NHTSA Complaint #10118758 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

TRANSMISSION IN OUR 2002 FORD WINDSTAR MINI VAN MADE ABNORMAL NOISES FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE FOR INSPECTION, AND THEY ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO TIRE AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH ALIGNMENT. ALSO, TRANSMISSION NOISE PERSISTED,AND VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP. AGAIN NOTHING WA S FOUND WRONG ON INSPECTION WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO RETURN LATER FOR MORE COMPLETE EXAMINATION. ON FEBRUARY 10, 2005 TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED ACCELERATING THE ENGINE TO 3200 RPMS WITH A SPEED OF 70 MPH. VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL AND VEERED TO THE LEFT INTO A LEFT TURN LANE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH AN ILLEGALLY PARKED TRUCK AND TRAILER. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY BRAKING. THE DRIVER, MY SON , WAS TRAPPED IN THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN DUE TO A COMPLETE COLLAPSE OF THE FRONT FRAME. AFTER A DIFFICULT EXTRACTION BY THE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT MY SON WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.*AK