Ford Windstar Problems

5greyhounds · March 2003

Which service light is on? My service light came on and I did all the things I was supposed to and it ended up being some gaskets that were letting some air into the engine and upsetting the emissions. The car ran really well and seemed to not be a problem but it was $450 to fix. I have the extended warranty so it was Zero for me. (I have a 2000 SEL with 26k)

penguin · March 2003

I took my '98 Windstar to Autozone for their free analysis and they hooked it up and came up with 2 codes; 1537 and 1538. Each code said the same thing, intake manifold runner control (bank 1) stuck open and intake manifold runner control (bank 2) stuck open. Initially they said it would take 4 Oxygen sensors (2 for each side). Then they said it could be that something is clogged or that there might be a vacuum leak. So now I don't know what if anything I should do.

drpusey · March 2003

My windstar had a cracked sub-frame. after many new motor mounts and other attempts at the dealer, I had an independant guy look at it.

drpusey · March 2003

I've had the worst luck with my Windstar. A partial list of repairs (all after warrantee) is as follows. Rotors ground 3 times, steering rack, motor mounts twice, struts, tie rods, steering pump, various belt pulleys and tensioners, cracked sub frame, plus other annoyances AND Now the thing throws a rod and punctures the block. All between 30000 and 76000 miles. It's dead now. Great Value! Honda here I come.

steve6264 · April 2003

I've got a '98 GL 3.8 with 112K miles that has until recently been very reliable - no major repairs.

Now the transmission is downshifting without warning, and I'm getting "Service engine soon" warnings.

Waiting for the shop to let me know what's going on. Has anyone experienced this recently?

steve6264 · April 2003

Didn't eat the tranny, just a sensor.

All things considered, it could have been worse.

5greyhounds · April 2003

That was a quick answer. My 95GL went 135K with no transmission problems--till a truck ran a red light and totaled it.

donnie2494 · April 2003

I have a 98 windstar with 31,000 miles on it. The van has been taken care of, serviced regularly, and is in showroom condition. A few months ago I had the recall spring plates installed which keep the spring from puncturing a tire should they break. I also had to replace the tie rods at that time. Since this work was done there is a high speed vibration coming from the front end. (45 mph and higher) I put new tires on, had them balanced and rebalanced, front end alignments and it still does it. The Ford garage even swapped tires and rims off another Windstar and it didn't correct the problem. The Ford mechanics have no idea what is causing it. They say the front end is tight and the alignment is perfect. Does anyone know what could cause this problem?

navigator3740 · April 2003

I will not attempt to argue that Ford builds a great minivan. I had an Aerostar that I was thrilled to have totalled. Currently renting a Windstar, and find it to be pretty impressive, but it's new.

But, I digress. My point is, better check the Honda Accord problem board before you go out and buy your Odyssey...... You'll be amazed.

mted23 · April 2003

You make a good point about the Odyssey. I think the same could be said for many vehicles in the Town Hall. The Town Hall is a place for many people to come and vent about their vehicle problems. I keep an eye on the Town Hall everyday to see what people are saying about the vehicles I own.
I do own a 2000 Windstar that I bought used in November. Got a great deal. Many of you know, the depreciation if you bought new is horrible. I like our Windstar as it serves its purpose for my young family. Only problem has been the power drivers seat went out and the motor was replaced free of charge. I did purchase the extended warranty on the van though.
BTW, my opinion of the Freestar is that its redesign is uninspired and already our of date when compared to the Sienna and Quest.

navigator3740 · April 2003

Where the hell did Billy get THAT name anyway??? Oh, it will probably sell anyway, at least to Hertz & Budget, but geeesh..... I wouldn't buy it just because of the name! Aerostar, a name I liked, a van I couldn't wait to get rid of.....Windstar, much less desirable IMHO, and now Freestar????? I'm funny that way, some names of cars just repel me. This would be one. Lumina was one too.

donnie2494 · April 2003

Ford knows their 3.8 liter engine is almost guaranteed to blow a head gasket yet they continue to build the 3.8 liter. Transmissions in the windstar are a travesty. I made the mistake of buying a 98 windstar and I'm writing this to advised any potential Windstar customers to avoid this vehicle at any cost. It's well worth a few thousand bucks more to buy a sienna. I will never buy any Ford product again. I'm ready to send my 98 Windstar with 31000 miles on it to the junk yard.

