NHTSA Complaint #10086485 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

TWO PROBLEMS OCCURRED IN ONE MONTH. FIRST, THE POWER STEERING WENT CRAZY. THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. BUT I WAS NOT SURE BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW IF FORD DEALER WAS TRYING TO RIP ME OFF. THEN I TOOK IT TO CARX IN RACINE, WI TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. HE SAID SAME THING BUT HE CAN'T FIX IT BECAUSE HE HAD TO ORDER THE PART. THEN I DECIDED TO WAIT AND LEAVE. ABOUT 2 MILES LATER, THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT CAN'T DRIVE OR GEAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO TOWNE FORD INC. IN RACINE, WI. THE TOWNE FORD INC SAID THAT HE FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS ONE OF THE GEARS SNAPPED OFF THE METAL PART. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHY IT HAPPENED. SO, MY OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION INSTEAD OF SEVERAL PARTS BECAUSE OF THE COST AND WARRANTY COVERAGE. BUT MY VAN ISN'T OLD YET. IT IS 1999 FORD WINDSTAR AND IT HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS STILL KIND OF NEW. WHY DID THE TRANSMISSION BLOW UP AT 50,000 MILES? WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY ON TRANSMISSION? BY MILES OR AGE? ALSO, WHY DID POWER STEERING GET LEAKING?*AK