NHTSA Complaint #758706 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

FORD MO SAID THEY CANNOT FIX MY SUSPENSION PROBLEM AFTER WORKING ON MY CAR SINCE THE FIRST SERVICE CALL. THIS HAS BEEN SINCE 1999. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SERVICE CALLS, PARTS REPLACED, AND I WAS TOLD THAT IF I TRADED IN THE CAR THAT THEY WOULD GIVE ME $3,000 TOWARD ANOTHER CAR, WHICH AMOUNTED TO ME BUYING A NEW VAN FOR THE REGULAR LISTED PRICE. I HAVE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH THESE EXCUSES THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT MY CAR AS A TRADE IN AS THEY COULD'NT RESELL IT. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT I CAN'T SELL AS IT IS DEFECTIVE. WHAT IS A CONSUMER LIKE MYSELF TO DO ABOUT THIS. I HAVE GONE TO ARBITRATION AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP. THE LEMON LAWS ONLY APPLIES TO THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE AND I SPENT THE FIRST YEAR WITH FORD TELLING ME THEY WERE WORKING ON MY PROBLEM AND THAT IT WOULD ALWAYS BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. NOW THEY TELL ME THEY CAN'T FIX IT. THE CAR HAS SUCH A BAD SHIMMY, POUNDING IN THE FRONT END THAT NO ONE WOULD TAKE THIS VAN AS A TRADE.*AK