jrc346 · April 2003

Don't get me wrong here but so far I gather that you have had one problem (vibrations) with your Windstar and now it's the hugest piece of crap built? It sounds to me like the technicians are to fault here. It also seems to me like someone goofed up with the tie rods (seeing as how the vibration came about after their installation). How come you had to have those replaced? Was it because of vibrations and that was the diagnosis? As far as I know the 3.8L V6 had many things that made it prone to failure in the 1995 model Windstar. The first being of its head bolt design. The second being its type of cooling system. Closed loop as opposed to open loop. Then to make matters worse when the head gasket would blow, causing the engine to overheat, the transmition would fail as well due to over heating. A truly crapy design indeed. However for 1996 this problem was remedied with new heads (which also increased 50HP) and a revised cooling system. I know some people have continued to have gasket failures, but they are far fewer than the 1995 models. Now if you have only had vibrations with your 1998 Windstar then be glad that was it. It is fixable. I would have the techs look at the tie rods again. Have them check all ball joints as well. Something else they may want to do is road force balance the tires. I don't know exactly how this works but it is very precise. If you can take the Windstar to another dealer then even try that. In contrast if you bought a used Sienna then you could very well be in that discussion room ranting about how your engine pooped out because of engine sludge build up. To Toyotas credit, I really have to hand it to them for replacing them free of charge in most cases. A noble move. None the less I would rather have a drivable vehicle with vibes than one that is in the shop getting a new engine. These are just what ifs though. Vibrations can be very frustrating I know, but at least the positive is that you have a place to start from. That being when your new tie rods were installed. I think that this may be your biggest clue. The best of luck to you!

stever · April 2003

Edmunds Freestar Preview

Steve, Host

donnie2494 · April 2003

The ford technicians told me there was nothing wrong with the van and they indicated that I should feel lucky that it steers as well as it does. The service manager stated that I should drive an escape then I wouldn't worry about the vibration and thank my lucky stars that I can get from point a to point b. The technicicans checked and rechecked everything in the front end. One indicated it may be a transmission problem or possible the half shafts. Both of which are expensive items to fix and both of which may not be the problem. I have ruled out a tire or rim problem. I put on new brakes, rotors and calipers to eliminate the possibility of a sticking caliper or warped disc. I guess I expect more out of a 20000 dollar vehicle. I had to replace the tie rod ends because they rarely last more than 25000 miles because there's no grease fittings. Yes I do feel lucky that I'm not walking. I could throw hundred dollar bills at the vehicle and still not correct the problem but, I guess I'll have to wait for the transmission to go. I'm starting to think the problem is related to the transmission or drive shaft since the technicians have eliminated any common cause for the condition. My last toyota lasted 13 years and it's still going strong. This van is 4 1\2 years old and I'm told there's nothing wrong with it even though the vibration will give you a headache. Any reasonable person can tell there's something wrong except the sevice manager who states it's typical on windstars. He expected me to believe the van used to roll down the road in a smooth fashion because I was one of the lucky ones who got a perfectly balanced set of tires and the only way I could return the van to that condition is to find the right set of tires. Toyota here I come

jrc346 · April 2003

I guess you have a good reason for going to Toyota then. Especially if that means that the dealer is better. From the sound of things your dealer is HORRIBLE! If a dealer will cooperate with you in fixing the problem then the problem itself isn't that bad, because you have a dealer that is working with you and not against you. Is this vibration like a high or low buzz? Or is it like a fast bumpy feeling? I have had many different kinds of vibrations, so maybe I can help. You seem pretty frustrated, and with good reason, but have you considered trying another dealer? That might help. Anyway I suppose it could always be alot worse haha. Good luck.

FYI-The tie rods are sealed like you said, but this is because they don't need lubercation. I have known some to fail prematurely however. I have never had to replace any myself though.

donnie2494 · April 2003

In the good old days front end parts had grease serks on them which allowed you to grease them which greatly extended their lives. Nowadays Ford and other companies sell the sealed parts so they will wear out in three or four years. This greatly increases business for their service departments and is detrimental to our wallets. The parts are made to make it through the warranty period. Mine lasted 40 months and we started hearing a rubber grinding sound when we turned the wheel. The shimmy (vibration) started after we replaced the tie rod ends. It feels like there's a bent rim and shakes the whole van. The backseats even vibrate at high speed. The mechanics claim the problem has nothing to do with the tie rod ends claiming the new ones are good. The vibration is constantly felt in the wheel also. At times you can see it shake. Note: My toyota had sealed front end parts also but 75000 miles and 13 years later they're still working. The vehicle runs and rides as well as the day we got it.

