Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Ford Windstar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 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.
The 25 most recent of 37, in the owner's own words
THE K FRAME RUSTED OUT WHERE THE CONTROL ARMS MOUNT TO THE FRAME AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE
COMPLETE BRAKE LOSS WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING. LUCK HAD IT WE WERE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT WITH A CONCRETE STOP. THE METAL BRAKE LINE LOCATED ABOVE THE GAS TANK RUSTED COMPLETELY. WHILE THE REST OF THE BRAKE LINES LOOK FINE, IT'S THE AREA OF THE BRAKE LINE THAT PASSES OVER THE GAS TANK THAT IS RUSTED. BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE GAS TANK, THE LINE ARE HIDDEN FROM NORMAL VIEW OF AN INSPECTION UNLESS THE GAS TANK IS LOWERED. HAD THIS OCCURRED AT A BUSY INTERSECTION OR HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. I AM KEEPING THIS AS A REMINDER HOW CLOSE MY FAMILY CAME TO DEATH. *TR
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HOOD SEPARATED FROM THE HINGES AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE HOOD WAS REPLACED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HOOD SEPARATED FROM THE OUTER PANEL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO CONSUMER'S HOME. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY RECALL. *AK
1996 FORD WINDSTAR, SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTION. SPEED IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE AS THE NEEDLE FLUCTUATES WILDLY. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED NOW FOR AT LEAST 50,000 MILES , BUT I JUST LEARNED THAT YOU SHOULD BE NOTIFIED SO THAT FORD CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR POOR QUALITY AND NON SUPPORT. AS I WAS ADVISED THAT REPAIR WOULD BE ABOUT 600.00. AS I HAVE A TACH, I SIMPLY USE THIS TO DETERMINE MY SPEED. I WAS NOT ABOUT TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON WHAT I CONSIDER A DESIGN FLAW.*AK
THE FRONT FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSE. *NLM
THE DEALERSHIP NOTICED A CRACK IN THE SUB FRAME. WHICH COULD HAD CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT, IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *JB
PAINT FALLING OFF '96 FORD WINDSTAR
FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 3.8 L ENGINE FOR 1995 MODEL DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE GASKET SETS. HOWEVER, IS NOT DOING SO FOR LIKE FAILURE ON 1996 MODEL 3.8 L ENGINES. ENGINE SEIZED ON OUR VEHICLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 48000 MILES DESPITE MAINTENANCE AND TIMING CHAIN GASKET SET REPLACEMENT AN APPROXIMATELY $1200 REPAIR. DT
HEAD GASKET FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, ALSO A NEW ENGINE COVER WAS PUT ON, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE CLEANED AND MILLED DUE TO THE SLUDGE BUILD UP, SERPENTINE BELT NOISY. *SLC
THE SUB-FRAME BROKE WHERE THE STRUT ARM CONNECTS IN THE FRONT( IN AREA OF THE STRUT ARM BUSHINGS. AT FIRST THOUGHT THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM AT LOOSE HEAT SHIELD. STRUT ARM RATTLES EVERYTIME VAN IECOUNTERS ROUGH PAVEMENT. THE SPEEDOMETER JUST WENT HAYWIRE. NEEDLE BOUNCES ALL OVER THE PLACE. HAVE FOUND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT BOTH OF THESE FAILURES ARE A SAFTEY ISSUE. FORD MOTOR DOESN'T.*AK
VEHICLE IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD AREA. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS ON DASHBOARD, AND VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTFREEZE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK DEALER FOUND HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, REPLACED HEAD GASKET AND THERMOSTAT, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE AIR CONDITIONING LEAKS, BRAKES MAKING GRINDING SOUND, DEALER FOUND ANTI-LOCK SENSOR FAILED, REAR FENDER IS RUSTED ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TT
CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING VEHICLE DEALER DETERMINED SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING METAL SUPPORT SYSTEM COMPLETELY SPLIT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
