1999 FORD WINDSTAR Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN BECAUSE THE CRADLE THAT HELD THE MOTOR WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CAUSING THE MOTOR TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CONCLUDED THAT THE RUSTED CRADLE WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

I BOUGHT A FORD WINDSTAR VAN FROM A USED CAR DEALER BY THE NAME OF RAY PRICE IN DEC. OF '07. WE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A VAN FOR SOME TIME AND I HAD LOOKED FOR ANY RECALLS BEFORE WE PURCHASED. I FOUND NONE LISTED. WE PAID OFF THE CAR LAST MONTH, AND THAT'S WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE GARAGE 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH BECAUSE IT KEPT STALLING WHEN IT WOULD IDLE FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. THE MECHANIC FIXED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SEALS AND THE SURROUNDING PARTS, REPLACING THEM AS NEEDED EACH TIME. I ALSO HAD THE SPARK PLUGS AND PLUG WIRES REPLACED JUST IN CASE. ON THURSDAY JULY 23RD, MY HUSBAND REPLACED THE BRAKES ON THE FRONT. HE DROVE THE VAN ALL DAY WITH NO PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL STALL. WE STOPPED FOR MILK AT THE GROCERY STORE ON OUR...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT CENTERED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE MAIN ENGINE CRADLE ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 11/17/08 *CN UPDATED 11/21/08. *JB

MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT ENGINE SHIFT WHILE DRIVING. THE GARAGE INDICATED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE CRADLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHIFT. *TR

WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT YESTERDAY DUE TO OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. WE HAD 7 PEOPLE IN OUR VAN INCLUDING SMALL CHILDREN. LUCKILY, NONE OF US WERE INJURED, BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY WAS DEFINITELY THERE. AS WE WERE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT AT ABOUT 35 MPH THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND WE LOST ALL POWER. WE HAD NO BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. IT WAS EVIDENT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP SO MY HUSBAND OPTED FOR THE DITCH. STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND WE HIT A STOP LIGHT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH THE LEFT FRONT END OF THE VAN AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP ABOUT 4 FT. FROM A UTILITY POLE. THE VAN WAS DRIVING FINE WITH NO INDICATION OF MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO LOSING ALL POWER SUDDENLY. WE HAVE IN THE...

3 DEATHS. BET I'VE GOT YOUR ATTENTION NOW! I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FAILURES, AND MY VAN HAS THE SAME PERSISTENT PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN ENGINE DESIGN DEFECT AND THAT ALTHOUGH GASKET REPLACEMENT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, IT SEEMS CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PAID TO GET THE TSB FIX STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I PERSONALLY HAVE SPENT OVER $5000 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS TRYING TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED. AT 103K, MY VAN'S BLUE BOOK VALUE IS MUCH LESS. THIS IS NOT EVEN TO MENTION WHAT I'VE SPENT ON EXTRA GAS AT TODAY'S HIGH PRICES DUE TO INEFFICIENT ENGINE OPERATION RESULTING FROM THIS DESIGN DEFECT. THE STALLING OF THE ENGINE WHICH IS BEING REPORTED BY A LOT OF CONSUMERS IS ALSO DUE TO THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF RUNNING THE VAN WITH THIS SAME DESIGN DEFECT. IT IS JUST A...

1999 WINDSTAR STALLED. SEAL IN HEAD GASKET FAILED. *TS WHEN THE SEAL FAILED IT ALLOWED AIR TO GET SUCKED IN AT THE HOLES FOR THE BOLTS. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *NM

ENGINE SEIZED AT 78,568 MILES; ALL PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE; INSPECTION OF ENGINE RESULTED IN 3 FRACTURED PISTONS, SCORED CYLINDER WALLS, BENT RODS AND LARGE CHUNKS OF METAL DEBRIS SECONDARY TO THE ENGINE SEIZURE. *JB

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IN MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR CAME ON. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, MY COOLANT WAS DISAPPEARING, IT WAS BEING SUCKED INTO MY ENGINE DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE LOCKED UP DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION (COOLANT MIXING WITH OIL). I REPLACED THE ENGINE. THE VAN HAD A 3.8L 6 CYLINDER ENGINE MADE IN CANADA. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK ON HIGH SPEED OR IN COLD WEATHER. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY HEAT AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT WAS A NEW PROBLEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE VEHICLE. *JB

