NHTSA Complaint #10436070 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2011, MY WIFE WAS HEADING TO WORK. SHE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL TURNED GREEN, SHE HIT THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE RPM'S WOULD GO UP AND THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THIS WAS THE CASE IN ALL GEARS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SINCE TRAFFIC APPROACHING THE SIGNAL ARE DRIVING AT 50+ MPH. LUCKILY, A FEW PASSERS BY HELPED MY WIFE PUSH THE VAN INTO A LOCAL PARKING LOT. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY ARE NOW REBUILDING IT FOR ABOUT $2,000. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THESE VANS, I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED BY FORD. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THESE COSTS I AM PAYING FOR REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION (I.E.: KNOCKING SOUNDS, SLIPPING, ETC.) PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR