2000 FORD UTILITY VAN XH — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I NEED TO KNOW IF TIRE AGE AND "DRY ROT" ARE A CONCERN ON A TIRE THAT IS 8 YEARS OLD? I AM A PUBLIC SERVANT (PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE) AND MAKE MANY HOME VISITS. I USE THE VEHICLE PROVIDED TO ME BY THE CITY. THE VEHICLE (VAN) THAT I USE HAS BEEN DEEMED SAFE BY THE CITY'S FLEET MAINTENANCE DEPT. THE TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL ONES AND WERE MANUFACTURED IN THE YEAR 2000. THE VAN SITS OUTDOORS ALL YEAR ROUND AND THE TIRES NOW HAVE LARGE CRACKS IN THE SIDE AND SMALL (DRY ROT) CRACKING ON THE SIDES OF THE TIRES AND ON THE TREADS. THERE IS STILL A LOT OF TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRES BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY 31,000 MILES ON THE VAN. I HAVE ASKED FOR THE TIRES TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FLEET MAINTENANCE THAT THE TREAD IS GOOD AND THAT THE CRACKS, DRY ROT AND AGE OF THE TIRES IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT IN THE MEDIA LATELY ABOUT THE DANGERS OF AGING TIRES. THANK YOU. *TR

VEHICLE FORD WINDSTAR: WAS ON INTERSTATE WHEN SUDDENLY LOST HEAT/AC, CRUISE CONTROL, SPEEDOMETER, AND ONBOARD MONITORING COMPUTER. WAS ON WEEKEND IN THE AFTERNOON STOPPED AT AUTO PARTS STORE FOR ELECTRICAL CHECK DETERMINED BLOWN FUSE. REPLACED FUSE AND SMOKE ROLLED OUT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN TRIED TO START VAN. CUT OFF SWITCH AND TRACED PROBLEM TO FRONT OF MASTER CYLINDER SWITCH (SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH). WE DISCONNECTED THE WIRING FROM THE SWITCH AND WAS ABLE TO RESTORE ALL INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS EXCEPT THE CRUISE CONTROL. STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ABOUT THE MASSIVE PROBLEM FORD WAS HAVING WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS. CONTACTED DEALER (MTN. VIEW FORD) AND THEY OFFERED TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM STATING THE COST AT APPROX. $300.00. I THEN CONTACTED THE 800 NUMBER FOR FORD AND TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD BY FORDS CONSUMER AFFAIRS NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY GOT BACK WITH ME 7-10 DAYS. LUCKILY IT WAS AROUND THE HOLIDAYS SO I WAS ABLE TO DO SO. WHEN I GOT THE LETTER FROM THEM IT STATED "OUR REVIEW INDICATES THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAMS PERTAINING TO THE FIRE ON YOUR VEHICLE AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE UNABLE TO OFFER ASSISTANCE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD". THE SWITCH IN QUESTION IS A DEALER ITEM AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVEN'T DEVELOPED A REPLACEMENT YET THEY ARE ON ORDER. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO START DRIVING MY VAN AGAIN AND HOPE TO GOD NOTHING OCCURS. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WERE I HAVE TO CARRY BRAKE FLUID WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO DUE TO THE FLUID THIS SWITCH IS ALLOWING TO LEAK OUT. *TR

VEHICLE FORD WINDSTAR: WAS ON INTERSTATE WHEN SUDDENLY LOST HEAT/AC, CRUISE CONTROL, SPEEDOMETER, AND ONBOARD MONITORING COMPUTER. WAS ON WEEKEND IN THE AFTERNOON STOPPED AT AUTO PARTS STORE FOR ELECTRICAL CHECK DETERMINED BLOWN FUSE. REPLACED FUSE AND SMOKE ROLLED OUT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN TRIED TO START VAN. CUT OFF SWITCH AND TRACED PROBLEM TO FRONT OF MASTER CYLINDER SWITCH (SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH). WE DISCONNECTED THE WIRING FROM THE SWITCH AND WAS ABLE TO RESTORE ALL INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS EXCEPT THE CRUISE CONTROL. STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ABOUT THE MASSIVE PROBLEM FORD WAS HAVING WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS. CONTACTED DEALER (MTN. VIEW FORD) AND THEY OFFERED TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM STATING THE COST AT APPROX. $300.00. I THEN CONTACTED THE 800 NUMBER FOR FORD AND TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD BY FORDS CONSUMER AFFAIRS NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY GOT BACK WITH ME 7-10 DAYS. LUCKILY IT WAS AROUND THE HOLIDAYS SO I WAS ABLE TO DO SO. WHEN I GOT THE LETTER FROM THEM IT STATED "OUR REVIEW INDICATES THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAMS PERTAINING TO THE FIRE ON YOUR VEHICLE AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE UNABLE TO OFFER ASSISTANCE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD". THE SWITCH IN QUESTION IS A DEALER ITEM AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVEN'T DEVELOPED A REPLACEMENT YET THEY ARE ON ORDER. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO START DRIVING MY VAN AGAIN AND HOPE TO GOD NOTHING OCCURS. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WERE I HAVE TO CARRY BRAKE FLUID WITH ME EVERYWHERE I GO DUE TO THE FLUID THIS SWITCH IS ALLOWING TO LEAK OUT. *TR

2000 FORD WINDSTAR - TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AT 90,000 MILES HAVE RESEARCHED INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON FORD 2000 WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH EVEN LESS MILEAGE... HAVE ALSO FOUND COMPLAINTS ON FORD PRIOR YEAR MODELS REGARDING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AS WELL. TRYING TO FIND OUT IF ANY OF THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA AND IF SO IF SOMETHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. CAN YOU ADVISE? (1) NO EVENT LEADING UP TO PROBLEM. (2) ALMOST INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT WHEN TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT (3) HAVE NOT CONTACTED FORD YET. *JB