100 of the 19,460 complaints filed about the Ford Windstar are about the seats — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1999.
100
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
19
Crashes
5
Fires
SEATS
We woke up this morning to the driver's side completely burned and melted. It had been parked sinced Monday. Fire inspector said it was definitely an electrical issue coming from the seat.
NHTSA complaint #11468285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS A SHARP METAL IN THE SEAT THAT POKES AND TEAR INTO THE LEFT BACK POCKET AREA. EVER SINCE I HAD THIS CAR I DISCOVERED MY PANTS HAVE DEVELOPED THIS "TEAR" . I FOUND THAT MY PANTS WERE BEING RIPPED IN THAT GENERAL AREA AND ONE DAY I FELT THIS SHARP AREA STICKING MY PALM. IT CANNOT BE SEEN ONLY FELT SO THAT IS MY COMPLAINT AND I HAVE OVER 10 PANTS THAT WERE RIPPED.
NHTSA complaint #11280907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
2002 WINDSTAR RECALL I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ONE DAY TO FIND OUT ALL OFF ALL THE SHIFTERS BUT NEUTRAL THE VAN SUDDENLY HAD STOPPED GOING WE COULD NOT GO IN DRIVE REVERSE OR ANYTHING FIND OUT STUCK IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION WITH CARS COMING OUR WAY THIS PROBLEM IS STILL UNKNOWN
NHTSA complaint #10862695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
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.
SEATS
ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. MIDDLE SEAT WON'T GO BACK UP AND THE DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10641532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
AFTER PURCHASING VAN, NOT EVEN ONE MONTH LATER ALL LIGHTS STARTED TO TURN ON ENGINE, ABS NOW N AND ITS A REAR LIGHT ON GAUGE PANEL ALSO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TO GET DECENT PRICE FOR THE FREEZE PLUG WHICH ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE IS A LEAK OF COOLANT FROM THE BOTTOM OF VAN. OTHER WISE ITS OK TO DRIVE. ONE I THING I DIDN'T MENTION IS THE SEAT ITS STRUCK IT WONT MOVE BACK OR FORWARD WITH THE ELECTRICAL BUTTON.
NHTSA complaint #10479633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE LATELY. CAR WOULD NOT START, POWER STEERING WENT OUT, OIL LIGHT STAYS ON, I HAVE TO PUT OIL IN EVERY WEEK, SEAT MOTOR STOP WORKING AND NOW THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK. WE WERE DRIVING OUT OF TOWN WITH OUR 3 KIDS AND I WENT TO PRESS THE BRAKES JUST TO FIND THAT IT WAS NOT THERE - IT WAS ALL THE WAY UP UNDER THE DASH BOARD!!!
NHTSA complaint #10405228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE COAL HEATER UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO SEE SMOKE, WHICH CAUSED HER TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THE DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE DAMAGES IF THEY WERE RELATED TO A RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE WHAT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.
NHTSA complaint #10367102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE ABS AND SERVICE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. HE INSTALLED NEW BRAKES SHOES, WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE REPAIRS COST $1200.00. ALSO THE LATCH ON THE SECOND ROW BUCKET SEATS HAVE FRACTURED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 131,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 133,000. UPDATED 11/10/09 *CN UPDATED 11/13/09
NHTSA complaint #10287433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE MIDDLE SEATS DETACHED FROM THE BASE WHILE BEING OCCUPIED BY TWO PASSENGERS. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS A BABY SITTING IN HIS CAR SEAT. THE BABY RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE NOSE AND FACE. THE OTHER PASSENGER RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE LEGS. THE WASHINGTON STATE POLICE REPORT NUMBER WAS 080297419. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #10243905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT RECENT COMPLAINTS TO THE FORD WINDSTAR 2002 AND HAVE CONCERNS. I HAD MY ABS MODULE REPLACED LAST YEAR BECAUSE ALL MY IDIOT BRAKE LIGHTS WERE GOING OFF INTERMITTENTLY. I HAVE ALSO NOT USED MY CRUISE CONTROL IN OVER TWO YEARS BECAUSE ONCE ACTIVATED IT WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. IT APPEARS THAT THE BRAKES ARE RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL LEAKING ON THE BRAKE LINE, BUT FORD DOES NOT SEE THE WINDSTAR AS A PROBLEM. THIS CONCERNS ME, SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN FIRES WITH THE WINDSTAR VAN. I ALSO TOOK MY CAR INTO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THE SEAT LATCHES AND WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED. MY RECENT REPAIR WOES IS THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR IS GOING. THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY LAST FORD WINDSTAR. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2002, MAKE=FORD, MODEL=WINDSTAR).