5greyhounds · April 2003

Good point on the other board. I keep an eye on them also and the Honda board says the same thing as most (including this one) of them say. Everyone keeps beating up the 3.8 but that is ancient history. It has been fixed. I have a 2000 SEL I bought in Jan and have not had a gasket go that had to do with the emission system which was fixed. My 95 went 135K till totaled and my 99SE was traded for the 2000. No problems, just a great deal.

wijoco · April 2003

By any chance, did you have a 95-Winstar-that-went-135K-miles-with-no-transmission-problems-unt- il-it-was-totaled-by-red-light-runner? Huh? Did you? I'm not sure, because you only post that statement every eight posts. Maybe you should repeat yourself every two or three posts just to make sure NONE of us forgets! Geez, talk about stuffing the ballot box.

tmant · April 2003

OK, it was some of you people that remind me of my 2000 Crapstar SE. I had the squeaky noise in the front end during turns. It was my tie rods. Had them replaced and no more squeaky, and also no vibrations.

My engine light went on and I had a leak in the lower intake manifold (and for some reason head gasket because I think it was replaced). So I think the engine isn't all that great in terms of reliability.

My transmission? It broke too. Count me as one of the statistics with engine and transmission problems.

Oh yeah, most of the problems appeard around 60k, so I guess you could say I have been more fortunate than others. I won't buy another one of these or a Freestar. Im anxious to get a Hyundai Elantra GT, though!?

5greyhounds · April 2003

yep, but I do not know if the person I am posting to knows that. Face it, it is a rare situation to go that long and not have the transmission go out. Sorry it bothers you.

mted23 · April 2003

My 2000 Windstar SE with passenger power door is starting to give me problems. When I power the door closed the dash light will stay on even though the door is closed all the way. Then when I put it in gear and begin to drive the power door locks contine to try to lock even though the locks are locked. It tries to lock about 5 times and then stops and the light goes out. I cleaned the contacts on the door. Any other suggestions?

wijoco · April 2003

<yep, but I do not know if the person I am posting to knows that. Face it, it is a rare situation to go that long and not have the transmission go out. Sorry it bothers you. >

Right, it IS a rare situation. So why do you repost the fact every page? Why does each person you are "posting to" have to know that? How does that help anyone? You're either bragging about your good luck, or trying to skew people's opinion by making it appear that there are more good early Windstars than there really were. I guess, in contrast, I could post every other day about my friend's 96 Windstar that suffered 3.8 engine, transmission, and numerous electrical failures by 70K miles, but that wouldn't be helpful as much as it would be, let's say, "irritating."

5greyhounds · April 2003

Ease up--if you do not like my posts just ignore them. No damage to you.

jrc346 · April 2003

Wijoco states-(In quotes)

"Right, it IS a rare situation."

Great so thats out of the bag.

"So why do you repost the fact every page?"

Why not? Doesn't bother anyone else it seems?

"Why does each person you are "posting to" have to know that?"

Why shouldn't they know that?

"How does that help anyone?"

How does it not?

"You're either bragging about your good luck, or trying to skew people's opinion by making it appear that there are more good early Windstars than there really were."

I hardly think 5greyhounds is "bragging." I think he is merely stating his satisfaction with his Windstar. Thats great! It's nice to hear some positive comments about their satisfaction with their vehicle. Just because someone doesn't agree with you Wijoco, doesn't mean you have to bash them off of this message board.

"I guess, in contrast, I could post every other day about my friend's 96 Windstar that suffered 3.8 engine, transmission, and numerous electrical failures by 70K miles, but that wouldn't be helpful as much as it would be, let's say, "irritating."

I think an occasional post about "your friends" Windstar may help some people. Does your friend still have the vehicle? If so, updates are useful.

IMHO-Wijoco I think that the negativity of your posts towards other posters might be more "irritating" than the posts you claim as irritating.

Wijoco-I am not insinuating anything about you, heck I don't even know you except from what I see here on these boards. All I see is someone who is very upset about their (their friends?)Windstar and their poor treatment from Ford. There is nothing that I can say or that you would want to hear that can change your mind about the Windstar, and that isn't my point I guess. However, I can sympathize with those problems. I have had lemon vehicles come and go. The only thing I can do is try another brand, and hope for the best. The best to you! Peace.

5greyhounds · April 2003

jrc346, thanks for the note. It is funny how your perspective changes with time. I do not want anyone to think I did not have my fair share of problems with the 95. I did but as long as it was covered by the extended warranty and I had another van to drive it was not a problem. Maybe part of it was my dealer bent over backwards to help me. However, it was the strangest thing, just as the extended warranty ran out at till it was hit only one thing went wrong with it. At 100k the ground wire strap corroded through and the van would not start. Other than that it just kept on going so the last 65K was how you want your vehicle to be: pull the maintance and it just keeps going.
Enough of this, time to move on the 2004. I would venture to say there are going to be some fire sales at Ford when the 2004 comes out. I remember when the first version of the SHO was at the end of it's run. Ford put a 10k rebate on the manual transmission versions. One of my neighbors got one for a song and still has it. I doubt Ford goes to 10K but I look for 5k or some kind of rebate and loyalty coupon.

crkeehn · April 2003

and I could post about mine which had 100,000 miles without engine or transmission problems at all.

jrc346 · April 2003

5greyhounds-

I completely agree on dealer experiences being key to the satisfaction of vehicle ownership. That is a major reason I have Fords myself. My dealer on a number of occasions has bent over backwards to help me out with this or that problem over the past 25 years.
On another note I think what you said about your Windstar holding up well after the warranty can be very true. My good friend has a 1999 GMC Yukon that was complete trash when he hit about 70,000 Miles. I mean all kinds of things went wrong (It was not in warranty). However, he was patient and got the things repaired. Now he is at about 120,000-125,000K and hasn't had any problems for about 45,000 miles now. It's just hard to know where to draw the line and scrap a car when it comes to repairs at higher mileage. Are you thinking of getting a 2004 Freestar or a good deal on a 2003 Windstar? Personally I think they did a fine job with the Freestar. It's nice that they will also have two engines, the 3.9L V6 and the 4.2L V6. All I can hope is that they execute it well when it comes out. That way it will be a sure winner. Have a good one.

5greyhounds · April 2003

You are right, you never know when to draw the line. I might wait on the Freestar. I am retiring next year and want to see what the finances are. The third seat is a major issue for us since we never use it. The seat is in the garage covered by a tarp. It would be nice not to have to store it. Actually, I had hoped the windows would go down ala the MPV. With Ford owning part of Mazda I would have thought that would be the next step. This way the dogs could stick there heads out the window.
Actually the perfect configuration would be: third seat fold away, roll down windows and a rear window like the 4runner. Just have to see. The 2000 has only 27k on it and with the extended warranty there are three years and 73K to go. As we both know resale is the pits on these so it will be a no trade if I get one. You take care.

wijoco · April 2003

<It's nice that they will also have two engines, the 3.9L V6 and the 4.2L V6. All I can hope is that they execute it well when it comes out.>

Is this the same 4.2 that has been featured as the base engine in the F-series since 96? According to the corp press release for the Windstar 4.2, the engine is either "new" or "newly available," depending on what point in the article you read the phrase. I'm guessing it's the same with a few modifications to shoehorn it in the minivan, and if it is, it's nothing to be excited about. That 4.2 is a drawn-up 3.8 that hasn't had a good track record in the F-series. It's had a lot of the same gasket retention problems as the old 3.8, according to a few people I know who have owned them and a pal who works in the parts business. (Different motor, but ask him about the 5.4 in his 98 Expedition. Uggh. Good thing he manages a parts store.)

jrc346 · April 2003

What happened to your pal's Expedition with the 5.4L. I have a 1999 with the same engine. I know that in 1999 it is common for head gasket oil leaks because of a machining problem at the Canadian (Windsor) engine plant. However, I have been fortunate enough to not have a problem...yet. I just keep my fingers crossed. If you would share your friends story though, I would be interested. Just in case there is something that I should look out for:-)
Do you think that the 3.9L V6 is just a bigger 3.8? I wish more details about these engines would be available.
Thanks!

