Problems with 1999 Ford Windstar STEERING

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was abnormally pulling to the right in would sporadically become stuck in park. on a separate occasion the contact was driving 30 mph when the check engine and overdrive warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where unknown repairs were performed yet the failure persisted after the repairs. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer several times where several unknown repairs were made but to no avail. in addition, the contact stated that the battery was replaced five times and the she was recently made aware of two open recalls on the vehicle; nhtsa campaign id numbers: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and 09v399000 (vehicle speed control). neither recall repair had yet been performed on the vehicle. the failure mileage was 127,445 and the approximate current mileage was 150,000.

I own a 1999 ford windstar which i purchased new. at 35,700 miles the rack and pinion steering needed to be replaced (luckily it was still under warranty) now at 59,000 miles i'm experiencing the same problem. i also replaced a tie rod, and the front end is always creaking, but no one can find the source.*ak

1999 ford windstar: tie rod ends degraded at 60,000 miles, sending bits of metal through the seals in the rack and pinyon steering system; generated very expensive repair. could have caused dangerous accident. mechanics first replaced power steering pump , whcih did not correct problem. second repair was replacement of r&p steering system. repair was over $1,000.

My windstar starting making a whining noise and it began to get worse and worse.he noise was one thing, but the driving of the vehicle became extremely dangerous... it started to pull when brakes were applied.*ak steering became very dangerous.

Grinding noise when turning. *la

Consumer complained about tie rod and steering gear box problems. *ak

While driving at 45 mph consumer noticed that the vehicle was running roughly. several seconds later, engine check light came on. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed consumer that the intake manifold gasket needed to be replaced. the intake manifold gasket was sucked into the engine, causing the engine to bind. *ak dealer also made repairs on front end, power steering, electrical system, and tie rod ends. a 4-wheel alignment was also performed by the dealer. *la

Severe power steering fluid leak due to rack and pinion failure.

Rack and pinion steering system failed. i have read of numerous other ford vehicles manufactured within a few years of mine having this problem. even a neighbor had the same problem. my vehicle is a 1999 with 56,000 miles. not even 5 years old when the problem occured. this componet should last for a vehicles' lifetime. when i contacted ford, they offered no help. i would love to see an investigation! it cost over $800 dollars to repair, and being that it was replaced with another ford rack and pinion system, i should probably start saving my money now for future repairs. our mechanic told us to not reward ford anymore, and buy from a different manufacturer.*ak

At 71,876 miles the rack and pinion steering and power steering pump failed on my 1999 ford windstar, leaving me without power steering while driving. on a car of this size it is, i believe dangerous to drive without the power steering.*ak

Sudden loss of power steering...1999 ford windstar 68000 mile need driving pump & rack replaced @ $1000. after speaking with number of friends and visiting forums, note that this safety problem appears widespread. apparent design defect. ak

Consumer states that she lost control of her vehicle after the steering went out. she indicated that his was not the first time. the first time this occurred the vehicle was repaired by the dealer. now it has gone out again causing her to hit a wall in the garage. the vehicle started pulling to the left and the consumer could not bring it back. the air bags did not deploy. *nm the dealer claimed they repaired the vehicle but the invoice didn't state what was replaced. *nm

* vehicle leans since purchased sept 13, 2003. * allignment problems. * transmission does not properly change gears. * low treads on tires. * a frame problems. * suspension steering makes a clunking noise. * brakes must be pumped to stop, and make a ticking noise when applied. * vehicle has overheated. * power steering fluid leaked. * gears do not shift properly. * primer scotch guard on seats wearing after coat applied.

My power steering just recently started making a grinding noise at 64,000 miles. i noticed that the fluid was low. i filled it up and it keeps losing fluidi found a site on the internet where a lot of winstar owners are complaining about the same. *ak problem...premature failure of the power steering system. some repairs are over $1500.00. the website where you can view these complaints is www.cartrackers.com/forums/live/fordwindstar/249.html. i hope you can help all of us winstar owners in getting ford to reimburse us for the defective power steering. obviously with so many complaints, ford has a defective product and they need to be held accountable!!

Power steering goes out when it is raining on my 1999 ford windstar.*ak

We bought our 1999 windstar in 2002 with only 27,000 miles on it; from the beginning the power steering would groan and make noises. we complained about it to several shops, but we were assured that it was "normal." yesterday the power steering noise was very loud and constant and there was difficulty steering. today the steering went completely out while i was driving to work. the repair shop says it is the rack and pinion. *la

Steering makes a groaning or rubbing type of noise when turning the steering wheel. doesn't seem to have any impact on performance of the steering but is a god-awful noise and i don't know what it is!!!*ak thanks!!

1999 ford windstar. only 60,000 miles, rack and pinion is leaking power steering fluid on both sides. very expensive to fix, and should not be happening with so few miles on it. vehicle becomes very hard to steer, when sitting at a store and you come out, it is hard to steer to get it home. *la

We replaced the transmission on our 99 windstar 4 weeks ago...two days ago the power steering started grinding and we brought it in for repairs...replaced the power steering pump within 30 miles of the dealer the noise in the power steering came back and after paying $800.00 for the power steering pump they want to now charge us $600.00 to replace the rack...in the last 4 weeks the repairs on the windstar have been over $4000.00... this on a vehicle with less than 70,000 miles...i have pages of windstar owner complaints of the same nature...the transmission and the power steering on the windstar is faulty and i hope ford listens...this will be the last ford we purchase! *la

Steering rack failure on 1999 ford winstar (internal seal failure - 48,182 miles).*ak

Power steering fluid is leaking out of rack on left side. vehicle only has 52,950 miles on it. dealership states there are no service bulletins but according to this web site there are. the dealership should pay for repairs if they have been aware this is a problem. *jb

The consumer stated the vehicle rolled off a hill, went across the highway into a field there was damage to the drivers door and the muffler. the second time the incident happened the vehicle was in the consumers driveway and crashed into a tree, the vehicle sustained damaged to the fender. in both cases the consumer stated the air bags did not deploy. the steering wheel never locked on the vehicle as well. *ak *jb

When parked on a hill, the vehicle rolled back. *bf when the vehicle rolled, it went a big field and caused damage to the drivers door and muffler. the second incident, the vehicle was sitting in the consumers driveway on a little hill when it rolled and hit a tree and caused damage to the fender and bumper. the consumer stated when both accidents happened the air bags never deployed. also the steering wheel never locked. *jb

While driving, lost the rack and pinion steering control on my 1999 windstar van. only 31,000 miles on the van even though it is 4 years old. *ak

1999 ford windstar, with 58,000 miles leaks power steering fluid out of left rack. dealer says common problem with rack and pinion. makes grinding and squealing sound , constant loss of fluid.*ak

1999 fordwindstar steering rack replaced at 62000 miles, transmission replaced at 75000 miles and intake gasket rplaced at 75000 miles. *ak

My 1999 ford windstar began to make loud grinding noises when the steering wheel was turned in either direction. i immediately took it to the dealershipwhere it was purchased. i was told that the rack and pump would have to be replaced. *ak replaced and the cost would be $1295.00. the vehicle has only 38,000 miles and has exceeded the three year warranty.

Heat failed in july, pin to flap in evaporator case assembly had broken off. whole assembly has to be replaced requiring tearing apart the dashboard. part alone cost $326.40 check engine light kept coming on - found pressure leak at gasket. had complained about engine sluggishness for years and was told the computer could find nothing wrong...after gasket was fixed, no more engine sluggishness. ford would not cover saying the problems could not be tied together to justify warranty repair!! power steering went. first attempted flushing system. after failed again, replaced pump, after that did not fix the problem, had to replace entire system. ford replied to my request for coverage that this was the first case they had heard of this problem in a windstar and to keep my receipts so that i might get consideration if they do something in the future. i feel these problems are excessive for a 50,000 mile car...ford agrees but says the average number of problems is much lower so they still class their car as very reliable!!!

Left rear and left front hub and bearing assemblies began making loud humming/grinding sounds suddenly at 51,000 miles. ford dealership diagnosed and replaced defective hub and bearing assemblies for the standard price as it is no longer under warranty. this item should last much longer without failing. steering pump began intermittently making whining/hissing sounds when the slightest turning input was applied. by the time the failed power steering pump was diagnosed, and the whining was constant, it had caused the rack and pinion seals to fail and steering fluid to leak from the rack and pinion sleeves. when steering fluid got low and steering was no longer power assisted, my wife almost had a collision with a vehicle full of children. not trusting ford anymore, i ordered the parts myself and hired a local mechanic to replace the power steering pump and rack and pinion. in most vehicles these components should last beyond 100,000 miles. upon further investigation i found that failing power steering pumps, leading to failed rack and pinion seals, is a consistent problem on 1999 windstars, and that ford is aware of the problem and trying avoid addressing it.

Problems with vehicle's transmission and rack and pinion.*mr the rack and pinion type gear had to be replaced at 71,900 miles. one month later while at a traffic light, the consumer stepped on the accelerator and the vehicle did not move, the vehicle was towed to a near by mechanic shop where the transmission was replaced. *jb *nm

Steering fluid leaked from the steering rack and pinion. dealer notified and stated there was a technical service bulletin on this problem# 01-5-6-6. *ak *scc *jb

rack and pinion steering is not working properly, dealer notified. *ak

While the consumer made a turn the power steering pump made a loud noise. the dealer was notified. *nlm

While driving the power steering fluid started to leak which made it difficult for the consumer to steer the vehicle. *nlm

We have taken this van in for repair fivetimesin one year. the first month we had it the head was replaced. the power steering has gone out for now the fifth time. i actually lost controlof the vehicle due to beingunable to turn the steering. my husband has to drive me everywhere because only he can turn the steering wheel. each time we take it for repair we are charged a deductible and i can not do this anymore. this is obviously a lemon. marshall mize ford in chattanooga tennessee is where the vehicle was purchased in january of 2001. they also have performed all service on this vehicle. ford has not been understanding of why my payments have been late, but when you are having these kinds of issues such as electrical, transmission, air conditioning, and engine malfunctions, it does not take a genius to figure out why a woman with a family who depends on this vehicle as reliable, safe means of transportation is having difficulty. maybe if their product was of better quality, my children would be in a safe vehicle, and ford would get their money on time.

