The windstar transmission failed at 30349 so shamrock ford rebuilt it. At 40295 it failed at 50 MPH on us 223 in adrian about 1 mile from dave knapp ford. I called shamrock ford and asked service department if I sould tow it to them or dave knapp. They said any ford dealer will take of the warrenty problem. The transmission was supposed to be covered for 12months/ 12,000 miles after rebuild. Transmission was rebuilt 5 months and 10,000 miles ago. Dealer said it's not under warrenty and will not pay for it . I paid 1,900.00 plus tax and I want my money back.
1998 Ford Windstar transmission complaints
Page 10 of 12: complaints 251 to 280 of 330, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I am so scared to drive our van- I have no idea what to do. Thia van showed be considered a lemon- or ford should repair it. We purchased the van cause we had another little one on the way(making 4 kids) in the past we had old vechilcles. We decided to spend the $$ and have a reliable vechicle since we have 4 kids and travel around town alot. First my air codtioner goes out in july, 99 (electrical- no power to it). We did not have the $ to fix. Than in august,99 we started experiencing intermittent neutral condtion after driving and coming to a stop. Had to rebuild the transmission- due to a faulty clutch piston that ford knows is causing problems in ax4s windstar 3.8l. Engine - stalls usually when driving at low speeds, such as o turns or coming to a stop. Scared to death that somesone will run into me. Steering- vechile pulls to the right so badly that in seconds I am in another lane. Have had it relighned. The other seroius problem is I will start van or have foot on brake and it itermittally accerates in surges on its own. My foot in not near the gas- I am so scared to death that I will lose control of it resulting into an accident. I am so scared to drive this van and it is only a 98". What am I to do. I do not want to wait for and acident or death to someone. Please help!! I need some advice. I have no warranty on van- but yet with so many problems why should the consumer have to pay when ford knows of the problems with the vans- what does it take - death!!! I need to know what is causeing these problems. I can not afford to keep taking them to mechanics and not getting it fix. Shouldn't ford have to take this piece of crap back-please help!!
The transmission stopped working and went into safe mode. The transmission would not downshift and raced at high RPM. Torque converter had worn out.
Transmission failed while driving. Mjs
Two-year old was able to able to turn the key in the ignition, shifted van into reverse without depressing the brake pedal. Van rolled down the hill into a wooded area. Daugher was not hurt in crash. Dealer has been notified about the incident. Please provide any further information.
I bought this van in feb of 1998 and in a few weeks I noticed that the van would lunge forward at low speeds of about 5 to 10 miles per hour. I went to the dealer and was told there was no problem . I went to another dealer same thing. I returned to the original dealer and this time drove the van with a mechanic and showed him the problem. They ordered a new transmission but the problem has never gone. I wrote ford but no help. Then I moved to south jersey an dshowed it to the dealer a few times and this past jan I was told that the problem will stay and nothing more can be done. So at present every time I star the van and accelerate and then leave the peddle the car lunges. In slow traffic this a real anger because it seems as though the car is not in my control. The change in gear is very rough.
The transmission would disengage by itself from drive to neutral position. When accelerating, transmission would pop out of position. In low gear, it would be rough shifting. Also, gas pedal would vibrate. Been to dealer 3 times for problem before finally locating & establishing that throttle cable was loose. Mechanic repaired loose throttle cable.
An unexpected total transmission system failure occurred while the minivan was being driven along interstate highway at 65mph. The transmission system had to be totally replcaed. An unexpected incidence of too short life span of a transmission system in a new minivan.
Had already replaced transmission twice. When approaching a red light vehicle stalled. .contacted dealer.
After putting car into reverse, vehicle went forward into drive. Dealer has not seen vehicle.
Transmission was stuck in second gear and would not shift to drive. This caused a near collision with traffic because of lack of available power while merging into interstate traffic. Prior to and still ongoing is the transmissions tendency to kick or slip.ford refuses to aknowledge any inherent transmission problems with the ford windstar and has not offered a remedy to current problems.
