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.
The consumer stated that the anti-lock brake system warning light flashed intermittently while driving and the brakes made noise. The battery and wipers failed on the same day. The transmission was replaced but continued to experience problems.
While driving 35 mph gears went out and vehicle would not shift into drive. Vehicle was towed to the owners residence. Owner will contact the dealer for an appointment.
2000 Ford Windstar LX park on slight incline, no keys in ignition or brake pedal depressed. 2 year old kneeling on drivers seat, pulled down on gear shift lever, transmission released and vehicle rolled 100 ft and collided with another parked vehicle. I took possession of the leased vehicle 8/30/2000, I found a repair was made for the exact condition 8/28/2000 after vehicle repair history report was run.
My transmission failed at 42,000 miles in 09/01 and was replaced by dealer under extended warranty. The second transmission failed at 81,000 miles in 05/03 was told warranty was expired (only good for 24,000 miles). I had to pay $2900 to have transmission rebuilt. 3 transmissions in a car with less then 100,000 miles seems very excessive to me. Was told by at least 6 different transmission repair shops that Ford Windstar's was the number 1 auto they replaced transmissions on. Several shops told me Ford was aware of the problem and have recently found the problem and vans made after 02/03 had the defect fixed but Ford was not putting a recall on this known problem.
The consumer was able to put the vehicle into gear without pressing the brake pedal. The consumer's son put the keys in the ignition and pulled the gear shifter into gear without the vehicle being started. The consumer was pulled and dragged behind the vehicle approx. 30 feet. The consumer sustained multiple injuries with road rash. His clothes were ripped to shreds. At that time, Ford had done nothing to correct the problem.
Purchased new transmission for vehicle at 38500 miles due to torque converter failure that damaged transmission beyond repair. New Ford factory transmission installed in December required rebuild iin January of 2003 after only 1500 miles.
I was driving up an incline when my 2000 Windstar van made a very loud noise and suddenly stopped in the middle of the street. I turned the van off for a minute or so then re-started the vehicle and attempted to proceed forward but the van started going in reverse instead. I had to have that Windstar with apprximately 43,000 miles towed home because it would not go forward. I have contacted Ford Motor Co. Customer service to no avail. All they could tell me was that the van has more than 36,000 miles so they we're not responsible for the expense of replacing the transmission. The van is at a Ford dealer at this very moment. It is estimated that the cost to replce the transmission will exceed $2000. I now know that there have been numerous complaints about the Ford Windstar 2000 transmissions please have something done about this problem before some one dies.
While at a stop light in a construction area, at 9:00 pm on a busy intersection, the transmission failed to do anything, no gears at all. My wife was alone when this happened amd it was very frightening to be alone in the dark with a car that will not move, and people blowing their horns and yelling at her. We finally had the car towed to the dealer and in the morning were told by the service department the transmission was no good and had to be replaced even though there was only 43,000 miles on it and only on the road 26 months. Ford did not want to take responsiability for it and neither did the dealer, saying we did not have an extended service contract. If Ford can't guarentee a transmission for more than 36,000 miles this disaster is going to rival Ford's tire problem's of the last few years. The ntsb must look into this potential life threating problem.
While driving at any speed, and without any indication, the transmission failed causing the vehicle not to accelerate. Dealer notified. Ph the vehicle made a popping noise which was slight and irregular. The transmission has been replaced.
Transmission failed after accelerating from a stop in bumper to bumper traffic. Dealer won't provide details of the component failure only that the transmission must be replaced. The dealer serviced the vehicle at the required intervals for routine maintenance but claims because I didn't have the trans case drained by them at 30,000 that the unit failure is my fault. My '95 Windstar had the transmission fail at 50,000 miles. Seems like a pattern I should learn from.
Total failure of transmission and torque converter while driving on off highway street. Vehicle was driven under normal conditions, no towing or pulling stress warranty expired.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Bremerton, WA, USA