Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 15842 | 04/01/2002 | 637589 | Some vehicles built march 1, 2001 through january 2002 may exhibit a whistle / whine noise from the steering system during warm up. *tt | 12/03/2002 | |
| 15515 | 01/01/2002 | 630035 | Some vehicles may exhibit a whistle/whine noise from the steering system during warm up. *tt | 04/11/2002 | |
| 14582 | 01/01/2001 | 617967 | Some vehicles may exhibit an uneven or notchy steering feel when turning to the right or left. *tt | 04/02/2001 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 03/11/2013 | |||
| Stopped to get my oil changed, they showed me where the entire right front subframe has rusted away making my windstar unsafe to drive. i looked online and found this is an ongoing problem with this model with 1000's of these having the same problem with the passenger side right front. this can cause you to loose steering control or in an extreme the engine to fall out going down the highway, ford recalled the same problem on the rear axel,,why not fix the front also. i live in arkansas but bought the windstar from a person in missouri where i see ford list as a state with a rust problem but doig nothing to fix it. | |||
| 04/11/2011 | 178000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2001 ford windstar that was serviced for the safety recall 11s16,(11v030000 nhtsa campaign number) 04/11/2011. my vehicle was grounded do to significant subframe rot but it was deemed repairable by ford. on february 2, 2013 i noticed a 2 inch long crack/perforation on the top part of the sub-frame where the repair bracket was attached when i was rotating the tires. i took it back to the ford dealership and they said they were unable to help because it was repaired once and they wont pay to have it repaired again. im not sure if they missed this the first time it was fixed or what. i do know that according to ford's specs for determining if a subframe is repairable or not this crack would deem in non-repairable because its within the 2 inch mark from the tooling hole. now im just waiting for the subframe to completely crack while im driving down the road. the repair bracket that was supposed to solve the problem to begin with will not hold the subframe together if it completely cracks at the spot at which its located in. i also believe that due to downward force on the subframe body mount and the fact where the u shaped bracket is sitting on the subframe that holds the bracket on the subframe, it is acting like a fulcrum point where the subframe is bending and cracking. *tr | |||
| 04/11/2011 | 178000 | ||
| I have a 2001 ford windstar that was serviced for the safety recall 11s16,(11v030000 nhtsa campaign number) 04/11/2011. my vehicle was grounded do to significant subframe rot but it was deemed repairable by ford. on febuary 2, 2013 i noticed a 2 inch long crack/perforation on the top part of the sub-frame where the repair bracket was attached when i was rotating the tires. i took it back to the ford dealership and they said they were unable to help because it was repaired once and they wont pay to have it repaired again. im not sure if they missed this the first time it was fixed or what. i do know that according to ford's specs for determining if a subframe is repairable or not this crack would deem in non-repairable because its within the 2 inch mark from the tooling hole. now im just waiting for the subframe to completely crack while im driving down the road. the repair bracket that was supposed to solve the problem to begin with will not hold the subframe together if it completely cracks at the spot at which its located in. i aslo beleive that due to downward force on the subframe body mount and the fact where the u shaped bracket is sitting on the subframe that holds the bracket on the subframe, it is acting like a fulcrum point where the subframe is bending and cracking. | |||
| 11/27/2012 | 1053821 | 1 | |
| I took my van in for the 11s16 recall and now problems are taking place afterwards. i got my van back and now the check engine light is on and coolant is leaking everywhere. *tr | |||
| 11/27/2012 | 1053821 | ||
| I took my van in for the 11s16 recall and now problems are taking place afterwards. i got my van back and now the check engine light is on and coolant is leaking everywhere. | |||
| 10/29/2012 | 148000 | 1 | |
| Just 18-months after the ford windstar safety recall repairs were completed, the front sub-frame of my 2001 ford windstar cracked resulting in loss of stability. the vehicle was taken to the ford dealership in midland michigan. it was deemed unsafe to drive by the ford dealership service manager and repair technician. *tr | |||
| 10/29/2012 | 148000 | ||
| Just 18-months after the ford windstar safety recall repairs were completed, the front sub-frame of my 2001 ford windstar cracked resulting in loss of stability. the vehicle was taken to the ford dealership in midland michigan. it was deemed unsafe to drive by the ford dealership service manager and repair technician. | |||
| 08/16/2012 | 86604 | 1 | |
| Making a left turn, heard a loud bang. the sway bar link came loose attached to a chunk of rusted metal from the subframe. the sway bar and link are fine. it is a part of the subframe where it attaches to that came off. there is no way to reattach the sway bar as the whole section where it attaches to subframe is rusted. called ford dealer in ithaca, this is not covered by their recalls. *tr | |||
| 08/16/2012 | 86604 | ||
| Making a left turn, heard a loud bang. the sway bar link came loose attached to a chunk of rusted metal from the subframe. the sway bar and link are fine. it is a part of the subframe where it attaches to that came off. there is no way to reattach the sway bar as the whole section where it attaches to subframe is rusted. called ford dealer in ithaca, this is not covered by their recalls. | |||
| 07/08/2012 | 1 | ||
