NHTSA Complaint #10116038 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

I PURCHASED THIS 2001 FORD WINDSTAR SEL 11/18/04 FROM POHANKA CHEVROLET. ON MY WAY TO KANSAS ON 11/20/04 THE CD/CASSETTE PLAYER WENT OUT. THAN I STARTED HEARING A NOISE IN THE STEERING. WHEN I RETURNED THEY EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE STEREO AND AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES IN, THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. AFTER THAT I STARTED HEARING A GRATING SOUND WHEN COMING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. PULLING OUT IN REVERSE, OR GOING FORWARD, AFTER TURNING THE WHEEL TO GO STRAIGHT IT WOULD MAKE THIS SOUND. THEY COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT SO I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER WHO SAID THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A WINDSTAR. IT DOESN'T FEEL NORMAL AND I HOPE THEY WILL REPLACE ANYTHING IT MAY BE DAMAGING. ALSO, AFTER THE POWER STEERING WAS "FIXED" I STARTED FEELING AND HEARING THIS WHIRLING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. A FEW TIMES THE CAR ALMOST CUT OFF AT A STOP LIGHT, BUT I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND IT CONTINUED RUNNING. AGAIN, THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL FOR A WINDSTAR. I NOW SEE WHY THERE ARE NO NEW WINDSTARS. I JUST WANTED IT NOTED THAT THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH POHANKA AND TED BRITT FORD, TO NOT AVAIL. POHANKA EVEN OFFERED ME A CHEVROLET MALIBU, PLUS MORE MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET, AS A REPLACEMENT. I WANTED A VAN, NOT A CAR.