Help from US

Bought a Windstar 2001 in the Netherlands (love Us cars) but in Europe the support for it is minimal (so is my english, sorry).
Having a problem with transmission (read the forum and i know i'm not alone.) but as i am Dutch it took me while to look for Tranny in stead of Transmission :screwy:
All shifts work fine..very smooth..engine runs fine also...but from idle (i think you mean this for standing still with running engine in gear ?) the Tranny (learning) feels verry irregular and lowers the engine RPM. when pulling up it's very abrupt ....untill end of first gear..then everything is smooth again..

Can somebody help me out here..? Thanks !!

The support for the Windstar is also less than minimal here in the US. Perhaps someone here has some good ideas for you. (By the way, your English is probably better than ours.)

Just to add a bit to the discription of your problem, let me ask for more information: Describe the action of the engine and tranny if you attempt to slowly accelerate the vehicle up to 40 kmph while the gear selector is in 1.

When running idle it feels as if the gear isn't runing free completely, then when pulling up it grabs on hard on the first meters, after that everything is fine..
this is not happening when the engine is cold..
Would really appreciate some suggestions

Mine use to feel like it was sliping at first morning run .I had the fluid flushed by the dealer and it works fine now. I did notice the fluid still looks a little dirty but not like it was .
Another problem is that the computer may need to be reprogramed I had that with the other ford I had. Use too get to a high rpm before it would change. hope this helps.

Does the engine idle evenly when tranny is in N or P?

engine is running fine..all shifts go smooth except idle and pulling up from there...

I posted, I think, in your other thread.
If you have the heater controls in any position other than "Vent" or "OFF", the air conditioning will be running.....even in the coldest of weather. This is to keep the windows from steaming up in cold weather.
Anyhow, the air conditioning compressor will be cycling ON and OFF. Each time that the compressor turns ON, it places a load on the engine, and the Idle speed will increase.
With this increase in idle speed, the car will try to pull forward....You will notice this when you are stopped. It is NORMAL.

To know if this is what is happening, set your heater control to "VENT" and see if the problem happens, if it does not happen, then what I described is what is happening.

It does mean that you need to have a firm push on the brake pedal when you are stopped.

Another post.

You need to change the fluid in the transmission every 30,000 miles / 48,000 km for normal usage.
every 21,000 miles / 34,000 km for severe usage.

You MUST use transmission fluid that is specified as MERCON V

Do not use Mercon.....it is a different specification.

Also, I have relatives in Holland.... I do not know what cities that they live in.....I will have to find out. They are VERY nice people.

More trouble I think...went for a longer drive and the message center came with the message "check transmission" and the o/d warning light began flashing... Going to look for a dealer who can read out the codes for me first..pff..don't like this at all

While your there go ahead with the fluid change. The light could be a sensor on the transmission if thats the case replace both fluid and sensor again like others have said here make sure they use mercon 5.
On the transmission there is a range sensor and a speed sensor.one of them could have gone bad. Don't give up hope yet i thought my transmission was going, but a fluid change did the job. Hard to think the fluid could cure the problem but in my case it did .

Just got back from short inspection by a dealer and their conclusion is a worn out tranny, gould give up any moment... Oil smells burned, ticking noise (I thought it was just a valve-ticking) comes from the transmission and the the transmission belt makes a kind of flapping noise wen running idle. Just dorve off a little dissapointed. Guess I have to look for replacement and ordered a repair manual. Any of you very helpfull have any smart suggestions...while i'm going for a couple of beers ..??

Well were you are from if you feel comfortable with there inspection it may be true. But here in the US we always like 2nd opions. But all in all the winstars trany are a little funny or BAD. Got to treat them with TLC but I do understand like me, you got it used.