NHTSA Complaint #10200565 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

MID-SUMMER VACATION TRIP FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO NORTH CAROLINA. WITHIN A FEW MILES OF RETURN TO WEST VIRGINIA THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO LEAK AND EVENTUALLY LOST APPROXIMATELY 8 QUARTS OF FLUID. MAJOR SLIPPAGE STARTED WITHIN 6 MILES OF HOME. WE MANAGED TO LIMP TO OUR DRIVEWAY BEFORE THE SLIPPAGE WAS SO BAD WE COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD. I INSTALLED 8 QUARTS OF FLUID AND DROVE IT TO REPAIR SHOP -- NO SIGN OF LEAKAGE ON THAT 15 MILE TRIP. I SUBSEQUENTLY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, ANOTHER 15 MILES WITH NO LEAKAGE. THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP PULLED THE TRANSMISSION, REPLACED THE FRONT SEAL AND REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER (SLIGHT GROOVE ON SHAFT THAT REPAIRMAN SAID WOULD CAUSE THE NEW SEAL TO FAIL IF THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS NOT REPLACED). VEHICLE HAD JUST UNDER 65,000 MILES ON IT WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. NOTE: THE SEAL FAILURE APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO AN OVERHEATING CONDITION. THIS IS MADE OBVIOUS BY THE FACT THAT NO LEAKS OCCURRED DURING TWO 15-MILE TRIPS SUBSEQUENT TO FAILURE AND BEFORE REPAIR WAS CONDUCTED. ANOTHE DOWNSIDE TO THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT AFTER SPENDING $1100.00 FOR THE REPAIR THERE IS NO WARRANTY BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP DID NOT DISASSEMBLE AND INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER MAJOR EXPENSE. THE TRANSMISSION FUNCTION APPEARS TO BE OK BUT I WON'T BE TRUSTING THIS VEHICLE AGAIN FOR LONG TRIPS OUT OF TOWN. GIVEN THE 65,000 MILE FAILURE AND INTERNET HISTORY OF LOW-MILEAGE TRANSMISSION FAILURES WITHOUT RESOLUTIONS FROM FORD, THIS WILL BE THE LAST FORD I WILL OWN. *TR