Problems with 2000 Ford Windstar POWER TRAIN

While pulling up to an intersection the vehicle jerked and the transmission wouldn't go backward or forward. the cost for repairs were $530.00. *ak *cb

While traveling at about 55 mph on the highway, the transmission failed. *ak

Second transmission failure. first failure occurred at 29000 miles in october 2001. second failure occurred june 2000 with 56000 miles on the car and only 27000 miles on the rebuilt transmission. ford has offerred to pay 50% of the repair cost for the first transmission. i told them i believe this is a safety issue because both times the transmission failed without warning. i am very unhappy with the quality of the transmission and ford's offer to only pay 50% for an obvious defect in their transmission.

Right from the day i bought the van, i have had one issue or the other. here are some of the major issues. 1. tires - my new van had bumps on all 4 tires. every tire dealer told me they would burst on driving. they were general tires. i went to ford many times and opened a case with them also to no avail. after 12,000 miles, i decided to buy 4 new tires myself for the safety of my family at my own expense. 2. at 15,000 miles, i had to get my front brakes changed as they had reached their end of life. 3. at 15,000 miles, i also had to get my transmission fluid as well as drop pan changed as they worn out 4. at 30,000 miles, i had to get my front brake pads again changed (these were also worn out). what is surprising is that my rear brakes are fine 5. at 30,000 miles, i also had to get my transmission fluid as well as drop pan changed as they worn out 6. at 40,000 miles, my check engine light came on, for which i had to get the entire cooling system changed as well as had major engine work done to remove the light. the bill was in a few thousand, and i still don't know what they did to get it all fixed 7. at 45,000 miles, i had to get front rotors and brakes again. 8. at 45,000 miles i also had to get my front tie rods changed as they were squeaking 9. my automatic door sensor has never worked since i bought the van. if you shut the doors using the electronic door openers, and if something is in the way, it will still shut the door trapping the item, rather than reversing the process. 10. my drivers side power seats have just failed, and i am yet again faced with a large expense. i will never buy a ford again

While sitting at stop light, went to proceed, no acceleration--transmission went. towed to dealer, not under warranty--$2700 later ford replaced with a brand new transmission--3 years, 36,000 mile warranty. says to me that ford knows something is wrong here since they didn't replace with a rebuilt one. i would like to be reimbursed the $2700 and the cost of the rental car needed for 7 days.3 years with this van, 3rd year of problems--1st year-tie rods, 2nd year-fuel injection problem, 3rd year-replace transmission. please help.*ak

2000 ford windstar lx park on slight incline, no keys in ignition or brake pedal depressed. 2 year old kneeling on drivers seat, pulled down on gear shift lever, transmission released and vehicle rolled 100 ft and collided with another parked vehicle. i took possession of the leased vehicle 8/30/2000, i found a repair was made for the exact condition 8/28/2000 after vehicle repair history report was run. *nlm

I complained of a rattling noise sounding like chains under the hood of the van , starting from 7,700 miles to the present. each time taking it in and being told that they could not find a problem, to them fixing something and the noise still being there. i stated to them on several occasions that the van was not riding right. i complained of a loud grinding noise when i turned the wheel. again, they said nothing was wrong. the brakes where always rubbing and they replaced the pads. i was told semi-metallic pads make noises. they replaced the computer, because i complained that upon accleration the van would make a pinging noise. i was told it was combustion with the gas. i followed there recommendations about what gas to use, and other things to do. it still continued and they stated that they could do nothing else about it. i owned a '98 winstar and never had these problems and it did not drive the way my 2000 did. right now the van is sitting in my garage, with a broken transmission and i cannot get help from ford.i lease the van and i refuse to pay for repairs on a van, that ford should be resposible for. my lease is almost over and they should back their product up. i put alot of extra money in this van to keep it well maintained. i feel ford should help me.

While driving at approximately 35 mph, the ford 2000 windstar experienced total transmission failure without warning of any kind. the vehicle had 39000 miles! it was never used in any heavy-weight situations and never towed anything. my wife used it to drive the kids around town and to do the grocery shopping. ford has refused to stand behind this vehicle. my requests for assistance went all the way to detroit. their customer service department representatives were rude. the costs for towing and replacement of the transmission were $2149.58.*ak

Transmission failed at 43,000 miles and less than 3 years. *jb

The vehicle was in drive, but went into reverse when the gas pedal was pressed. this was caused by transmission failure per dealership. *jb *scc *jb

Second failure of automatic transmission in 2240 miles. *nlm

My transmission failed at 42,000 miles in 09/01 and was replaced by dealer under extended warranty. the second transmission failed at 81,000 miles in 05/03 was told warranty was expired (only good for 24,000 miles). i had to pay $2900 to have transmission rebuilt. 3 transmissions in a car with less then 100,000 miles seems very excessive to me. was told by at least 6 different transmission repair shops that ford windstar's was the number 1 auto they replaced transmissions on. several shops told me ford was aware of the problem and have recently found the problem and vans made after 02/03 had the defect fixed but ford was not putting a recall on this known problem. *nlm

Automatic transmission failure. riding along at constant velocity it would knock like you are going over rumble strips. with a few thousand miles we took the van into the dealer reporting a "clunk" at about 10 mph. they said it was not a problem. at 40,000 miles now they say i need a new torque converter. not knowing i had previously brought the van in we told them about the clunk and they said it was a problem. my neighbors who bought the same van from the same dealer the same day also had the transmission replaced about 1 month ago with about 39,000 miles. her van just quit in the middle of an intersection. *jb

The automatic transmission failed while driving and caused the engine to cut off and the vehicle would only go into reverse gear. *nlm

The consumer was able to put the vehicle into gear without pressing the brake pedal. *jb the consumer's son put the keys in the ignition and pulled the gear shifter into gear without the vehicle being started. the consumer was pulled and dragged behind the vehicle approx. 30 feet. the consumer sustained multiple injuries with road rash. his clothes were ripped to shreds. at that time, ford had done nothing to correct the problem. *ph *jb

Purchased new transmission for vehicle at 38500 miles due to torque converter failure that damaged transmission beyond repair. new ford factory transmission installed in december required rebuild iin january of 2003 after only 1500 miles.

While driving the vehicle the "over drive" light would come on. the transmission is no longer working. dealer has been notified. ph

The transmission in our vehicle, a 2000 ford winstar sel, went on us while driving the on a busy six lane road. the vehicle does have 68,000 miles on it. however, i've produced maintenance records for ford and the dealership which clearly show we've followed ford's maintenance recommendations; included having the transmission serviced by the dealership (at 42,000). this seems to be one example in a long line of ford transmission failure. when will the nhtsa, or another government agency, finally step in and confront ford? ts

I was driving up an incline when my 2000 windstar van made a very loud noise and suddenly stopped in the middle of the street. i turned the van off for a minute or so then re-started the vehicle and attempted to proceed forward but the van started going in reverse instead. i had to have that windstar with apprximately 43,000 miles towed home because it would not go forward. i have contacted ford motor co. customer service to no avail. all they could tell me was that the van has more than 36,000 miles so they we're not responsible for the expense of replacing the transmission. the van is at a ford dealer at this very moment. it is estimated that the cost to replce the transmission will exceed $2000.00 . i now know that there have been numerous complaints about the ford windstar 2000 transmissions please have something done about this problem before some one dies.

12/02 engine light came on - had to have upper plenum gasket, o-rings, vacuum elbow and valve cover with gasket replaced for $600.00. 4/03, car less than 3 yrs. old but with 44k miles, the transmission blew: weld broke on the "drum over the planetary gear". so warranty expired at 36k miles but windstar still under 3 yrs. old. i expect a car to last at least 3 years before anything this expensive happens. want ford to pay for repairs and extend warranty til windstar is paid for in 2005.

While driving at any speed, and without any indication, the transmission failed causing the vehicle not to accelerate. dealer notified. ph the vehicle made a popping noise which was slight and irregular. the transmission has been replaced. *jg

Torque converter failed with no warning. upon failure, debris shot up into transmission. internal damage to transmissin was so severe that we had to purchase a new transmission. vehicle had only 38,500 miles at time of incident.

Transmission failed after accelerating from a stop in bumper to bumper traffic. dealer won't provide details of the component failure only that the transmission must be replaced. the dealer serviced the vehicle at the required intervals for routine maintenance but claims because i didn't have the trans case drained by them at 30,000 that the unit failure is my fault. my '95 windstar had the transmission fail at 50,000 miles. seems like a pattern i should learn from. dt

Transaxle failure dealer advises entire transaxle needs to be replaced. dt

Premature transmission failure, saw several other complaints in internet. cost of repairs $2838.06. dt

While at a stop light in a construction area, at 9:00 pm on a busy intersection, the transmission failed to do anything, no gears at all. my wife was alone when this happened amd it was very frightening to be alone in the dark with a car that will not move, and people blowing their horns and yelling at her. we finally had the car towed to the dealer and in the morning were told by the service department the transmission was no good and had to be replaced even though there was only 43,000 miles on it and only on the road 26 months. ford did not want to take responsiability for it and neither did the dealer, saying we did not have an extended service contract. if ford can't guarentee a transmission for more than 36,000 miles this disaster is going to rival ford's tire problem's of the last few years. the ntsb must look into this potential life threating problem. dt

Total failure of transmission and torque converter while driving on off highway street. vehicle was driven under normal conditions, no towing or pulling stress warranty expired. dt

Consumer was attempting to merge onto interstate travelling approximately 55 mph. depressed throttle pedal to accelerate and vehicle dropped into "passing gear". once on interstate, vehicle continued to accelerate and pedal was stuck to the floor. consumer turned the engine off, placed van in neutral and restarted. van suddenly accelerated back to 65mph. consumer had to turn off engine and coast until van slowed down enough to pull over.mr

2000 ford windstar 43,000 miles, my wife was driving down the freeway and all of the sudden the transmission went out. there was no warning or noise of any kind. this happened while she was driving freeway speeds. i went to my mechanic and he said one of his employee had the same van and the same thing happened to him at 37,000 miles. i went to work and a co-worker said the same thing happened to his dads van around 40,000 miles. ford should fins a transmission that will last longer than that few of miles.

