NHTSA Complaint #10202087 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

ON AUG. 18, 2007, I WAS GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY NEAR MY HOME WHEN MY TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NO LONGER DRIVE. I HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC WHO TOLD US IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND HAD TO BE TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. AFTER INSPECTING IT WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN LEAKING FLUID FROM THE RESERVOIR INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND HAD THE SENSOR SYSTEM WORKED I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT 8 WEEKS EARLIER AT A LOW COST, HOWEVER THE SENSOR, WHICH WAS GOOD, WAS NOT READ BY THE MAIN SYSTEM AND WE HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A PROBLEM. WE HAD NO VISIBLE LEAKAGE BECAUSE IT WAS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF AND BURNED THE INSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE SPECIALIST TOLD US WE WERE LUCKY WE WERE OFF THE FREEWAY BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT HAD THE TRANSMISSION GONE OUT WHILE DRIVING. I REPORTED IT IT TO FORD WHO HAVE REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT SO WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION TO BE REBUILT, A COST OF MORE THAN $1900 NOT INCLUDING TOWING AND RENTAL CAR. THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST ALSO SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 1999-2000 FORD WINDSTAR, WHICH IS THE MODEL VEHICLE I HAVE BECAUSE IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND NOTHING I DID, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES AND I THINK FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THE SENSORS THAT WOULD HAVE ULTIMATELY SAVED ME A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO FIX. *TR