turns. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving power steering completely failed. mechanic diagnosed that failure of the rack and pinion caused problem.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2001 | 1 | ||
| The rack and pinion system lost a nut, causing the vehicle to sway and wander. consumer states it was almost impossible to stay in the lane. *yh | |||
| 03/28/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2099 | |
| This vehicle is junk!!!!!!!! ford motor co. is of no help. no safety defec tlisted. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | |||
| Driver has noticed excessive effort is required to turn and slow speeds. *ak | |||
| 12/15/2000 | 3 | ||
| While driving rack and pinion steering broke 3 times. this caused a loud noise, and made steering difficult which may result in a crash. dealer replaced rack and pinion steering 3 times. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 05/21/2007 | 95000 | 1 | 01/31/2005 |
| Whining noise from power steering. replaced pump on 5-18, still noisy. found out on 5-21-07 that rack and pinion was bad, allowing fluid to leak into bellows boots one of which burst, spraying fluid all over dealership. van could not be driven since boot will fill up with fluid again, spraying it on brake rotor. dealer wanted $900 to replace rack and pinion. checked on various websites. this seemed to be a common complaint with ford. *ak | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 06/02/2011 | 158013 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated after having the vehicle repaired for recall nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and recall nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:under body shields), she was unable to drive the vehicle since the brackets and bolts hang so low which caused it to get stuck when driving over a pot hole or on train tracks. the contact stated that the repairs only serve as a band aid and failed to remedy the problem. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive since the sub frame was extremely compromised and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 158,013. rvk | |||
| 09/04/2011 | 117226 | ||
| After employing the standard issued ford windstar scissors jack and raising the lr subframe at the designated jack point to change a flat tire, the subframe started to snap and buckle. the van then started to lower in height without operating the jack. the van lowered in height approximately 1-2 in. after removing the jack, the assigned jack point was bent. had i been traveling, i would not have been able to effectively and safely employ(and still can not safely employ) the issued jack and repair the flat without possible harm or injury. | |||
| 06/02/2011 | 158013 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that after having repairs for recall nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (component: suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and recall nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (component: structure: frame and members:under body shields), she was unable to drive the vehicle since the brackets and bolts hang to low which causes it to get stuck when driving over a pot hole or train tracks. the contact stated that the repairs only serve as a band aid and failed to remedy the problem. the vehicle was taken to a local shop who stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive since the sub frame was extremely compromise and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offered any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 158,013. pm | |||
| 09/04/2011 | 117226 | ||
| After employing the standard issued ford windstar scissors jack and raising the lr subframe at the designated jack point to change a flat tire, the subframe started to snap and buckle. the van then started to lower in height without operating the jack. the van lowered in height approximately 1-2 in. after removing the jack, the assigned jack point was bent. had i been traveling, i would not have been able to effectively and safely employ(and still can not safely employ) the issued jack and repair the flat without possible harm or injury. | |||
| 07/24/2011 | 120000 | ||
| The rear axle twisted so bad that it destroyed my right rear brakes. the new drum will not go on it is so badly twisted. | |||
| 03/01/2011 | 122000 | ||
| My ford windstar has a rear axle that is rusted from the inside out, due to a design flaw. i was also told by the ford service advisor that the sub-frame was coming apart. fortunately, i had it in for service and it was discovered before an accident took place. many other windstars have had the rear axle snap in two while at highway speed. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Check engine light has been on for several thousand miles, from about 40,000 to current 130,000. the code that comes up can be 1 of about 10 things. nothing corrects this. i have the 3.8l engine and the check engine light has been on. had a mechanic pull the codes up and they are bank 1 running lean and bank 2 running lean (p0171) and (p0174). was told could be mass airflow sensor, o2 sensor (1 of 4), vacuum issues, head gasket or a few others. i have replaced the maf sensor and all 4 o2 sensors at about $200.00 a piece. still on. 2nd issue. noise from front end when turning. 3rd issue. currently sitting at ford dealer with fractured rear axle for last month. also abs light goes on and off all the time. | |||
| 01/17/2000 | 20 | 09/01/1999 | |
| The problem is that the turn signal lever will not lock into the on position if the steering wheel is turned more than 20 or 30 degrees. this situation occurs virtually all the time under the circumstances described. *ak | |||