Had esp contract for 60000 and transmission failed at 62000... 2000 lousy miles over and the ford dealer or ford customer service would not honor the extended contract.. the transmission locked up, car stopped hard and i hit steering wheel with no pain however.. this would be dangerous at high speed... i had it repaird at aamco but would like ford to reimburse me for $2279. ts

Transmission will downshift very roughly, driver gets thrown forward. dealer cannot find cause.*ak the transmission was down shifting with a terrible jolt at low speed. the vehicle was difficult to start when cold and damp, also when the ignition was switched off and then back to start the engine fires and runs. the vehicle stalling was determined to be fuel pump failure. the gas mileage dropped from 23 mpg to 16 mpg and the vehicle burns more oil. the lights flicker when driving at night and a/c is on, also the vehicle shakes while idling with the a/c on. the driver?s seat cut and slashed the consumer?s clothing. there was a weak green light from the battery. vehicle vibrates at high speed. the driver?s door was difficult to shut. *yh

During the first 2 years of driving the vehicle there was always a noticeable thunk when the gearshift was first engaged. on two separate occasions i inquired of the dealer what this might be and was advised that it was not unusual and that i should use the parking brake at all times to minimize this problem. in any event, after 2 1/2 years of mainly highway driving the transmission simply failed one day while i was on a major highway driving about 110 km/hr. it was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the failure as arising from a hydraulic line that had burst inside the transmission leaking a contaminating fluid into the transmission fluid which subsequently resulted in a melt-down of the working parts inside the transmission.

Vehicle can shift out of gear without applying brake pedal. dealer was not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Exciter ring came loose from axle assembly, causing abs to intervene when it shouldn't have, with resultant loss of braking. this has occurred twice with this vehicle, the left axle in october 2001, at 24215 miles, and the right axle in may 2002, at 34625 miles. both times we nearly rear-ended another car, when the abs unexpectedly reduced braking power.

Consumer transmission failed on the bay bridge. nar 1-22-03 the consumer was experiencing problems with the transmission prior to the failure. the transmission would hesitate from 1st to 2nd gear, but the consumer was told on 2 occasions it was normal. the abs lamp illuminated and the dealer replaced the relay. the windshield washer warning light had come on, the washer bottle had to replaced. the vehicle also shuddered while braking. *jb

This vehicle is junk!!!!!!!! ford motor co. is of no help. no safety defec tlisted. *ak

During family trip transmission failed while parked at gas station. had towed to independent dealer to repair because ford dealer was too busy and warranty had expired. called ford, they were no help at their customer service number and two dealerships. would like ford to reimburse me $2237 for transmission rebuild and replace. not asking for damages or a refund, just the cost of transmission.*ak

Vehicle is using 1 quart of oil in 1000 miles. vehicle inspected by ford tech engineer. found no exterior oil leakage and states vehicle operating as designed at this time. *tt transmission fluid was leaking from the pan gasket. the servo cover was resealed. updated *jb

Consumer was at a stop light and transmission failed without any warning at 38,483 miles, dealership replaced transmission and paid 60% of cost for transmission. *ak *tt

While parked in driveway and idling vehicle jumped from park into reverse, and rolled backwards. had emergency brakes on. dealer contacted. please add vin. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

While traveling approximately 50 mph transmission would jump out of gear into neutral intermittently. a private mechanic diagnosed that a gear broke loose and destroyed interior components of transmission. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak

While driving transmission would not shift to next higher gear. dealer rebuilt transmission at 35700 miles. at this time, transmission is shifting down while driving.*ak

While vehicle was left running in park, consumer got out of vehicle, and shut door, immediately vehicle started to roll down a hill. consumer heard automatic door locks lock when vehicle started to move. children were trapped inside. vehicle rolled into a tree, and airbags deployed. please provide any further information. *ak

While engine was running consumer left the vehicle in park, vehicle went into reverse and hit another vehicle. dealer could not identify cause. *ak *yd

Wife was driving vehicle on a 2 lane road with no shoulder at about 45 miles per hour. transmission all of a sudden would not go into gear. transmission totally failed. this was about 2 hours after i had picked up the vehicle from the dealership for the same problem. when i picked it up they said they could not duplicate the problem, so there must not be anything wrong. *ak

Manufacturer states; van is built to their specifactions, thus there is nothing wrong with it. no safety defect listed. *ak

Right front wheel bearnig locked up while traveling at hwy speed of 80 mph. dealer notified ,and repairs were being made under warranty. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Speed relay sensor in automatic transmission has failed approximately three times since january 2001. dealership has examined vehicle and failed to effectively remedy problem. please provide any additional information.*ak

Vibration and knocking noise coming from underneath vehicle. gears are stuck while shifting. dealership is aware of problem.*ak