NHTSA Complaint #10148238 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

ONSET OF DULL "KNOCKING" NOISE IN RUNNING ENGINE AT IDLE; SOUND SIMILAR TO CONNECTING-ROD OR PISTON WRIST-PIN BEARING KNOCK, BUT DOES NOT INCREASE IN SEVERITY OR FREQUENCY AS ENGINE SPEED CHANGES. SIMULTANEOUS SIGNIFICANT VARIATION IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED (+/- 200 RPM @ 1,000 RPM IDLE), AND ROUGH TRANSITION TO CRUISING SPEED. DEALERSHIP "FOUND" THAT THE INTERNAL PLATE OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD COME LOOSE AND WAS SHIFTING TO PRODUCE SOUND. DEALERSHIP SPECULATES THAT THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED AIR / VACUUM LEAKS, COMPROMISING ENGINE IDLE. OWNER DEDUCES THAT DEALER WAS FAMILIAR WITH SIMILAR VEHICLE PROBLEMS EFFECTING OTHER WINDSTARS. AT MINIMUM, THE "KNOCK" COULD TRIGGER EXPENSIVE- AND UNNECESSARY ENGINE REPAIRS. AT WORST, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MALFUNCTION COULD CAUSE LOSS-OF-POWER OR ENGINE INABILITY TO OPERATE, TRIGGERING ACCIDENT. A LIKELY SIDE-EFFECT WILL BE THE REDUCTION IN ENGINE OPERATING EFFICIENCY / INCREASE IN FUEL CONSUMPTION, AND COMPROMISES IN ENGINE EMISSIONS PERFORMANCE. SITUATION BEARS SIMILARITIES TO FORD TSB SEP 01, 2001 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 625749: "MAKE : FORD MODEL : WINDSTAR YEAR : 2001 MANUFACTURER : FORD MOTOR COMPANY SERVICE BULLETIN NUM : 15213 DATE OF BULLETIN: SEP 01, 2001 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 625749 COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE SUMMARY: SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CONNECTING-ROD KNOCK OR LIFTER NOISE. *TT". *NM