| On sunday july 8th, 2012 i was driving my 2001 ford windstar i stopped at a light and as the light changed i began driving and then heard a loud noise, my wheels began to squeel and pull all over and my van came to a complete stop in the road and would not move.. the front passenger side wheel was turned outward but my wheel was straight. thank god i was not on an expressway or highway with all my kids in the vehicle.. i called a tow truck the driver inspected it and said something underneath the front frame had snapped off.. so today i had it towed into a ford dealer to find out it is a new recall how can these windstar vans have so many frame and axle issues and be safe to drive exspecially with all these brackets they are having to put on them for the recalls.. if i was on an expressway me and my son would of been hurt badly if not killed.. not to mention if i would of hit someone else i could of injured others too..i will never trust another windstar with my family this is crazy.. it is the subframe front lower control arm rear attaching flages completely broke/snapped off while i was driving down a basic 40 mph road..when it broke it messed up the underneath of my vehicle it ripped the drive shaft right out of the transmission.. and who knows what else is damaged now.. people need to know about this now before someone is seriously hurt.. *tr | |||
| 07/08/2012 | |||
| On sunday july 8th, 2012 i was driving my 2001 ford windstar i stopped at a light and as the light changed i began driving and then heard a loud noise, my wheels began to squeel and pull all over and my van came to a complete stop in the road and would not move.. the front passenger side wheel was turned outward but my wheel was straight. thank god i was not on an expressway or highway with all my kids in the vehicle.. i called a tow truck the driver inspected it and said something underneath the front frame had snapped off.. so today i had it towed into a ford dealer to find out it is a new recall how can these windstar vans have so many frame and axle issues and be safe to drive exspecially with all these brackets they are having to put on them for the recalls.. if i was on an expressway me and my son would of been hurt badly if not killed.. not to mention if i would of hit someone else i could of injured others too..i will never trust another windstar with my family this is crazy.. it is the subframe front lower control arm rear attaching flages completely broke/snapped off while i was driving down a basic 40 mph road..when it broke it messed up the underneath of my vehicle it ripped the drive shaft right out of the transmission.. and who knows what else is damaged now.. people need to know about this now before someone is seriously hurt.. | |||
| 06/01/2012 | 99500 | ||
| Front sub-frame badly rusted and sway bar welded mounts on the sub-frame have rusted and broken in half causing poor steering control and excessive body roll. as a note, this vehicle was rustproofed when new and inspected over the life of the vehicle each year. also, ford has inspected the front sub-frame in january of 2011 on a recall and it appears did not find a problem with the sub-frame in this area. given the severity of the rust it would appear the problem existed at the time of inspection. | |||
| 03/15/2012 | 123875 | ||
| Complete separation of the front lower control arm attaching bracket from the front sub frame on the passenger side of the vehicle. this is the same problem that is discribed in the nhtsa recall no. 11v030. and ford recall no. 11s16. the dealer that inspected the vehicle said it was not covered by the recall because the vehicle was not purchased or registered in a (salt-belt) state | |||
| 12/12/2011 | 108000 | ||
| I was driving at 35mph when i heard a loud boom and my windstar careened wildly back and forth and felt like i had slammed on the brakes. the windstar could not even be driven to the shoulder. the tow truck driver said the subframe was broken and possibly the tie rods had broken as well. the front wheels were pointed outward in opposite directions. | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 126000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. after the vehicle was repaired, the contact heard a grinding and a cracking sound in the front end of the vehicle while driving approximately 65 mph. the vehicle would also shake vigorously and the steering wheel began to turn on its own forcefully. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000. | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 145000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle would exhibit a loud, abnormal noise when attempting a sharp turn at low speeds. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 145,000. | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 126000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. after the vehicle was repaired, the contact heard a grinding and a cracking sound in the front end of the vehicle while driving approximately 65 mph. the vehicle would also shake vigorously and the steering wheel began to turn on its own forcefully. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000. | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 145000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle would exhibit a loud, abnormal noise when attempting a sharp turn at low speeds. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 145,000. | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 126000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. after the vehicle was repaired, the contact heard a grinding and a cracking sound in the front end of the vehicle while driving approximately 65 mph. the vehicle would also shake vigorously and the steering wheel began to turn on its own forcefully. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000. rvk | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 145000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle would exhibit a loud, abnormal noise when attempting a sharp turn at low speeds. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 145,000. kmj | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 126000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. after the repair the contact noticed a grinding and a cracking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle while driving at approximately 65 mph. also, the vehicle would shake vigorously and the steering would turn on it own forcefully. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostics. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000. ds | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 145000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that when driving at low speeds and trying to turn corners he noticed a loud noise. the vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer nor has it been repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 145,000. tb | |||
