Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Windstar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 77 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 77, in the owner's own words
MY REAR AXLE BROKE AND THEN MY DOOR AJAR CONSTANTLY GOES OFF EVEN WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE AXLE BROKE REAR DRIVERS SIDE LEAVING ME STRANDED. I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN 20 MPH.
MY MINI VAN LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER WHILE I'M DRIVING AND EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE STARTER IN THE CAR, IT STILL TURNS OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING. THERE'S RUST COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR, I SMELL A BURNT SMELL WHEN I'M DRIVING. I DON'T KNOW HOW MY VIN NUMBER WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL, SO MANY THINGS IS WRONG WITH THE VAN, ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.. PLEASE HELP ME
ABS LIGHT IS ON. *TR
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD @ 55MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER SHOT TO 0MPH AND THE TRANS WAS THROWN INTO 1ST. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I AM LOOKING FOR A RESOLUTION. IT ACTS AS IF VSS ISN'T WORKING. EVEN THREW A CODE. I REPLACED THE SENSOR AND CHECKED THE WIRES ALL THE WAY TO THE ECM. EVERYTHING LOOKS QUITE GOOD. RAN A SCANNER. PICKED UP SEVERAL CODES. VSS AND ABS SENSORS ALL AROUND. PULLED CLUSTER: EVERYTHING LOOKED GREAT. THE ONLY FAULT I CAN THINK OF IS ECM UNLESS ABS SYSTEM HAS THE ABILITY TO AFFECT THE DRIVE LIKE THAT. *JS
I WENT TO FORD DEALERSHIP IN DEC 09 RECEIVED INSPECTION ON RECALL # O9S09 AND 09SO9H ONLY. NOW HERE IN FEB. 2012 THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION,RIGHT FRONT TIRE WHEEL MAKES ALTO OF NOISE POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING STRANGE NOISE IS HEARD WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS,FORD SAID MY VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL SERVICE IT IS DUE . I BELIEVE THEY ARE WRONG ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS THE RECALLS REPORTED ARE MY PROBLEMS I HAVE PAPER WORK PROVIDING THEY ONLY RAN TEST ON RECALL #O9S09 AND 09S09H MY CAR IS IN SERIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS HERE IN ILLINOIS.UNDER THE ORIGINAL OWNER FORD STATED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FURTHER REPAIR. FORD DEALERSHIP ROBERTS MOTORS 4350 ALBY ALTON IL 62002. *TR
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ON, AND NO SPEED CONTROL. *TR
RECALL 09S09 1998 FORD WINDSTAR- HAVING TROUBLE WITH SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER AND ABS BRAKES. HAD WIRED HARNESS INSTALLED BY FORD DEALERSHIP. I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY DIDN'T DO A PROPER INSPECTION AS PERTAINING TO ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS SEEMS TO BE CAUSING FOR MANY PEOPLE. I CAN'T DRIVE MY VEHICLE BECAUSE MY BRAKES KEEP LOCKING UP AND MY SPEEDOMETER SUDDENLY DROPS TO ZERO AND THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION SOUNDS AWFUL. FORD TOLD ME ALL THEY NEED TO REPLACE IS THE WIRED HARNESS IS THIS TRUE.I HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES. THEY WERE DONE LAST SEPTEMBER 2009. MY MECHANIC COULDN'T FIGURE OUT BRAKES. PULLED 15 AMP FUSE FOR SPEED CONTROL. PUT BACK IN AFTER HARNESS WAS INSTALLED STILL BRAKES LOCKING UP AND SPEEDOMETER ACTING UP. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND ONE PERSON WAS INJURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE CRASH, THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 96,000.
AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, MY CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY STEPPING ON THE GAS. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I MANAGED TO GET OFF THE VERY BUSY ROAD I WAS ON AND SINCE I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR, I DECIDED TO HIT A TREE, HOPING THE CAR WOULD STOP. IT DID NOT. IT WENT OVER A CLIFF, AFTER KNOCKING THE TREE DOWN. I WAS VERY BADLY INJURED AND REMAIN DISABLED. THE CAR WAS A FORD WINDSTAR 1998. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN MANY ACCIDENTS LIKE THIS WITH THE FORD WINDSTAR BUT FORD NEVER DID A RECALL. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD THAT FORD AND TOYOTA USE THE SAME MANUFACTURER FOR SOME OF THEIR PARTS. MY CAR STILL EXISTS IF IT NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED. *TR
HAD THE RECALL FOR THE CRUISE,A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD, THE RECALL WAS DONE ON 11/25/2009, RECALL # 09S09, AFTER 11 DAY AND ONLY 146 MILES THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. *TR
ON JULY 6, 2009, MY FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN BURNED UP. I WAS DRIVING TO PICK UP SUPPER WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. I WENT ON, PICKED UP SUPPER, AND STARTED THE CAR AGAIN. IMMEDIATELY SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING. I PULLED AROUND THE CORNER IN THE PARKING LOT, PARKED AGAIN, AND POPPED THE HOOD. THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE IN THE ALTERNATOR AREA. I TOOK MY TODDLER OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN INTO A STORE TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE, THE CAR WAS DESTROYED AND A TOTAL LOSS. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED AND GIVEN TO MCDONALD'S TOWING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT, BUT THAT IT LOOKED LIKE POSSIBLE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. *TR
I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN 2 MONTHS AGO I HAD A LEAK OF FLUID THAT CAUSED SOME WIRES TO BURN INTO UNDER THE HOOD THAT CAUSED WIRING TO MY HEAD LIGHT AND OVERHEAD LIGHT TO BLOW MY MECHANIC HAD TO DIRECT WIRE ONE SIDE OF MY HEAD LIGHT AND MY CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED AS HE SAID IT WOULD CAUSE MY VAN TO CATCH FIRE. MY ABS AND BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT STAYS ON NOW AS SOON AS THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE FAULTY PART I STARTED EXPERIENCING ALL THE FOLLOWING THINGS,,,I HAVE LOSE OF POWER . THE VAN STALLS IN TRAFFIC AND ALSO AS I'M TAKING OFF FROM A STOP AFTER PUTTING THE VAN IN GEAR...WHEN I PUT ON THE GAS IT MAKES A BAD RATTLING SOUND LIKE A LIFTER OR VALVE TAPPING BUT ONLY WHEN THE GAS PEDDLE IS ENGAGED. THE GEAR SHIFT FEELS LIKE IT GETS STUCK IN PARK AND I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING IT TO RELEASE OUT OF PARK BEFORE THIS PROBLEM MY VAN DROVE GREAT I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS COULD YOU PLEASE FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THANK YOU *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WIND STAR. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE VEHICLE SPEED CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT 52 MPH THE RPMS INCREASED TO FOUR. SHE DEACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT THEN ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE, THEN THERE WAS AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CENTER WHERE AN INVESTIGATOR FROM THE CITY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. HE SPECULATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE VEHICLE SPEED CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. SHE WILL RECEIVE A REPORT IN TEN DAYS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED BECAUSE IT WAS A CRUISE CONTROL FIRE THE MANUFACTURE WAS RESPONSIBLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
1998 FORD WINDSTAR CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH IS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ONTO CONNECTORS BELOW CAUSING A FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING PLASTIC ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL PRESSURE SWITCH WAS MELTING AND SMOKING UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN, BUT HE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE SPEED CONTROL PRESSURE SWITCH. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 99,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DRAMATICALLY ACCELERATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY AND A CRASH WERE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND NO ERROR CODES WERE PROVIDED FROM THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000. UPDATED 03-06-09 *BF UPDATED 03/09/09*JB
ABS FAULT LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT. CRUISE CONTROL INOP. *TR
I HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL SET ON MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. IT ACTED LIKE THE ENGINE REVVED UP A COUPLE OF TIMES THEN SMOKE STARTED ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. NOW THE TURN SIGNALS DON'T WORK AND THE VAN ISN'T PERFORMING WELL. *TR
MALFUNCTIONING CRUISE CONTROL. *TR
I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR THAT I HAVE OWNED SINCE NEW, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED FUNCTIONING. I DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH ON THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND WAS CAUSING THE LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE FOLLOWED THAT FORD HAS A MAJOR RECALL ON THESE SWITCHES ON MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES DO TO ENGINE FIRES. MY CAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL, BUT FLUID IS LEAKING INTO THE SWITCH. I HAVE UNPLUGGED THE SWITCH TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL FIRE, BUT FORD SAYS THAT THESE SWITCHES DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM OF EARLIER SWITCHES, I DISAGREE AS THERE IS THE SAME INDICATION OF FAILURE AND LEAKING FLUID. THEY ARE JUST WAITING FOR MORE FIRES BEFORE THEY ACT....*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKS BRAKE FLUID, WHICH CAUSES HIM TO CONSTANTLY ADD MORE FLUID IN THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT OPERATE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUSES BLEW OUT IN THE CRUISE CONTROL. UPDATED
EVEN THOUGH THE VAN I JUST PURCHASED DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE A RECALL ON IT I HAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO COMPLETE LEAKING OUT OF ALL THE BRAKE FLUID THROUGH THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH, THE DUAL MASTER CYLINDER IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THIS BUT IT DIDN'T. THE SWITCH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE FACT THAT THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE SEEPING ALLOWED ALL THE FLUID TO LEAVE AFTER ONLY THREE WEEKS OF DRIVING. I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I HAD MECHANICS CHECK IT OUT AND THE SWITCH IS THE SAME TYPE THAT IS CAUSING THE FIRES. I HAVE TO WONDER IF THE LEAKING DRIPPING ON TO HOT MOTOR PARTS COULD CAUSE THE FIRES AS WELL AS SOME ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD DUE TO THE BRAKE FLUID EATING THROUGH PLASTIC AND RUBBER . I TRULY REGRET PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE BEFORE RESEARCHING. I MAY BE ASKING THE DEALER TO TRADE ME INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE JUST DUE TO NOT WANTING TO DIE AT AN EARLY AGE DUE TO FORDS LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL IT IS A SHAME THAT ANY MANUFACTURER CAN BUILD ANY PIECE OF JUNK WITHOUT REGARDS TO END RESULT AND ONLY WORRYING ABOUT THE PROFIT OF SELLING AND THE FACT THAT RISK MANAGEMENT AFTER THE FACT OF WAITING FOR MANY TO BE EFFECTED BY DEATH OR LOSS OF VEHICLE TO HAVE A RECALL FORCED AND FIXING A BAD DESIGN ONCE PRESSED TO DO SO. I FEEL THE MASTER CYLINDERS WHOLE SAFETY IS IN THAT ONE CHAMBER IS MOST LIKELY FUNCTIONAL UNDER MOST SYSTEM FAILURES OF WHEEL CYLINDERS , HOSES, ETC BUT HAVING A PART DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE FRONT CHAMBER AND WITH THE COMMON LIKELIHOOD OF REAR WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKAGE AT SOME POINT COULD LEAD TO TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE LIKE I EXPERIENCED. THE FACT THAT THIS MASTER CYLINDER IS HIDDEN FROM EASY VIEW DOES NOT ALLOW THE OWNER TO EASILY VISUALIZE A LEAK AT THIS PART. WHY IS BRAKE FLUID NEEDED TO ACTUATE A DEACTIVATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULDN'T A SWITCH (ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL) PLACED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM ACTIVATING IT A SIMPLER WAY OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING THE ABS AND PARKING WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALER. THE SERVICE DEALER MECHANIC REPLACED SOME FUSES AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THERE WAS A RECALL #06V286000 PERTAINING TO THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
CONSUMER HAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE 1998 FORD WINDSTAR CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WILL BE RECALLED.*MR
IN SEPTEMBER, 2002, I HAD TO REPLACE THE SPEED CONTROL PRESSURE SWITCH ON THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER OF MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR, BECAUSE IT STARTED LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVERS SIDE TIE ROD END BECAUSE THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID DAMAGED THE RUBER BUSHING. *JB
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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