1997 Ford Windstar Transmission Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, SMOKE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENGINE WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS VACATED. THE HOOD WAS RAISED AND FLAMES LOOKED AS IF THEY IT WAS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HOME OF THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL #97V097000 PERTAINING TO THE POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ID

10163496

Incident

Jul 22, 2006

Mileage

146,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10026343

Incident

Jun 27, 2003

SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1996 WINDSTAR, 86,000 MI. PROPER MAINTENENCE HAD BEEN DONE. I SEE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS HERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NHTSA IT IS TIME TO STEP UP AND FORCE A RECALL. HOW LONG DO THE CONSUMERS HAVE TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. WE DON'T HAVE THE $3000 THEY WANT FOR REPAIRS. WHAT HAPPENED TO COMSUMER RIGHTS? THE WAY IT STANDS NOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER AMERCIAN CAR. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE ECONOMY. YOU HAVE TO HOLD CORPORATE AMERICA RESPONSIBLETOPUT OUT QUALITY VEHICLES. YOU HAVE THE POWER. DO WHAT YOU ARE THERE TO DO, PROTECT THE CONSUMER, NOT THE CORPORATE MONEY.

NHTSA ID

10000833

Incident

Jan 7, 2003

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION THE CHILD WAS ABLE TO PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND IT ROLLED, HIT A TREE, PROCEEDED ACROSS THE STREET INTO A UTILITY POLE, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL.*AK *NLM

NHTSA ID

8017744

Incident

Jul 3, 2002

TRACKING SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. AND BRAKES ARE NOT OPERABLE. LIGHT ON THE INSIDE COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8003695

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE VAN WENT OUT OF GEAR , THE ENGINE REVVED UP, AND ALL ACCELERATION STOPPED. WE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO GET THE VAN TO GO BACK INTO GEAR - ANY GEAR - AND IT WOULDN'T. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF A PROBLEM - NO NOISES OR LEAKAGE OF FLUID OR ANYTHING UNUSUAL.

NHTSA ID

755118

Incident

Nov 23, 2001

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, ABS AND TRAC OFF LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AT 78,000 MILES. CAR HAS FAILED 4 TIMES. REPEATED TRIPS TO SERVICE CENTER, TUNE-UP TWICE, NEW BATTERY, NEW FUEL PUMP. APPROX. $1500 PAID SO FAR, CAR CONTINUES TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING. FORD MOTOR CO.

NHTSA ID

753758

Incident

Oct 20, 2001

WE BELIEVE THE SHEER NUMBER OF DEFECT ON THIS CAR IS UNBELIEVABLE. WE PURCHASED IT USED FROM MY PARENTS. TOTAL COST OF NON "WEAR AND TEAR" REPAIRS IS AROUND $5000. THIS IS OVER 25% OF THE VEHICLES ORIGINAL VALUE, AND OVER 50% OF THE VALUE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. WHILE NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED, WE BELIEVE FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A BAD PRODUCT. *AK

NHTSA ID

753194

A SMALL CHILD ACCIDENTALLY HIT GEAR BOX AND VEHICLE CAME OUT OF GEAR. CONSUMER FELTIT SHOULD NOT BE THIS EASY FOR VEHICLETO COME OUT OF GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

893725

Incident

Aug 4, 2001

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE COST $2,000 TO REPAIR.*AK

NHTSA ID

749058

Incident

Apr 21, 2001

TRANSMISSION FAILED, AT THE TIME OF REPAIR THEY FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS BROKEN, THE VAN WAS PURCHASED FROM THEM 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THEY ACCUSED ME OF HITTING A BUMP AND MAKING THE FRAME BREAK. I PERSONALLY DO NOT REMEMBER HITTING ANYTHING IN THE VAN I DRIVE IT TO AN FROM WORK. IF A BUMP SMALL ENOUGH NOT TO RECALL WILL BREAK THE FRAME WOULD THAT MEAN THE FRAME IS DEFECTED? I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT I PURCHASED THE VAN WITH A BROKEN FRAME AND DRIVING IT FOR SIX MONTHS IN THAT CONDITION COULD OF CAUSED MY TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYWAY OF BEING REIMBURSED OF THIS INCIDENT. I FEEL THE VAN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEMON IF IT WAS SOLD WITH A BROKEN FRAME. IF I HIT A BUMP HARD ENOUGH TO BREAK THE FRAME SHOULDN'T THE AIRBAGS EJECT? ARE THEY DEFECTIVE TOO? I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH CHARRAP FORD AND THEY DID REDUCE THE PRICE OF THE VAN REPAIRS BUT HAVE NO EXPLANATION OF THE BROKEN FRAME OR THE TRANSMISSION. I TRADED IN AN 89 AEROSTAR WHICH DIDN'T GIVE ME HALF THE PROBLEMS THIS 97 WINDSTAR IS . I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANKS! VICKI DANLEY

NHTSA ID

731912

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

550358

Incident

Nov 1, 1999

MY VAN HAS BEEN PUTTING ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL WHEN I AM AT A STOP OR PULLING OUT OF A STOP. WHEN I HAVE WENT TO THE DEALERS IN DELEWARE (ON VACATION), PA. (ON VACATION) AND MY LOCAL DEALER, NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DEALER IN ROANOKE RAPIDS ,N.C. SAID HE WOULD RREPLACE SOME TRANSMISSION PARTS BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DID. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TO COMPLICATING. I AM MAD AND SCARED TO DRIVE MY VAN. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DID OF IF IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I TRAVEL TO PA. ALOT WITH MY 9YR OLD DAUGHTER BY OURSELVES AND NOW I AM SCARED TO DO THIS. HELP!!! NO ONE ELSE WILL!!! I CAN NOT EVEN GET IN TOUCH WITH FORD!!!

NHTSA ID

710397

Incident

May 26, 1999

NHTSA RECALL 97V-097000 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEAKING OVER CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND PROBLEM WITH STEERING LOSS. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

843859

Incident

Jul 20, 1999

WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE GOES INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT INDICATOR IS IN THE DRIVE POSITION. WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE MOVES UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER APPLYING GAS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA ID

842182

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

FORD HAS A TSB 98-22-1 REGARDING A FALSE NEUTRAL AFTER DRIVING. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS- VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN DRIVE. WHEN THROTTLE IS REAPPLIED THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES DOESN'T MOVE. BUT, IT SOMETIMES ABRUPTLY DROPS BACK INTO DRIVE. THIS HAS CAUSED A SUDDEN UNEXPECTED LURCHING FORWARD COMPLETE WITH TIRE SQUEALING. IT WOULD BE VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WITH THIS DEFECT. FORD ADMITS THIS DEFECT, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO FIX IT AFTER 3/36K WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

707846

Incident

May 30, 1999

2ND TRANSMISSION FAILURE: 1/26/99 @71,800 MILES. PARKED/WHEN STARTED, NO REVERSE OR FORWARD GEARS. REPAIRED: MULTIPLE PARTS: IE AX4N, AX4S, BEARING PUMP SHAFT/PLATE ETC. EXTENDED WARRENTY CLAIM DENIED/ $3,500.00 OUT OF POCKET/ TRANS, STILL DYSFUNCTIONAL & POWER STEERING DEFECTIVE AFTER LAST REPAIR. BOTH FAILURES OCCURRED OUT OF STATE/REPAIRED OUT OF STATE. TOMORROW I HAVE TO TAKE VAN TO AKRON OH (WHERE LAST REPAIRED) HOPE THE TRANSMISSION &STEERING WILL GET ME THERE IN 1 PEICE!! PLEASE HELP!! (DON'T KNOW IF TRANS PROBLEMS RELATED TO RECALLED PARTS, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PUT INTO SERVICE UNTIL 10/97 & RECALL WAS 6/97. I HAVE EXAUSTED MY RESOURCES& WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP/ADVICE/DIRECTION. THOUGHT I HAD A FORD WARRENTY, BUT I WAS SOLD SOMETHING ELSE, UNFORTUNATELY.THANK YOU, SINCERELY, LINDA

NHTSA ID

703834

Incident

Aug 13, 1998

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SLIDER, IT WON'T WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID

834107

Incident

Jun 12, 1998

NORM CONDITIONS 20 MPH STOP ABS ENGAGED,DELAYED STOP. NEAR ACCIDENT. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM, NOT REPEATABLE. ONE YEAR LATER PROBLEM RECURRED, AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER TO REPLACE LEFT WHEEL SENSOR. SEEMS THAT IF THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER DOESN'T THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIANS CANNOT FIND IT. SENSORS COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED EARLIER AS A PRECAUTION. OTHER PROBLEM- DRIVING 55 ON HIGHWAY AND TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED UNCOMMANDED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE EARLIER INCIDENT WITH THE DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. SENSOR IN GEAR SELECTOR WAS BAD. HOPEFULLY, NO UNDUE WEAR AND TEAR ON TRANSMISSION RESULTED FROM THE HIGHWAY DOWNSHIFT.

NHTSA ID

702197

Incident

Dec 8, 1997

CV JOINTS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL.*AK

NHTSA ID

534695

Incident

Mar 3, 1998

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE THE VEHICLE MADE A CLICKING SOUND AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. *AK

NHTSA ID

821642

Incident

Feb 24, 1996

TRACTION CONTROL FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

604479

Incident

Oct 1, 1997