1998 Ford Windstar Fuel system Problems

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'M HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, MY CAR STOPS WHEN IT WANTS TO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, .. IT MAKES NOISES WHEN I'M TURNING, I HAVE RUST COMING FROM UNDER MY CAR. THE SIGNAL LIGHTS FLICKER. WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WASHER, SEAT BELT, AND DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF. WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING THE WIPER BLADES STOP WORKING, FRONT BRAKE ROTORS IS CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO SHIMMY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. NOW WHEN I TURN MY WHEEL TO THE LEFT, IT MAKES THIS LOUD NOSE. WHAT IS THAT?!

NHTSA ID

11090769

Incident

Aug 2, 2017

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

NHTSA ID

11013112

Incident

Jul 12, 2017

MY WINDSTAR HAS ABOUT 155,000 MILES ON IT AND A 25 GALLON TANK. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO IT CUT OFF ON THE INTERSTATE IN FRONT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER WITH MY DAUGHTER DRIVING. IT HAD JUST TRAVELED ABOUT 200 MILES AND IT WAS RAINING HARD. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER AND ALL HE REPORTED WAS THE FUEL PUMP FUSE BLEW. THE SECOND EVENT WAS ON VACATION AND AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 175 MILES. AGAIN IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN. I FIGURED IT WAS MOISTURE RELATED AND LET IT SIT THREE DAYS AND THE IDLE CLOSE TO 1/2 HOUR. FINALLY I DROVE IT ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND IT SEEMED FINE SO WE DROVE HOME. AGAIN AT ABOUT 150 MILES AND HEAVY RAIN IT BLEW THE FUSE ABOUT 5 MILES FROM HOME. AFTER TWO MORE FUSES WE MADE IT HOME. I USED AN AIR COMPRESSOR AND AIR NIBBLER TO CAREFULLY CUT AN ACCESS HOLE IN THE FLOOR OF THE VAN. MY DAUGHTERS CHRYSLER COMES WITH AN ACCESS POINT FOR FUEL PUMP SERVICE. NOW MY VAN HAS ONE TOO. THE ORIGINAL PUMP WAS IN THE TANK. THE WIRES EXPOSED TO FUEL WERE CHAFFED IN 5 SPOTS AND ARCING AT THE PUSH IN CONNECTOR. THE ARCING WAS DUE TO A CRIMP ON A HOSE CLAMP RUBBING THE WIRE NEAR THE PUSH IN PUMP CONNECTOR. THIS RUBBING MAY HAPPEN DUE TO OTHER STORIES I'VE READ ABOUT WHERE THE TANK COLLAPSED FROM VACUUM IN THE TANK. SHAME ON THE PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED THIS PUMP, TANK AND THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS. BY THE WAY I'M A QUALITY ENGINEER AT AN ENGINE FACTORY. I EXPECT A FUEL PUMP TO WEAR OUT -- NOT SHORT OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10533315

Incident

Jul 5, 2013

Mileage

155,000 mi

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. CONSUMER STATES ISSUES WITH REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS HE PUT IN HIS VEHICLE, TURNED OUT TO BE BAD, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE SHAKE. (CONSUMERS HANDWRITING IS EXTREMELY ILLEGIBLE. ) *JB

NHTSA ID

10374438

Incident

Jan 3, 2011

DT: CONTACT STATED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND THE FUEL PUMP HARNESS MELTED. DEALER TOLD CONTACT SHE WAS LUCKY THE VEHICLE DID NOT BLOW UP ON HER. THIS HAPPENED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THEN VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10127025

Incident

Jun 26, 2005

Mileage

80,900 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT FIVE OR TEN MILES ,IF THE CONTACT GOES TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OR STOP, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. THIS OCCURS WHILE DECELERATING. HE STATES THAT EVERYTHING WORKS FINE WHILE HE IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT JUST WHEN HE GOES TO STOP THAT HE HAS THE PROBLEMS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC , AND THEY REPLACED THE IDLE CONTROL ,AND CLEANED THE INJECTORS. HOWEVER, VEHICLE STILL HAS THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING. IT WILL START BACK UP AS SOON AS IT STALLS WHEN HE PUTS IT IN PARK. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 100 TIMES. VEHICLE HAS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. IT STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND IT WOULDN'T DO IT ALL THE TIME AND NOW IT IS DOING ALMOST EVERY TIME YOU SLOW DOWN. HAS CAME VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10120560

