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Thanks and Happy Holidays.
P.. Thanks for the messages about where to find financing info. Even though on -Plan, helps to make sure all the numbers add up.
Dazed and confused.
If you do a search on "power sliding door", there you'll find several forums under "Vans - Archived blah blah blah" where power sliding doors have been discussed.
I personally didn't want them (we have a 99 SE with 2 manual doors) figuring they're just one more thing to go wrong.
People that do have them though, really like them.
Thanks
It's better, I think, to go to your favorite Discussions (like this one) and hit the Subscribe button. Then you can use the Check Messages button or the Message Center to keep up with new posts.
You may want to follow New Software! Your Questions Answered... for a while to see how other Town Hallers are learning their way around. It's helped me a lot:-)
Steve_
Host
Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Thanks!
I had the same problem with my '95 Ford Wind star, the same musky smell. I took my van to the Ford dealer to resolve this problem for a few times-unsuccessful!. Then I tried turning on the A/I onto with the fan on high, and sprayed approximately 1/4 can of Lysol spray into the outside air vents. The smell went away. Try this method, repeat in a weeks if you still have the musky odor.
red
Call me crazy and you would be right this is our second wind star. We took the 4000 from the 95 and bought this one. We kept the 95 figuring with a new engine and transmission it would be good for a couple more years as an extra car for our teen's It has 102,000 WRONG! Sealed oil and anti freeze also heard a I thump under driver seat so I took it to the dealer on 1/11/01 I just got off the phone from them and they claim:
The oil pan leaking......................$390.00
The Transmission seal is leaking.......... 745.00
Front half axles need to be replace........460.00
Rear frame mountings.......................535.00
Of course none of it is under warranty since the last engine repair was only the top half at 92,000 and the transmission was at 86,000. They are willing to give me my AAA discount so it costs 1780.00 Whopee!
So we are the unique fool to have two broken lemon wind stars at the same dealer ship at the same time. Can't wait until tomorrow. Maybe we should rent a third one as spare!
It isn't clear (to me at any rate) why you feel the ABS and traction control did not work. Maybe details of the accident would help.
Traction control is an aid in getting you going; if your wife was already moving, I don't see how traction control would be of any help.
Did your wife hear the ABS come on? In the 2 years we've owned our Windstar, I've only heard ABS twice (once while breaking and once in conjuction with traction control while accelerating too quickly on gravel). It makes a grinding noise that, too someone who doesn't know what it sounds like, might mistake it for a problem and take their foot off the brake.
What kind of tires are on it? (hopefully not the stock all season)
I have consulted with my long time mechanic about Windstars, and he gave me the same advice he gave me in 1992 when I said I was looking at Taurus wagons:
Buy the 3.0L engine only.
Change the transmission fluid and filter every 24,000 miles.
Don't tow anything over 1000 lbs.
I bought my 91 taurus in the fall of 92 with 25,000 miles on it. I now have almost 234,000 miles on it. I have put a new water pump, all new fuel injectors, new fuel filter, new distributor cap and rotor (twice), and new spark plugs (3 times) in the engine, otherwise it is original.
I have changed transmission fluid ( 7 quarts each time) and transmission filter - 8 times. Otherwise I have not maintained the transmission.
As I understand it, this is basically the same transmission and 3.0L engine that have been available on the Windstar. The Windstar is about 500 lbs. heavier than my Taurus wagon, which won't help the transmission life.
I just thought I would share my perspective on the reliability of the Windstar engine and transmission components. Obviously a sample size of one is not statistically significant.
Meandering
P.S. The engine and transmission still seem to be ok, but all of a sudden, I am looking at air conditioning ( not a major issue in wisconsin this time of year), wheel bearing, radiator, and possibly brake work.
My wife is physically unhurt. Thanks for asking. The police or the neighbor whose tree she hit didn't ask.
My wife was driving about 15 mph down a one inch snow covered road that went down hill and had a curve. As she was in the straight of the road the car started to skid to the right. She applied the brakes and their was no noise and it did not slow down the car or cause it to skid more. She could not straighten the car out of the skid. She skidded about 300 feet and about 20 feet off the road onto our neighbors lawn right smack into the center of a large 20 foot pine tree. The tree snapped and the car spun around 180 degrees up the hill. The car's air bags did not go off the abs and traction control sensor lights did not come on as the manual indicated it would and there was no abs noise while braking. We do have the stock all weather tires that came with the car However there was 3,000 dollars damage. New front bumper, air conditioner condenser coil and radiator.
We are from new England and have driven many years in the snow. Both of our other cars including the 95 wind star have abs and have been used effectively. We have driven the 95 wind star in a lot of snow and ice and it handled well with the stock tires that came on it.
My wife refuses to drive the car ever again and I can't blame her. We are doing everything we can to sell it and move on
Maybe snow tires might have prevented the vehicle from sliding in the first place? Coming from NE, you and she know how to drive on snow and ice far better than I do. At least she was going slow and wasn't injured.
Its probably a good thing that the airbags didn't go off. At that speed, they may have done her more harm than the accident. I forget exactly, but I think they only go off in frontal collisions that exceed 20mph.
If you have to travel uphill, much of the advantage of the traction advantage of FWD is lost since the weight transfers back. That's why one may see cars spin their front wheels on wet roads (uphill) from a dead stop. I know I certainly do and I beat all of them with my AWD minivan :-) I remember seeing a Swedish winter rally where the co-driver was literally jumping up and down on the Saab's front bumper to try to add more weight/traction to the front drive wheels.
I think the Windstar's rear (3rd row) bench is about 100lbs, so removing that made your vehicle's weight distribution even more disproportionate. The 75lbs bag of sand should help. Just try to place it directly over (and if possible centre) of the rear axle.
Drive carefully!
Drew
Host
Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
The local dealer tells me that "only the '95 Windstars had a problem with the head gaskets, and the transmission has been improved on the '01 model."
Well, if misery loves company, you have it! My door ajar light comes on only occasionally. I believe on mine it is the sensor for the driver's door. Interestingly, my brother (who also has a '98 windstar) has the same problem. I will try cleaning the contacts that was suggested later. Any other help will be greatly appreciated.
dadof5
Ignoring all of the problems that the Windstar had, I bought a used 99 Windstar with 28,000 miles for $15,000 just before my wife and I had our first baby.
(Thought it was a good deal. It was off our local ford dealership rental lot)
Three weeks after I had it I noticed the tranny was acting up, took it in. Nothing was found to be wrong. Before the warranty ran out, I had it check four times, three of them I had invoices to show that the tranny was checked but never was anything found. I couldn't get the transmission to act up (hard shift and shudder from first to second). Low an behold, at 39,000 the tranny started to act up on command. Then when I took it in, of course Ford said you do need a new transmission. So I brought my invoices and Ford said, "oh were sorry. Because the problem was not identified until after the warranty ran out, your out of luck."
After dealing with both the dealer and Ford Customer Service (Not) help line, They gave me a 5 yr, 75,000 warranty, but I had to pay $500 for the warranty. This is ridiculous. I have talked to our attorney general to get my $500 back and am trying to sell my van as soon as possible.
For those of you who ask this site for input on buying a Ford Windstar. DON"I DO IT. I did and ignored the what I thought were just a "few" bad posts, and now I am regretting every buying this piece of... Well you know.
Serves me right!
DO NOT BUY A FORD WINDSTAR. FORD WILL NOT SUPPORT YOU AFTER THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT. They do not care about the customer, only about money.
Of course when I brought it into customer service they could not find anything wrong. The only time mine would make that sound was if I did not use the van for at least a day, and then the following morning start it up.
By the way...I had a 98 Windstar, 2000 Windstar(was given to me by Ford in a buyback Lemon dispute) and now that I have my Odyssey for 1 day - I will never go back to Ford again.
Unless wheels spins different rates it will not engage. But then the noise and vibration tells you it is working. A downhill curve a block away is a good test.
signed, Burnt in Cali. JC>
Everything else is working fine.
Is there any reliable engine that can be installed in this vehicle other than a rebuilt
Ford engine. I'm worried about the blown gasket problem.
Thanks in advance for any help on this.
Supposedly, Ford "fixed" the blown head gasket problem mid 1996 model year. This to me suggests they have gone to a different gasket; maybe there is an aftermarket supplier that makes a good gasket for the 3.8l engine.
1) Speedometer - cost $500,
2) Mass Air Flow sensor and Oxygen Sensor - $600,
3) Power Steering Pump - $300.
All this in a span of 6months. Its becoming very expensive to maintain this car. Its becoming more of a liability, then a asset.
Replace Battery $70 (it was actually fine, more preventative than anything else)
Replace PCV Valve and hose $89 to diagnose about $35 for parts and labor
I will find out what I can. Thanks for the information. If we can get some mileage out of
this car everyone at school will be indebted to you.
Has anyone had a similar experience?
I also noticed the gray primer showing through the white top coat on the tailgate, tailgate frame, side door frame. The dealer repainted these to be white. Any other such observations?