1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE DEALER INSTALLED UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKETS AND THE VALVE COVER GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JB

1999 FORD WINDSTAR SUDDENLY SPURTS ANTIFREEZE FROM INTAKE VALVE GASKET. FORD DEALER NOTIFIED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8L V6 AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE WORK SINCE IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM. ALSO, TOLD THAT "EXTENDED WARRANTY" FOR THE PROBLEM WAS EXPIRED. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND FROM THE DAY I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT I HAVE PUT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS IN IT. THE ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WITH CODES 171/174 LEAN ON BANK 1 AND 2 I HAVE REPLACED THE O2, THE EGR, THE DIFFERENTIAL, I HAVE HAD THE UPPER INTAKE GASKET REPLACED AND THE EGR HOSES CLEANED. THE LIGHT STILL BURNS. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THIS CAR SINCE BUYING IT AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE.I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES, THE STRUTS AND THE STABLIZER BAR , AS WELL AS ONE OF THE TIE RODS. THIS VAN MIGHT LOOK GREAT BUT IT RUNS LIKE CRAP WE HAVE SPENT ENOUGH ON THIS USED VAN TO HAVE BOUGHT A NEW ONE. *LA

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON 1999 FORD WINDSTAR ON COME ON 4 TIMES IN LAST TWO MONTHS. A "LEAN CONDITION" WAS REPORTED FIRST 3 TIMES FROM SHOP. REPLACED FUEL/AIR FILTER, SPARK PLUGS/WIRES AND SOME HOSES. LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN SAME DAY IT CAME BACK FROM SHOP. SEEMS LIKE MANY OTHER CONSUMERS ARE HAVING SAME PROBLEM (SEE WEBSITE - HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/FORD WINDSTAR/493.HTML). WHEN WILL FORD HAVE TO STAND UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN INSTEAD OF THE CUSTOMER BEING NICKEL & DIMED TO DEATH (SOME FIXES AREN'T EXACTLY NICKELS AND DIMES EITHER). *JB

THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND MADE A TICKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSTANTLY IN THE REPAIR SHOP BUT THE MECHANIC ARE WAS UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JB

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. NOW VEHICLE IS RUNNING ROUGH. FORD STATES ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF THE VALVE COVER AND WANTS TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW AND IMPROVED ONE. PROBLEM IS THEY WANT ME TO PAY TO CORRECT THIER DESIGN PROBLEM. IF THEY DID NOT DESIGN THE COVER RIGHT THEY SHOULD PAY TO FIX IT. VEHICLE IS AN EXPENSIVE PAPER WIEGHT RIGHT NOW . *AK

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. *NLM...*AK

1999 FORD WINDSTAR SEL 3.8L V6 - BLOWN GASKETS. *JB

THE OIL GASKET SHIFTED FROM ITS "SPECIFIED" LOCATION WHICH CAUSED AN EXTREME OIL LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING A FIRE WAS OBSERVED BY THIRD PARTY MOTORIST. THE FIRE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WORLD FORD IN PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA, FOR AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT. ACCORDING TO WORLD FORD, THE VEHICLE SHOWED HEAVY TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE, BUT NO OBVIOUS SIGN OF FIRE OR FIRE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED TO PERMIT FORD TO WORK ON THE VEHICLE PENDING EVALUATION/INSPECTION BY NHTSA INVESTIGATORS TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FIRE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED TO OBVIOUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *NLM *CB *JB

THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN RESTARTED.*JB

THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITH NO WARNING.DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 35/40 MPH THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ABS FAILED. THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ABS ENGAGED WITHOUT CAUSE. THE PARTS REPLACED IS UNKNOWN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO APPEARED ON DASH. TS *JB