| 03/21/2011 | 132918 | ||
| I was driving my van down the road at about thirty five. heard a loud thunk and realized i was not accelerating anymore. the van stopped almost immediately after. called a tow truck because i thought it was the transmission. after evaluating the damage we realized that the frame had broken where the wheel stabilizer arm mounts to the frame on the passenger side. also my passenger drive shaft pulled out from the transmission. so in this repair it is going to take a sub frame. and the half shafts from transmission to wheel. | |||
| 01/25/2011 | 133000 | ||
| Vehicle is no longer drivable & is sitting at a ford dealership service lot. incident occurred on tuesday, january 25, 2011 at approximately 4:30pm. vehicle front subframe cracked and passenger side tire separated from car while driving resulting in loss of control of vehicle. car would not steer or move, could not be pushed out of traffic. | |||
| 10/11/2010 | 280000 | ||
| 2001 ford windstar 280,000 miles ne oh 10-11-10. right side lower control arm separated from frame. 65 mph from left lane crossed 3 lanes rush hour traffic. no warning signs somehow no collision. axle pulled from transmission. replaced: tire, axle, boots. frame shop reinforced and straight frame, aligned front end. repair damaged transmission cooling lines and required replacement | |||
| 12/07/2010 | 75000 | ||
| I have a ford windstar 2001 mini van and i live in new york state. on december 7th, 2010, as i was pulling left into a parking space i heard a loud cracking sound. (at first i thought i had rolled over a very large piece of ice) i again proceded to pull in, but my car would not move. (engine was still on) i got out and found 3 of my tires facing left and 1 facing right. i called aaa and was preparing to have it towed to a mechanic. when the driver/mechanic from aaa, informed me that the lower control arm (drive arm) had tore away from the main frame (front axel) at the front of the car, and had tore away all of the driving mechanigisms and would need a welder first , not a mechanic . so i had him take it to a local welder. he was able to find some clean metal to weld it back on and then recommeded i take it to a mechanic to finish up with everything else that was needed. the mechanic told me that it would need a cv joint and the linkage for the transmission in order to have it working again. i have never had any issues with the engine, or transmission prior to this day. and the car has very little rust on it's body. so i would have never thought to look underneath for any. and because it was always maintained well, a mechanic was hardly ever under her to see if there was any possible damage either. she has less than 75,000 miles on her so i never expected this to occur. i have filed a report with ford after the incident but all they could say was thank you and they'll make a not of it. and that the rear axel was on recall....but if that was the case, why not the front axel too??? | |||
| 09/04/2010 | 95000 | ||
| The front end of my 2001 ford windstar makes a lot of noise like it is going to fall apart. i'm afraid because my rear axle broke in 2 pieces going 65 mph on the interstate. i'm sure something is going on with my front subframe. how do we get this investigated? | |||
| 12/07/2010 | 75000 | ||
| I have a ford windstar 2001 mini van and i live in new york state. on december 7th, 2010, as i was pulling left into a parking space i heard a loud cracking sound. (at first i thought i had rolled over a very large piece of ice) i again proceded to pull in, but my car would not move. (engine was still on) i got out and found 3 of my tires facing left and 1 facing right. i called aaa and was preparing to have it towed to a mechanic. when the driver/mechanic from aaa, informed me that the lower control arm (drive arm) had tore away from the main frame (front axel) at the front of the car, and had tore away all of the driving mechanigisms and would need a welder first , not a mechanic . so i had him take it to a local welder. he was able to find some clean metal to weld it back on and then recommeded i take it to a mechanic to finish up with everything else that was needed. the mechanic told me that it would need a cv joint and the linkage for the transmission in order to have it working again. i have never had any issues with the engine, or transmission prior to this day. and the car has very little rust on it's body. so i would have never thought to look underneath for any. and because it was always maintained well, a mechanic was hardly ever under her to see if there was any possible damage either. she has less than 75,000 miles on her so i never expected this to occur. i have filed a report with ford after the incident but all they could say was thank you and they'll make a not of it. and that the rear axel was on recall....but if that was the case, why not the front axel too??? | |||
| 09/04/2010 | 95000 | ||
| The front end of my 2001 ford windstar makes a lot of noise like it is going to fall apart. i'm afraid because my rear axle broke in 2 pieces going 65 mph on the interstate. i'm sure something is going on with my front subframe. how do we get this investigated? | |||
| 12/22/2010 | 160000 | ||
| After making a right hand turn heard a thump noise. when trying to complete the turn and straighten out the wheel,the car jumped to the left and ended up in the middle of a two laned road. after having vehicle towed to shop was informed that front subframe had rusted out, causing axle to disengage from front right tire rendering vehicle inoperable. could not push vehiclle to side of road. had to wait for police vehicle to push to side of road. | |||
| 12/11/2010 | 92431 | ||
| While backing out from a parking space, the passenger side lower control arm mount separated from the subframe due to extensive corrosion. the front passenger wheel was turned outwardly and the right half shaft was disengaged from the differential. while researching this issue on the internet, i realized the subframe should last longer than the life of the vehicle. fortunately for some it has been detected while in a repair shop for some other reason such as brakes, alignment or other front end work. unfortunately for others it has been discovered by malfunctioning to the point of breaking and causing other structural/mechanical damage, as well as personal injury. i would like to believe that ford stands behind its product and is willing to issue a recall for repair. | |||
| 12/18/2009 | 140000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving approximately 35 mph, the steering wheel was not aligned in the correct position. the contact was able to drive the vehicle to a local mechanic who stated that the lower sub frame needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 140,000. | |||
| 11/08/2009 | 58000 | 1 | |
| Failure of bracket holding upper control arm to frame on 2001 ford windstar with 58,000 miles on the odometer. failure caused wheels to go their own way causing total lack of control of vehicle. *tr | |||
| 10/05/2009 | 61000 | 1 | |
| The mounting ears on the right front subframe (h-frame that all the suspension, steering , and drivetrain) that connects the lower control arm to the frame rotted off the frame allowing the passenger side tire assy. to swing out from under the vehicle causing a loss of control. fortunately it happened when turning left at a intersection and not on the freeway. the whole front h frame has to be replaced. the vehicle is an 01 ford windstar with approx. 61,000 miles, always taken good care of and garage kept. original owner never any accidents. *tr | |||
| 03/18/2009 | 108000 | 1 | |
| I started hearing a knocking -- popping noise whenever i turned the wheel. i took it to the mechanic and he said it could be the buckles in the steering rack. when i brought the van to be fixed, the mechanic stated that my problems are worse than that. the rear axle carrier is cracked and needs to be replaced and the front subframe to body is almost completely rusted through and needs to be replaced. he stated that he has seen this problem alot in 2001 ford wnidstars with mileage over 100,000 miles. my van has 108,000 miles. i have had many problems with this van including replacing struts, steering rack, abs lights constantly on the dash. check engine light on. all these issues have been addressed and still no resolution. i am very frustrated. this latest mechanical issue going to cost me way above $2000. i have always driven ford cars/vans. i am not sure if given the opportunity, if i would buy another ford vehicle. i am very disappointed with ford. *tr | |||
| 10/17/2008 | 64000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving 10 mph and proceeding to a stop sign, the contact experienced a loss of steering control and the front wheels locked. the vehicle was inoperable and there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. the technician stated that the failure was related to the lower control arm brackets at the subframe. the vehicle is currently being repaired. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the failure and current mileages were 64,000. | |||
| 11/20/2004 | 48200 | 3 | 11/18/2004 |
| I purchased this 2001 ford windstar sel 11/18/04 from pohanka chevrolet. on my way to kansas on 11/20/04 the cd/cassette player went out. than i started hearing a noise in the steering. when i returned they eventually replaced the stereo and after numerous times in, they replaced the power steering pump. after that i started hearing a grating sound when coming out of a parking space. pulling out in reverse, or going forward, after turning the wheel to go straight it would make this sound. they could not figure it out so i took it to a ford dealer who said this was normal for a windstar. it doesn't feel normal and i hope they will replace anything it may be damaging. also, after the power steering was fixed i started feeling and hearing this whirling sound from the engine. a few times the car almost cut off at a stop light, but i put it in neutral and it continued running. again, they said this is normal for a windstar. i now see why there are no new windstars. i just wanted it noted that this has been addressed a number of times with pohanka and ted britt ford, to not avail. pohanka even offered me a chevrolet malibu, plus more money out of my pocket, as a replacement. i wanted a van, not a car. | |||
| 01/12/2005 | 69000 | 05/09/2002 | |
| I have a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle currently has 100,205 miles on it. i have had to replace the front strut bearings and struts at 75,000 miles and again at 100,000. i have also had to replace the inner and outer tie rods at 69,000 miles. and the left outer tie rod again at 100,000. i have had over $2,500 in repairs in the time frame of one year, not including 4-wheel brake job. i brought the vehicle in for service at 82,000 miles and told the ford dealership that i was again hearing the bad strut noise. at this time the 1 yr, 12,000 mile warranty would have picked up the cost of the repair. i was told that there was not anything wrong with the struts. i would be interested to know if anyone else has had ongoing strut and tie rod problems. *nm | |||
| 04/12/2004 | 60000 | 3 | 08/26/2002 |
| I ran out of gas and the steering wheel locked up on me. i was stuck in the middle of the road. i didn't know what to do. the first time it happened, my husband was in iraq. since the steering wheel was locked, it wasn't like i could just put it in neutral and get my van out of the way. it was stuck in the middle of the road. it happened again. luckily, my husband was back and it was by church, so i was able to get help right away. i have never owned a vehicle where the steering wheel locks up. i am going to look in to an attorney about it because what if i was on the highway and my van broke down for whatever reason, the steering wheel would lock and i would get in a wreak. what if my kids where with me. that's just not right. i have bought ford vehicles all my life and i am telling you what, i don't know if i will ever buy another one after this. that is soooo unsafe. i have tried to call ford twice and they have given me the run around. so i don't know! i will have to talk to legal council i guess. who knows! i just love all the things us military have to deal with and now this! *la | |||
| 04/05/2004 | 3 | 05/24/2001 | |
| While driving at low speed and turning, the vehicle stalled with out any warning. also has problem with the steering wheel and the turn signal working intermittently. *nm the dealer replaced the upper intake manifold gasket and the idle air control valve, however the vehicle stalled again and the dealer replaced idle air control valve again. the power steering fluid was low. *jb | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 39000 | 1 | 09/01/2002 |
| 2001 ford windstar lx 40,000 miles we had to replace the worn out (stated by ford mechanic) rack and pinion steering, pump and reservoir for a cost of us$ 1,100.00. i did research online with other 2001 windstar owners and found several cases of this exact same repair. the entire steering assembly cannot have an effective life of 40k miles, this should be a recall service for ford to make good on. *nlm | |||
| 02/22/2002 | 3 | 10/01/2001 | |
| Brakes failed on three different occasions (repair dates: 3/22/02, 4/1/02 and 4/15/02). first, my wife noted the brake pedal was going all the way to the floor before there was any response. the dealership advised that this was normal. we insisted that it wasn't, until there lead technician found and replaced a faulty hcu. the second failure came while i was driving my wife and 6 month old baby from mo to va. while on the west virginia turn pike, the anti-lock brakes failed again and eventually the brakeing system failed all togoether by the time we reached our destination of suffolk virginia. barton ford, in suffolk va, replaced the hcu and the ecu and repaired a brake fluid leak. the third incident occurred while driving back to mo. once again the brakes did not respond normally. once back in o'fallon, mo. the dealership found a air bubble in the brake line and they reprogrammed the abs module. each brake failure also affected the traction control system and the speedometer. we have also had to have one window replaced, the drivers side sliding door adjusted, a seal inserted in the rear of the vehicle due to a recall item, and bolts tightened at the engine cradle mounts. recently, the fuel cap indicator light illuminated for a period of 5 days for unknown reasons and we are currently unable to fill the gas tank to its normal capacity. this vehicle is unsafe and hardly worth the $27,220 that we are paying for it. | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||
| 07/17/2002 | 5 | 03/01/2002 | |
| While driving theft light on dash comes on rear wiper comes on by it self and engine turns off leaving vehicle moving with no power, no steering, no brakes. after stopping vehicles ignition is locked out with no power/no crank.*ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | |||
| 05/31/2003 | 31000 | 1 | 05/23/2001 |
| Power steering system failure. traction control failure. anti-lock brake (abs) system failure. tire pressure monitor system failure. *tt | |||
| 1 | |||
| The power steering hose failed.*jb | |||
| 03/27/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2001 | |
| Fluid from power steering system leaked onto some hot engine component, probably the exhaust system, and produced a rolling fire at the rear of the engine compartment below the firewall. vehicle was being parked in a parking space in front of a service station when fire erupted. my son who was inside the station, saw the fire and rushed out to warn us out of the vehicle. station personnel brought a fire extinguisher and my sons (the other was driving) raised the hood and extinguished the fire. the fire was burning fiercely and was difficult to reach, but was extinguished before any fuel system components became involved. smoke had come from under the engine compartment twice previously during the day, but we assumed that the transmission had been overfilled and the excess was being vented and boiling off on the transmission. i called ford with the assumption that excess transmission fluid was leaking and was told that the transmission would probably be alright. since this was my mother's funeral, we decided to continue in the vehicle to the cemetery. smoke again came from under the hood when we parked at the cemetery, but cleared quickly. we had driven about 10 miles from the cemetery when the fire occurred. | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID | |||
| 11/26/2007 | 76435 | 1 | 11/23/2004 |
