NHTSA Complaint #10065972 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

GOLF MILL FORD DEALERSHIP INDUCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE TAKEN IN FOR A RECALL AND THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH, INJECTOR FLUSH, THROTTLE BODY SERVICE,POWER STEERING FLUSH AND FUEL FILTER. ON FEB.19, 2004 HAD A TRANSMISSON FLUSH AND THROTTLE BODY SERVICED AT GOLF MILL FORD. IT WAS NEVER WRITTEN OR VERBALLY TOLD TO ME THAT I HAD ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THIS SERVICE. AFTER HAVING THIS SERVICE I EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS ON THE WAY HOME. THE CAR RAN ROUGH, IT HESITATED WILL STOPPING A STOP LIGHT, THERE WAS A MIST THAT CAME FROM THE FRONT VENT, THE CAR STARTED BUT THEN QUICKLY CUT OFF, AND LASTLY WHEN I WENT START THE CAR I COULD HEAR A LOUD WHOSH SOUND WHICH SCARED ME. ON FEB 26, 2004, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO GOLD MILL FORD WHERE I DID INFORM THEM OF ALL THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR THEY STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. ON MARCH 1, 2004, WHILE ON THE ROAD I NOTICED FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE CAR. I WENT TO A RAY SKILLMAN FORD DEALERSHIP IN GRENWOOD INDIANA THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK AROUND TRANSMISSION SEAL & THE PAN WAS NOT TIGHTED PROPERLY. TONY AT RAY SKILLMAN FORD ALSO STATED THAT GOLF MILL DID NOT PLACE ENOUGH TRANSMISSION FLIUD IN THE VAN. GOLF MILL FORD INSTRUCTED TONY TO PUT SOME LIQUID TRANSMISSION SEALER IN TRANSMISSION & SEND US ON OUR WAY. AT THE TIME TONY TOLD US HE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH DOING SO. GOLF MILL FELT AS THOUGH THEY DID NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER AFTER WAITING EIGHT HOURS AT THE DEALERSHIP TONY DESCIDED TO PUT THE SEALER IN BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO KEEP US ANY LONGER. AFTER LEAVING INDIANA, 4:OO AM ON MARCH 2, 2004 THE CAR STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED 600 MILES AT MY EXPENSE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER CARE AND GOLF MILL FORD, THEY FEEL THAT BECAUSE I AM NOT IN WARRANTY THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO. IT HAS BEEN TWO MONTHS AND I AM PAYING FOR A CAR I CAN NOT DRIVE. *AK