Problems with 2000 Ford Windstar POWER TRAIN

Transmission failure, pulling on to roadway from gas station , windstar made it 10 feet, snap, bang then stuck in middle of street, cars around ended up on grass but no accident. re tried to move nothing car only has reverse, now after searching the web finding out very common problem with ford windstar, someone will get hurt / killed from this problem,and ford knows all about it, now i have to spend 3000.00 on a new transmission, for a 50.00 part deep inside the trans just breaks when it breaks..... that obviously has a factory defect that is being ignored, just like the ( tfi module recall of the late 90's). *tr

Tl*- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the rear axle stabilizer bar fractured without any prior warnings. as a consequence her risk for serious injury and crash were increased. she had the vehicle towed to a local repair shop in which a technician stated that the rear axle needed to be replaced at an expense exceeding $1500.00. as of current date the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 89,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving various speeds, the rear of the vehicle would make a rumbling sound when driving over potholes. the vehicle was taken in for an oil change and the mechanic noticed that the rear axle was cracked 3/4 of an inch into the wheels on the driver's side. through online research, the contact discovered that this was a common issue with the windstar. he feels that this is a major safety issue. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 79,000.

Ford windstar 2000 - transmission failed at 110,000 and rumor is that ford knew these were weak but installed them anyway. power steering pump failed three times between 60,000 and 100,000. power steering pistons each failed around 80,000. heater/air conditioning air flapper failed - replacement was $1500 installed. sliding door release stuck at 80,000. the car is a junkstar. i'll never buy another ford - they build with plastic and lightweight junk and they just fail - fail - fail. *tr

Automatic transmission failure when stopped at intersection went to accelerate and main drive gear failed. lost all forward drive gears only reverse gear worked. this latest automatic transmission failure occurred at 87,736 miles on 12-11-2008. automatic transmission failed earlier on same vehicle at 42,130 miles on 12-3-2004. both times main drive gear separated from drive cup according to my transmission shop. transmission required a complete re-build both times. transmission shop indicated this is common design issue with ford windstars and looking at nhtsa web site there are a lot more folks suffering from this ford design issue. have the 3.8 l 6 cylinder engine in this van. us consumers should file a class lawsuit against ford for their failure to re-call this known design issue. have drive gear part that failed if nhtsa would like to analyze part. i will never by another ford product and advise no one else to buy one. had talked with ford on 1st occurrence and ford refused to stand by their product since it was outside of the 3yr / 36,000 mile warranty. know wonder why the american auto companies are becoming history... . *tr

Transmission failure. *tr

Sending unit under front of brake master cylinder leaks. corroded wiring harness of transmission causing erratic operation and a warning message about the transmission. could have caused an engine compartment fire or a locked up transmission while driving. *tr

71,000 automatic transmission in need of being rebuilt. frequent problem according to internet search. ford should recall. *tr

Loud thunk suddenly then car wouldn't go forward,transmission no good had it rebuilt 92000 miles,cigarette lighter /power point fuse constantly blowing,odometer/speedometer fuse blowing twice so far,abs light intermittently going on. *tr

I have a 2000 ford windstar lx and it has 83,000 miles on it. it was kept up well and the transmission went out of it and will cost about $2000 dollars to replace it. i feel that ford should resolve this problem since it seems to be a recurring problem with the windstars. *tr

Our van has 86000 miles on it. the o/d light started flashing and i took it to the ford dealer to have it checked out. three weeks later while my wife was driving the van, there was a loud noise and the van would not go in reverse, will ease forward in neutral and is jerky in drive. *tr

Minivan caught fire as result of transmission torque converter failure. driving on a short excursion (about 50 miles at highway speeds) with girl scouts the driver noticed that the rear window was not clean or clear as normal. as they approached a traffic stop the transmission over-drive light started flashing. when the vehicle pulled away from the stop it was not able accelerate above 45 mph and approximately half mile from the stop the driver was alerted of fire under the vehicle by passing drivers. the minivan driver immediately pulled over to evacuate passengers and call for help. when the van was stopped and its engine turned off the fire subsided with little damage. the fire department arrived and put absorbent to dry oil dripping from under the vehicle in the area behind the front wheels. the van was towed to a dealer where it was inspected and found that the torque converter had failed. as of 8/13/08 it is there waiting for repairs. the dealer recommends replacing the transmission. *tr

My wife was at a stop sign on an incline, pressed the gas pedal to turn and experienced what sounded like a crash. the van would not go forward, only reverse. she coasted backwards down the hill, we got a tow truck and went to a repair shop (after business hours). they called the next day and said that the transmission basically exploded on the inside. one site i have visited has 41 complaints of the same nature, yet ford is doing nothing about the "design flaw" in the 2000 windstar van transmissions. *tr

The problem i will be having very soon lots of others have already had. it is with the 2000 ford windstar. my o/d off light on dash is flashing. upon research this is a huge problem. ford will not recall it. it is a faulty transmission that they are using. i have only had my windstar for about 2 months. it was running fine till the past week or two. my trans will go out. lots of people keep replacing the trans just to have it go out again w/o warning for most. i drive on the highway almost everyday. i have 4 kids with me. if my trans goes out and i am on the highway...that could be fatal. ford does not think it is a safety issue. how could that not be a safety issue? tons of complaints are being made about the trans they are using on their vehicles. not just the windstar either. accidents could happen from this. do people really have to get into accidents and die before it is considered a safety issue? why not prevent it from happening in the first place? *tr

2000 ford windstar transmission leaking. it started intermittently and then became more serious. leaving a stream and trail of transmission fluid in my garage, my driveway and the street in front of my house. i have brought it to a reputable transmission repair shop and they tell me i need a complete rebuild. i have received a second opinion which is the same as the first. the lowest repair cost is $2200. after researching for similar issues with the ford windstar, i am amazed that there are several (too many) complaints regarding the same problem. this cannot be coincidence. if the transmission design ford provided in these vehicles is not reliable, ford needs to step up and repair these issues under warranty even though it has long expired. chrysler realized they had an issue and revised their warranties to 10 years and 100,000 miles. ford needs to follow suit. *tr

We were backing slowly out of the driveway. the van sounded like something was caught underneath the vehicle and was dragging. we got out of the car to see what the problem was. we noticed the rear wheels were both tilted inward and the rear axle was dragging on the ground, damaging the driveway. the van had to be towed to an independent mechanic in which the rear axle was replaced. the failure mileage was approximately 72,000 miles. *tr

Intermittent failure of the abs and traction control system. when the engine heats up a little the abs and traction control lights come on indicating that they are no longer working. in the morning when the car is first started the light are off for awhile until the engine has had time to heat up. *tr

While at a complete stop in my 2000 windstar i accelerated to cross a busy highway and heard a loud clunk. the transmission failed and left me to drift into cross traffic where i was almost hit by a mack truck. i swerved in an almost u-turn like fashion and was able to pull to the side of the highway next to the road i had originated from. this is the third transmission to fail in this vehicle. the first failed at about 37,000 miles. luckily i had purchased an extended warranty so the dealership fixed it but they made me produce my original contract to prove i had the extended warranty. the second time was about 15 months ago, after ford's refusal to help i took it to aamco and i paid $2800 to repair. after being referred to this website i was astounded at how many people have had the same experience. i was almost killed this morning, when is enough enough? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact noticed that the rear of the vehicle swerved side to side so he pulled over to the side of the road. he then noticed that the left rear axle was broken. the contact then drove the vehicle to a local repair shop where he was informed that the failure was located within the rear axle which was replaced. the contact called the manufacturer who told him that if the failure became a recall, he could be reimbursed. the current and failure mileages were approximately 89,000.

I own a 2000 ford windstar purchased brand new from kistler ford in toledo. the vehicle has never been in an accident and has been up to date with the maintenance work according to the manufacturer's recommendations. on march 12, 2008 i was traveling on holland-sylvania road near central avenue in toledo, ohio when my rear axle broke. this is a heavy traffic area and could have resulted in a serious accident. i pulled over and had the vehicle towed to midas muffler. midas replaced the axle within several days at a total cost of $912.69. attempts to have this issue remedied with ford and kislter ford were denied for want of warranty. ford mechanics have informed me that this is clearly a defect which the manufacturer should be responsible for. *tr

I noticed that the rear end of the car was "bouncing" as i went around a corner. i immediately brought the car home and noticed that both rear tires were bowing out at the bottom. i put the car up on a jack to investigate and saw where the rear axle had severed half way through in two different spots. rust was visible at one location. the worse of the two sever points was on what appears to be on a vertical seam in the metal. i was very fortunate that it happened to me as i was running to the store just prior to my wife taking our three daughters to ballet - for which she would have been driving on a major interstate. i have now seen at least 4 other comments of the same issue on the internet. this is definitely a manufacturer defect and needs to be recalled before there is a fatality. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the cruise control and the abs light were flashing. the dealer stated that the fuse that controls the abs light and the cruise control were faulty as well as a leak in the master cylinder. a year after the fuse was replaced, the abs light began flashing again and the gas gauge was not working properly. the transmission also began to fail. the vehicle is currently at the dealer. the contact is aware of the safety risk since the failure could potentially cause a crash. the current mileage was 124,545 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving approximately 25 mph in the driveway, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and there was no response. the failure occurred without warning when the gear shifter was placed into drive or reverse. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the failure was related to the automatic transmission. a rebuilt transmission was installed in the vehicle. the failure mileage was 42,000 and current mileage was 50,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 55 mph, the vehicle jerked and the overdrive light blinked. the mechanic stated that the vehicle needed a rebuilt transmission. as of november 6, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the failure mileage was 67,000 updated 01-14-08. *kb updated 12/12/07.

On aug. 18, 2007, i was getting off the freeway near my home when my transmission slipped out of gear and would no longer drive. i had it towed to our mechanic who told us it was a transmission problem and had to be taken to a transmission specialist. after inspecting it we were told that the transmission had been leaking fluid from the reservoir into the transmission and had the sensor system worked i would have been able to fix it 8 weeks earlier at a low cost, however the sensor, which was good, was not read by the main system and we had no idea there was a problem. we had no visible leakage because it was within the transmission itself and burned the inside of the transmission. the specialist told us we were lucky we were off the freeway because it would have caused a terrible accident had the transmission gone out while driving. i reported it it to ford who have refused to pay for it so we had to pay for the whole transmission to be rebuilt, a cost of more than $1900 not including towing and rental car. the transmission specialist also said this is a common problem in the 1999-2000 ford windstar, which is the model vehicle i have because it was a manufacturer defect and nothing i did, i would like to know how to be reimbursed for all my out of pocket expenses and i think ford should issue a recall on the sensors that would have ultimately saved me a lot of time and money. it took 2 weeks to fix. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving 20 mph, he lost control of the vehicle and was able to drive onto the emergency lane. the contact noticed that the back rear tire was tilted inward and the axle was cracked. the vehicle was towed to an auto body shop where to weld the axle together. the axle was replaced three times. the axle was not repaired three times. the dealer was not notified. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 116,000. updated 10/13/10*bf the consumer stated the rear axle was broken due to a crack. the consumer paid for the repairs. updated 10/14/10

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while the contact was driving approximately 30-35 mph, the rear end of the vehicle began to fishtail when driving over a bump or any rough road surface. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the rear driver side axle exhibited a crack. the technician welded the axle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on a separate occasion with the identical failure pertaining to the rear passenger axle beam. the technician informed the contact that the rear passenger side axle would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 65,000.

2000 ford windstar transmission failure due to sheared off sun gear in ax4s transmission. failure occurred as vehicle was being accelerated from a dead stop into heavy cross traffic. all forward gears inoperative as van then slowly came to a stop in the middle of cross traffic. after a bit of panicking to figure how to get out of traffic we found that the reverse gear still functioned. pulled vehicle without accident out of traffic.*jb

2000 ford windstar with broken axle customer states that the axle snapped in half for no apparent reason**cc the consumer also owned a 199 ford taurus. there was a constant leak coming from the ford taurus and the dealer was unable to determine the problem. consequently, the vehicle caught on fire. the consumer believed the problem was due to a recall on the ford taurus regarding the air conditioning system. *jb

The intake went at 58,000 miles brought to ford dealer and it was covered under warranty . 1 year later had same problem and van was out of warranty and ford refused to cover had to pay $1,800 dollars. then last year the transmission went van had 78,000 miles. ford will not fix they would not repo it. they are now trying to sue me for a defective vehicle. *tr

Our 2000 windstar has had continuous problems from 20,000 miles on. recently at 60k miles, our transmission began to fail. we were under extended warranty. each time we went to ford service, we were told a seal was broken and repaired. two months later, the same problem. three months later the same problem and same diagnosis. at 70 k, the check transmission light came on and the o/d light began flashing. although we demanded a new transmission, ford service refused, telling us that a seal was once again broken. within two days, the same problem causing a breakdown out of state. new service rep. rolled his eyes when he saw what the prior service department did, but 4 days later, told us that a defective part was installed and that a new part would be put in. of course, no new part was put in and on transit home, the check transmission light and o/d lights came on again. i would never ever ever ever buy a ford again as a result of their lies and failure to fulfill warranty commitments. *nm

Transmission failure 2000 ford windstar. i have a ford windstar a couple weeks out of warranty and the transmission failed. i had complained to the dealer about acceleration problems before and now they are telling me they are not going to cover it. i believe they stalled until the warranty was out so they would not have to repair the problem. i looked online and found that ford has had a history of transmission problems with the windstar. this is something that should of been taken care of by the manufacturer. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated that while driving 70 mph on the highway the torque converter seal ripped away ending up burning the transmission. the dealer indicated that there was a torn seal. prior to this incident the overdrive symbol from the panel started to blink. this incident did not result in an accident. the contact took the vehicle to a service dealer in which a transmission flush was performed. the dealer also put an additive to the transmission seal.

Dt*: the contact stated when the vehicle was pulled into an intersection, the vehicle stopped. this happened at 32,000 miles and the vehicle was towed to the dealership. the transmission was replaced. then at 62,000 miles the vehicle was being driven 70 mph, and the transmission stopped. the vehicle was pulled over and towed to the dealership. the dealership replaced the transmission again. the vehicle is now at the dealership because there was a grinding noise coming from under the vehicle. the diagnostic test determined the torque converter was causing the malfunctioning of the transmission. the transmission will be replaced a third time at 70,000 miles.

In fall of 2005 my broth-in-law had his transmission replaced twice on a 1999 ford windstar minivan. fee from dealership (ford in williamsburg, va) was in excess of $2500 each replacement. in january 2006 my own 2000 windstar van's transmission failed in an intersection in traffic. vehicle was towed to ford dealership in wmbg and diagnosed as transmission failure, fee $2700. for a second opinion, vehicle was towed to mr. transmission in hampton, transmission dissected and laid out for analysis. metal fragments had destroyed the transmission. i was told this was a frequent occurrence with ford windstars. in early models, a metal tube for the coolant doesn't have any support and breaks or tears from vibration. in later models this tube has a support to prevent that. the ford service people, when confronted, said "transmissions can fail, you never know." we asked "is this common in windstars?" answer "no." no mention of prior knowledge, no mention of recall. when one considers 2 windstars, years 1999 and 2000, 3 destroyed transmissions between them, and denial on the part of the manufacturer, this warrants investigation. it is negligent to not make the public aware of the possibility of slipping out of gear in traffic and not institute a recall to replace transmissions on early models. it is criminal to charge owners $2500+ for a manufacturing design flaw. the fact that later models have the issue corrected implies prior knowledge. this should be investigated. *nm

Transmission went out on 2000 windstar with 78000 miles. this is not the first case i herd of on this problem. *nm

Consumer requesting to be reimbursed for 2000 windstar defective parts. *ts the rear axle cracked and caused the vehicle to sway back and forth while being driven. the consumer had it repaired at a independent repair shop. the consumer took the cracked axle to the dealer who wrote down his vin and indicated that he should be hearing from ford soon. *nm

Blown transmission on a 2000 ford windstar. *nm

I have a 2000 windstar sel. it is jerking when put in reverse or in drive. the gasket has a leak problem. the transmission light came on 9/29/05. i called a ford dealership to also question about the cruise control switch that is made of plastic that can heat and catch on fire located near the brake and they ignored my complaint. i had the oil changed and i asked the mechanic to point out that plastic piece and he showed it to me whereas, the dealer just refused. i am driving around with a van that jerks and possibly could catch on fire! *nm

2000 ford windstar lx transmission blew out while driving on interstate i85 in va 80,000 miles on it. fluid came spewing out the back end of the van. $2500 cost to replace the entire transmission. no warning signs that there was a problem with the transmission. *tr

Dt: contact states: she had a 2000 ford windstar and it came out of park without hitting the brake. vehicle doesn't have to be running. her two year old child got the car out of park ,and it rolled down a hill and hit a tree. the car was totaled. she contacted ford, and they said they were not going to pursue the matter.*ak

I purchased my car from poway honda in february 2004. one week after driving it off the lot the check engine light came on, they claimed to fix it and it came on four more times after that. we also complained that the car was clunking into gear between 1st and 2nd gears. no one could find a problem, a couple weeks later transmission fluid was spraying out all over the back of the car, they claimed to not be able to find a leak. we literally had the car in every month since then. poway honda, where i purchased the vehicle, refuses to even help me anymore. finally, a year later, the transmission started making funny noises. perry ford rebuilt the transmission. one week after that we had to pull over on the side of the freeway (with 5 children in the car) because it was spraying transmission fluid again and smoking, the car was towed to perry ford. they overhauled the torque converter. now, one week later the overdrive light is blinking indicating a transmission problem. the car sputters into gear. also, when the car is in cruise control it doesn't slow down going down hill, the gears do not catch and it just gains more speed. i am so furious with ford motors and sick and tired of dealing with this piece of junk that i will never by another ford vehicle and i would advise no body else to either. *jb

Went into doctors office and when i turned the car off i heard a loud noise. when i came out i started the vehicle and attempted to reverse and the vehicle would not go into reverse. *jb

2000 ford windstar with 60k suffered transmission failure 2/28/05, in the middle of rush hour on a busy street with 5 kids on board. a web search verified that this is happening to numerous 2000 windstar owners, i believe that ford should be investigated and the transimssions be recalled, this is a very dangerous situation.

Had just stopped and was pulling out onto the highway when a clunk sound from under the van was heard. there was no power, no forward or reverse motion. the transmission was gone. it had to be towed home and we were told that since it was no longer under warranty the cost would be ours to bear. it sits in the garage as i have no money to pay the $2400 mechanic bill. ford knew about this and yes has done nothing. this is the second windstar i've owned that has had transmission trouble. the first being a 1995 with head gasket troubles. *nm

My wife was stopped at a stoplight. light turned green, she went to make a left hand turn. about half way thru the turn, there was a loud clunk. at that point my wife could only coast thru the intersection. stepping on the accelerator did nothing. had van towed and looked at. transmission failed. mileage at 72,000.

1/31/05: put van is drive and a loud clunky noise occured and the vehicle would notmove. i needed the transmission rebuilt at $2295.00. the van only has 37,000 miles and it is out of warranty off course. dealer says too bad. stay away for ford windstar. *ak

While driving 55 mph vehicle jerked and vibrated uncontrollably. driver was able to pull over, and a mechanic inspected the vehicle and determined that transmission needed to be replaced. *ak the consumer stated that the vehicle does not engage or move in any gear. the consumer tried to pull from a stop sign and the vehicles engine revved up but the vehicle did not move. *tc

At approximately 62,000 miles the transmission in my 2000 ford windstar suddenly failed. i was starting up from a traffic light at a busy intersection when i heard a loud clunk from underneath the car and the car stopped moving. the car would go in reverse only. i had it towed to an independent repair shop to fix the transmission. the problem was that the sun gear had sheared off. (research on the internet indicated this is a common problem with this car.) i had a mechanical engineer look at the broken part and he concluded that the weld was not defective, it was just poorly designed. the replacement part has been redesigned and is now reinforced, which would indicate to me that ford is well-aware of the design flaw. (since they went to the trouble of redesigning the part) this is just the latest in a long line of problems that i have had with this car.*ak

The consumer complained about multiple problems with the vehicle on numerous occasions. the driver noticed smoke coming from underneath the vehicle, and pulled over. the smoke went out on its own. the driver had the vehicle towed. the second incident involved the transmission exploding while driving. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and the mechanic determined that the transmission and the engine needed to be replaced. *ak only four of the seat belts worked. *sc *jb