| Vehicle has 76,000 miles. power steering fluid was being gradually lost and steering noise occurred as the fluid level went down. took it to dealership, and they explained power steering pump was leaking. replaced with a new one at another shop and today all fluid was lost in less than 15 minutes of driving, leaving me with unassisted steering. took it back to the shop (with difficulty) and they said the new pump was faulty and is leaking at the same place, however, stains are now on the left side of vehicle when the pump is actually on the right. previously, stains were on the right side, now they are on the left so it can't be the pump again. shop will not honor their warranty on parts/labor. i am concerned that this will cause an accident, or start a fire under the vehicle. i have seen on the internet that power steering leaks on this model are very common, so please investigate this matter and let me know what you come up with. *tr | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 01/03/2004 | 35000 | 2 | 11/14/2001 |
| We purchased our 2001 ford windstar with approximately 24,000 miles on it. one week after we purchased the van the indicator light for the air bags would not go off. we took the van to the dealer and they fixed the problem. shortly after that incident the rear heat and a/c would not operate. we took the van to the local dealer again and they repaired the problem under warranty. a few weeks after that the check engine light came on and they tried to fix it but it came back on. they charged us for that visit. the check engine light is still on we now have around 70,000 miles on the van. when the van had accumulated about 35,000 miles the transmission started shuddering. the van would shake all over during driving. recently i had to have the transmission replaced. there is a leak around the passenger door on the left side of the van. there is a clicking noise when i brake that no one seems to know what it is or how to fix it. now there is a loud humming noise coming from the automatic power steering fluid pump. it is so loud that it can be heard even when the radio is turned on. it used to be loud when i turned a corner or onto another street but now it is loud when i am sitting at a stop light. when we first purchased the van there was a foul odor coming from the venting system. i asked the service tech at the local dealership about this but he did not know why this was happening. we still have an odor even after changing the filter twice for the vent system. we are very unhappy with our purchase and would never consider buying another windstar.*ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 09/10/2001 | 2 | 08/01/2001 | |
| Noticed a squeaking sound under drivers side found two defective tie rods.*ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/01/2003 | 56250 | 1 | 03/15/2002 |
| I had my van for 1 year. recently, the inner tie rod on the drivers side had to be replaced, because it was already worn out with just 56,000 miles on it. i had this done because the vans steering had a lean to it. it would feel like the left tire was leaning when i would go through a turn. at normal speeds, i have even had the van lurch to the right about 3 feet when making a left turn on a curve. i am putting it back in the shop, because my mechanic can't find the problem. we looked today(04-01-03) and when you turn the wheel, the entire rack will move. it moves before the tires even move. a definite safety issue to say the least. definitely not what you would expect from a $27,000 dollar van with mostly highway miles on it. *jb | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 09/17/2007 | 57000 | 1 | 11/06/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving 56 mph, power steering fluid was leaking from the end seals of the rack and pinion, which caused the power steering to fail. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that, in order to repair the vehicle, a whole new rack and pinion steering system was needed to replace the seals. the repair would cost $600 without any reimbursement. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was 59,000 and failure mileage was 57,000. | |||
| 02/06/2005 | 42000 | 1 | 07/01/2001 |
| This is a 2001 vehicle. after warrnaty expired we have invested almost $2000 in repairs and things continue to break.*jb | |||
| 07/08/2004 | 1 | ||
| Numerous things have gone wrong since we bought the vehicle. items covered under warranty: electric seat stopped working twice, and transmission wouldn't shift when it was supposed to. items not covered under warranty: brakes replaced at 30,000+ miles-told was normal for them to wear out so quickly; rack and pinion replaced at around 55,000 miles; months after brakes replaced, brakes grind loudly when coming to a stop (brakes checked numerous times, but was told they were ok); abs brake light comes on and stays on after driving (not illuminated on start up, but comes on later); back dome light not secure-falls out; dome lights sometimes come on when braking; check engine light on for months, didn't have it checked, but turned off by itself; sliding door drags-rusted on vechicle frame.*ak | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 126000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. after the repair the contact noticed a grinding and a cracking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle while driving at approximately 65 mph. also, the vehicle would shake vigorously and the steering would turn on it own forcefully. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostics. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000. ds | |||
| 06/20/2011 | 88000 | ||
| Right front (passenger side) sway bar mounting bracket separated from vehicle, at front lower control arm rear attaching bracket, less than 30 days after recall ( nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000) was performed. this has rendered the vehicle unsafe to drive and it will not pass new york state vehicle safety inspection. ford dealership denies any responsibility and ford, the manufacturer, will not repair as part of recall. | |||
| 01/25/2011 | 133000 | ||
