1996 Ford Windstar Interior & seats Problems

INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER OPENING HATCH AND NOW SIDE DOOR. DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON ALWAYS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161348

Incident

Aug 8, 2005

Mileage

98,000 mi

THE DOME LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJAR SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE BATTERY WILL DRAIN COMPLETELY. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE WHEN IT WAS STARTED. ONE INJECTOR WAS CHANGED. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE OTHER FIVE INJECTORS MAY GO BAD. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10117616

Incident

Apr 7, 2005

Mileage

91,623 mi

THE VEHICLE'S DOOR LOCKS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED ON THEIR OWN. *NM THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL AND THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN ACCIDENT WHICH MAY BE DUE TO THE BRAKE LINES. REFER TO RECALL#02V101000. *SC THE SWAY BAR RATTLED, THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10109574

Incident

Aug 8, 2004

WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED AND ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED AND LATCHED, THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON AND INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS STAY ON AS WELL AS THE DOOR AJAR CHIME RINGS. THIS IS CONTINUOUS WHILE DRIVING, AND EVENTUALLY TURNS ITSELF OFF. THIS CREATES A HAZARD ESPECIALLY WHILE BACKING AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SEE BEHIND VEHICLE AT DUSK OR DARK. THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT IF A DOOR IS INDEED AJAR, THAT THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WILL STAY ON, BUT THE DOME LIGHT WILL GO OFF AS WILL THE CHIME. *JB

NHTSA ID

10064369

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

OUR 1996 FORD WINDSTAR GL, WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW, HAS 118000. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A BROKEN (BOUNCING) SPEEDOMETER, DOME LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, AND MORE RECENTLY, LEAKING COOLANT WHICH IS LINKED TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS. THE COST HAS BEEN ASTRONOMICAL. ACCORDING TO MANY OTHER CONSUMERS, ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMMON WITH THE 96 MODEL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHETHER FORD INTENDS TO MAKE ANY RECALLS REGARDING THESE ISSUES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10051280

Incident

Dec 29, 2003

Mileage

118,000 mi

IN HOTTER CONDITIONS, THE "KEY IN THE IGNITION ALARM" RINGS EVEN WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BURNS CONTINUOUSLY. I KNOW OF THREE WINDSTARS THAT ARE DOING THIS. *LA TEMPERATURE OR MOISTURE SEEMS TO AFFECT THE "KEY ALARM" AND IT CONTINUES TO SOUND. ONE FRIEND WHO IS A MECHANIC, HAS TO PULL THE FUSE NIGHTLY ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR HER BATTERY RUNS DOWN. I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE STARTER BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START ON THE EVENING SO I DID. IT'S STILL NOT STARTING RIGHT. ACTS AS IF THE BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED. TRIED TO DISCONNECT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT SAME FUSE RUNS THE WIPERS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10042936

Incident

Oct 15, 2000

WITH DOORS SECURELY CLOSED THE DOOR ADJAR LIGHT COMES ON. THIS CAN LAST FOR MINUTES TO HOURS, THE SAME WITH THE BATTERY CHECK LIGHT. LASTLY, THE CHIMES WILL INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. THIS IS STARTING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT AND CONTINUE FOR LONGER AND LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT NUMEROUS TIMES AND IT IS STILL NOT RESOLVED. I HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE AND OCCURRENCES IE, COMPLAINT # 10020993. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE GENERALLY HARD TO PINPOINT BUT CAN BE VERY SERIOUS IN NATURE. ELECTRICAL FIRES START AND SPREAD FAST. I HAVE A FAMILY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND I AM VERY CONCERNED. FORD CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE NO COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE. *PH I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE.

NHTSA ID

10030523

Incident

Jul 31, 2003

Mileage

65,421 mi

1996 FORD WINDSTAR SWITCHES ARE BAD IN DOORS CAUSING DOOR AJAR LIGHT TO STAY ON. WHEN DRIVING, STAYS ON UNTIL YOU ARE GOING APPROX. 15-18 MILES PER HOUR. THIS IS A HAZARD ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. DUE TO THE GLARE ON THE WINDOWS INSIDE THE VAN. I HAVE WENT TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE 400.00 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. I DON'T HAVE 400.00. I WAS ALSO VISITING FAMILY IN INDIANA THIS LAST WEEK AND AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE HAS THE EXACT VAN AND PROBLEM. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN COLORADO AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ODD THAT SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN INDIANA HAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH OUR WINDSTAR. SO, THEN I DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT. AND MAYBE SOMETHING WILL BE DONE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10023828

