Can anyone help????

[Quite disappointed]

As you can tell by the name, I am quite disappointed at this time. I have a 98' Windstar that has been nothing but a nightmare for me. I have gone thru 2 fuel pumps, 1 ignition coil, and 1 very expensive transmission. I am stuck because I am still paying it off. Yesterday, on my way home with my 5 kids, it just killed on me. No warning, just stopped. It sounds like it wants to turn over but won't start. That's when I changed out the coil. I am trying to troubleshoot but am hopeless and helpless. Any ideas out there on where to begin? : mad:

[LKQ]

I too went through two fuel pumps in two years, as well as a fuel pump relay, which is located in the power distribution box under the hood.

The problem re-occurred a few days after the fuel pump was replaced for the second time - engine cranked OK but no start; and no sound of the fuel pump running when the key is turned to on, (you can hear this if you put your ear to the gas filler tube when you turn the key on).

While inspecting the fuel pump fuse and relays in the power distribution box I thought I head some "electrical type" sounds while I was nudging the box. Sure enough, when I gently shifted the box to the right while someone cranked the engine the fuel pump picked up and the engine started!

It looks like it wasn't the fuel pump or relay at all, but a bad electrical connection in the power distribution box, (this might be the cause of many other electrical problems affecting the Windstar).

I pulled out the relays and sprayed electrical contact cleaner into the sockets. The problem hasn't reappeared in the last 20 - 30 starts, but I hold my breath every time I start it.

I haven't yet checked with a Ford service centre on cost to troubleshoot or replace connectors, or even the entire box.

[borisugo]

...Mr. Ford is probably turning in his grave. i'm writing this from a motel room somewhere in North Carolina, on interstate 95, this piece of crap '98 windstar, is sitting on the parking lot without 3rd and 4th gear...and without ALL interior lights, they just do not shut off anymore, like the door ajar...so i yanked all of them out, to prevent a battery drainage...we are from New York... where is the CEO of Frod if i knew where he is, i'd run him over doing 30mph, nice and slow and hopefully painfull ,that's all it can do before i blow something, i allready heard belt slipping)...rack n pinnion is shot, steering wheel is not turning smooth, power steering fluid is nice and metallic in colour, turned real fast after a resent power steering fluid drain, the closest to the interior pulley is sitting crooked, looks like the serpantine belt will slide off eventually, and it's not loose!!!, allready one groove off, when braking lightly in slow speed sounds like the brake pads are grinding, but they are fine, tried to look into to the brake fluid reservoar...what have the designers and engineers of Ford been smoking?!?!?!? HOW THE HELL ARE YOU SUPPOSE TO SEE FLUID LEVEL, NEVER MIND ADDING SOME????, pass window doesn't go all the way up, even with help of 4 hands! rear window works every other time, i allready know about the possibillity to be hit over my head by the overhead consol, due to the bad clip...god damn this might as well be the box i'll be barried in! this is NOT everything!!! i have a cracked spring holder (forgot the name)covered by additional 10 year warranty(a major recall due to corrosion) dealership refused to fix it saying the vin number does not indicate my 89' windstar has a problem or a recall!!!!!!!! by the way there is a recall for a rack n pinnion on these "cars", too and MANY other, look it up. then i realized......a BANKRUPT corporation is only sucking more money from the state(by chapter 11 or 13, not sure wich, don't even care)YOURS AND MINE TAX $$$$!!!! This is recketeering by "QUOTING" parts, they make parts to last some 30-40k miles!!! not more..HELLO BOYCOT FORD (FORD=FROD)
instead go for Toyota Siena, Honda Odissey, Mazda MPV
they like every other automobile has their faults, non are perfect, but do not compare Japanese style of Capitalism(instead of one big fat CEO, there are several groups of people controlling and overseing each other...the shareholder is the CEO!!!!) ..to american GREEDALISM, with which everyone here is familliar with... PLEASE PASS THIS ON, if you can, it's midnight and i have to think how to get my family home from vacation from hell, to which we never got anyways, we were on the way to Florida!!!!
Pardon my spelling, i'm Ukrainian and exausted please post this after a 15 hour stretch with 3 females 9, 17 and 28 yo, the last hour and a half i'd like to forget forever. If you have any info on some fixes that i can do please: Borisugo@hotmail.com
also, from what i've found out, to other "happy customers" with overdrive suddenly kicking in, or "loosing" 3rd and /or 4 gear, there is some kind of an electronic sensor on top of the gearbox, that should be replaced, i'll find out tomorrow, allready today. any info will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Bobby

[CraigRK]

Quite Dissappointed

I doubt your coil is the problem. Like LKQ, I have random electrical issues that seem to come from the power distributuion box, under the hood beside the battery on my 1998 WS. I usually resolve my problems by wiggling the box, but I think next time I'll try LKQ's method. Best of Luck

Bobby: Sorry about your luck - hope you feel better soon.

CraigRK