Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-90, 91-105, 106-120, 121-135, 136-150, 151-165, 166-172
Just read the last entry. Have a 1999 Windstar and the same thing happened to us. O/D light kept coming on with less than 60,000 km on the van. We bought it new. Took it to the dealership today and the transmission has gone - it is now costing us $4000.00 CAD. Of course the warranty has just recently expired. Also, the steering rack went in June of 2002 and the brakes have had to be replaced. What is the average life span on a transmission???
The average lifespan for a transmission is 10-15 years on an average car. A good transmission lasts about 15-30 years.
MY GOD?! Did I post to this forum and forget? It's like reading my journal if I kept one. We bought our 1999 Windstar with 22,000 miles. It drove perfectly until right after the original warranty expired; about 47,000 miles. Luckily we prepared and purchased an extended warranty. The O/D light kept coming on and so we took it to Ford. They said it was a valve and "fixed" it. The O/D light came on again and they "fixed" it again. The O/D light came on again and this time they dropped in a new transmission. The extended warranty is a MUST for this car as the transmission would have cost us I think +2000. The car sounds more like a diesel now. It's in the shop as I type this getting a new rack & pinion at 68,000 miles. I just can't believe this. I suppose I should get ready and expect to have my power steering pump replacement and air conditioner compressor replacement soon. The sad thing is I'm still making payments on this car. If you ever consider buying a Windstar you better just mentally add $4,000 or $5,000 to the price tag.
I bought a used 98 Windstar van in Jan 2000 with 30,000 miles on it at Palm Bay Ford in Palm Bay Florida. Various items have broken within the week after taking the vehicle to Palm Bay Ford for routine product recall checks.
1. Driver side window motor kaput.
2. Rear window wiper motor kaput.
3. Power steering pump seals leaky and whines constantly.
4. Interior decorator moldings around captain seats are biodegrading and falling off.
5. Fuel tank gauge never reads full.. always between 3/4 and full. (even if you know it's full)
6. Transmission slips and sometimes won't upshift when accelerating (not consistent to be caught live when service people check it)
CONSUMERS BEWARE. The Windstar vans of every year are too costly to upkeep and it is obvious to all consumers after buying it that they are lemons.
In May 2000, I purchased a used 1999 Windstar LX. It had only 21k miles on it. I should have heeded the warning and returned the van the same day I bought it after it stopped in the middle of my parking it. But I bought it anyway & got used to the transmission jolting into gear when I accelerated after a rolling stop. I got used to the rear blower motor (which has been recalled) ticking on & off even when I had the heat/air conditioning off! I got use to the engine light staying on ALL the time. I did take the van to a mechanic, but he could not find any problems with the engine.
However, in January 2003 at 89k miles, I had to replace the power steering rack & pinion, tire rod ends, and experienced more brake problems as I had just had my front rotors, shoes & pads replaced 2 yrs ago! This time, I had problems with the back brakes leaking, as well as the rotors, shoes & pads on them.
Well today as I was driving to work, the engine light started flashing and I noticed the steering wheel shaking at 70 mph. I decreased my speed to 60 and the light stopped flashing and the steering wheel stopped shaking. I then turned the O/D off. I don't know what this means as I do not have an extended warranty, but I do wish I would have heeded the warning the day I bought it. I now have 98k miles on it and I'll guess I'll start saving to fix the transmission when those symptoms start to arise.
We bought our 99 Windstar a year ago. It now has 38,000 miles on it. The O/D light started flashing while on the highway alone with my 3 girls on our way to vacation. My husband stayed at home. Ended up having it towed after smoke started pouring out from under the hood. It spent all week in an out of state Ford dealer while they replaced the torque converter and other transmission components to the tune of $1700.
Picked it up on our way back through the state (luckily my parents had rescued us). Drove it for 90 minutes down the highway when the O/D light began flashing again. Another tow, this time to our local Ford dealer. It is there now. They are pulling the transmission yet again. They aren't saying if it will be covered under the repair warranty from the original repair.
I'm not convinced it is safe for me to drive alone with the kids even after I get it back. We don't drive it long distances around here. Just when we're on vacations. I have been towed enough to last a lifetime.