I TOOK MY VAN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THE REASON WHY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON BECAUSE A GASKET IS CLOGGED AND IT NEEDS TO BE UNCLOGGED. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $625 BUT I COMPLAINED. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD NOT BE HAVE ANY KIND CAR PROBLEM BECAUSE I ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 8 MONTHS. I GAVE THEM A TRADE IN A 1995 BUICK SKYLARK WITH 80000 MILES THAT VEHICLE NEVER GAVE ME ANY TROUBLE AND I HAD THAT CAR FOR 18 MONTHS. I FEEL RIPPED OFF. I GAVE GOOD BROTHERS FORD $500 DOLLARS DOWN AND A GOOD TRADE IN VEHICLE THAT I DIDNT GET THE ESTIMATED BLUE BOOK COST AND A CHECK FOR $15,000 WHICH EVERY TOTALED $16966.NOW EIGHT MONTHS LATER I HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THIS VEHICLE. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS SITUATION

DURING ROUTINE SERVICE MECHANIC NOTICED HEADGASKET HAD BLOWN OUT. PART WAS REPLACED. ON 10 AUGUST 2002, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CONSUMER TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLES DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE DIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE VALVE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE VALVE COVER WAS REPLACED. *SLC

HEAD GASKET LEAKS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING.*AK

ENGINE WOULD MAKE A "PINGING" NOISE WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN AT ANY SPEED. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED A VALVE COVER IN ENGINE WAS CORRODED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 40MPH. THE WINDSTAR BEGAN TO UNEXPECTEDLY SHUDDER AND MAKE A LOUD RATTLING NOISE. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FLASHED AND THE VAN VIOLENTLY BUCKED. WE MANAGED TO GET TO OUR HOUSE. VAN WOULD NOT START AFTER TURNING OFF. DEALER CALLED AND VAN TOWED.DEALER CHECKED PROBLEM AND FOUND THE #5 PISTON HAD FAILED AND HAD CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE AND FAILURE. EST. REPLACEMENT COST $4,000. DEALER WAS NOT SURE IF THIS WAS RELATED TO THE EARLIER MODEL WINDSTAR 3.8L V-6 PROBLEMS CAUSING FAILURE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM FORD BUT THE DEALER SAID THEY MAY DECLINE TO ASSIST IN REPLACEMENT COST. I NOW HAVE A $16,000 BLUE PAPERWEIGHT. THE SUDDEN JERKINESS OF THE ENGINE FAILURE ALMOST CAUSED MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS TO RUN OFF THE ROAD . THE PISTON IN THE MOTOR DROPPED DOWN INTO THE...

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER REPLACED LEFT VALVE COVER WITH A UPDATED VERSION OF PART AND FUEL REGULATOR SUPPLY HOSE. *AK

WHENEVER DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WOULD EXPERIENCE A RATTLING NOISE NEAR ENGINE AREA. VEHICLE DOES NOT SHAKE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. TAKEN TO DEALERSHP AT LEAST TWICE FOR PROBLEM, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK

THE PULLEY AND FAN BELT ARE MAKING NOISE, THE DEALER CLAIMS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. NLM

HAVE HAD REPEATED SERVICE VISITS FOR LIGHT TO EXTREME ENGINE KNOCKING. DEALER TOLD ME TO USE PREMIUM GAS TO SOLVE KNOCKING. KNOCKING WENT AWAY WITH PREMIUM. DEALER THEN TRIED COMPUTER ADJUSTMENT AND GOING BACK TO REGULAR GAS. KNOCKING SOLVED FOR 2 WEEKS THEN RETURNED. DEALER SAID TO GO BACK TO PREMIUM GAS. NO KNOCKING FOR A YEAR, THEN KNOCKING CAME BACK. DEALER REPLACED VALVE COVER WITH NEW DESIGN. NO KNOCKING FOR 4-6 WEEKS. KNOCKING STARTED LIGHTLY, NOW BACK TO SEVERE KNOCKING AND LACK OF ACCELERATION POWER. VEHICLE BACK AT DEALER FOR WORK. FED UP WITH WINDSTARS. THIS IS 2ND LEMON WINDSTAR IN A ROW! FORD BOUGHT BACK '98 WINDSTAR FROM ME!*AK

AFTER GAS CAP WAS REPLACED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED DO TO THE SENSITIVITY OF THE WARNING SYSTEM. NLM