| Vehicle is no longer drivable & is sitting at a ford dealership service lot. incident occurred on tuesday, january 25, 2011 at approximately 4:30pm. vehicle front subframe cracked and passenger side tire separated from car while driving resulting in loss of control of vehicle. car would not steer or move, could not be pushed out of traffic. | |||
| 09/01/2010 | |||
| Our van has been in the garage since sept. 2010 waiting on the replacement part for the axle recall, and now the front sub frames might also need to be replaced. i think both parts should be replaced while the dealers have everybody's vehicle. .i don't really want to get our van out of the garage just to turn around and put it back in. but i will if i have to because i think that ford should replace the ones that need it, before there is more accident and injuries. ///it would also be cheaper to them to fix the problem than to buy everyone's vehicle from them. we've had enough recalls on these. let's just get them fixed right and get it over with. | |||
| 11/16/2010 | 128932 | ||
| The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. this bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. all that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. the arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. at a higher speed, i speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. i have talked to a ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. i understand that your department is looking into it. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 97800 | ||
| I was told by my mechanic in october 2010 that i have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle. | |||
| 11/16/2010 | 128932 | ||
| The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. this bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. all that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. the arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. at a higher speed, i speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. i have talked to a ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. i understand that your department is looking into it. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 97800 | ||
| I was told by my mechanic in october 2010 that i have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle. | |||
| 11/16/2010 | 128932 | ||
| The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. this bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. all that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. the arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. at a higher speed, i speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. i have talked to a ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. i understand that your department is looking into it. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 97800 | ||
| I was told by my mechanic in october 2010 that i have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle. | |||
| 11/16/2010 | 128932 | ||
| The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. this bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. all that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. the arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. at a higher speed, i speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. i have talked to a ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. i understand that your department is looking into it. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 97800 | ||
| I was told by my mechanic in october 2010 that i have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle. | |||
| 11/16/2010 | 128932 | ||
| The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. this bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. all that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. the arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. at a higher speed, i speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. i have talked to a ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. i understand that your department is looking into it. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 97800 | ||
| I was told by my mechanic in october 2010 that i have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle. | |||
| 11/30/2010 | 93000 | ||
| I am not a mechanic but will attempt to relay my best interpretation of what i believe happened. while my wife was driving a total loss of steering occurred. very luckily she was not on a major highway travelling at high speed or in the process of navigating a turn. after inspection by our mechanic it was determined that the cradle that supports the front suspension fractured. this occurred on the front passenger side of the vehicle and the front axle connected to passenger side wheel was then disconnected from the transmission this was either caused by lower control arm disconnected or the vice/versa. the vehicle lost the ability to turn and luckily there was nobody tailgating as she was forced to park the vehicle stranded in the middle of the road. it is my opinion that an existing open defect investigation, pe10026 , is an exact match to the problem encountered. i tried to resolve with ford but at this time they do not consider the 100+ instances of this occurring as sufficient cause to warrant a recall and i guess that over the next year or two as this component of the vehicle continues to age we will see more incidents like this. i just had the vehicle serviced and my mechanic knew to check for the rear axle failure but had there been proper notification already in place they may have been able to check for this defect before the vehicle was put back on the road at risk of human life. | |||
| 12/11/2010 | 92431 | ||
