Vehicle is no longer drivable & is sitting at a ford dealership service lot. Incident occurred on tuesday, january 25, 2011 at approximately 4:30pm. Vehicle front subframe cracked and passenger side tire separated from car while driving resulting in loss of control of vehicle. Car would not steer or move, could not be pushed out of traffic.
2001 Ford Windstar steering complaints
Page 3 of 3: complaints 41 to 70 of 70, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2001 ford windstar 280,000 miles ne oh 10-11-10. Right side lower control arm separated from frame. 65 MPH from left lane crossed 3 lanes rush hour traffic. No warning signs somehow no collision. Axle pulled from transmission. Replaced: tire, axle, boots. Frame shop reinforced and straight frame, aligned front end. Repair damaged transmission cooling lines and required replacement.
I have a ford windstar 2001 mini van and I live in new york state. On december 7th, 2010, as I was pulling left into a parking space I heard a loud cracking sound. (at first I thought I had rolled over a very large piece of ice) I again proceeded to pull in, but my car would not move. (engine was still on) I got out and found 3 of my tires facing left and 1 facing right. I called aaa and was preparing to have it towed to a mechanic. When the driver/mechanic from aaa, informed me that the lower control arm (drive arm) had tore away from the main frame (front axel) at the front of the car, and had tore away all of the driving mechanisms and would need a welder first , not a mechanic . So I had him take it to a local welder. He was able to find some clean metal to weld it back on and then recommended I take it to a mechanic to finish up with everything else that was needed. The mechanic told me that it would need a cv joint and the linkage for the transmission in order to have it working again. I have never had any issues with the engine, or transmission prior to this day. And the car has very little rust on it's body. So I would have never thought to look underneath for any. And because it was always maintained well, a mechanic was hardly ever under her to see if there was any possible damage either. She has less than 75,000 miles on her so I never expected this to occur. I have filed a report with ford after the incident but all they could say was thank you and they'll make a not of it. And that the rear axel was on recall....but if that was the case, why not the front axel too???
The front end of my 2001 ford windstar makes a lot of noise like it is going to fall apart. I'm afraid because my rear axle broke in 2 pieces going 65 MPH on the interstate. I'm sure something is going on with my front subframe. How do we get this investigated?
After making a right hand turn heard a thump noise. When trying to complete the turn and straighten out the wheel,the car jumped to the left and ended up in the middle of a two laned road. After having vehicle towed to shop was informed that front subframe had rusted out, causing axle to disengage from front right tire rendering vehicle inoperable. Could not push vehicle to side of road. Had to wait for police vehicle to push to side of road.
While backing out from a parking space, the passenger side lower control arm mount separated from the subframe due to extensive corrosion. The front passenger wheel was turned outwardly and the right half shaft was disengaged from the differential. While researching this issue on the internet, I realized the subframe should last longer than the life of the vehicle. Fortunately for some it has been detected while in a repair shop for some other reason such as brakes, alignment or other front end work. Unfortunately for others it has been discovered by malfunctioning to the point of breaking and causing other structural/mechanical damage, as well as personal injury. I would like to believe that ford stands behind its product and is willing to issue a recall for repair.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. While driving approximately 60 MPH she noticed that she could turn the steering wheel but the vehicle would not change directions. The vehicle was stopped and shut off. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where she was informed that the frame under the vehicle was severely corroded and that the tie rods failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 150,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel was not aligned in the correct position. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a local mechanic who stated that the lower sub frame needed to be replaced. There were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 140,000.
Failure of bracket holding upper control arm to frame on 2001 ford windstar with 58,000 miles on the odometer. Failure caused wheels to go their own way causing total lack of control of vehicle.
The mounting ears on the right front subframe (h-frame that all the suspension, steering , and drivetrain) that connects the lower control arm to the frame rotted off the frame allowing the passenger side tire assy. To swing out from under the vehicle causing a loss of control. Fortunately it happened when turning left at a intersection and not on the freeway. The whole front h frame has to be replaced. The vehicle is an 01 ford windstar with approx. 61,000 miles, always taken good care of and garage kept. Original owner never any accidents.
I started hearing a knocking -- popping noise whenever I turned the wheel. I took it to the mechanic and he said it could be the buckles in the steering rack. When I brought the van to be fixed, the mechanic stated that my problems are worse than that. The rear axle carrier is cracked and needs to be replaced and the front subframe to body is almost completely rusted through and needs to be replaced. He stated that he has seen this problem alot in 2001 ford wnidstars with mileage over 100,000 miles. My van has 108,000 miles. I have had many problems with this van including replacing struts, steering rack, ABS lights constantly on the dash. Check engine light on. All these issues have been addressed and still no resolution. I am very frustrated. This latest "mechanical" issue going to cost me way above $2000. I have always driven ford cars/vans. I am not sure if given the opportunity, if I would buy another ford vehicle. I am very disappointed with ford.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. While driving 10 MPH and proceeding to a stop sign, the contact experienced a loss of steering control and the front wheels locked. The vehicle was inoperable and there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. Roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The technician stated that the failure was related to the lower control arm brackets at the subframe. The vehicle is currently being repaired. The contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. The failure and current mileages were 64,000.
Vehicle has 76,000 miles. Power steering fluid was being gradually lost and steering noise occurred as the fluid level went down. Took it to dealership, and they explained power steering pump was leaking. Replaced with a new one at another shop and today all fluid was lost in less than 15 minutes of driving, leaving me with unassisted steering. Took it back to the shop (with difficulty) and they said the new pump was faulty and is leaking at the same place, however, stains are now on the left side of vehicle when the pump is actually on the right. Previously, stains were on the right side, now they are on the left so it can't be the pump again. Shop will not honor their warranty on parts/labor. I am concerned that this will cause an accident, or start a fire under the vehicle. I have seen on the internet that power steering leaks on this model are very common, so please investigate this matter and let me know what you come up with.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. While driving 56 MPH, power steering fluid was leaking from the end seals of the rack and pinion, which caused the power steering to fail. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that, in order to repair the vehicle, a whole new rack and pinion steering system was needed to replace the seals. The repair would cost $600 without any reimbursement. The VIN was unknown. The current mileage was 59,000 and failure mileage was 57,000.
This is a 2001 vehicle. After warrnaty expired we have invested almost $2000 in repairs and things continue to break.
I purchased this 2001 ford windstar sel 11/18/04 from pohanka chevrolet. On my way to kansas on 11/20/04 the cd/cassette player went out. Than I started hearing a noise in the steering. When I returned they eventually replaced the stereo and after numerous times in, they replaced the power steering pump. After that I started hearing a grating sound when coming out of a parking space. Pulling out in reverse, or going forward, after turning the wheel to go straight it would make this sound. They could not figure it out so I took it to a ford dealer who said this was normal for a windstar. It doesn't feel normal and I hope they will replace anything it may be damaging. Also, after the power steering was "fixed" I started feeling and hearing this whirling sound from the engine. A few times the car almost cut off at a stop light, but I put it in neutral and it continued running. Again, they said this is normal for a windstar. I now see why there are no new windstars. I just wanted it noted that this has been addressed a number of times with pohanka and ted britt ford, to not avail. Pohanka even offered me a chevrolet malibu, plus more money out of my pocket, as a replacement. I wanted a van, not a car.
I have a 2001 ford windstar. The vehicle currently has 100,205 miles on it. I have had to replace the front strut bearings and struts at 75,000 miles and again at 100,000. I have also had to replace the inner and outer tie rods at 69,000 miles. And the left outer tie rod again at 100,000. I have had over $2,500 in repairs in the time frame of one year, not including 4-wheel brake job. I brought the vehicle in for service at 82,000 miles and told the ford dealership that I was again hearing the "bad strut noise". At this time the 1 yr, 12,000 mile warranty would have picked up the cost of the repair. I was told that there was not anything wrong with the struts. I would be interested to know if anyone else has had ongoing strut and tie rod problems.
Numerous things have gone wrong since we bought the vehicle. Items covered under warranty: electric seat stopped working twice, and transmission wouldn't shift when it was supposed to. Items not covered under warranty: brakes replaced at 30,000+ miles-told was normal for them to wear out so quickly; rack and pinion replaced at around 55,000 miles; months after brakes replaced, brakes grind loudly when coming to a stop (brakes checked numerous times, but was told they were ok); ABS brake light comes on and stays on after driving (not illuminated on start up, but comes on later); back dome light not secure-falls out; dome lights sometimes come on when braking; check engine light on for months, didn't have it checked, but turned off by itself; sliding door drags-rusted on vechicle frame.
I ran out of gas and the steering wheel locked up on me. I was stuck in the middle of the road. I didn't know what to do. The first time it happened, my husband was in iraq. Since the steering wheel was locked, it wasn't like I could just put it in neutral and get my van out of the way. It was stuck in the middle of the road. It happened again. Luckily, my husband was back and it was by church, so I was able to get help right away. I have never owned a vehicle where the steering wheel locks up. I am going to look in to an attorney about it because what if I was on the highway and my van broke down for whatever reason, the steering wheel would lock and I would get in a wreak. What if my kids where with me. That's just not right. I have bought ford vehicles all my life and I am telling you what, I don't know if I will ever buy another one after this. That is soooo unsafe. I have tried to call ford twice and they have given me the run around. So I don't know! I will have to talk to legal council I guess. Who knows! I just love all the things us military have to deal with and now this!
While driving at low speed and turning, the vehicle stalled with out any warning. Also has problem with the steering wheel and the turn signal working intermittently. *nm the dealer replaced the upper intake manifold gasket and the idle air control valve, however the vehicle stalled again and the dealer replaced idle air control valve again. The power steering fluid was low.
We purchased our 2001 ford windstar with approximately 24,000 miles on it. One week after we purchased the van the indicator light for the air bags would not go off. We took the van to the dealer and they fixed the problem. Shortly after that incident the rear heat and A/C would not operate. We took the van to the local dealer again and they repaired the problem under warranty. A few weeks after that the check engine light came on and they tried to fix it but it came back on. They charged us for that visit. The check engine light is still on we now have around 70,000 miles on the van. When the van had accumulated about 35,000 miles the transmission started shuddering. The van would shake all over during driving. Recently I had to have the transmission replaced. There is a leak around the passenger door on the left side of the van. There is a clicking noise when I brake that no one seems to know what it is or how to fix it. Now there is a loud humming noise coming from the automatic power steering fluid pump. It is so loud that it can be heard even when the radio is turned on. It used to be loud when I turned a corner or onto another street but now it is loud when I am sitting at a stop light. When we first purchased the van there was a foul odor coming from the venting system. I asked the service tech at the local dealership about this but he did not know why this was happening. We still have an odor even after changing the filter twice for the vent system. We are very unhappy with our purchase and would never consider buying another windstar.
2001 ford windstar lx 40,000 miles we had to replace the "worn out" (stated by ford mechanic) rack and pinion steering, pump and reservoir for a cost of us$ 1,100.00. I did research online with other 2001 windstar owners and found several cases of this exact same repair. The entire steering assembly cannot have an effective life of 40k miles, this should be a recall service for ford to make good on.
Power steering system failure. Traction control failure. Anti-lock brake (ABS) system failure. Tire pressure monitor system failure.
