NHTSA Complaint #10365598 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

WE BOUGHT OUR 2003 WINDSTAR IN AUGUST OF 2006 USED FROM A CAR LOT. IN THE SPRING OF 2008 THE LOCKS ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE ARE PARKED OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HEAR THIS AWFUL SOUND. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I NOTICED LEAKING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE IN THE FRONT BEHIND THE TIRE AND THEN THE STEERING WAS MAKING A NOISE AND BEGINNING TO TURN HARD. WE ENDED UP REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THEN IN OCTOBER 2009 WE ENDED UP REPLACING THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT. WE HAD A MECHANIC FRIEND OF OURS COME AND TAKE A LOOK TO HAVE IT DONE CHEAPER. WE THEN FOUND OUT THAT THE RADIATOR WAS ALSO GOING OUT. SO WE HAD IT PARKED AND REPLACED THE RADIATOR IN JANUARY OF 2010 AND LEFT IT PARKED BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION AT THE TIME. IT HAD ROUGHLY 13X,XXX MILES ON IT WHEN IT FAILED. WE FINALLY BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE AND REPLACED THIS IN FEBRUARY OF 2010. WE HAVE JUST REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER OF 2010. WE HAVE NOW TAKEN IT IN FOR THE RECALL AND FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS 3 CRACKS IN IT. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS EXTRA MONEY TO CHECK THE SUBFRAME SO I AM WAITING FOR OUR MECHANIC FRIEND TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT OTHER SURPRISE WE MAY HAVE. ONCE WE FIND OUT I WILL BE REPORTING BACK ABOUT THE SUBFRAME IF IT ALSO HAS AN ISSUE. WE ARE VERY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE STILL OWE $5600 ON THIS AND HAVE ALREADY PAID SO MUCH FOR THIS OVERPRICED VAN ON TOP OF ALL THE MONEY WE PUT IN TO IT. WE ARE BEGINNING TO BE SCARED TO DRIVE THIS WITH OUR CHILDREN IN IT WHEN IT EVENTUALLY GETS FIXED. PLEASE HELP, WHAT ELSE IS GONNA GO WRONG!!! THE DATE IS NOT EXACT BUT APPROXIMATE. *TR