| While backing out from a parking space, the passenger side lower control arm mount separated from the subframe due to extensive corrosion. the front passenger wheel was turned outwardly and the right half shaft was disengaged from the differential. while researching this issue on the internet, i realized the subframe should last longer than the life of the vehicle. fortunately for some it has been detected while in a repair shop for some other reason such as brakes, alignment or other front end work. unfortunately for others it has been discovered by malfunctioning to the point of breaking and causing other structural/mechanical damage, as well as personal injury. i would like to believe that ford stands behind its product and is willing to issue a recall for repair. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Advised by ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Took my 2001 ford windstar to the local ford dealership for rear axle recall. i was advised by the service manager at my ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. it was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. apparently there are several windstars with this problem. while performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. this also appears to be a common problem. however, ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with nhtsa so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. there is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. there needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for ford to recall these vehicles. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Advised by ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Took my 2001 ford windstar to the local ford dealership for rear axle recall. i was advised by the service manager at my ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. it was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. apparently there are several windstars with this problem. while performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. this also appears to be a common problem. however, ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with nhtsa so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. there is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. there needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for ford to recall these vehicles. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Advised by ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Took my 2001 ford windstar to the local ford dealership for rear axle recall. i was advised by the service manager at my ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. it was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. apparently there are several windstars with this problem. while performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. this also appears to be a common problem. however, ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with nhtsa so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. there is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. there needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for ford to recall these vehicles. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Advised by ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Took my 2001 ford windstar to the local ford dealership for rear axle recall. i was advised by the service manager at my ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. it was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. apparently there are several windstars with this problem. while performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. this also appears to be a common problem. however, ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with nhtsa so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. there is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. there needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for ford to recall these vehicles. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Advised by ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted. | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Took my 2001 ford windstar to the local ford dealership for rear axle recall. i was advised by the service manager at my ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. it was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. apparently there are several windstars with this problem. while performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. this also appears to be a common problem. however, ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with nhtsa so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. there is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. there needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for ford to recall these vehicles. | |||
| 2 | 06/01/2001 | ||
| I have repeatedly contacted my dealer for the problems that exist with my vehicle. the brakes fail after prolonged pressure at red lights. i was told to set my parking brakes to adjust. i had two large bumps on the steering wheel. i was told that it was a broken bearing and they replaced my steering wheel and fixed the broken bearing. the new wheel has the exact same bumps. i was told not to worry about it. the air conditioner was making grinding sounds. the compressor was replaced. the enige has a ticking noise when vehicle is in gear but stopped with brake. i was tols this is the injectors and nothing was wrong. the van stalls at any speed for no reason after long periods of driving. i was told it was my alternator. i have had my van not long and already have a rebuilt new van. i went to the dealer and drove another van. none of the above problems were seen. i was told there is nothing that i could do but to trade in and pay mega bucks for another one. my van has been in the shop for 9 days the first time and 15 days the second time. i feel i have been wronged by the ford motor company and i should be given a vehicle that i can drive and feel safe in. i feel that the vehicle has more problems then the 1980 aerostar that i replaced with this one. please let me know if there is anything that i can do to solve this problem. if there is nothing, then please warn others from the problems that i have encurred.*ak | |||