NHTSA Complaint #10038961 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS KICKED FORCEFULLY AND ABRUPTLY IN LOW SPEED OR ON DECELERATION AT LOW SPEED. THERE HAS BEEN A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK(INDICATED BY RED FLUID ON AND AROUND THE THE TRANSMISSION PAN) BUT THE FLUID LEVEL HAS REMAINED CONSTANT AND AT APPROVED LIMITS. WE HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO DEALERS BUT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT WAS NORMAL AND THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL WAS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS THEN THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM. ON THIS DATE AS WE ACCELERATED FROM A FOUR-WAY STOP THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY FORCEFUL KICK AND THE VAN LOST POWER AND FORWARD MOTION AND ACTUALLY BEGAN TO DRIFT BACKWARD. THE DEALER TOLD US WE REQUIRED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER, SOME NEW GEARS REPLACED, AND THAT WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF HAVING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED.