NHTSA Complaint #10421829 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

WE TOOK A 300 MILE TRIP TO CHICAGO IN OUR WINDSTAR THAT WE JUST PURCHASED LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY. WHILE WE WERE OUT OF TOWN, THE VAN STARTED ACTING UP. WHEN WE WOULD TAKE OFF FROM A STOP, THE VAN WOULD JERK AND BOUNCE LIKE MAYBE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED. WE STOPPED DRIVING IT WHILE WE WERE UP THERE UNTIL WE HAD TO LEAVE. ON OUR DRIVE HOME, WE WERE ABOUT 100 MILES FROM HOME THE O/D LIGHT CAME ON. THEN A LITTLE LATER, I NOTICED SOME TYPE OF LIQUID COMING OUT THE BACK. WE TRIED TO GET HOME BUT AT 90 MILES FROM HOME THE VAN TOTALLY QUIT MOVING. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UNDER THE VAN WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED HOME ($240) WE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THEY HAD TO REPLACE A FRONT SEAL AND TORQUE CONVERTER ($950). I'M FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSTAR. NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT COME ON OCCASIONALLY AND WON'T GO OFF UNTIL IT'S TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THIS ALSO SEEMS TO A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSTARS. I HAVEN'T TAKEN IT IN FOR THAT YET BUT DREADING IT. THIS IS A VERY NICE VEHICLE AND I AM RATHER DISAPPOINTED IN IT.