NHTSA Complaint #10070711 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

MILEAGE WAS 49600, TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $2600.00 BUT OUR COST WAS ONLY $2072.00 BECAUSE DREW FORD IN SAN DIEGO, CA HELPED US COVER SOME OF THE COST. THE ITEMIZED BILL SAID THE REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION WAS $1702.28. THE TRANNY WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS AND NO SIGN OF GIVING OUT. MY WIFE USUALLY DRIVES IT BUT I HAD JUST DRIVEN IT THE DAY BEFORE AND I AM IN TUNE WITH ODD NOISES AND THE VAN HAD NONE. 8/22/2003 IN THE EVENING WHEN SHE PULLED INTO OUR GARAGE AND WAS STILL MOVING FORWARD, IT STOPPED. IT DIDN'T MOVE UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS REV'D PRETTY HIGH THEN IT WOULD KICK IN VIOLENTLY. THAT LASTED ABOUT 2 OR 3 TIMES WHILE TRYING TO FINISH MOVING IT INTO THE GARAGE WHEN A HUGE GRINDING SOUND TOOK PLACE AND THE VAN DID NOT MOVE AGAIN UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK TOOK IT AWAY! I AM OUTRAGED THAT THE VAN WAS SO YOUNG WHEN A MAJOR COMPONENT WENT OUT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION. AND AFTER COMBING THE WEB FOR OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, I FOUND PLENTY OF PEOPLE. I THINK FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD PAY FOR THIS. I FIGURE THEY WON'T, THOUGH.