wijoco · April 2003

'Zactly! Failed right front (front driver's pointofview) HG. Started with oil seepage, then major coolant explosion/implosion on a cold December morning ("head gasket weather"). He did the job himself, replacing all motor gaskets. Mileage was around 80,000. Ford service tech he talked to said that was not uncommon, and he had done way too many HG jobs on that motor himself. My pal replaced his original HGs with the Multi-Layered-Steel factory updates (which the originals were not). The cost of all (head, intake, etc) gaskets and bolts was sickening-I think he said around $400. Of course, no aftermarket companies are making them yet, so he got his from the dealership. What I can't remember, though, was whether or not the MLS gasket was a standard update that Ford began replacing the older gaskets with in production models, or something he upgraded to voluntarily. I wonder what year Ford went to MLS gaskets on all their aluminum-on-iron engines. I see from the Edmund's article that the 3.8 went MLS in '97.

jrc346 · April 2003

That's very interesting. I am very close to 80,000 miles. I have heard that Ford is fixing these gaskets free of charge (that's just what I heard, so I don't know if its 100% true). I can only hope, as that is somewhat reassuring just in case my motor does start to have this problem. Which side does it leak on? The Passenger side bank or the drivers side bank? I wonder if my 1999 5.4 has MLS gaskets? Looks like I have some research to do. Oh well keeps me busy. Thanks again for the response!

wijoco · April 2003

For a depressing look at Ford's minivan future:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/030214-5.htm

It depresses me, at least. I know Ford doesn't have much money for product development right now, but, geez, the best they can do is boring out a 15-year old engine and passing it off as two "new" engines? The 3.9's outputs are the same as the 3.8! What really bewilders me is why Ford goes through the trouble of producing two separate engines, with the "significant" difference being a 10% increase in peak torque @ a difference of 100 RPM. At usable RPM range the torque gain won't even be noticeable. Look at Ford's specs on the Freestar and look at those of the Odyssey: it's scary how fast they are losing ground. Why in the world doen't Ford develop the wonderful Duratec to fit a number of different platforms? The Sienna gets by just fine with a similar all-aluminum DOHC 3.0 V6. It seems almost like Ford did the 4.2 just to put it in the commercials: "Class-leading available torque" or something.

jrc346 · April 2003

Kind of funny...How the 3.9L will have probably around 200HP and so will the 4.2L. The reason I was curious about these engines, is mainly because I was hoping that they were not these existing engines and instead were some new SOHC/DOHC engines. The only reason that I don't care a whole lot for them is because they are crude sounding. They defiantly have good power, but just don't sound as buttery smooth as many OHC engines do. Oh well maybe with enough sound deadening material we wont notice. To bad we couldn't have used the Mazda modified 3.0L Duratec. A great motor with 225HP.

5greyhounds · April 2003

As to DOHC/SOHC vs OHV I will take the OHV. Sound funny I know but the one big problem with the OHCs is the builders always use belts, not chains and you are looking at $400 to $600 every 3 or 4 years just to keep the engine running. If they used chains (as in my Suzuki XL-7) then the OHC would be a good bet. Yes, OHVs are not as smooth but this is a van, not a Lexus. A friend of mine just bought a Chrysler LXi with the big 6 (which is a OHV I believe) in it and it is much soother than the Ford. Face it, Ford is behind the power curve (could not resist the pun) in the engine department. However, till I drive one it is all conjecture. The proof is in the final product and we will just have to see.

jrc346 · April 2003

Fair enough friend. I'll save my judgments until after I drive one:-) You are correct when you say that OHV engines can be smooth, but the rough engine seems to be one of the Windstars demerits when I read comparison tests, thats all. I guess poor ol' Ford had to save money somewhere. I am sure that the 3.9L and 4.2L will be fine. I just hope that Ford will take care of the 4.2L problems (I have heard of these as well), and I think if Ford really wants to repair its image, it will. I also hope that the transmition will be strong enough to handle all of the extra torque from the 4.2L. Maybe the Freestar will get the new 6-Speed Auto in 2006?

