Transmission Gear Slipping problems of the 1999 Ford Windstar

The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the transmission slipped and the check engine light was illuminated. The failure had been occurring since October 2010. The vehicle also stalled when the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000 and the current mileage was approximately 126,000.

Transmission slippage resulting in loss of drive power/torque as a result of a manufacturing defect.

I have mechanical experience and maintain my vehicles religiously as I like to keep them as long as possible. We have a '99 Ford Windstar and at 30,800 miles the transmission gave out as my wife was driving through a busy intersection. She described it as a loud "bang" and then it would not go any further. After having it towed to the dealership they advised we had worn out the "clutches" and the transmision needed to be replaced. I had just driven the vehicle on a ski trip vacation the week before and the transmission did not slip or have any problems, something inside the transmission broke without any prior warning and left my wife and kids stranded in the middle of a busy intersection. After researching on the web and verifying through some connections I found that this is a consistent problem with these transmissions and it usually occurs between 30k to 50k miles. The dealership tried to make us pay since it was 800 miles over the warranty but after much deliberation they agreed to "let" us purchase an extended warranty and gave us a rebuilt transmision. We had the vehicle in several times previously for transmission recalls and performance issues. We never tow anything with our van and my wife mainly drives around the area to work and transporting our children. Where my wife was stranded was on top of a hill in the middle of a 6 lane highway intersection and not only do I feel this is a quality issue perpetuated on Ford customers but a safety issue also as was demonstrated at this time.

I took it to the dealer they said they fixed the problem but he transmission still slips. The last van I had did the same thing it was a 1998 Windstar. They told me there was nothing wrong with it and in 3 months I had to have the whole thing rebuilt. **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*768017.

If you proceed uphill and come to a stop to park, I place set the emergency parking brake before I put the van in park. When I leave I put my foot on the brake put the van in drve or whichever gear I need and I get an extremely loud clunk as if the trans. Is going to fall out. While going uphill, once at approximately 5 to 10 mph and a second time at 45 to 50 mph the transmission slipped for a second all together. Then it jumped back into the gear it was in previously, not berfore actually slowing down and almost stopping. I brought the van nto the local Ford dealer to be looked at and within a few hours they called me for pick up and said there was nothing wrong. I find that hard to believe, I've been around cars all my life and that sound is not normal and the things that have happened are not normal. I called the dealer and he said it sounds like it may have loww tranny fluid. That has been checked and that is not the case. I feel like I'm getting the run around here and am not gettting any sound answers as to why this happens. I also just found out today from the person at the dealership that the Windstar has many technical bulletins out regarding the transmission. I feel a little left out of hte crowd here. I'll be taking my family on a vacation back to minnesota and I want to make sure thevan will make it. After all thats why we pay for the warranties now isn't it. Thanks for your help and guidance with this issue.