Transmission Not Engage Problems of Ford Windstar

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the engine cooling indicator became trapped in the speedometer and gear shifter area, causing the gear shifter not to engage in park. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the instrument panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 50,000.

See all problems of the 2003 Ford Windstar 🔎.

The car was driving down the road. No warning, the car would not engage. The engine would rev but the transmission was not working. Once on the side of the road, there was no forward or reverse. Nothing happened prior, the car was working fine. There are many complaints on this car on the internet. Ford needs to do something to remedy the problem. We are so thankful nothing worse happened, there were children in the car.

2003 Ford Windstar minivan vehicle had been driven to a workplace and parked for the day. Upon entering the vehicle to travel home, driver started vehicle normal and attempted to shift automatic transmission into gear to move from the parking space. The transmission would not engage into either drive (forward) or reverse (backward). Vehicle was towed to a garage and then to a transmission shop. Estimate to repair the transmission exceeds $2500. The transmission had shown no signs of slippage or other visible, audible and/or shifting issues. Since the incident, I have done online researched and found literally hundreds of similar complaints and incidents on this vehicle model. We have also have repeated electrical problems with this van. Interior lights come on and go off for no reason. Interior lights blink while driving in daytime or nighttime. Sometimes the rear power wing windows open. . . Sometimes they do not. Service lights come on and off including brake and abs system lights, service engine lights, and others. We are thoroughly disappointed with this vehicle.

Simply driving on the highway, and attempted to set the cruise control. The engine began to race, and the transmission disengaged. Required new transmission to repair. This after only 49,000 miles. Transmission filter and fluid changed at 37,000 miles was not the problem. This vehicle also had the front wheel bearings replaced at 17,000 miles. This vehicle was not used for towing, primarily highway miles.

Transmission fail-forward clutch piston. Stopped at stop sign and when I put foot on gas to go it just raced the engine. Gears would not engage. No forewarning and only 33,000 miles on a lightly driven car! called Ford dealer and corp. And they won't do anything. From what I read this is a very common occurrence and had I pulled into traffic this morning and lost it I would be writing this from a hospital!!! I think this needs to be brought to Fords attention! I will be out of almost 2500 when this is over. . . . Money in these times that I cannot afford!.

See all problems of the 1999 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Our car stopped running after reversing from our driveway, it was towed to a nearby auto repair shop for diagnosis. The transmission would not engage. The transmission case cover was removed. The gears inside were in pieces. The case had the proper oil and quantity. The unit just dismembered itself. Clearly a latent manufacturing defect. The case had never been opened before and always had the proper oil and amount.

See all problems of the 1998 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Transmission will fail to engage after making a stop. On the first incident, dealership could not determine that there was a cause because no computer code came up when examining vehicle, and there was not a transmission specialist available. A second dealership/mechanic observed the defect, but could not determine cause due to no computer code showing on vehicle. A separate mechanic advised consumer that defect could be a result from a piston within transmission cracking. Please provide any additional information/attachments.

See all problems of the 1996 Ford Windstar 🔎.

While driving along all of sudden vehicle experiences hard upshifting or down shifting. Occasionaly when coming to a stop sign then proceeding, motor revs and transmission does not engage. Took it back to the dealer in September. Dealer replaced a sensor, but still has not taken care of the problem. Vehicle is not longer under warranty.

Transmission willnot engage while in park. The dealership told consumer that they couldn't duplicate the problem.

The transmission would disengage by itself from drive to neutral position. When accelerating, transmission would pop out of position. In low gear, it would be rough shifting. Also, gas pedal would vibrate. Been to dealer 3 times for problem before finally locating & establishing that throttle cable was loose. Mechanic repaired loose throttle cable.

Transmission fails to reengage after coming to a stop. Upon acceleration, may suddenly engage at a high r. P. M. Causing vehicle to lurch forward. Also will slip into neutral while driving at highway speeds, and then re-engages without warning.

There are two significant safety issues that we continue to experience with our 1998 Ford Windstar. The transmission continues to intermittently "neutral" at the worst possible times. The effect of this is that the vehicle will begin into an intersection and then the transmission will disengage and the rpm of the engine will race. At this point the transmission might engage after several seconds with a jolt, screeching the tires. In some cases we have had to shift into park and back into drive several times to get the transmission to engage. When this first occurred, we had only owned the car for less than two months and it would only happen every few hundred miles. Ford had to place a "flight recorder" in the vehicle to verify that it was happening. Ford replaced the transmission in early 1999. We began experiencing the problem again in the summer of 2000 and Ford has been unable to repair this problem. We have had it in the shop a total of 12 times with the symptom manifesting itself multiple times in between. The vehicle has been in the shop almost continually since July 15th, 2000 and is still there as of this submission. If it were not for extreme defensive driving and anticipation of the problem that has helped us avoid an accident so far. However, we continue to have the car delivered to us that is supposed to be repaired and we continually have the same problem. The second problem is also reoccurring and deals with the abs brakes continually going out of adjustment. When they are out of adjustment the stopping power of the car in emergency situations is greatly impaired. The brakes are self-adjusting but continue to be out of adjustment. We have had this problem looked at by four different Ford dealerships and they readjust the brakes that only corrects the problem for a short period of time. The brakes continue to go out adjustment and Ford denies that this is a problem, even though it continues to happen.

Appears to have a connection with the transmission. While driving at speeds ranging from 25 mph to 45 mph, the vehicle repeatedly has downshifted, thus decreasing speed of vehicle without any warning. Sometimes the vehicle will engage and disengage from transmission several times. Also, the speedometer drops to zero. The reported dealer has had my vehicle in for more than a week with no results. I have also driven vehicle with attached "flight recorder" from shop. I made several readings but know the shop says there is a problem with their equipment (that was 1 week ago today). Although the shop keeps my vehicle and I have described the symptoms several times, they claim they have no idea what it could be. I am very concerned for the safety of using this vehicle. If you need more information, please call me. Thank you.

While shifting vehicle into park vehicle would not engage properly. Vehicle was serviced, and technician replaced steel plate and reverse clutch. Please provide further information.