5greyhounds · April 2003

Morning jrc436, a 6 speed would be nice but they need to get to the 5 speed first. ( I have not read where the transmission is other than an updated version of the existing 4 speed) Actually, the 4 speed does fine for me. We just made a 310 mile run to pick up some greyhounds for adoption and we did it in 5 hours driving time and I got a 21.5 MPG (according to the computer) and that was with some long runs at 75. Other than going over the mountains it never shifted. I do look forward to the new one but if there are some really good fire sales a 2003 may be the way to go. I would keep the 2000 but then I would have two back seats in the garage. I would have to sell my XL-7 which I really like so I may just wait for a year, will just have to see. I will have to look at the new Nissan also. We have a 90 maxima that has been nothing but good so that is an option to think about along with the MPV. The M:MPV is the right size if we keep the 2000. We do not need two large vans. I have driven several MPVs with the 200HP V6 and they were very nice.

jrc346 · April 2003

5greyhounds-
I agree that 4-speed trannies do their work well. You are also right that the new Freestar will be getting an updated version of its current 4-speed. The reason I mentioned the 6-speed, is because GM and Ford are working together on building a 6 speed auto transmition for their vehicles. I don't know what applications this is for though. I think Ford will be using it in its new line of sedans. I was hoping that it would make its way into the Freestar as well, when the new transmition comes out in 2006. 4-Speeds do their work well, but it would be nice for the Freestar to have an edge over the competition. Additional speeds does have some nice advantages. Better pickup with a smaller engine, better passing power, and better gas mileage. My wife's Explorer with the 5-speed auto, has been a very good performer and has helped us get an average of 18.5 miles to the gallon (city and highway). So I guess, while the 4-speed auto does work well, it would be smart for Ford to catch up with the foreign automakers and their minivans 5-speeds. Just my personal opinion :-)

The MPV IMO is a very nice and competent van. It has power (finally with the 3.0LV6), 4 slide down windows, and a back seat that folds into the floor. The Quest on the other hand, strikes me as a bit odd. I would like to see one in person though before I say much more on that.

5greyhounds · April 2003

I have just seen the adds. I like the idea of the split and fold rear seats but the center stack with the gear shift location would take some getting used to. What would really be neat (yes, some of us older guys still use the word "neat") would be center captain chairs that folded. I thought I had heard that someone had figured that out. As with most things, will just have to wait and see. Have a good one.

wijoco · April 2003

Actually, the trend now is back towards chains. Most Ford OHC V-engines are chain driven. I think it's just the Focus/Escort motors that are belt driven now. Don't be afraid of OHC motors, the DOHC Duratec 3.0 in my 97 Taurus is one of the best engines Ford ever made-it runs like new after 72,000 miles, has never hiccuped once (wish I could say the same about the rest of the car). The 4.6, 3.0 Duratec, 5.4, 2.0 Zetec are all OHC or DOHC. I think once the Vulcan and 3.8 are gone, which won't be long, Ford won't make another non-OHC passenger vehicle engine. Same for Chrysler: the 3.3 and 3.8 in their minivans are the last non-OHCs for them.

5greyhounds · April 2003

I have no fear of them, just do not like to pay the manufacturer money for an item that I feel I really should not have to do. My experience with belts is my wife's 94 Probe GT and my mother's 90 Maxima, both requiring belts. OHCs are great engines for sports cars but when you need some grunt at the bottom end you can not beat a OHV. they are (IMO) designed for larger and thus heavier vehicles like a van or truck.
On the Focus/Escort belts I just think it is counter productive that these cars, that are usually purchased by those that are just getting started or can only afford a lower priced car are saddled with having to put out the money for a belt when the entire idea is they are "econpmy cars". Where is the "economy" of facing a big bill to replace the belt.
Oh well, enough on that. Time to get back to vans. Anyone who reads these last 6 or 8 posts must think they are on the wrong board. This weekend we use the van for what it was designed for: hauling things around. And speaking of that one of the things we do is rescue greyhounds and we use very large dog carries to put them in for the trips. The chrysler can carry four large ones, two side by side, in two rows with no trouble but the Ford can can not. Seems the packaging inside is not as good. Will have to see how the 2004 does.

hockey2 · April 2003

I want to remove my am fm radio and replace it with a cd changer amfm radio . I own a 99 Taurus and added the cd changer myself. Can anyone offer advice on how to do this. Is the radio in the dash or like the Taurus in the rear / trunk?

5greyhounds · April 2003

I gave my ford dealer parts office a call. I can go two ways. It can be a 6 Cd change in the dash or a changer in the center console.

donnie2494 · April 2003

After replacing a cv joint, a wheel bearing, two front end alignments, numerous rotations and balances,and a rotor service, my 98 windstar still had a horrible shimmy at highway speeds. I took a chance and replaced 4 brand new walmart(goodyear viva tires) with less than 1000 miles on them with bf goodrich touring tires. This corrected 90 percent of the problem. I can still feel road imperfections in the wheel but the horrible shimmy has been eliminated. After talking to people in the tire business I learned that the walmart goodyear tires such as the viva are not the same quality as the goodyears sold in the goodyear stores. In fact they told me that the walmart tires quite often cause vibrations in vehicles because they are quite often out of round or have hidden tread separation. These tires were not obviously defective and it took several trips to the shop and a sharp mechanic to finally nail it down to the tires. They were brand new and appeared o.k. to several tire specialists. Getting rid of these terrible tires solved my problem and I would definitely recommend the bf goodrich tires to any windstar owners.

5greyhounds · April 2003

Sounds about right. I guess it goes back to the old adage of you get what you pay for. You need to watch out for the tire ratings. After the screw up with the Explorer you have to get the right ratings for the van. My 95 had Michlens with a rating of A for heat and A for tread wear. However, when I went to replace them Ford had gone to Generals and they were B and B. Funny how the tire ratings changed but the van did not. Purely a money saving for Ford. Not as good a tire as the OE tires. They were also only about $30 each vs $80 (tire rack) so I went with the Generals to save some money on a 4 year old van. I hated them from the first five feet. They just did not feel right for some reason. My 2000 has Michlens and when they go I will replace them with Michlens. I may even go for the run flats but that will require a tire pressure monitoring system so I have to think about that.

trainboy · April 2003

I was talking to a Ford sales rep the other day when we were driving the 03 Windstar. I asked about the self sealing tires and he said the ride was harsher, due to an increase in the un-sprung weight (tires). Try them before you buy them...

paulrwp · April 2003

January 4, 2003, I purchased a 2003 Windstar from Paul Miller Ford in Lexington, KY.

Driving from the dealership, I used the cruise control on the interstate. At Corbin, KY, in exiting from I-75, as I began breaking, the engine began to rev up, reaching 4000 to 5000 rpms. It did this three (3) times: once as I was stopping and twice in restarting the vehicle at the intersection, in exiting onto another road. The fourth time I restarted the engine, the engine was all right.

January 11, 2003, I was in Greenville, SC, the town of my residence, the engine revved up twice. Once as I was breaking for a traffic light and a second time, as I restarted the engine.

In both instances, I turned of the ignition switch off to stop the engine.

I reported the problem to Ford and the Ford dealership in Greenville, SC. The dealership placed a black box/flight recorder on the vehicle, but, the engine did not rev up when it was on the vehicle. (The Greenville dealership replaced the emergence brake racket for it was defective.)

In the past few weeks, the van, at times, is difficult to stop: it seems as if the power brakes is not operating correctly.

Saturday, April 26, 2003, in backing the vehicle, the engine revived up, making this the third time.

Ronny Paul
Greenville, SC 29607-1138

wholigan · April 2003

The time finally came... Bought an Ody this weekend for Invoice... Traded the 4 engine/4 tranny 95 - got $1200 for it (102,000 mi).

If I donated it, it was worth about $4000 "Blue" book - what I could have written off anyway... In the 28% tax bracket, that is worth $1120. While I really did not want that car to end up with another "unknowing" owner, my conscience is as clear as the FMC.

No more Fords. EVER! Yippie!

2willdo · April 2003

... in this situation?

I purchased a '99 4D Windstar new, currently has about 39K on it. The troubles began within the first year (with only 6,000 mile on it), among other things, most prominately was (and still exists) odd clunking/popping noises under the car which has never been diagnosed at two different dealerships. Today on my way to work it did its usual "clunking thing" followed by pieces falling out from underneath the car. Its sitting at the service garage and I am wondering if now is the right time to dump this thing. Obviously there is some guilt involved with selling this car outright to a private party as opposed to taking it in the shorts on a trade in. Question is now... if I trade it in, then the dealer is responsible for the inevitable problems it is going to have. If I sell it out of the paper I have misgivings about it breaking down on someone else. What you you all do if this car were yours?

Ford Windstar Problems

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles