Ford Windstar Problems by Year
Years with far more complaints than usual:
NHTSA has 14,108 owner complaints and 33 safety recalls on file for the Ford Windstar, across 11 model years (1995–2005). The 1995 model year has the most complaints (3,326). The most reported problem area overall is engine and engine cooling.
Ford Windstar years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Windstar year: 1995. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1995 Windstar: 3,326 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2001 Windstar: 1,686 complaints, 15 recalls
- 2000 Windstar: 1,675 complaints, 15 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2005 Windstar: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2004 Windstar: 24 complaints, 0 recalls
- 1997 Windstar: 192 complaints, 5 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Ford Windstar problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 2,676 | 10 | 16 |
| Power Train problems | 2,595 | 10 | 68 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 2,137 | 10 | 109 |
| Suspension problems | 2,045 | 10 | 60 |
| Electrical System problems | 1,567 | 10 | 23 |
| Structure problems | 1,239 | 10 | 27 |
| Service Brakes problems | 929 | 9 | 14 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 892 | 10 | 54 |
| Steering problems | 682 | 9 | 38 |
| Visibility problems | 397 | 9 | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 334 | 9 | 2 |
| Air Bags problems | 309 | 9 | 157 |
| Wheels problems | 290 | 10 | 11 |
| Service Brakes, Electric problems | 282 | 9 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages problems | 217 | 10 | 4 |
| Tires problems | 195 | 9 | 11 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 178 | 8 | 2 |
| Seat Belts problems | 160 | 9 | 29 |
| Equipment problems | 155 | 9 | 2 |
| Interior Lighting problems | 118 | 9 | 2 |
| Seats | 94 | 9 | 19 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 90 | 8 | 2 |
| Parking Brake | 86 | 9 | 4 |
| Engine | 77 | 10 | 3 |
| Traction Control System | 60 | 6 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 38 | 7 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Other | 30 | 7 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 24 | 8 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 13 | 6 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ford Windstar problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2003: service brakes (296) · service brakes, hydraulic (282) · electrical system (280) · suspension (254) · power train (225) · structure (127) · vehicle speed control (85) · service brakes, electric (69)
- 2002: service brakes, hydraulic (324) · suspension (279) · electrical system (261) · service brakes (233) · vehicle speed control (147) · structure (101) · power train (97) · service brakes, electric (83)
- 2001: suspension (416) · structure (293) · service brakes, hydraulic (292) · electrical system (223) · service brakes (193) · power train (145) · vehicle speed control (127) · steering (70) · engine and engine cooling (66) · service brakes, electric (53) · air bags (51)
- 2000: suspension (356) · power train (271) · electrical system (222) · structure (216) · service brakes, hydraulic (204) · vehicle speed control (138) · service brakes (124) · engine and engine cooling (92) · steering (72) · visibility (67) · latches/locks/linkages (52) · service brakes, electric (51)
- 1999: power train (278) · structure (276) · electrical system (209) · suspension (208) · steering (184) · service brakes, hydraulic (130) · engine and engine cooling (129) · vehicle speed control (99) · service brakes (72) · visibility (60)
- 1998: power train (332) · suspension (229) · engine and engine cooling (196) · service brakes, hydraulic (177) · steering (143) · electrical system (111) · wheels (83) · structure (81) · vehicle speed control (73) · fuel system, gasoline (58) · tires (57)
- 1996: engine and engine cooling (470) · power train (322) · service brakes, hydraulic (218) · suspension (111) · electrical system (83) · vehicle speed control (82) · steering (50)
- 1995: engine and engine cooling (1,610) · power train (875) · service brakes, hydraulic (484) · electrical system (168) · suspension (145) · fuel system, gasoline (138) · vehicle speed control (116) · visibility (104) · structure (99) · air bags (92) · steering (75)
All Ford Windstar model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Windstar | 1 | 0 | — | Engine | |
| 2004 Windstar | 24 | 0 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Windstar | 1,510 | 8 | — | Service Brakes | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2002 Windstar | 1,353 | 8 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2001 Windstar | 1,686 | 15 | — | Suspension | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 Windstar | 1,675 | 15 | — | Suspension | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1999 Windstar | 1,522 | 11 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1998 Windstar | 1,433 | 11 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1997 Windstar | 192 | 5 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 Windstar | 1,386 | 8 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1995 Windstar | 3,326 | 6 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Ford: all Ford models · Ford VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Windstar years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (3,326) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Windstar year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Ford Windstar?
Engine and Engine Cooling, with 2,676 complaints across 10 model years.
How many recalls does the Ford Windstar have?
33 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.