Incident

May 10, 2004

CONSUMER STATED EXCESSIVE FUEL WAS LEAKING . DEALER INDICATED THAT TOP OF THE FUEL TANK BROKE APART. *AK

NHTSA ID

10106870

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

73,000 mi

CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL TANK FILLER HOSE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON STATES LOOSE FUEL CAP. FUEL CAP HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. PROBLEM PERSISTS. IS THERE A 1999 RECALL ON WINDSTAR FUEL TANKS? WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL? WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100850

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

Mileage

37,000 mi

SURGING, LACK OF POWER, STALLING, NO START CONDITION

NHTSA ID

10072516

Incident

Apr 22, 2004

Mileage

96,000 mi

FORD INSTALLED IMPROPER SIZE FUEL TANKS WHICH CAUSED THE WIRE IN THE FUEL TANK TO CHAFE AND SHORT OUT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP RUNNING. *PH THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10065307

Incident

Nov 10, 2003

Mileage

85,454 mi

FUEL TANK COLLAPSE ON 1998 WINDSTAR DEALER WANTS $1300 DOLLARS TO REPLACE FUEL TANK AND ALL RELATED COMPONENTS. DEALER SAYS THIS IS BECAUSE THERE IS A VACUUM INSIDE TANK CREATED BY THE FUEL PUMP. PERFECTLY RUNNING VAN THAT HAS BEEN KEPT UP MAINTENANCE WISE IS NOW INOPERATIVE DO TO STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10058126

Incident

Feb 10, 2004

Mileage

142,271 mi

A/C OCT. 99 $168.98, DEC. 99 $134.40 SUSPENSION JULY 01 $664.61, DEC. 99 $515.85, JUN 01 $61.78, BODY JUN 01 $443.61 OTHER CD PLAYER JUN 01 $19.50 AND $366.86 TURN SIGNAL JAN 02 $161.04 DOME LIGHT JAN 02 $84.02 JAN 02 $89.72 DOOR OCT 99 $134.52, MAR 03 $285.07 STEERING SEPT.02 $258.82, MAR. 03 569.32 COMPUTER CONTROLS SEPT. 00 $106.02 ENGINE JAN 02 $784.75 COOLANT SMELL (FOUND FRONT COVER GASKET LEAKING) SEPT. 02 85.95 (TOLD THROTTLE BODY WORN OUT, SOLD ME UPDATE COMPUTER SOFTWARE, SEAMS TO RUN BETTER) CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A/C SYSTEM INTERMITTENT. MECHANIC FOUND ENGINE PROBLEM, SAYS MAIN BEARINGS OR CRANKSHAFT BAD, POSSIBLY DUE TO COOLANT IN OIL SYSTEM FROM JANUARY 02 PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

10070335

Incident

Dec 15, 1999

Mileage

50,930 mi

THIS VAN HAS ALL THE DEFECTS AND COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THEGOVT. RECALLS THE NHTSA SITE AND OTHERS IHAVE TOO MUCH INFO TO PUT ON THIS SITE IF THERE IS ANYONE I CAN SEND MY COMPLAINT TO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IAM PUTTING IT BACK INTO THE SHOP AGAIN IVE BEEN THRU A NIGHTMARE ALONG WITH TRYING TO ASSURE MY 4 KIDS THAT THEY WERE SAFE IN THIS VAN THANKYOU ANGELA WALLACE AND BY THE WAT THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THIS VAN WILL NOT COOPERATE AT ALL

NHTSA ID

10070261

Incident

May 15, 2001

Mileage

37,000 mi

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. FAULTY HEAD GASKET DESIGN IN MY OPINION ABS/TRACTION CONTROL UNIT. CURRENT PROBLEM TSB STATES THAT FUEL TANK MANUFACTURED WITH INCORRECT DEPTH - FUEL PUMP WIRING IS RUBBED UNTIL ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURS - AND FUEL PUMP FUSE BLOWS - VEHICLE IS THEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC, IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION ETC. FORDS RECOMMENDED FIX IS TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND PUMP ASSEMBLY HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING TO THE COST OF THE REPAIRS CAUSED DUE TO THEIR FAULTY DESIGN.

NHTSA ID

10070170

Incident

Nov 15, 2002

Mileage

84,000 mi

FUEL PUMP FUSE HAS BLOWN ON 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. *MR THE VEHICLE CEASED TO RUN WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT IT HA BEEN A NUMBER OF VEHICLE'S WITH FUEL PUMP WIRE FAILURES DUE TO DEFECTIVE VENTING SYSTEMS FOR THE FUEL TANK. THIS CAUSES THE FUEL TANK TO DEFORM, COLLAPSE AND PINCH THE WIRES TO THE INTEGRITY MOUNTED FUEL PUMP. *SC

