43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Windstar cite power train, 21% of all 208 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, SMOKE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENGINE WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS VACATED. THE HOOD WAS RAISED AND FLAMES LOOKED AS IF THEY IT WAS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE HOME OF THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL #97V097000 PERTAINING TO THE POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.”
“SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1996 WINDSTAR, 86,000 MI. PROPER MAINTENENCE HAD BEEN DONE. I SEE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS HERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NHTSA IT IS TIME TO STEP UP AND FORCE A RECALL. HOW LONG DO THE CONSUMERS HAVE TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. WE DON'T HAVE THE $3000 THEY WANT FOR REPAIRS. WHAT HAPPENED TO COMSUMER RIGHTS? THE WAY IT STANDS NOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER AMERCIAN CAR. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE ECONOMY. YOU HAVE TO HOLD CORPORATE AMERICA RESPONSIBLETOPUT OUT QUALITY VEHICLES. YOU HAVE THE POWER. DO WHAT YOU ARE THERE TO DO, PROTECT THE CONSUMER, NOT THE CORPORATE MONEY.”
“VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION THE CHILD WAS ABLE TO PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND IT ROLLED, HIT A TREE, PROCEEDED ACROSS THE STREET INTO A UTILITY POLE, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL.*AK *NLM”
“WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER SUDDENLY STARTED TO READ THE WRONG SPEED. CONSUMER STATED IT BOUNCED ALL OVER THE PLACE. AT TIMES CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SPEED SHE WAS TRAVELING. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED BUT SHE WAS OVERCHARGED. *YH”
“TRACKING SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. AND BRAKES ARE NOT OPERABLE. LIGHT ON THE INSIDE COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK”
“SPEEDOMETER STARTED TWITCHING VERY LITTLE AT ABOUT 34,000 MILES. THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO SMALL. AFTER WARRANTY WAS OVER IT WOULD SWING WILDLY FROM 50 TO 110 MPH. ALSO MAKES A GRUMBLING SOUND. UNABLE TO DETERMINE SPEED . DEALER IS REPLACING SPEEDOMETER FOR @$600.00 AT THIS TIME. EDMUNDS AND OTHER CAR SITES HAVE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS JUST LIKE MINE. DEALER SAID THEY KNOW JUST HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT THIS PROBLEM...MUST BE LOTS OF EXPERIENCE. IF THIS IS HOW THEY BUILD THESE AND CHARGE ME A TON TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT, I WILL BE LLOKING FOR A HONDA OR TOYOTA NEXT. SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING...BEEN USING THE TACH FOR A LONG TIME MYSELF.*AK”
Showing 6 of 43 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.