While stopped at an intersection, the transmisison shifted into neutral without drivers knowledge, resulting in vehicle rolling backwards when the brake was released, shifting to park then back to drive reengaged the forward gear. Nlm
Appears to have a connection with the transmission. While driving at speeds ranging from 25 MPH to 45 MPH, the vehicle repeatedly has downshifted, thus decreasing speed of vehicle without any warning. Sometimes the vehicle will engage and disengage from transmission several times. Also, the speedometer drops to zero. The reported dealer has had my vehicle in for more than a week with no results. I have also driven vehicle with attached "flight recorder" from shop. I made several readings but know the shop says there is a problem with their equipment (that was 1 week ago today). Although the shop keeps my vehicle and I have described the symptoms several times, they claim they have no idea what it could be. I am very concerned for the safety of using this vehicle. If you need more information, please call me. Thank you.
Transmission failed without warning signal. Yh
Transmission seems to "stick" in nuetral and then violently shifts into 1st. Intermittent problem. Vehicle taken to dealer 2 times. Both times dealer says nothing is wrong!!
At take-off from stop light, transmission failed with no warning. Put into neutral, and got stutter and grind from transaxle. Shop informed me that the planetary gears had disintergrated. I believe this to be a manufacturing problem or defect with the ford 3.8l/axod combo, as these types of problems date back to 1988 and the taurus/sable compatible assemblies.
Consumer is driving and pulled up to an incline, if he takes his foot off the brakes the vehicle will roll backwards, he's also driven two other windstars that have the same problem. After duplicating the problem ford said that there is not a problem, this is normal.
Transmission operation is poor, bangs into gear, unable to rectify. Mjs
While driving transmission slipped from drive into neutral without notice. Consumer was unaware and still applying gas when it jumped back into gear very hard, causing whiplash. Dealer has been contacted.
On several occasions transmission slipped into neutral while at a stop. In this instance, transmission slipped into neutral while driving at approximately 35 m.p.h., causing definite safety hazard on a state route.
The transmission jumps stongly when accelerating and breaking at slow speeds, have taken to dealer twice. Both times they say it drives fine but that ford knows of problem on windstar transmissions and are working on a solution. I asked dealer what I was supposed to do in the meantime and he said wait. I am concerned with safety, and that this jumping will cause other problems in the engine. I told service manager this at dealer and he said hopefully ford will recall before something else happens to my engine.
Rear axle broke, with 4 repair attempts to the powertrain.
Transmission lunges forward at low speeds.
When starting out vehicle will pulsate. Feels like it will not catch gears.
Vehicle jumps out of gear between 1st and 2nd gear. Dealer has been notified.
Prior to the total failure, there was no indication that the component was having problems or about to fail.
Dealership installed another transmission at 7,000 miles because of our repeated complaints about the bucking sensation/the vehicle is still bucking/other problems developed such as the lunching forward in second gear, shifting into gear began to produce a grinding noiseand a very obvious vibration in the steering wheel has developed/ford keeps ignoring us after our repeatedly contacting them/we have now filed under the lemon law in the state of connecticut/ we have been treated very shabbily by ford !
Transmission downshifted while going 60-65 MPH.
In december 98, consumer experienced transmission being in neutral condition after coming to a stop. Dealer could not dupplicate problem. Also, on april 19, 99, consumer experienced the same problem. Found bulletin #972213, dated 97 which dealt with the same problem.
Vehicle has been to the dealership 5 times for the same hard shifting, transmission problem since new. Problem is better ,but I expect failure before warranty expires. The transmission has a hard 1-2 shift since I bought it new on 13 jan 98. The lemon law caused firm to offer me an extended warranty of 5 years/75,000 miles instead of fixing the problem. I'm very dissatisfied with the transmission, and dealership service shop's performance. Recently, the brakes have developed a vibration and the engine sometimes stalls at slow speeds. I took the van back to the dealership on monday 5 april 99 for the same transmission problem, and the two new problems. The last several new vehicles I've purchased have been fords. My next vehicle probably won't be a ford.
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