Incident

May 1, 1999

THE INSIDE COURTESY DID NOT SHUT OFF.*JB

NHTSA ID

10006949

Incident

Feb 6, 2003

WIRING HARNESS DIAGNOSED AS CAUSING FIRE UNDER DASH. SIX REPLACEMENT HARNESS'S HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, NONE FIT. BEEN WITHOUT MY VAN NOW FOR TWO MONTHS WAITING FOR THE CORRECT PART. HAVE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (OFF AND ON) SINCE BUYING THE VAN.*AK

NHTSA ID

765068

Incident

Jun 19, 2002

INTERIOR LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING FROM HOOD AREA.*AK

NHTSA ID

8004698

Incident

Feb 25, 2002

THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. *YH

NHTSA ID

562713

DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND COURTESY LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON AFTER SHUTTING DOORS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS CONCERNING THAT PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

880441

Incident

Apr 15, 2000

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTING OR CLOSING DOOR - INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

740479

THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH DOES NOT CATCH. *SLC

NHTSA ID

557341

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASH AREA OF VEHICLE, CAUSING WIRING WITHIN THE WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY TO MELT TOGETHER, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

869210

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

NHTSA ID

726844

Incident

Aug 3, 2000

DRIVER'S LEATHER POWER SEAT, ON THE LEFT SIDE VERTICAL SEAT FRAME WHICH ENDS AT THE SEAT, HAS A VERY SHARP EDGE, WHICH CUTS THROUGH THE SEAT'S PADDING/ LEATHER COVER. THIS COULD CAUSE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S LEFT SIDE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

862543

Incident

May 1, 2000

ENGINE COOLANT NEEDS FILLING EVERY 2-3 DAYS, TRANSMISSION SKIPS, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ALWAYS ILLUMINATED AND INTERIOR DOOR AJAR LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

722019

Incident

Apr 3, 2000

ELETRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED ONLY WHEN WASHERS WERE BEING USED, DOME LIGHT STAYED ON WHEN DOOR WAS CLOSED AND WON'T GO OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID

860297

Incident

Nov 18, 1999

WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK, ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD OR BACKWARD (DEPENDING UPON INCLINE OF VECHICLE ON A HILL) AND THE SLIDING DOOR, IF OPENED, FORCEFULLY ROLLS AND SLAMS SHUT. SOMEONE EXITING THE VEHICLE CAN BE SERIOUSLY INJURED, AS CAN ANYONE (ESPECIALLY CHILDREN) STANDING IN FRONT OR BEHIND THE VEHICLE WHEN IT LURCHES. MY SON WAS INJURED WHEN THE DOOR SLAMMED SHUT AS HE WAS EXITING THE CAR AFTER I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT BEFORE I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER TO CORRECT THIS OBVIOUS DANGEROUS CONDITION SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT I SHOULD ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE I PUT THE VEHICLE IN "PARK" - A PROCESS MOST PEOPLE DO NOT USE WHEN PARKING A CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

719610

WHEN CLOSING THE SLIDING DOOR ALL OTHER DOORS LOCK WITHOUT OPERATOR OPERATING THE DOOR LOCK FUNCTION, THUS, LOCKING THE PARENTS OUT VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

857795

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER DOORS/TAILGATE AND THE SLIDING DOOR ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO A PIN IN THE HANDLE TO BREAKING OR FALLING APART, CAUSING THE DOORS TO GET STUCK AND THEY WON'T OPEN OR CLOSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

847472

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED WHEN I STARTED HEAT IN VEHICLE. UNDER DASH DRIVER'S SIDE FULLY INVOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

704794

Incident

Mar 22, 1999

DOOR LOCKS ACTIVATE WHILE EXITING VEHICLE (AS TO CLOSE A GARAGE DOOR) WITH ENGINE RUNNING AFTER BACKING UP . THIS LEAVES DRIVER LOCKED OUT OF VEHICLE WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND KEY IN IGNITION. IMAGINE THE SITUATION IF AN INFANT IS IN THE CAR AND MOM IS LOCKED OUT!!! DEALER SAYS IT IS THE WAY VEHICLE IS DESIGNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

703375

Incident

Feb 16, 1999