NHTSA complaint #10224380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT, EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF. THEN IT WAS EVERY TIME MY CAR WAS STARTED. I WAS TOLD MY ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR COULD BE DRIVEN, BUT MY ABS BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I WAS TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM THEY HAD SEEN WITH MY VEHICLE. MY CRUISE CONTROL ALSO STICKS. I HAVE NOT USED MY CRUISE IN OVER A YEAR, BECAUSE ONCE ACTIVATED, YOU CAN NOT SHUT IT OFF. THE ONLY WAY IT RESETS IS TO TURN THE CAR OFF. THE FORD WINDSTAR IS ONE OF THE ONLY FORD VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, BUT UPON DOING A WEB SEARCH HAVE FOUND THAT WINDSTARS HAVE STARTED ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. ALSO, I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY MID/READ SEAT LATCHES. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED. I DRIVE A 2002 FORD WINDSTAR. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT RECALL SINCE THE BRAKE LINE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FIRES CAUSED BY THE FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL. PLEASE ADVISE IS THE RESEARCH IS TO INCLUDE OTHER FORD MODELS.
NHTSA complaint #10221254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
NOV 9, 2002, IS WHEN WE PURCHASED THE RED WINDSTAR VAN WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD USED IT AS A PROMOTIONAL CAR FOR THE OWNERS AND THEIR WIVES. FEBRUARY A COMPLAINT OFFICER AT FORD TOLD ME THEY WERE JUST PUTTING THE CAR IN OUR NAME IT WAS LISTED UNDER ENTERPRISE STILL. I CALLED TO ASKED WHY WE WERE JUST GETTING THE RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SEAT WHEN I HAD CALLED THEM 5 TIMES WITH THE CALL I MADE 2-7-07 AND WHY HAD THEY NOT SENT A NOTICE FOR THE SLIDING DOORS.
NHTSA complaint #10181964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
TL*- THE CONTACT WAS SITTING IN VAN , THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VAN STATED TO FILL UP WITH SMOKE. AT WHICH POINT HE LOOKED AT THE DRIVER SEAT AND NOTICED THAT THE VAN WAS ON FIRE. THE HE PUT OUT THE INITIAL FIRE. WHEN HE LOOKED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT HE NOTICED THERE WERE MORE FLAMES. THE NEXT DAY HE SAW THAT THERE WERE WIRES UNDER THE SEAT. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VA WITH THE SEAT IS DAMAGED DUE TO THE FIRE. CONTACT DRIVE THE VAN HOME.
NHTSA complaint #10176471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE SECOND ROW DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BECAME DISLODGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SPRAINED BACK. THERE WAS A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE SECOND ROW SEAT, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS REAR FACING THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 03V459000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10142595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
RE:RECALL #03C05 I HAVE TWICE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ATTEMPTED TO HAVE FMC ADDRESS THIS RECALL, BOTH TIMES I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART AND WOULD CALL ME WHEN IT CAME IN ---NO CALL - DEALER #2 TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN TODAY AND WHEN I ARRIVED TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART. AFTER TWO YEARS AND TWO TRIES FMC CAN'T OR WON'T FIX MY CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10140408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE DRIVERSIDE SEAT REPLACED WAS REPLACED ONCE. THE SEAT BACK HAD WARPED AND WAS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR DRIVING. WHILE I AM A LARGE MAN, THIS IS THE FIRST SEAT BACK THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IN ANY VEHICLE. THE SECOND SEAT BACK HAS BEEN HOLDING UP SO FAR. THE FIRST FAILED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR WITHIN 60,000 KM AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE PAYING FOR THE REPAIR WHEN THE SECOND ONE FAILS.
NHTSA complaint #10122431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
UPON BEING IN A PARKING LOT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANISM UNDER THE SEAT. CONSUMER WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
NHTSA complaint #10115395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
DEALER WON'T HONOR WARRANTY FOR REPAIR ON VEHICLE. *LA THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE CHILD RESTRAIN ANCHORAGE SYSTEM (RECALL# 03V459000). THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT.
NHTSA complaint #10051721 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
RE; RECALL NOTIFICATION #03C05-CERTAIN 2001-2003 FORD WINDSTAR SEAT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS. *BF
NHTSA complaint #10097237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.