NHTSA Complaint #10400558 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

2003 WINDSTAR SPORT TRAVELING APPROX 80 MPH IN PASSING LANE OF I-93 EXPRESSWAY WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL. TURNED OFF CRUISE CONTROL AND PRESSED ON GAS WITH NO RESPONSE. NO WARNING LIGHTS, SOUNDS, ETC TO INDICATE ANYTHING WAS WRONG. RPM'S INCREASED DUE TO PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL BUT NO RESPONSE FROM TRANSMISSION. COASTED TO SIDE OF EXPRESSWAY. TRIED USING DRIVE, 2ND OR 1ST GEARS TO GET OFF HIGHWAY BUT THERE WAS NO TRANSMISSION RESPONSE AT ALL. NO BREAKDOWN LANE AVAILABLE SO WE WERE STUCK IN RIGHT-HAND TRAVEL LANE WITH FLASHERS ON. WE WERE IN A PLACE WERE THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GET OUT AND BE SAFE AWAY FROM VEHICLE EITHER. EXTREMELY SCARY AND UNSAFE EXPERIENCE WITH TWO CHILDREN AND DOG IN VAN WITH ME AT 10PM IN BOSTON TRAFFIC!!! WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN HIT AND KILLED!!! HAD VAN TOWED BACK TO NH AND HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY THE MECHANIC THAT TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WILL BE HAVING A REBUILD DONE FOR $1000. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A GROWING PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES BUT IS NOT A RECALL. ONE TRANSMISSION PLACE HE CALLED IN MANCHESTER NH STATED THEY ARE REBUILDING APPROX 3 PER WEEK RIGHT NOW. I HAD JUST PURCHASED AS OUR OTHER CAR DIED THE DAY AFTER MY FIANCE DEPLOYED OVERSEAS WITH THE ARMY. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED KNOWING ALL THE RECALLS HAD BEEN DONE AND IT GOT A CLEAN CHECK FROM MY MECHANIC. AS I HAVE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION I AM NOW OUT OF WORK UNTIL THE VAN IS FIXED. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SITUATION IN ANY REGARD AND FORD SHOULD BEGIN TAKING CARE OF THIS FOR THEIR CONSUMERS. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE BUT ARE NOW IN A HUGE FINANCIAL SITUATION WITH LOSS OF WORK AND A TRANSMISSION REBUILD BEING DONE. *TR