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Ford Windstar Fires

Ford recalled 1999 and 2000 Windstars to fix a wiper motor problem that could cause a fire.

Flaming Fords • Ford Trucks Burn in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina • Feds Probe Ford Windstar for Fire Hazard • Ford Truck Suspected in North Texas House Fire • Ford Cruise Control Fire Strikes Florida Car Dealership • Ford Hopes to Wind Down Recall of Fire-Prone Vehicles • Ford Expedition Suspected in Fatal Ohio Home Fire • Ford Fires Continue Despite Long-Delayed Federal Warning • Feds Warn Some Ford Trucks and Cars Can Erupt in Flames • Ford Fire Lawsuits Spread • Ford Recalls 57,000 More Trucks, SUVS for Fire Hazard • Ford Fires Strike in Minnesota, California • Ford Plans Another Recall to Fix Fire Hazard • Ford Fire Hazard Recall Creeps Along • Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute Continue Ford Fire Tradition • Ford Fires Kill Pets and Spread Despair as Year Ends • Ford Lacks Parts for Fire Recall Repair • New F150 Erupts in Flames as Ford Truck Fires Rage On • Red Hot Texas Car-B-Que • Kerry Vows Action to Get Flaming Fords Off the Road • Flaming Ford Scandal Disgraces Ford, Feds • Ford Tries Again to Fix Fire Problem with Massive Recall • One Ford the Recall Missed • Ford Stops Sales of Big Super Duty, Recalls 2008 Trucks • Ford Recalls 155,000 More Trucks to Fix Fire Hazard • Feds Probe Fires in Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute • Feds Wind Up Ford Engine Fire Probe with Massive Recall • Ford Truck Fires Mount as Recall Rolls Slowly • Ford Trucks Burn As Recall Fiddles • Ford Truck Fire Fix Delayed by Parts Shortage • Ford Recalls 4 Million Trucks to Fix Fire Risk • Nader Demands NHTSA Warn Ford Truck Owners • Wrongful Death Suit Charges House Fire Started in F-150 • Feds Look Deeper for Ford Fire Causes • Recall Leaves Many Questions Unanswered • Houston Lawyers Sue Ford • Ford Recalls Some Fire-Prone Models • Feds Probe Ford F-150 Engine Fires • Ford Recall Was Biggest Ever --- • Bronco • Crown Victoria • Dump truck • Expedition • Explorer • F-150 • Other F-Series Trucks • Focus • Mustang • Ranger Pickup • Taurus • Windstar

Rita of Lutz FL (5/16/04):
My 2000 Ford Windstar caught on fire and burnt completely to the ground. Ford won't even returmn my phone calls. Attorneys don't want to take my case because there were no physical injuries. I lost my vehicle. My 2-year-old daughter is leary of getting into cars now, I have nightmares, I had to buy another vehicle, and replace the items that were in the car.

Lisa of Ft. Lauderdale, FL:
I purchased a used Ford Windstar with 30k miles on it. 3 months after buying it the head gasket blew. I had it replaced for $1700. 1.5 years later the head blows again this time seizing the engine. This time the repairs were $5k for a new engine. After the new engine there were numerous charges, a new radiator, radiator hose, 2 oxygen sensors, heater hose, transmission pan seal.

Two days before going on vacation I had the car serviced, oil changed, everything checked. 300 miles later in Orlando, the van catches on fire because huge amounts of transmission fluid are pouring from the engine.

My van now sits in Orlando at a dealer, Ford is still deciding whether they will help me or not. The rental car for my vacation cost $700.00. My father who is 60 years old has not had a vacation in 35 years, was in the car when it started on fire and was almost unable to get out.

Laura of Oregon City, OR:
In August 99 I had my Windstar serviced, the engine light had been coming on and my heater had gone cold a few times. Putting more water in my radiator fixed it for awhile. March 99 @ 67,000 miles my gaskets went. Dealership quoted $2,200 for repairs. Dealership started work. I called another mechanic and they quoted $1,100 for repairs. So I had dealership stop work; they charged me for 4 hours. I had van towed to other shop. While talking to shop mechanic they told me that back in August, before warranty had expired, my heater going cold was the first sign of my head gaskets going bad.

After getting my van back I drove it until June 2, 1999 when my tranny went. I was on my way to my daughter's softball tournament in a rural town.

On July 2, 1999 on my way to my daughter's state softball tourney, my engine blew. I was over 100 miles from home. Luckily I sent my daughter to the tourney with one of the coaches.

After getting a new engine, while pulling into my driveway my power steering went and my car caught fire. The shop mechanics replaced the hose for free and were surprised that the new hose was routed a different way so that it wasn't so close the exhaust pipe. I contacted Ford and the dealership several times. They said, sorry the warranty had expired. I reported the dealership to the Better Business Bureau and it wasn't until then that the dealership said that if I would have left my van with them to do the repairs they could've gotten Ford to pay for the repairs.

All these repairs came to over $5,500. We were stranded from home 150 miles away, towed back and missed a very important softball game of my daughters. She had to spend the weekend with strangers 300 miles from home.

I fear for the poor soul that ends up with this minivan.

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