NHTSA Complaint #10454956 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE THE BEST CAR I EVER OWNED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE I'M A SINGLE MOM WITH 5 KIDS, IM VERY TIGHT ON MONEY, THEREFORE, I WENT TO THE AUTO PART STORE, PUT IT ON THE MACHINE, HOPING I COULD DO WHAT I DID WITH ALL OTHER VEHICLES I OWNED, BUY THE PARTS, GO ONLINE AND READ UP ON FIXING IT MY SELF. I HAD JUST PUT ALL MY SAVINGS INTO BUYING THE VAN. THE STORE CLERK, GIVES ME A LIST OF 4 CODES AND THE LIST OF POSSIBLE FIXES. I GET HOME GO ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT NOT ONLY IS IT NOT EASY FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME TO DO, BUT ITS GOING TO BE A GOOD $1200-$1500 FOR A MECHANIC TO FIX. AND WORSE OF ALL, IT AS BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL, FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND EVEN PUT OUT A REPAIR KIT JUST FOR THE ISSUE, BUT STILL REFUSES TO RECALL THE VEHICLE AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. WELL YOUR LITTLE KIT MAYBE INEXPENSIVE FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN FIX IT THEM SELVES BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY A MECHANIC TO DO THE WORK ITS MORE THEN A SIMPLE REPAIR. IF A CAR AS BEEN TREATED GOOD BY ITS OWNER, AS NOT BEEN ABUSED AND MAINTENANCE KEPT UP WITH OVER THE YEARS, THEN THE ONLY MAJOR (ABOVE $1000) REPAIRS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, ARE REPAIRS DUE TO ACCIDENTS OR NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. WHEN ALMOST EVER ONE WHO OWES ONE OF THEM AS THE SAME PROBLEM, AROUND THE SAME TIME, THEN IT IS A DEFECT IN THE MAKING OF THE CAR AND SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FORD COMPANY. THE FACT THAT FORD HAD TO COME UP WITH A REPAIR KIT, IS ADMITTING THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE VAN. I SHOULD HAVE CHECK THIS WEBSITE BEFORE I BOUGHT THE VAN. DO YOUR RESEARCH PEOPLE! *TR