Ford Windstar Problems - READ ONLY

2608 messages,  Last post on Oct 27, 2006 at 8:51 PM

You are in the Ford Windstar Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Windstar, Van

#1486 of 2608 Re: 1996 Windstar head gasket..... [mikejojo] by wijoco

Sep 21, 2004 (3:20 pm)

Replying to: mikejojo (Sep 21, 2004 9:33 am)
"It's not a good thing when the first words uttered by your mechanic are "how attached are you to your van?". "
 
You're not the first Windstar owner to hear that. I wouldn't put $1500 into that motor with those miles (you need head, intake and timing cover gaskets installed). Your two best options are a factory rebuilt motor installed at a Ford dealer which will run you $2500-$3000 but will include a 3/36,000 warranty. The other would be dumping it for whatever you can get and take the cash + repair savings and put it towards the payment for a new van. Keep in mind if you keep the van you'll be looking at transmission, suspension and electrical wor withing the next 100,00 miles. It will still be cheaper than new car payments, but how much trouble and downtime are you willing to put up with?

#1487 of 2608 My budget busting 98 Ford Windstar by ref6046

Oct 07, 2004 (2:45 pm)

I have a 98 Ford Windstar van. I have spent over $7000, over the last 7 months, for an new engine AND transmission. Tranny and engine failures for these rolling piles of crap are well documented. Of course, Ford couldn't care less about it. Having only 58K total miles on this vehicle only makes it worse. I guess i better establish a special fund entitled "Ford Windstar Repair", since I have 10 months to go before it's paid for. The company I work for has 2 of these vans (a 97 and a 01) as company vehicles. Both have had to have tranny replacements. The engines? So far, so good..... But, they are in the process of being replaced. Can't have our employees driving around in junk, ya know? My advice, DON'T BUY A FORD WINDSTAR! INSTEAD, BUY SOMETHING JAPANESE.

#1488 of 2608 Re: My budget busting 98 Ford Windstar [ref6046] by wijoco

Oct 08, 2004 (2:17 pm)

Replying to: ref6046 (Oct 07, 2004 2:45 pm)
Out of curiosity, what failed in the engine+trans?

#1489 of 2608 Windstar starting/idiling probs. by jetdoc1

Oct 09, 2004 (6:53 pm)

Hey yall, we have a 95 Windfart, oop, Windstar. Went to start it today and it started to idle very rough and there was a strong gas smell in the van.
 
I tried to restart it several time with the same results. Rough idling or even stalling and a strong gas smell. Lifting the hood it sounds likes it missing. Plus the check engine light is illuminated and it is flashing, which I've never seen before. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

#1490 of 2608 by steve_ HOST

Oct 12, 2004 (8:52 am)

Try an autoparts store like AutoZone - often they'll read the CEL codes for free.
 
I'm betting it's an o2 sensor myself although my experience with them is that they cause the CEL to shine steadily.
 
Try asking in Got a Quick, Technical Question? too.
 
Steve, Host

#1491 of 2608 Re: Windstar starting/idiling probs. [jetdoc1] by prospective2

Oct 12, 2004 (12:59 pm)

Replying to: jetdoc1 (Oct 09, 2004 6:53 pm)
When the check engine light is flashing it means that the engine is misfiring. If the engine keeps misfiring, the light keeps flashing. If the engine stops misfiring, the check engine light will remain on but it won't flash. If it is misfiring badly enough it will throw enough unburnt gasoline into the catalytic converter to cause the cat converter to eventually fail. Yours sounds like its misfiring badly which could be caused by a dozen different problems ranging from bad plugs/wires to bad injectors to a compression problem (have you had your compulsory head gasket repair yet?) to an intake manifold problem (that's my problem -- its about $1k worth of engine work to deal with). If you're lucky, maybe your computer (ECM) just needs to be reprogrammed. THis is a possible if it just started all of a sudden.

#1492 of 2608 by steve_ HOST

Oct 12, 2004 (1:30 pm)

I always forget about this discussion too:
 
"Check Engine" light
 
Steve, Host

#1493 of 2608 Erratic transmission shifting by sens

Oct 13, 2004 (12:05 pm)

98 Windstar 3.0L. Transmission stays stuck in 2nd gear when hot. After 5 more miles stays stuck in 1st gear. After it cools overnight its fine again untill it get hot after about 20 miles. No computer codes result. When are temperature is below 50F it drives normal. Any ideas?

#1494 of 2608 Re: Erratic transmission shifting [sens] by rogerramjet

Oct 14, 2004 (8:53 pm)

Replying to: sens (Oct 13, 2004 12:05 pm)
The Sensor on the transmission is very heat sensitive and can ccause this when defective its right next to the exhaust manifold (another one of Ford's better ideas)
 i believe its called the transmission range sensor
 Is your Cruise control not working as well
its a ten miuite job to replace about $70 for part , check the Haynes manual for instructions
 Roger

#1495 of 2608 widstar sensors by dfire

Oct 19, 2004 (1:50 pm)

I have a 1998 windstar with a 3.8
My check engine light is on and the codes P1152 and P0174 come up on the meter.
I found the 1152 is the Fuel Air Meter and
the 0174 is the Sys Adaptive Fuel too Lean (Bank 2)
I would like to know what and where these sensors are and if I can replace them myself.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement