1999 FORD WINDSTAR Steeringrack And Pinion Problems

I OWN A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR LX. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A DEALER, AND IT HAD LESS THE 40,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION, THE FRONT SPRINGS, STRUTS, TIE RODS AND POWER STEERING PUMP. I HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $1,000 ON REPAIRS IN THE PAST YEAR. I NOW AM TOLD THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. BECAUSE OF ALL THESE ISSUES, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DRIVE MY VAN FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN WHO NEED TO BE DRIVEN TO SCHOOL AND OTHER EVENTS, AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO SO WHEN NEEDED DUE TO THE CONSTANT ISSUES WITH THIS VAN. I HAVE RESEARCHED IT AND KNOW THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT, CONSISTENT ISSUE FOR THESE VANS. FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY MONEY FOR FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *TR

PURCHASED THE WINDSTAR USED IN 2001. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR THE STEERING STARTED TO MAKE FUNNY (WHINING) NOISES AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD GET TOUGHER TO TURN WHEEL. AT 65K MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING ACROSS COUNTRY AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY. WE HAD TO DRIVE THE LAST 800 OR SO MILES TO OUR NEW HOME WITH NO POWER STEERING. TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP, SUSPECTING THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT BAD, JUST NEEDED FLUID. I HAD CHECKED THE FLUID WHEN IT ORIGINALLY WENT OUT AND IT WAS LOW, BUT NOT EMPTY. IT DROVE FINE (STILL NOISY) FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE SAME SHOP AND AGAIN TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED FLUID. I TOLD THEM I HAD NEVER SEEN A LEAK, BUT I WOULD CHECK EVERY DAY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE FLUID...

ON 7/29/05, MY 82-YEAR OLD MOTHER, PURCHASED A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR, WITH LESS THAN 44,000 MILES ON IT. MY MOTHER RECEIVES MINIMAL SOCIAL SECURITY & I, TOO, AM ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR DISABILITY. WE COULD NOT AFFORD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON TOP OF CAR FINANCE $200./MO.) WE DID HAVE A DEALERSHIP LIMITED WARRANTY OF 60 DAYS AND 3,000 MILES. BEFORE THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE EVALUATED BY OUR REGULAR MECHANIC HE FOUND ONLY TWO PROBLEMS &E ACTUALLY CONGRATULATED US ON FINDING SUCH A GREAT CAR. WE TOOK THE MINIVAN BACK TO BRANFORD SUBARU WHERE WE PURCHASED IT AND THEY MADE THE REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY. NOW THAT WE ARE ONE MONTH AND 50 MILES OVER THE LIMITED WARRANTY, POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING. EXXON DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. I HAD TO LEAVE THE MINIVAN AT BENS EXXON BECAUSE THE LEAK WAS SO BAD...

SUDDEN LOUD GRINDING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL, RACK AND PINION LEAKAGE SEAL FAILURE. NEED TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION BEFORE LEAK DAMAGES PUMP. REPLACE RACK AND PINION. *NM

1999 FORD EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH RACK AND PINION SYSTEM, AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM. *MR ALL OF THE HOLD DOWN BUTTONS WERE STRIPPED OUT AND STRIPPED IN THE GEAR HOUSING CAUSING GEAR FAILURE. *SC *JB

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

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HAVE NO WARNING AND NO STEERING. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS EVERYWHERE. IT TOOK MY WIFE AND I TOO TURN THS VAN INTO A PARKING LOT. UNFORTUNATELY I HAD MY 3 CHILDREN IN THIS VAN WITH ME. I HAVE NOT HAD THE MONEY TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION OR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I AM NOT EVEN SURE IF I SHOULD OR NOT. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYWAY TO KNOW IF THE PREVIOUS OWNER(S) GOT THE RECALLS TAKEN CARE OF.*AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED. LEAKED FLUID UNTIL THERE NONE WAS LEFT. THIS CAUSED POWER STEERING TO FAIL. *AK

TWO PROBLEMS OCCURRED IN ONE MONTH. FIRST, THE POWER STEERING WENT CRAZY. THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. BUT I WAS NOT SURE BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW IF FORD DEALER WAS TRYING TO RIP ME OFF. THEN I TOOK IT TO CARX IN RACINE, WI TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. HE SAID SAME THING BUT HE CAN'T FIX IT BECAUSE HE HAD TO ORDER THE PART. THEN I DECIDED TO WAIT AND LEAVE. ABOUT 2 MILES LATER, THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT CAN'T DRIVE OR GEAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO TOWNE FORD INC. IN RACINE, WI. THE TOWNE FORD INC SAID THAT HE FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS ONE OF THE GEARS SNAPPED OFF THE METAL PART. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHY IT HAPPENED....

