10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 17 / 4
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 14 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 4,103 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
This is the fourth head gasket failure requiring engine replacements.
- Burlington, WA, USA
Extremely low mileage for transmission failure. I have spoken to many other owners with the same problem.
- Apo, NY, USA
While driving at approximately 45 mph vehicle lost all power from transmission. Consumer had to put vehicle into second gear in order to guide it off the road. Consumer took vehicle to a private mechanic, who rebuilt transmission. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
Van was in park; put van in reverse, sounded like it shifted, but refused to move. Possible cracked reverse drum, states mechanic.
- Streetsboro, OH, USA
Transmission has trouble going into gear when the vehicle is hot, and won't go into gear until it hits 2000 rpms. Contacted dealr, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.
- Massland, OH, USA
No summary listed for abov evehicle.
- Glen Allen, VA, USA
Paid over $2400 @ dealer to repair. This vehicle has become too expensive to maintain. No defective part mentioned.
- Snellvile, GA, USA
Transmission went out around 80,000 miles. 2nd gear and reverse gear fault. Problem due to forward cushion plate (a $6.87 part!!!) cost of transmission overhaul $1637.77...
- Fayetteville, AR, USA
Head gasket failure, transmission failure between 47,500-49.500 miles. Unsafe lemon.Ford will not take responsibility.
- Jeannette, PA, USA
No summary listed for above vehicle.
- Hurlburt Field, FL, USA
The transmission has a problem down shifting after the car has been driven and is warmed up Ford has been notified via customer service number.
- West Islip, NY, USA
Ford replaced the transmission on my Windstar just before the warranty was up. Here it is about the same # of miles out and the replacement transmission is locked up and the car had to be towed to grahm Ford. I see a $2000 debt in my future that I believe should be Ford's responsibility. I'm happy the children weren't in the car when it bucked and locked up. I'm even happier it didn't happen when we were on the road or out in the middle of nowhere. I believe they made a faulty part and should own up to it. Kathy gudel.
- Columbus, OH, USA
Vehicle does not shift into gear. Contacted dealer, and dealer is not willing to do anything.
- St. Rettersburg, FL, USA
I have had several different problems with my '95 Windstar since I bought it used in Jan of 1997. The scary thing is I don't know what all has already been replaced on it, but here is my list head gaskets replaced, speedometer replaced & is now making noise again, rear heat and air repaired, trouble with ignition switch, steering is making noises hopefully this isn't a problem with the suspension spring you are already investigating, bells are rining all the time, door adjar light stays on periodically causing interior lights to stay on so you can't drive at night and your battery goes dead.most recently my transmission is giving me problems, it goes out of gear at a stop and then slams into it hard when you try to go forward also shifts hard from 1st to 2nd. This is very dangerous when entering a busy intersection or street. I did some home work on the internet only to find that it seems all of these problems are very common and everyone seems to have them at some point or another. I have been thinking of re pairing my transmission but I have read of several people repairing theirs only to put 2 or even 3 more in. What is it with this vehicle?no safety defect mentioned.
- Connell, WA, USA
Transmission has failed. Vehicle completely shuts off with no warning while in motion, consumer states it feels as if the transmission locks up, mechanic checked vehicle and found that the problem was in the head gaskets.
- Edenburg, TX, USA
Crack in aluminum forward clutch piston in the transmission
- Grove City, OH, USA
My automatic transmission failed and sent smoke into the passenger compartment. It previously failed in 1997 and was repaired under factory warranty. This will now be the 3rd transmission in 78,000 miles. In Sep. 1999, my head gasket failed, and I bought a $495 service warranty from Ford, since Ford had not yet issued program M09 to repair head gaskets. I took the car to winner Ford for transmission problems in June 2000 while still covered under warranty, but "no problem found" so no repair made. Ford and dealer now offering no assistance, even though I tried to get it fixed while under warranty. Ford should acknowledge this chronic mechanical failure similar to the head gasket problem and issue extended coverage for transmission on these cars and tauruses. The internet complaint forums are full of stories on premature transmission failures on Windstar and tauruses. I also am having to rent a car, and should be paid for that cost as well.
- Greenville, DE, USA
I had just stopped to fill up van with gas. I was pulling out of the station on to a main road, when just as I pulled on to the road the car made a loud clunk and then would not move any further. Because the car would not move it almost caused me to be hit in the side by on coming traffic on a road that has a speed limit of 50 mph. I would have been injured severly if the person had not went around me to keep from hitting me.
- Westerville, OH, USA
While driving and coming to a stop and when attempting to accelerate applied force to accelerator pedal, and vehicle did not respond. Also, vehicle did not go into gear. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealer noted problem was linked to a crack in transmission due to type of material used for transmission. Consumer also, transmission needed to be replaced.
- Washington, WV, USA
- Wickliffe, OH, USA