Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Ford Windstar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
2003 - DOOR AJAR LIGHT 2002 - BLEW HEAD GASKET; 2002 - HEATER CORE REPLACED 2001 - IGNITION COIL PACK & IGNITION LEADS REPLACED 2001 - FRONT TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED 2000 - REFRIGERANT COOLANT LOSS 1998 - EGR VALVE REPLACED 1998 - TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER HOSES REPLACED 1997 - BLEW HEAD GASKET, REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY
MOST HEADLIGHT LENSES 5 YEARS OR OLDER ARE TURNING YELLOW BECAUSE OF UXRAYS AND OXIDATION. BECAUSE OF THE MATERIALS THERE ARE MADE OF THE AMOUNT OF LUMS ABLE TO PASS THROUGH ARE REDUCED BY MANY FACTORS. MANUFACTURES REPLACEMENT COSTS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BECAUSE OF THE MATERIALS USED. THTHER MORE THESE UNITS WHICH HOUSE THE LAMPS CAN COST IN THE HYNDREDS OF DOLLARS. MANY VEHICLES ARE TRAVELING THE ROADS WITH BAD LENSES BECAUSE OF THE HUGE COSTS FOR THE PRODUCT. ALL THESE MANUFACTURES, CHARGE 10+ TIME THE COSTS OF MANUFACTURE; THEY HAVE JACKED UP THE PRICE SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONIES FOR REPLACEMENTS. THESE REPLACEMENTS PARTS SOLD ARE USERY. I BET MANY ACIDENTS ARE CREATED BECAUSE OF POOR LIGHT EMETING FROM THESE UNITS. THEIR ARE SEVERAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO THESE PRODUCT PRODUCERS. I SUGGEST THEY GO BACK TO GLASS, OR MAKE THE OUTER COVERS REPLACABLE BUY THE OWNER AT GOOD PRODUCT COST.*AK
HEADLAMPS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. THE PLASTIC HAS DETERIORATED OVER THE YEARS FROM CLEAR TO BROWN. MOISTURE ALSO BUILDS UP INSIDE THE LAMPS. VISIBILITY HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY REDUCE ESPECIALLY ON A RAINY NIGHT. FORD SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE LAMPS ON THIS MODEL. MY OTHER CAR IS A 1993 MODEL AND THE HEADLAMPS ARE STILL CRYSTAL CLEAR AND I CAN SEE PERFECTLY AT NIGHT. TS
ALL 1995 WINDSTAR AND SOME OTHER FORD MODELS OF THE PERIOD HAVE PLASTIC HEADLAMP LENSES WHICH DISCOLOR WITH AGE. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE ALL AT NO COST OR AT REDUCED COST TO OWNERS.LIGHTING EFFECTIVENESS IS DIMINISHED SIGNIFICANTLY.*AK
SOMETIME DURING THE LAST YEAR, BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME SO FULL OF MOISTURE, DIRT, AND GRIM AS TO MAKE THEM NOT GIVE OFF MUCH LIGHT TO SEE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON HIGH BEAMS AND EVEN THAT DOES NOT HELP. HOWEVER THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS MADE, THE UNITS HAVE COME "UNSEALED". IT IS MORE THAN A NUSANCE, BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE ABILITY TO DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHT. I HAVE SEEN THIS SITUATION ON OTHER WINDSTARS AND OTHERS STILL HAVE NICE CLEAR LENSES. HAS FORD OR NHTSA DONE ANYTHING? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO BEFORE I HAVE AN ACCIDENT AT NIGHT RUNNING INTO OR OVER SOMETHING? THANK YOU. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED FAILURES, THE HEAD GASKET FAILED TWO TIMES, THE DEALER WOULD NOT COMPENSATE FOR THE SECOND FAILURE AND ALSO DID NOT OFFER THE CONSUMER THE $4000.00 CERTIFICATE TOWARDS A NEW VEHICLE, AFTER THE FIRST HEAD GASKET REPAIR, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE COOLANT, THE ENGINE CYLINDERS WERE REPLACED, THE TIMING COVER WAS CRACKED, THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED, AND THE BLOWN GASKET CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, SHAKE, AND SMOKE. *SLC
PURCHASED VEHICLE WITH 35,000 PRIOR MILES, A FORD LEASE VEHICLE . THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS. FORD MECHANICS WARNED US THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN WRECKED AFTER WE PURCHASED IT. SALESMAN TOLD US LESS THAN $500.00 WHEN WE INQUIRED. A TITLE SEARCH BY US REVEALED $5,000.00 DAMAGE DONE WHILE UNDER CONTRACT AS A FORD LEASE VEHICLE. THIS DAMAGE WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO WAS WHEN WE PURCHASED FOR $16,500.00 WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. CONTACTED WITH FORD EXECUTIVE OFFICES ABOUT CURRENT ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING. THEY WERE VERY RUDE AND REFUSED TO HELP, STATING THAT VEHICLE IS 3,000 MILES PAST EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK
ENGINE DIED AND DISPURSED WHITE CLOUD (STEAM) ON RR TRACK CROSSING (HWY6 & HWY85 LOS LUNAS) OBSCURED VISIBILITY AND TAIL LAMPS FOR 3-4 CARS BEHIND ME. NICE THAT A TRAIN WAS NOT COMING AND ALL WERE STOPPED. *AK
HEAD GASKET BLEW UP. YH
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SMALL PROBLEMS WITH MY WINDSTAR. LARGE PROBLEMS BEGIN WITH THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT IN AUGUST OF 1998. NOVEMBER 2, 1999 WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 35 MPH MY TEMPERATURE GUAGE READ HOT. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COOL DOWN. WHEN THE GUAGE SHOWED WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE, I TURNED THE CAR ON AND IT SHOOK AND WHITE BILLOWING SMOKE ROLLED FROM THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH WATER BEING RETAINED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT, THE DOORLOCK MOTOR, THE DRIVER WINDOW STICKING AND NUMEROUS ADDITIONAL SMALL PROBLEMS.
SLIDING DOOR RATTLE NOISE. MJS
TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. ALSO MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED, AND STRESS FRACTURES ON STEEL WHEELS.
ALL DOOR PANELS ARE RATTLING. MJS
BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET.
AFTER ARRIVING HOME, HAD TURNED OFF HEAD LIGHTS. THEY FAILED TO TURN OFF. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS HAD HAPPENED 4 DIFFERENT TIMES. TOOK TO DEALER & THE MECHANIC UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. ITS INTERMITTENT ONLY. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN TWO ACCIDENTS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG. DUP 531662, POSTED ON 03-NOV-98. *AK
TRANSMISSION REPLACED.
TURN SIGNALS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. TT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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