While driving, the vehicle lost power steering which made the vehicle difficult to control. *jb the power steering pump was replaced, and also the wires were burnt. ph *jb

As my wife was backing our ford windstar into the driveway, a spray of hot oil came from the driver side tire and hit me on the right leg not serious but turned my leg red for a short time. appears to be power steering fluid as she finished backing up the vehicle into the driveway, the car was making a horrible groaning noise. have added a couple of ounces of power steering fluid into the resevoir. will drive or maybe have vehicle towed to repair shop.*jb

The consumer had to use excessive force when the steering wheel was turned. the dealer stated the rack and pinion and power steering pump had failed. however, they were previously replaced in november 2001 by the dealer. *jb

Transmission is primary issue has shifting problem at low speed, has over 8 tsb on the issue and has new transmission installed but still have problem the other issues are clearly common for this model as well, but this transmissionand fords lack of support from their service and dealers is unacceptable.

We purchased the 1999 windstar in dec 1998. from the first weeks of ownership, we have complained about the transmission. dealer changed transmission fluid and said nothing was wrong. problems were as follows: loud clunks when shifting from park to reverse, while foot pressing firmly on brake pedal; transmission hesitates when down shifting going around corners; as a passenger i felt as if the whole car was lunging causing dizziness to motion sickness (did not occur while i was driving); hard shifts between first & second; rear window wiper failed; power steering pump replaced which caused the rack & pinion seals to fail, which resulted in a new rack installed; egr valve rubber boot kept popping off until i placed a small hose clamp to hold it in place; check engine light stays on every since 15,000 miles; o/d button never worked; o/d light flashed repeatedly minutes prior to the transmission going out. now the ford dealer said i needed a new upper plenum, egr valve, pfe, valve cover gasket, battery cable and this was found while checking the transmission problem. i told them to forget it! $3k is enough to spend on a five year old car! this is all i can think of at this point.

1999 windstar se - steering problems, replaced steering "rack" in march 2003, is already going out again. reputation of bad "racks", so bad our local ford dealer keeps them in stock. about 52,000 miles.*ak

Steering rack replacement (covered under warranty). repair of leak in intake manifold (not covered under warranty).

Power steerin rack is leaking fluid. after having to replace the power steering pump ($335+), becuase it burned out due to the failure of the rack, ( leaking fluid through the rack, system couldn't maintain system pressure) i am now faced with having to replace the rack at a cost of over $600.

1999 ford windstar rack and pinion failure could not turn vehicle came very close to a collision this is a known defect also the vehicle is leaking powersteering fluid which is a fire hazard! ford refuses to acknowledge this problem. i have notified ford about the premature failure and they dont seem to care that someone could lose thier lives over ford putting vehicles with faulty parts on the road.

I own a 1999 ford windstar van with approximately 50,000 miles that is used for pleasure purposes only. two days ago the power steering unit commenced howling whenever the steering wheel was turned. yesterday i took the vehicle to the ford dealer in arcadia. during the drive to the dealer the vehicle appeared to steer correctly. however, when the service man at the dealer tried to drive the vehicle into the stall he said that the steering had frozen and was almost impossible to steer. subsequently the dealer, after checking the power steering unit, decided that the pump in the power steering system had failed causing component pieces to pass through the system causing the steering failure.the dealer said the repair would require replacing the pump and all components of the system at a cost of more than a thousand dollars. my concern is the steering could have failed on the highway causing a serious accident. in addition, failure of the power sterring unit at such low mileage leaves the impression that this might be a defect in other cars....thus the report to you. the ford dealer's telephone number in arcadia is 863 494 4848

We just had to replace the transmission in our 1999 ford windstar. it has 107,000 miles on the odometer. when we had 63,000 miles, we had to replace the power steering rack. this is a very expensive vehicle to own - especially with the expensive repairs that it requires.

Concerning: 1999 ford windstar with with 59,000 miles. recently our vehicle started making a strange rubbing sound when turning and rapidly started to get worse. we took our van into the ford dealership for service and were told that the tie rod ends were shot. the repairman (at ford) told us that we are lucky we got it in for service when we did. apparently the tie rods could have broken at any time while driving! the van is well taken care of and i don't understand why the tie rods would be in such bad shape. this seems like a manufacturer concern and certainly a safety concern for all of those who transport their families in a windstar! i'd like to see ford cover the cost of this repair and tell me why my families' safety was put into jeopardy while driving such a new vehicle.

While driving the power steering pump would make a loud noise without warning. dealer notified ts

My 1999 ford windstar has suffered a complete steering rack failure with less than 70,000 miles on the vehicle. the service technician informed me the original part was prone to early failure and the replacement component was much improved. however, if there is a flaw in the original part, i feel that ford should pay for the repair. *jb

Teering rack failure on 1999 ford windstar with less than 18,033 miles. caused unstable condition, including lack of steering control.