This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
While driving along all of sudden vehicle experiences hard upshifting or down shifting. Occasionaly when coming to a stop sign then proceeding, motor revs and transmission does not engage. Took it back to the dealer in September. Dealer replaced a sensor, but still has not taken care of the problem. Vehicle is not longer under warranty.
Auotmatic transmission slips out of gear into a neutral after you come to a stop. You then have to put it in a low gear to get in back in drive. This can be a hazard in traffic. The power steerinng pump makes a loud grinding noise much louder than the normal sound the pump makes, the dealer has said previously that it is normal for the Windstar. The passenger side power window has stopped working, unk reason has not been looked at. These problems are occurring in other Windstar of the same year.
- Coral Springs, FL, USA
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Was driving approximately 35mph and transmission blew up. Heard a rattling noise prior to the blow up. Pulled off road & vehicle died. Was not able to move forward. Transmission was goine. Smoke had appeared later. Vehicle towed. Mechanic informed owner looked like a grenade had exploded inside. Contacted manufacturer & told vehicle over 36,000 miles & not under warranty. Nothing could be done. Transmission not repairable.
Due to a defective transmission, while applying the gas pedal, the vehicle hesistated and lunged forward which may have caused a crash. Dealer had replaced transmission with a rebuilt transmission. Engine check light comes on. Also, dealer replaced coil and a spark plugs, but problem is still occurring. Dealer could nt determine the cause of the problem.
We had to replace our transmission. I have several people tell me about similar problems with the Ford 1996 Windstar transmission: Three owners in the virgina area, four owners in the Maryland area, the transmission specialist at the dealership indicated he works on these transmissions all the time which I also heard from an amoco shop
NHTSA recall # 96V086 000/ power transmission: Experienced a problem with vehicle starting to roll out of drieway after being parked. Dealer notified and informed consumer that vehicle was not part of recall and repairs would be at consumer's cost.
Overdrive light flahsing - advised by Ford dealer to no longer drive. Eec tested found faulty valvebody. This was the third major incident with front brakes. At 26,107 miles the front brake system was completely rebuilt. At 38,831 miles the rotors wer
While driving transmission started making a loud sound. Consumer drove car to dealer. Dealer looked at it and said tha T transmission was full of metal. Bearings were rattling around in transmission. That was the noise consumer heard.
When attempting to put vehicle into gear it doesn't shifting properly. Also, ABS light is on, and there are no ABS brakes. Vehicle has been into repair shop three times for repair service, and the dealer can't determie the cause.
Automatic transmission was built with an aluminum cylinder piston that loses forward line pressure and transmission slips into neutral when driving vehicle. Vehicle can slip into neutral at any time. A local dealer informed me that they replace approximately 5 of these transmissions a year. The replacement transmission from Ford is built with a steel cylinder piston to remedy the problem. Vehicle is very dangerous and has the potential for a head on collision if you tried passing another vehicle and transmission slipped into neutral because of defective design of transmission with aluminum piston.
The transmission component that the dealer believes has failed is the thrust piston. My research on Windstar mini-vans has shown this to be a chronic problem. This is especially true for 1995 models. It therefore should have been corrected in my 1996 model but obviously was not.
I was at a stop sigh attempting to cross a major highway, it hesistated like emergency brake was on, got 2-3 feet in middle of highway with oncoming traffic with truck right behind me (couldn't back up)and vehicle wouldn't go in drive. I finally got it to coast to parking lot. Took vehicle in to Ford and the service manager told me it was the transmission, it had metal all through it. Which I said with this mileage and no warning at all. His reply was he hadn't seen it happen very often (often indicateds its happening and this is only one Ford place)at this low mileage. Keep in mind I'm a 48 year old driver with no tickets or wrecks, I don't abuse a vehicle and this is my fourth Ford (not van)it was very hazardous not to say horrifying.
When trying to take the vehicle out of park, the park pawl hung up, causing loud noise and it is very hard to get out of park. Dealer can't determine the cause of the problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- New Albany, IN, USA