HAD JUST PULLED OUT ONTO THE STREET THEN HEARD A SNAP. CHECKED , AND NOTICED LEFT REAR WHEEL HAD KICKED OUT SIDEWAYS AND WAS HITTING THE MUD FLAP. REAR FRAME HOLDING REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN IN HALF. REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE STRAPPED UP BEFORE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *AK
POWER LOCK ON DRIVER SIDE DOESN'T WORK. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON VEHICLE SPED UP. WHILE GETTING READY TO EXIT OFF THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE STAYED UNDER CRUISE CONTROL MODULE. AS CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, VEHICLE WAS MOVING 65 MPH WITHOUT ANY CONTROL FROM CONSUMER. IN ORDER TO MAKE VEHICLE STOP CONSUMER HAD TO PRESS BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, AND SHIFT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL. EVENTUALLY, VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN, AND CONSUMER TURNED VEHICLE OFF, DEALER REPLACED 2 LOCK TABS BECAUSE ONE HAD SLIPPED ON THE CRUISE CAUSING IT TO STAY ON. TRIP SPEEDOMETER WAS REPLACED, IT WOULD NOT GO PAST 799 MILES. AT 30 MPH AND OVER, THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT WILL FLASH. LEFT FRONT WHEEL COVER WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT MAKING TICKING NOISES AT LOWER SPEEDS. SLIDING DOOR SQUEAKED, DEALER LUBED THE SLIDING DOOR. FRONT ROTORS REPLACED AND REAR DRUMS TURNED, A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD. *AK *SLC
HEAD GASKET LEAKING, MASTER CYLINDER FROZE UP AND CAUSED SMOKE AND DAMAGE TO BRAKE SYSTEM ON 3 WHEELS, ABS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON, IN FOR REPAIRS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND LIGHT WAS DISCONNECTED BY DEALER, ENGINE LIGHT ON: O2 SENSOR REPLACED, SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO REGISTER SPEEDS, DRIVERSIDE WINDOW GOES DOWN WHILE DRIVING, REPLACED BY DEALER, DOOR OPEN LIGHT TURNS ON RANDOMLY, SLIDING DOOR FAILS TO LOCK WITH ELECTRIC LOCKS. WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT?
NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASING 1)DOOR AJAR LIGHT CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED-ALL DOORS CHECKED NONE AJAR 2) ENGINE CHECK LIGHT OCCASIONALLY COMES ON-HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM 3)OCCASIONALLY POWER WINDOWS/LOCKS AND A/C WILL GO OUT UNLESS ADJUSTABLE FAN SPEED TURNED TO HIGH 4)RECENTLY FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WILL OPEN AT RANDOM USUALLY DURING A TURN-LUCKILY NO ONE SITS IN THAT SEAT 5)SPEEDOMETER WILL OCCASIONALLY FLICKER HIGHER WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 65MPH ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS HAVE SURFACED IN THE PAST 1-1.5 YRS AND HAVE CONTINUED SINCE THEN. *AK
TRAILING ARM ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF REAR AXLE FRACTURED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY IMPACT TO THE TRAILING ARM OR BODY OF THE REAR AXLE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK *ML
QUALIFIED MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAID WITH ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE BUT THIS DID NOT WORK. LOCKS ARE GRINDING CONSTANTLY SO WE WERE FORCED TO DISCONNECT TO AVOID BURNING IT UP. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION.
WHEN DRIVING DOOR LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK UP. ALSO, DOOR PANEL WAS RINGING NOISE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN VEHICLE IS IN DIFFERENT GEARS , DOOR AJAR CHIME WILL SOUND WHEN THE DOORS ARE ACTUALLY CLOSED. ALSO, THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE ABS SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
REOCCURRING/ ONGOING PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC LOCK LOCKING ALL DOORS WITHOUT SYSTEM BEING ON. DOOR SHOULD ONLY LOCK WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, BUT THERE ARE TIMES IT LOCKS ITSELF WITHOUT CAUSE. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *YC
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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