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...

RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 42,000 MILES DUE TO AN END SEAL FAILURE. MOST OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED OUT WITHIN 2 DAYS OF THE LEAK. THERE IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THIS BY FORD THEY HAVE ISSUED 2 TSB'S. THIS PART SHOULD NEVER FAIL AT THIS MILEAGE, IT IS A POOR DESIGN WITH EITHER WRONG MATERIALS SELECTED FOR THE SEAL AND NO LIFE TESTING WAS CONDUCTED TO VERIFY THE DESIGN. FORD SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED TO TALK ABOUT QUALITY WHEN CRAMP LIKE THIS HAPPENS.*AK

1999 FORD WINDSTAR: TIE ROD ENDS DEGRADED AT 60,000 MILES, SENDING BITS OF METAL THROUGH THE SEALS IN THE RACK AND PINYON STEERING SYSTEM; GENERATED VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. COULD HAVE CAUSED DANGEROUS ACCIDENT. MECHANICS FIRST REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP , WHCIH DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. SECOND REPAIR WAS REPLACEMENT OF R&P STEERING SYSTEM. REPAIR WAS OVER $1,000.

RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM FAILED. I HAVE READ OF NUMEROUS OTHER FORD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITHIN A FEW YEARS OF MINE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. EVEN A NEIGHBOR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS A 1999 WITH 56,000 MILES. NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURED. THIS COMPONET SHOULD LAST FOR A VEHICLES' LIFETIME. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD, THEY OFFERED NO HELP. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN INVESTIGATION! IT COST OVER $800 DOLLARS TO REPAIR, AND BEING THAT IT WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER FORD RACK AND PINION SYSTEM, I SHOULD PROBABLY START SAVING MY MONEY NOW FOR FUTURE REPAIRS. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US TO NOT REWARD FORD ANYMORE, AND BUY FROM A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER.*AK

I OWN A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. AT 35,700 MILES THE RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (LUCKILY IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY) NOW AT 59,000 MILES I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO REPLACED A TIE ROD, AND THE FRONT END IS ALWAYS CREAKING, BUT NO ONE CAN FIND THE SOURCE.*AK

SEVERE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK DUE TO RACK AND PINION FAILURE.

AT 71,876 MILES THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED ON MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR, LEAVING ME WITHOUT POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. ON A CAR OF THIS SIZE IT IS, I BELIEVE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING.*AK

MY POWER STEERING JUST RECENTLY STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AT 64,000 MILES. I NOTICED THAT THE FLUID WAS LOW. I FILLED IT UP AND IT KEEPS LOSING FLUIDI FOUND A SITE ON THE INTERNET WHERE A LOT OF WINSTAR OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME. *AK PROBLEM...PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. SOME REPAIRS ARE OVER $1500.00. THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN VIEW THESE COMPLAINTS IS WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/FORDWINDSTAR/249.HTML. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ALL OF US WINSTAR OWNERS IN GETTING FORD TO REIMBURSE US FOR THE DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING. OBVIOUSLY WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS, FORD HAS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION AND RACK AND PINION.*MR THE RACK AND PINION TYPE GEAR HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 71,900 MILES. ONE MONTH LATER WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NEAR BY MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *JB *NM

WE BOUGHT OUR 1999 WINDSTAR IN 2002 WITH ONLY 27,000 MILES ON IT; FROM THE BEGINNING THE POWER STEERING WOULD GROAN AND MAKE NOISES. WE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO SEVERAL SHOPS, BUT WE WERE ASSURED THAT IT WAS "NORMAL." YESTERDAY THE POWER STEERING NOISE WAS VERY LOUD AND CONSTANT AND THERE WAS DIFFICULTY STEERING. TODAY THE STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS IT IS THE RACK AND PINION. *LA

1999 FORD WINDSTAR. ONLY 60,000 MILES, RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID ON BOTH SIDES. VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, AND SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITH SO FEW MILES ON IT. VEHICLE BECOMES VERY HARD TO STEER, WHEN SITTING AT A STORE AND YOU COME OUT, IT IS HARD TO STEER TO GET IT HOME. *LA

POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING OUT OF RACK ON LEFT SIDE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 52,950 MILES ON IT. DEALERSHIP STATES THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS BUT ACCORDING TO THIS WEB SITE THERE ARE. THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS IF THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE THIS IS A PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, LOST THE RACK AND PINION STEERING CONTROL ON MY 1999 WINDSTAR VAN. ONLY 31,000 MILES ON THE VAN EVEN THOUGH IT IS 4 YEARS OLD. *AK

1999 FORDWINDSTAR STEERING RACK REPLACED AT 62000 MILES, TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 75000 MILES AND INTAKE GASKET RPLACED AT 75000 MILES. *AK

1999 WINDSTAR SE - STEERING PROBLEMS, REPLACED STEERING "RACK" IN MARCH 2003, IS ALREADY GOING OUT AGAIN. REPUTATION OF BAD "RACKS", SO BAD OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER KEEPS THEM IN STOCK. ABOUT 52,000 MILES.*AK

STEERING FLUID LEAKED FROM THE STEERING RACK AND PINION. DEALER NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM# 01-5-6-6. *AK *SCC *JB

RACK AND PINION STEERING IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION, SLIDING DOOR, DRIVER DOOR, RACK AND PINION, STEERING PUMP, INTAKE MANIFOLD, FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER LINK, WORLD'S FASTEST DECLINING VEHICLE VALUE, WORLD'S WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SATISFACTION REPRESENTATIVES.*AK

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

WE JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. IT HAS 107,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WHEN WE HAD 63,000 MILES, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE VEHICLE TO OWN - ESPECIALLY WITH THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS THAT IT REQUIRES.

1999 FORD WINDSTAR RACK AND PINION FAILURE COULD NOT TURN VEHICLE CAME VERY CLOSE TO A COLLISION THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT ALSO THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING POWERSTEERING FLUID WHICH IS A FIRE HAZARD! FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTIFIED FORD ABOUT THE PREMATURE FAILURE AND THEY DONT SEEM TO CARE THAT SOMEONE COULD LOSE THIER LIVES OVER FORD PUTTING VEHICLES WITH FAULTY PARTS ON THE ROAD.

WHILE IN MOTION, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICE BY A TECHNICIAN. THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING FLUID AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TS *JG

NO SUMMARY. DT

MASSIVE POWERSTEERING /RACK AND PINION LEAK , DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ANY SPEED. MR

RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN 50,000 MILES BY DEALER. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE VALVE ON THE RACK AND PINION STEERING DRIED OUT AND NOW LEAKS. THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM MUST BE REPLACED NOW AT A COST OF $600. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT IS THE 4TH WINDSTAR HE HAS SEEN WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY LOGGED IT IN BUT ARE DOING NOTHING FOR ME AT THIS TIME.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEEL LOCKED UP. VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SLOWED TO MAKE A TURN AND STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN, MAKING AN AWKWARD SOUND. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL PULL, THERE WILL BE CLICKING NOISE. THEN, WILL LOSE STEERING.CONTACTED DEALER. RACK AND PINON STEERING WENT OUT.*AK

I HAVE FOUND TOO MANY PERSONS ON THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING WHILE MAKING A TURN IN A PARKING LOT. I NEARLY STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, ALL WHILE MAKING LOW SPEED SHARP TURNS. MY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THE BEARING IN THE POWER STEERING PUMPS FAILS CONTAMINATING THE POWER STEERING FLUID WHICH THEN CAUSES THE FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR. MY OWN RESEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG ALL FORD VEHICLES USING THIS TYPE OF PUMP. LOSS OF STEERING WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A SHARP TURN IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING COMPONENT IS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, RESULTING IN LOSS OF EASE IN CONTROL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER.*AK

WHEN MAKING TURNS STEERING IS VERY TIGHT DUE TO POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE, AND IT BECAME REAL HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK

POWER STEERING MAKING NOISE AND LOOSING FLUID. NLM