NHTSA ID

10055332

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMER SMELLED GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK THE SEAL BETWEEN THE GAS TANK AND THE FUEL PUMP FAILED BECAUSE THE GAS TANK COLLAPSED. THE GAS TANK WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER. THE FUEL GAUGE ACCURACY PROBLEM THAT WAS CORRECTED WHEN THE NEW GAS TANK WAS INSTALLED. *SCC

NHTSA ID

10042185

Incident

Sep 26, 2003

Mileage

95,000 mi

FUEL TANK COLLAPSED. AS A RESULT, THE 22 GALLON TANK CAN ONLY TAKE IN 13 GALLONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051875

Incident

May 1, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi

CONSUMER NOTICED SOMETHING HANGING DOWN FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM BRACKET RUSTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051782

Incident

Dec 5, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

VEHICLE BLOWS FUEL PUMP FUSE AND STOPS RUNNING. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN 3 INSTANCES ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10045585

Incident

Oct 9, 2003

Mileage

84,554 mi

I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR, AND ITS FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALER IT WAS SAID THAT THE FUEL TANK COLLAPSED AT THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH CAUSED THE LEAKING. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041052

Incident

Oct 1, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

FUEL TANK BROKEN / PUNCTURED WHEN RAN OVER ON A UNKNOWN OBJECT (SUSPECT TIRE PIECE) DURING NIGHT ON A RAINY DAY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018366

Incident

Dec 28, 2002

Mileage

65,000 mi

CAR STALLS AND CUTS OFF WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP - MAKING SHARP TURNS - WHEN COMPLETELY FILLING GAS TANK UP - AT THE HALF WAY POINT ON FUEL GAUGE

NHTSA ID

10005294

Incident

Jan 25, 2002

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. ACCORDING TO DEALER REPAIR DEPT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK CAUSED BY CORROSION RELATING TO THE EMISSION TUBING. HAD TO REPLACE FUEL TANK. REPORTED TO FORD, THEY HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT. DEALER PERSON SAID THEY HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL OF THESE AND THIS IS IN A SMALL RURAL TOWN. TANK WAS BACK ORDERED FOR A MONTH. I WOULD THINK THAT A HOLE IN A GASOLINE TANK WOULD BE HAZARDOUS, AND GIVEN THE STATEMENT OF SEEING SEVERAL OF THESE IN ONE DEALERSHIP PLUS THE BACKORDER SITUATION INDICATES THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10000109

Incident

Nov 14, 2002

Mileage

91,334 mi

OUR FUEL PUMP WENT FOR A SECOND TIME IN A THREE MONTH PERIOD. THE CAUSE OF THE FUEL PUMPS MALFUNCTION WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE FACT THAT THE DEPTH OF THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT WITHIN THE REQUIRED SPECIFICATIONS. THE DEPTH OF THE FUEL TANK WAS ONLY 6 5/8" DEEP. IF THE DEPTH OF THE TANK IS TO SHALLOW, THE WIRING ATOP THE FUEL PUMP CAN BECOME CHAFFED ON THE METAL FUEL HOSE CLAMP. FORD HAD ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VERY ISSUE. WHAT OCCURRED WITH OUR VAN WAS PRECISELY WHAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN WARNS OF. THE SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THAT IF THEFUEL TANK DEPTH IS LESS THAN 7 3/4" REPLACE THE FUEL TANK 9002 AND FUEL DELIVERY MODULE 9H307. OUR VAN CLEARLY MET THAT CRITERIA, HOWEVER, FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL TANK AT FORDS EXPENSE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN AT FORD STATED THAT IF I WERE A REGULAR CUSTOMER OF DUDDIE FORD, THAT THEY WOULD NOT LET ME TAKE THE VAN WITH ME BECAUSE OF THE SAFETYISSUES INVOLVED. WHEN I ASKED WHAT EXACTLY THEY MEANT, THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE CHAFFING OF THE WIRING ON THE FUEL PUMP, A SHORT COULD OCCUR, WHICH COULD IGNITE GASOLINE FUMES AND THEREFORE RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC TRAGEDY. BASICALLY, THE VAN COULD EXPLODE. AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE AT GRANITE FORD IN ROCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK PER THE SERVICE BULLETIN. THE GRANITE FORD TECHNICIAN ALSO MEASURED THE DEPTH OF THE FUEL TANK AND FOUND A DEPTH OF ONLY 6 5/8". (SEE GRANITE FORD INVOICE) THE FUEL TANK WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. DT

NHTSA ID

768558

Incident

Sep 17, 2002

THERE ARE WIRES GOING THROUGH FUEL TANK THAT HAVE NO COVER, AND IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD STALLED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO WIRES SHORTING OUT IN THE FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. YH

NHTSA ID

8016634

Incident

Jul 31, 2002