NHTSA Complaint #766625 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH OUT NOW THREE YEAR OLD WINDSTAR THAT HAVE EITHER BEEN CORRECTED TEMPORARILY OR NOT CORRECTED AT ALL. THE MOST PERSISTENT ISSUES ARE WITH THE DRIVETRAIN IN PARTICULAR THE TRANSMISSION WHICH SHIFTS ERRATICALLY WHEN GOING AROUND CORNER OR CLIMBING HILLS AT LOW SPEAD. THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED AT 25K BUT THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO OPERATE POORLY. FORD HAS OFFERED NO SOLUTION OR WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THESE PROBLEMS. THE ENGINE PROBLEMS TO DATE REVOLVE AROUND THE INNABILITY TO USE REGULAR OR MID GRADE FUELS AS ADVERTISED ON THE VEHICLES STICKER, WE HAVE BEEN OFFERED A VALVE COVER REPLACEMENT FOR $500 BUT IN SPEAKING WITH OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS THIS ONLY FIXES THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. ALSO IT SEEMS TO ME THIS IS A DEFECT THAT FORD SHOULD FIX NOT THE OWNER. THE OTHER PERSISTENT PROBLEM IS WITH THE DIREVER SIDE POWER DOOR, IN HOT TEMPERATURES THE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY AND POPS OPEN WHEN DRIVEING. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND WHILE BETTER THAT IN WAS IT CONTINUES TO BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. WE ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROBELMS THIS VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM, RACK, PUMP AND HOSES AND MORE FRUSTRATING IS FORDS UNWILLINGNESS TO STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND ITS FAULT. OUR OVERWHELMING CONCERN IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WILL BOTH FAIL BEFORE WE HAVE RECEIVED ANY USEFULL VALUE FOR OUR MONEY. FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PRODUCTS THEY DEVELOP, I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ENFORCE SOME TYPE OF COVERAGE OR WARRANTEE PROTECTION FOR THE CONSUMER.*AK