1999 FORD WINDSTAR Steeringhydraulic Power Assistpump Problems

CAR ONLY HAS 72000 MILES. HAD CAR AT DEALERSHIP FROM MARCH 17- MARCH 24 FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS. THEY REPLACED A TIE ROD, 2 CONTROL ARMS FOR $1100 AND WHEN THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE STEERING RACK. CAR WAS STILL NOT RIGHT - HAD APPT TO BRING BACK IN ON FRIDAY APRIL 1ST. ON MARCH 30TH, I WAS ACCELERATING AT A STOPLIGHT AND THE VEHICLE HAD AN ABRUPT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. (WHEN WE GOT IT BACK FROM THE DEALER IT HAD A VIBRATING ISSUE BUT WE DID NOT HAVE WARNING THIS WAS COMING) JUST A HUGE BANG AND THEN IT WOULDN'T MOVE. THE POLICE HAD TO HELP ME REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE INTERSECTION AND ASSIST WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. IT HAD TO BE TOWED AT MY EXPENSE $70. WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 60K. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER REPAIR ESTABLISHMENT (DUE TO ISSUES WITH...

HAVE NOW REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM AND POWER STEERING PUMP TWICE IN OUR 99 FORD WINDSTAR. FIRST TIME WAS AT 68,660 MILES, AND JUST REPLACED AGAIN AT 156,912 MILES. HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM AND WANTED NHTSA TO BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE. *JB

STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM VAN WHEN I TURN, RACK AND PINIONS GONE BAD, FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NEVER GET ANYTHING FROM THEM FOR REIBURSEMENT OF REPAIRS AND THAT THEY DON'T CARE WHAT THE NHTSA OR GOVERMENT SAY. I ONLY HAVE 36,000 MILES ON MY VAN EVEN THOUGH IT IS A 1999 WINDSTAR THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. FOR DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR REPUTATION OR PRODUCT OR CONSUMERS. *AK

MY VAN STARTED MAKING A SCREECHING NOISE EVERYTIME WE MADE ANY TURNS, WE CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT WAS FINE. VAN SAT IN THE YARD CAUSE IT WAS EMBRASSING TO DRIVE WITH THE LOUD SCREECHING NOISE AND SINCE WE HAD A 2ND CAR WE JUST LEFT IT IN THE DRIVEWAY. THEN WHEN MY HUSBANDS CAR GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR WE HAD NO CHOICE AND HAD TO DRIVE IT. AS SOON AS WE TRY AND DRIVE IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WE NEW SOMETHING MAJOR IS WRONG IT TOOK 2 PEOPLE TO TURN THE WHEEL ON THE VAN JUST TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. SO I CALLED MY STEP DAD AND EXPLAINED WHAT IT WAS DOING AND HE SAID SOUNDS LIKE THE POWER STERRING PUMP WENT OUT ON IT SO WE TAKE IT TO A VERY RELIABLE MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT NOT ONLY IS THE POWER STERRING...

MY WINDSTAR STARTING MAKING A WHINING NOISE AND IT BEGAN TO GET WORSE AND WORSE.HE NOISE WAS ONE THING, BUT THE DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS... IT STARTED TO PULL WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED.*AK STEERING BECAME VERY DANGEROUS.

WE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 99 WINDSTAR 4 WEEKS AGO...TWO DAYS AGO THE POWER STEERING STARTED GRINDING AND WE BROUGHT IT IN FOR REPAIRS...REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WITHIN 30 MILES OF THE DEALER THE NOISE IN THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK AND AFTER PAYING $800.00 FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP THEY WANT TO NOW CHARGE US $600.00 TO REPLACE THE RACK...IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS THE REPAIRS ON THE WINDSTAR HAVE BEEN OVER $4000.00... THIS ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES...I HAVE PAGES OF WINDSTAR OWNER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE...THE TRANSMISSION AND THE POWER STEERING ON THE WINDSTAR IS FAULTY AND I HOPE FORD LISTENS...THIS WILL BE THE LAST FORD WE PURCHASE! *LA

WHILE THE CONSUMER MADE A TURN THE POWER STEERING PUMP MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE DEALER STATED THE RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FAILED. HOWEVER, THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN NOVEMBER 2001 BY THE DEALER. *JB

I OWN A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES THAT IS USED FOR PLEASURE PURPOSES ONLY. TWO DAYS AGO THE POWER STEERING UNIT COMMENCED HOWLING WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. YESTERDAY I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER IN ARCADIA. DURING THE DRIVE TO THE DEALER THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO STEER CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, WHEN THE SERVICE MAN AT THE DEALER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE STALL HE SAID THAT THE STEERING HAD FROZEN AND WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALER, AFTER CHECKING THE POWER STEERING UNIT, DECIDED THAT THE PUMP IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAD FAILED CAUSING COMPONENT PIECES TO PASS THROUGH THE SYSTEM CAUSING THE STEERING FAILURE.THE DEALER SAID THE REPAIR WOULD REQUIRE REPLACING THE PUMP AND ALL COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM AT A COST OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS. MY CONCERN IS THE STEERING COULD HAVE FAILED ON...

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A SEAL BLEW IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH CAUSED THE RACK AND PINION TO FAIL. TS

THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAKES GRUNTING/HUMMING NOISES WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED. THE MIN-VAN IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND 44,000 MILES. THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED BY A RECALL.*AK

STEERING IS MAKING WEIRD SOUNDS WHICH CAUSES NOISE TO PROGRESS, STEERING WOULD BECOME STIFF WITH SOME BINDING EVEN AFTER POWER STEERING ADDED, CONDITION REMAINED THE SAME. DEALER IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL CAUSE WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP/ TIE ROD ENDS, AND RACK ASSEMBLY. *AK *TT

POWER STEERING PUMP UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS BY DEALER, FROM 28,000 MILES TO PRESENT. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM STILL EXISTS RIGHT NOW AND THE UNIT WOULD BE REPLACED AGAIN. *YH

AT 36,500 MILES POWER ASSIST PUMP FAILED TO OPERATE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL, AND WARRANTY EXPIRED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HAD TO REPLACE RACK AND POWER STEERING PUMP.*AK

HOSE WAS REPLACED AT LEE JARMON FORD IN CARROLLTON, TX (DIFFERENT FROM PURCHASED DEALER GIVEN ABOVE) IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FAILED POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACEMENT. HOSE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SENT FROM ANOTHER DEALER. HOSE HAS BUILT IN BEND CAUSING IT TO CONTACT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHEN INSTALLED AND FAIL DUE TO HEAT. FAILED HOSE LEAKED FLUID ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER DIRECTLY BELOW AND FIRE RESULTED. DUE TO PROXIMITY TO A LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE USED TO PUT IT OUT IMMEDIATELY. A 2ND HOSE OBTAINED FROM FORD HAS SAME BEND. LEE JARMON HAS REPLACED WITH 2ND HOSE AND RESTRAINED WITH NYLON CABLE CLAMPS FROM CONTACTING EXHAUST. I HAVE ADVISED TO USE STAINLESS STEEL CLAMP SINCE PROXIMITY OF EXHAUST WILL FAIL NYLON CLAMPS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH WILL RESULT IN A FIRE TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO HAS A POWER STEERING HOSE REPLACED. MY WIFE AND 3 YEAR...

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1. STEERING COLUMN OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STEERING; 2. POWER STEERING PUMP MAKING GRINDING SOUNDS WHEN ENGINE IS COLD AND, INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN THE ENGINE GETS HOT; 3. ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD FOGGING UP AND DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLE;. 4. BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BEFORE STOPPING, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE; AND 5. A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK