25 of the
1,855 complaints about the 1996 Ford Windstar are about the
airbag system — 1% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
92,000 miles.
ON JUNE 7 I WAS OUTSIDE OF OUR HOME AND NOTICED I SMELLED GAS NEAR MY WIFE'S VAN. AFTER INSPECTING I SAW THE TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL. I TOOK THE TANK OFF AND NOTICED THERE WAS PRESSURE TO THE TANK FROM THE FRONT STRAP. THE PRESSURE CAUSED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A STRESS CRACK WHERE THE STRAP HOLDS THE TANK. IT APPEARS TO ME THE STRAP IS TOO SMALL FOR THE TANK. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THIS AND WOULD RATHER MY WIFE AND CHILDREN RIDE AROUND IN A GAS LEAKING DANGER MACHINE. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 95000 MILES AND I FEEL THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED HERE AS IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR.
NHTSA complaint #10230440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hyattsville, MD2 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 55 MP BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10089944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Suisun City, CA
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. *JB *PH *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10014825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Walnut, IL
AIR BAGS
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 2MPH STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING,THEN DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN CONSUMER FACE. TS
NHTSA complaint #10002214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montebello, CA
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINING ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN THE DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #899512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montebello, CA
AIR BAGS
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTL/SIMUTANEOUSLY COME ON AND CAUSE LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRACTICALLY, PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE,ALSO THE POWER WINDOWS WERE INOPERATIVE.*SLC
NHTSA complaint #899517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Loveland, COCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED, CAUSING MINOR LONG TERM INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #878237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Keysville, GACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WAS TRAVELING 40-45MPH IN FOGGY WEATHER WHEN A DEER APPEARED IN THE ROAD. HIT DEER & BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED,CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUFFER BURNS ON THE FACE & ARMS. ALSO, FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #857723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST Louis, MOCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY25MPH VEHICLE IN FRONT STOP SUDDENLY, AND CONSUMER REAR ENDED IT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND BURSTED OPEN WHICH BURNED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CONSUMER'S FACE.
NHTSA complaint #846289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Farmersville, NYCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE HIT A DEER ON DRIVER'S SIDE AT 20MPH AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #836960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Emmitsburg, MDCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING INNER TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL TO FALL OFF, RESULTING IN DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYING. CONSUMER WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #824778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bloomingdale, NJ
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED ACORDING TO LOCAL FOR DEALERSHIP (KAYTES FORD) THEE APPEARED TO BE CONTAMINATION IN THE BRAKE FLUID THAT CAUSED THE SEALS TO WEAR DOWN AND DESTROY THE SYTEM. IN JULY OD 1998 I HAD THE CAR IN FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM WITH PEDAL PRESSURE IN THE VEHICLE. THEY FOUND NOTHIN WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AT THAT TIME. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED UNTIL THE BRAKES FAILE IN AUGUST OF 98 AT WICH TIME FORD SAID THE FLUID WAS CONTAMINATED AND THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPKACED. I HAD THE FLUID TESTED AND HAVE A COPY WHICH SHOWS THAT THERE WAS NO CONTAMINATION. FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO HONOR ANY WARRANTY CLAIM AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY $2,300.00 IN ORDER TO HAVE THE SYSTEM FIXED. FORD NEVER OFFERED TO TEST THE BRAKE FLUID AND STILL DOES NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. IF THER WAS NO CONTAMINATION THE SEALS MUST HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN MATERIAL WHICH FORD SHOULD HONOR UNDER THE WARRANTY PLEASE HELP
NHTSA complaint #701820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bedford, VA
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MPH WHEN THE CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO AVOID IMPACT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #830531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Metamora, MICrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE ENTERING AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED ON THE PAASENGER'S SIDE BY ANOTHE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN CONSUMER. HIT REAR MIRROR AND SPLIT HEAD OPEN AND GOT A CONCUSSION.
NHTSA complaint #781135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lagrangevi, NYCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS CAUSED BURN INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #524672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jeferson, TXCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, INJURYING THE PASSENGER'S RETNA. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.
NHTSA complaint #821097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FLCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP ABOUT 15-20 FEET BEHIND OF OTHER VEHICLE WHEN ABS BECAME INOPERATIVE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REAREND VEHICLE ,HALF OF ENGINE DESTROYED, ALL FRONT END DAMAGED, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY .CONSUMER HAD EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE TO 40-50 FEET.
NHTSA complaint #820658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Redwood CI, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
VEHICLE COLLISION OCCURRED AND THE AIR BAG HAD VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT, INJURING THE DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #604627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Altoona, PACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE, RESULTING INTO A FOUR VEHICLE COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #815947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROX. 35MPH, 9:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, DUAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT OCCURRED, HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED DIRECTLY ONTO DRIVER'S LEFT ARM, CAUSING WOUNDS AND BRUISES.
NHTSA complaint #808726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH, 9:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, AT APPROX. 35MPH, DRIVER'S/ PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED ONTO THE LEFT OF DRIVER. AS RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED WOUNDS AND BRUISES.
NHTSA complaint #809131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cape Girardeau, MOCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT 55 DUE TO HITTING A DOG ON BUMPER, NO DAMMAGE. DRIVER HAD RINGING IN EARS FOR ONE WEEK.
NHTSA complaint #809504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH, AT APPROX. 35MPH, 9:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, DRIVER'S/ASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED ONTO THE LEFT ARM OF DRIVER, AS RESULT CAUSE WOUNDS AND BRUISES.
NHTSA complaint #809132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROX. 35MPH, 9:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, DIRVIER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED ONTO THE LEFT ARM OF DRIVER, CAUSING WOUNDS AND BRUISES.
NHTSA complaint #809133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Spokane, WACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DURING AN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN CHEMICAL/ABRASION BURNS TO FACE AND EYE INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #509049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.