Reading these posts make me think I should bag it and get a different vehicle. :o/
99 wind star LX, great car for my wife and twin 2 year olds?? Nope, with only 43000 miles like everyone else the transmission blows up at a stoplight and will only drive in reverse. Is there a class action here? The van is sitting at Ford now and hasn't even been looked at, but I'm having it towed somewhere else tomorrow. Should I even press ford about fixing this out of warranty?Man I was gonna trade this in 3 weeks ago. Always go with that little voice in your head. All I can say is I'm glad I was driving instead of my wife alone with the kids,, whew.
Like all of you guys who are crying, I too have a 1999 Ford Windstar. This van has been trouble from shortly after it was purchased.
1. Check engine light that would keep coming on.
2. Transmission problems. Eventually it was changed by Ford under warranty.
3. Electrical glitches one after the other. The automatic sliding door would not slide, the a/c stopped working, radio stopped working, and a host of other electrical glitches. Ford finally repaired these after much trial and error.
4. Finally at about, 40,000 miles the steering rack has given up the ghost. Ford here in the Bahamas tells me a new rack cost $1100.00 not including installation. Do you believe that.
In the four years that I have had this van it must have spent at least twelve months in the shop and cost me at least $2,000.00 in repairs and service. My wife has gotten so fed up with it she just went out and bought herself an SUV. Once this thing is repaired I think I will trade this in or try to sell it.
I have had it with Ford vehicles. To any body reading this DO NOT BUY A FORD WINDSTAR.
FORD - Fix Or Repair Daily.
FORD - Found On Road Dead.
And FORD in reverse - Driver Returned On Foot.
I bought a 1999 Ford Windstar in 2002. I bought it from a Ford dealer thinking that it would be in better shape, it had 45,000 miles and about one month after I got it the transmission light came on. I took it to the dealer and asked about it and was told that all maintenance were done to it before re-sale, while last month my van's transmission went out and only goes in reverse. I only had it one year and still making payments. I called the dealer I got it from and they suggested I bring it in and get a new car and I told them I would be upside down with what I owe and they suggested that they add it to my new loan. Thanks, but no thanks no more Ford's for me, I should have listen to grandpa about buying Fords.
Paula Garcia, San Gabriel, Ca.
Another case of 2 transmissions in 40,000 miles on a 1999 Ford windstar. The second case was the flashing O/D light. Has anyone had any luck with Ford as to covering these expenses since the warranty has just run out.
We bought a used 99 Ford Windstar with 44K miles 1 year ago. We too have had problems with the "check engine light" continually staying on. Now - right out of the blue our transmission goes out, without any warning! It only goes in reverse. Can anyone tell us, if along with the costly transmission rebuild, its common to replace the torque converter also? We are tring to find out if these 2 repairs go hand in hand. Also if you buy your windstar used, do you have a leg to stand on - as far as Ford taking any financial responsibility for their "apparently" faulty transmissions. Our Windstar has 71k miles on it.
Are we at all eligable for any other warrentys?? What about recalls?? Thank you.
Mr Mrs Ratliff - Columbus, Mississippi
July 29 2003.
Other than the check engine light always being on, and after having my husband (a mechanic) and 7 other mechanic friends check it on the computers and manually, can't find anything wrong with it. It sounds as if its dragging something really heavy and the idle sputters and kicks and wants to die all the time. Bought used w/72,000 miles. Anyone else have the problem with the idle?
Only have this to say re: Ford Wind star 1999
Ditto, ditto, ditto...transmission, steering rack, engine light. Ford does not seem to have a warranty, it's more like an expiration date... if you make it that far. Be careful if you're told your transmission was overhauled, that just means they put a band aid without care of the future ramifications. Never ever to return to Ford again.
We bought our 1999 Windstar in February 2002.December 2002 we had to have the transmission replaced. it was under warranty so we didn't complain too much. This morning the transmission went again and will only drive in reverse. The warranty expired at 95,000 miles, our odometer reading is 98,000 so the dealer won't help us. 2 transmissions in 16 months, we can't afford to repair it and still owe $10,000 on it. Any suggestions?
I have a 2000 Windstar with 65 KM's on it. The transmission is shot. Ford's "customer service" was sympathetic, but not helpful after all they sold one to another sucker. With all the problems they are having with transmissions why do they not acknowledge that and do the responsible thing? Why do the North American car manufacturers wake up and listen to there own ad's. There is no quality!! "Built for Life in Canada" That is a sad commentary on our life expectancy north of the boarder. I will NEVER by another Ford product again.