NHTSA Complaint #701682 — 1995 FORD WINDSTAR

I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE LIGHT CHANGED FOR ME TO GO AND I PRESSED ON THE GAS. THE RMP'S ON MY DIAL WENT TO 2000 BUT MY CAR DID NOT MOVE. WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BY THE GUY BEHIND ME. HE THOUGHT I WAS MOVING SINCE THE BREAK LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT WHEN I HIT THE GAS. I ALSO NOTICED THAT SAME DAY THE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE RIGHT AWAY. IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE ENGAGING. I TOOK THE CAR TO JOHN LANCE FORD DEALER SHIP LOCATED AT 23775 CENTER RIDGE ROAD, WESTLAKE, OH 44145, 1-800-642-6463. I FOUND OUT IT WAS THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON THAT HAD BROKE. I HAD THE MECHANIC GIVE ME THE PART, THERE IS A CRACK THAT RUNS AROUND 45% OF THE PART. THE MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN ON QUIT A FEW 95 WINDSTARS. I ASKED HIS WHAT TYPE OF PART HE REPLACED IT WITH. HE TOLD ME THAT THE OLD PART WAS MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM AND THE NEW PART HE REPLACED IT WITH WAS MADE OF STEEL. HE TOLD ME THAT FORD WAS CHANGING THE PART BECAUSE THE STEEL PART WAS STRONGER. FROM LOOKING AT THE REPAIR BILL IT APPEARS THE NEW PART NUMBER OF THE REPLACED BROKEN ITEM IS F4DZ*7A262*A (PISTON-TRAN FORWARD CLUTCH).