2001 FORD WINDSTAR Steering Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND PROCEEDING TO A STOP SIGN, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKETS AT THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 64,000.

I PURCHASED THIS 2001 FORD WINDSTAR SEL 11/18/04 FROM POHANKA CHEVROLET. ON MY WAY TO KANSAS ON 11/20/04 THE CD/CASSETTE PLAYER WENT OUT. THAN I STARTED HEARING A NOISE IN THE STEERING. WHEN I RETURNED THEY EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE STEREO AND AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES IN, THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. AFTER THAT I STARTED HEARING A GRATING SOUND WHEN COMING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. PULLING OUT IN REVERSE, OR GOING FORWARD, AFTER TURNING THE WHEEL TO GO STRAIGHT IT WOULD MAKE THIS SOUND. THEY COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT SO I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER WHO SAID THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A WINDSTAR. IT DOESN'T FEEL NORMAL AND I HOPE THEY WILL REPLACE ANYTHING IT MAY BE DAMAGING. ALSO, AFTER THE POWER STEERING WAS "FIXED" I STARTED FEELING AND HEARING THIS WHIRLING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. A FEW TIMES THE CAR ALMOST CUT OFF AT A...

I HAVE A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 100,205 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUT BEARINGS AND STRUTS AT 75,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 100,000. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS AT 69,000 MILES. AND THE LEFT OUTER TIE ROD AGAIN AT 100,000. I HAVE HAD OVER $2,500 IN REPAIRS IN THE TIME FRAME OF ONE YEAR, NOT INCLUDING 4-WHEEL BRAKE JOB. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AT 82,000 MILES AND TOLD THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT I WAS AGAIN HEARING THE "BAD STRUT NOISE". AT THIS TIME THE 1 YR, 12,000 MILE WARRANTY WOULD HAVE PICKED UP THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE STRUTS. I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ONGOING STRUT AND TIE ROD PROBLEMS. *NM

I RAN OUT OF GAS AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME. I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, MY HUSBAND WAS IN IRAQ. SINCE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, IT WASN'T LIKE I COULD JUST PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND GET MY VAN OUT OF THE WAY. IT WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT HAPPENED AGAIN. LUCKILY, MY HUSBAND WAS BACK AND IT WAS BY CHURCH, SO I WAS ABLE TO GET HELP RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. I AM GOING TO LOOK IN TO AN ATTORNEY ABOUT IT BECAUSE WHAT IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY VAN BROKE DOWN FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND I WOULD GET IN A WREAK. WHAT IF MY KIDS WHERE WITH...

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND TURNING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT ANY WARNING. ALSO HAS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE TURN SIGNAL WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *NM THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN AND THE DEALER REPLACED IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW. *JB

2001 FORD WINDSTAR LX 40,000 MILES WE HAD TO REPLACE THE "WORN OUT" (STATED BY FORD MECHANIC) RACK AND PINION STEERING, PUMP AND RESERVOIR FOR A COST OF US$ 1,100.00. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE WITH OTHER 2001 WINDSTAR OWNERS AND FOUND SEVERAL CASES OF THIS EXACT SAME REPAIR. THE ENTIRE STEERING ASSEMBLY CANNOT HAVE AN EFFECTIVE LIFE OF 40K MILES, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SERVICE FOR FORD TO MAKE GOOD ON. *NLM

BRAKES FAILED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS (REPAIR DATES: 3/22/02, 4/1/02 AND 4/15/02). FIRST, MY WIFE NOTED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THERE WAS ANY RESPONSE. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. WE INSISTED THAT IT WASN'T, UNTIL THERE LEAD TECHNICIAN FOUND AND REPLACED A FAULTY HCU. THE SECOND FAILURE CAME WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY WIFE AND 6 MONTH OLD BABY FROM MO TO VA. WHILE ON THE WEST VIRGINIA TURN PIKE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AND EVENTUALLY THE BRAKEING SYSTEM FAILED ALL TOGOETHER BY THE TIME WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION OF SUFFOLK VIRGINIA. BARTON FORD, IN SUFFOLK VA, REPLACED THE HCU AND THE ECU AND REPAIRED A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING BACK TO MO. ONCE AGAIN THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND NORMALLY. ONCE BACK IN O'FALLON, MO. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND A AIR BUBBLE IN THE...