I had my van for 1 year. Recently, the inner tie rod on the drivers side had to be replaced, because it was already worn out with just 56,000 miles on it. I had this done because the vans steering had a lean to it. It would feel like the left tire was leaning when I would go through a turn. At normal speeds, I have even had the van lurch to the right about 3 feet when making a left turn on a curve. I am putting it back in the shop, because my mechanic can't find the problem. We looked today(04-01-03) and when you turn the wheel, the entire rack will move. It moves before the tires even move. A definite safety issue to say the least. Definitely not what you would expect from a $27,000 dollar van with mostly highway miles on it.
The power steering hose failed.
While driving theft light on dash comes on rear wiper comes on by it self and engine turns off leaving vehicle moving with no power, no steering, no brakes. After stopping vehicles ignition is locked out with no power/no crank.
Brakes failed on three different occasions (repair dates: 3/22/02, 4/1/02 and 4/15/02). First, my wife noted the brake pedal was going all the way to the floor before there was any response. The dealership advised that this was normal. We insisted that it wasn't, until there lead technician found and replaced a faulty hcu. The second failure came while I was driving my wife and 6 month old baby from mo to va. While on the west virginia turn pike, the anti-lock brakes failed again and eventually the brakeing system failed all togoether by the time we reached our destination of suffolk virginia. Barton ford, in suffolk va, replaced the hcu and the ecu and repaired a brake fluid leak. The third incident occurred while driving back to mo. Once again the brakes did not respond normally. Once back in o'fallon, mo. The dealership found a air bubble in the brake line and they reprogrammed the ABS module. Each brake failure also affected the traction control system and the speedometer. We have also had to have one window replaced, the drivers side sliding door adjusted, a seal inserted in the rear of the vehicle due to a recall item, and bolts tightened at the engine cradle mounts. Recently, the fuel cap indicator light illuminated for a period of 5 days for unknown reasons and we are currently unable to fill the gas tank to its normal capacity. This vehicle is unsafe and hardly worth the $27,220 that we are paying for it.
Fluid from power steering system leaked onto some hot engine component, probably the exhaust system, and produced a rolling fire at the rear of the engine compartment below the firewall. Vehicle was being parked in a parking space in front of a service station when fire erupted. My son who was inside the station, saw the fire and rushed out to warn us out of the vehicle. Station personnel brought a fire extinguisher and my sons (the other was driving) raised the hood and extinguished the fire. The fire was burning fiercely and was difficult to reach, but was extinguished before any fuel system components became involved. Smoke had come from under the engine compartment twice previously during the day, but we assumed that the transmission had been overfilled and the excess was being vented and boiling off on the transmission. I called ford with the assumption that excess transmission fluid was leaking and was told that the transmission would probably be alright. Since this was my mother's funeral, we decided to continue in the vehicle to the cemetery. Smoke again came from under the hood when we parked at the cemetery, but cleared quickly. We had driven about 10 miles from the cemetery when the fire occurred.
I have repeatedly contacted my dealer for the problems that exist with my vehicle. The brakes fail after prolonged pressure at red lights. I was told to set my parking brakes to adjust. I had two large bumps on the steering wheel. I was told that it was a broken bearing and they replaced my steering wheel and fixed the broken bearing. The new wheel has the exact same bumps. I was told not to worry about it. The air conditioner was making grinding sounds. The compressor was replaced. The enige has a ticking noise when vehicle is in gear but stopped with brake. I was tols this is the injectors and nothing was wrong. The van stalls at any speed for no reason after long periods of driving. I was told it was my alternator. I have had my van not long and already have a rebuilt new van. I went to the dealer and drove another van. None of the above problems were seen. I was told there is nothing that I could do but to trade in and pay mega bucks for another one. My van has been in the shop for 9 days the first time and 15 days the second time. I feel I have been wronged by the ford motor company and I should be given a vehicle that I can drive and feel safe in. I feel that the vehicle has more problems then the 1980 aerostar that I replaced with this one. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to solve this problem. If there is nothing, then please warn others from the problems that I have encurred.
Noticed a squeaking sound under drivers side found two defective tie rods.
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