164 of the
19,460 complaints filed about the Ford Windstar
are about the seat belts —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1995.
ABS light, brake light came on. The seatbelt unhooks while I’m driving, I was told I had a cracked axle, the wheel bearing was very noisy, I’ve paid a lot of money to get things fixed. The labor was at a ridiculous amount on $25 parts. I’m wondering if I’ve paid to have parts fixed that were under recall. I fix one thing and then there’s another issue. Oil is leaking under the hood and I’m afraid it will catch fire so I’m scared to drive.
NHTSA complaint #11442670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR VAN I PURCHASED. THE MILEAGE IS 081206.3. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON AND THE SLIDING DOORS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VAN. THE DOORS ON THE SIDES AND BACK ARE VERY HARD TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE AS WELL. THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT TURN OFF UNLESS YOU HIT THE BRAKES. THE SEATBELT ARE MAKING A HORRIBLE SQUEAKING NOISE AND DON'T REALLY ROLL UP RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET A LIST OF RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. TO ME THESE ARE MAJOR SAFETY CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #10702429 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AFTER LOOKING UP ALL OF THE SERVICE REPORTS ON THIS VEHICLE, I AM BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE THAT FORD HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO. WE HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF SERVICE REPORTS ON OUR VEHICLE ALONE THAT OUR DEALERSHIP IS NOT REPORTING. WE HAVE PAID MORE FOR SERVICE REPAIRS THAN WE DID PAYING FOR THE VEHICLE. OUR AC/HEAT JUST CLICKS W/O WORKING, POWER WINDOWS FRONT AND REAR DO NOT WORK, POWER DOOR LOCKS, LEAKING ROOFS, LEAKING DOORS, ABS LIGHTS ON, ENGINE LIGHTS ON, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON, ENGINE SPUTTERS EVEN AFTER TWO COMPLETE OLD FASHIONED TUNE-UPS, COWL BROKEN, FRONT AND REAR AXLES SEVERELY CRACKED, SUB-FRAME CRACKED, REAR WIPER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, BRAKES NEED CONSTANT REPAIRS, ELECTRICAL SHORTS EVERYWHERE, HEAD LIGHTS, FOG LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS ALL NEED CONSTANT REPLACEMENTS, ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL FAULTY, BRAKE SWITCH UNDER BRAKE PEDAL NEEDS CONSTANT REPLACEMENT, CONSTANT WHEEL ALIGNMENTS, WHEEL SENSORS MISSING OR BROKEN, POWER SEAT BROKE AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT IT WAS PETTY TO HAVE IT FIXED EVEN WITH A HEIGHT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRIVERS, CONTROL MODULES REPLACED, MULTIPLE EXPENSIVE SENSOR FAILURES, SPARK PLUGS WITH WIRES REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE, STARTER REPLACED, PARKING BRAKE NEEDS TO BE WATCHED FOR SLIPPAGE BECAUSE IT CAN'T HOLD ON HILLS, INTERIOR LIGHTS BLINK IN A PATTERN WHILE DRIVING, CAN'T HAUL IT'S OWN TAILGATE, BATTERY REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES BY DEALERSHIP, POWER MIRROR SWITCH BROKE, MANY MORE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AT OUR COST, P0302, P0305, P0316, C1235, C1185, C1198, C1194, C1254, C1246, C1250, C1242, C1214, C1210, C1103, C1410, C1404, B1318. WE WERE TOLD BY MANY SERVICE DEPARTMENTS A WHILE BACK THAT THESE CODES WERE NOT IMPORTANT. THEY CLEARED THE CODES EVERY TIME. THEIR RESPONSE TO THESE CODES WERE TO CLEAR THEM EVERY SINGLE TIME. WE ONLY HAVE ONE VEHICLE AND THIS IS IT. I AM A MOM W/CHILDREN.
NHTSA complaint #10702306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAFETY SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
NHTSA complaint #10701401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DURING INSPECTION INSPECTER 38573 REPORTED A DIAGNOSTIC FAULT AS AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE. AFTER FAILED INSPECTION. I LOOKED FOR PART WITH THE AVAIL. CURRENT PART ON VEHICLE IS 1F2A-14B321-EE. I CANNOT FIND A PART NUMBER MATCHING. I TOOK IT TO A SECOND MECHANIC TO VERIFY IF HE INFACT WAS RIGHT. AND I LOOKED AT THE DIAGNOSTIC AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT SHOW UP HOWEVER WHAT DID SHOW UP AFTER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER A FULL MEMORY CLEAR WAS CODE B234 WHICH POINTS TO DRIVER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE SWITCH SHORT CIRCUIT TO GROUND. OR IN LAMES TERMS SAFETY BELT BUCKLE SWITCH. THIS SHOULD NEVER IN A CARS LIFE EVER HAPPEN. IF THIS HAPPENED BEFORE A ACCIDENT THIS COULD CAUSE DEATH TO THE CONSUMER. IM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE I BELIEVE SO IM NOT SURE IF THERE'S A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AS I DO KNOW THERE'S ONE SIMILAR. MY REINSPECTION IS DUE WITHIN 6 DAYS. I FEEL I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A REPAIR FOR A PART ON SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER NEED TO REPLACED. ESPECIALLY WHEN LIVES ARE AT STAKE.
NHTSA complaint #10676342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING EAST BOUND AT 35 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF ME AND I HAD A DIRECT HIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS VEHICLE. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME BACK AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED.
NHTSA complaint #10644396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BELIEVE THE SEAT BELTS IN MY FORD WINDSTAR DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE VAN AND FORD WILL NOT LOOK INTO THE ISSUE WITHOUT CHARGING ME A FEE. THERE WAS A SEAT BELT RECALL IN THE PAST ON SOME FORD WINDSTARS BUT FORD CLAIMS IT DOES NOT AFFECT THIS MODEL. THIS ISSUE AFFECTS PRIMARILY THE MIDDLE AND REAR ROW OF MY VAN AND POSSIBLY THE FRONT SEATS AS WELL.
NHTSA complaint #10564797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME AS I STOPPED TO AVOID HITTING A CAR THAT HAD STOPPED SHORT IN FRONT OF ME AND MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD CAUSING BRUISING. THE SEAT BELT IS WORKING PROPERLY. I CALLED FORD TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY CAR REGARDING THE SEAT BELT.
NHTSA complaint #10522852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED VEHICLE JANUARY 2012, PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT LATCH WAS BROKEN, I PURCHASED A NEW ONE FROM DEALER FOR $170.48. MARCH 2012, IT BROKE AGAIN WITH SAME PROBLEM. IT DOES NOT LATCH, OR WHEN IT DOES LATCH, IT OPENS ON ITS OWN WITH OR WITHOUT ANYONE IN THE SEAT. DEALER REFUSES TO WARRANTY THE 3 MONTH OLD LATCH, BUT OFFERED TO ORDER ME ANOTHER FOR $170.48 +LABOR WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR IT FIRST. AFTERMARKET DEALERS SAY ITS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2001/2002 WINDSTAR'S AND 2001'S HAD A RECALL ON IT. 27 JUNK YARDS BETWEEN BUFFALO, NY,CLEVELAND, OHIO & PITTSBURG PA ALL HAVE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT LATCHES IN THEIR 01/02 VANS. SO MY OPTION IS TO EITHER NOT USE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OR PAY $233.43 EVERY 3 MONTHS TO HAVE A NEW LATCH ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. I HAVE PAPERWORK FROM CHAMPION FORD, CONFIRMING THAT THE SEAT BELT IS BROKEN DATED 4/6/2013. BUT THE FEMALE SERVICE WRITER CONVENIENTLY LOST MY PAPER WORK FOR THE ORIGINAL SEAT BELT LATCH FROM 2012. ALSO SEARCHING NET BRINGS UP OVER 23,000 REPORTED ISSUES WITH 2002 WINDSTAR SEAT BELTS. WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO RECALL ON THE 2002 WINDSTAR AS THERE WAS WITH THE 2001. ITS NOT FAIR THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $233.43 EVERY 3 MONTHS TO THE FORD DEALER TO HAVE A WORKING SEAT BELT. CLEARLY THIS IS A SAFETY AND MANUFACTURING DEFECT.. ITS UNREASONABLE TO MAKE ME DECIDE IF I FEEL SAFER HUNCHED OVER IN MY ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR IN THE REAR OF MY VAN ONLY BELTED INTO THE WHEELCHAIRS SAFETY BELT HAVING TO HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T FLIP OVER SQUISH ME DURING AN ACCIDENT OR IF I WOULD RATHER BE EJECTED THRU THE FRONT WINDSHIELD!! HOW CAN I BE ASKED TO PUT MY LIFE AT RISK EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE VAN!! I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT SEAT BELTS WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE IN A VEHICLE. HOW CAN THIS BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE? I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #10507353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE SECOND ROW ON THE DRIVER SIDE STATED THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETAIN HIM IN PLACE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON EVERY SEAT IN THE VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AS WELL AS THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW MIDDLE SEATS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #10393821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR, DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. IN ADDITION, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WAS COVERED IN AN UNKNOWN OIL EACH TIME IT WAS RETRACTED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR ANY OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.
NHTSA complaint #10340375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FAILURE OF SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, A/C COMPRESSOR SWITCH AND BLOWN FUSE (#10 IN FUSE PANEL, 15 AMP). FAILURE OF FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT TO REMAIN ENGAGED WHEN HOLDING A OCCUPANT.
NHTSA complaint #10280569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OUTRAGEOUS ,I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM OF AN ABS/BRAKE LIGHT ,THAT KEEPS COMING ON IN MY 2001 FORD WIND STAR LX VAN. STATEMENT IS 1999- 2003 FORD WINDSTAR VANS COULD HAVE THIS AND THE PROBLEMS THAT COULD OCCUR. MY OH MY .. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT RIDE IN THAT VAN DAILY, I'M A LOW INCOME PARENT. WHY WOULD ONE TAKE THIS CHANCE WITH HUMANS. I BOUGHT THE VAN IN MARCH OF 2009. 2 DAYS LATER ABS/ BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. AT THE TIME I WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE AN EAGLE WARRANTY ..THAT MIGHT I ADD NOT EVEN THE FORD DEALER SHIP WOULD EXCEPT. I DON'T TAKE CHANCES WHERE MY CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED.
NHTSA complaint #10273770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WE COLLIDED WITH A 1989 CHEVROLET TRUCK DRIVEN BY AN INTOXICATED DRIVER WHO PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF US IN A 45 MPH SPEED ZONE. WE WERE IN OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. OUR CHILDREN, AGES 18 AND 13 WERE SEATED IN THE QUAD SEATS BEHIND THE FRONT SEATS, AND ON IMPACT, BOTH SEAT BELTS FOR THEIR SEATS CAME UNDONE.
NHTSA complaint #10254051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEATBELT WOULD NOT LATCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE SEAT BELT AND STATED THAT THE LATCH COMPONENTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V227001 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 141,000.
NHTSA complaint #10244529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1995 FORD WINDSTAR LX WITH SEATBELT PROBLEMS CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS NO LONGER WORK**CC THE CONSUMER STATED THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS DEFECT. THE CONSUMER CREATED A TEMPORARY FIX BY ATTACHING A CLIP TO THE ANCHOR POINT. THE CONSUMER STATED, WHEN A PERSON IS PROPELLED FORWARD, THE RETRACTORS ARE SUPPOSED TO SEIZE THE SEAT BELT AND KEEP IT FROM UNWINDING.
NHTSA complaint #10202645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND NO LONGER RESTRAIN THE PASSENGERS. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NO LONGER SAFE AND THE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $400. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #10201161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT AND THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK. FORD STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND ADVISED HER THAT SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COSTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 169,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
NHTSA complaint #10195972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.