1998 Ford Windstar Steering Problems
Owners have filed 143 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1998 Ford Windstar, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 71,734 miles. The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (22% of reports).
- 143steering complaints
- 71,734median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 19%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 31 of 143 complaints (22%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 22 of 143 complaints (15%)
- Steering pump: mentioned in 14 of 143 complaints (10%)
- Grinding noise: mentioned in 11 of 143 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 32 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 143 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford Windstar steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Windstar | 40 | 3% | 97,332 |
| 2002 Windstar | 35 | 3% | 105,000 |
| 2001 Windstar | 70 | 4% | 121,938 |
| 2000 Windstar | 72 | 4% | 113,000 |
| 1999 Windstar | 184 | 12% | 67,922 |
| 1998 Windstar | 143 | 10% | 71,734 |
| 1997 Windstar | 13 | 7% | 75,172 |
| 1996 Windstar | 50 | 4% | 85,550 |
| 1995 Windstar | 75 | 2% | 70,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:gear box:shaft sector
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini-vans. The rack and pinion steering gears may have damaged input shaft bearings.
Risk: This condition can increase steering efforts, affecting steering control.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the date code on the rack and pinion steering gear, and, if necessary, replace those rack and pinion assemblies that fall within the suspect date code range. The date codes for windstar model vehicles are 97jb09 or 97jc08; the date codes for mustang model vehicles are 97j09b or 97j08b.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My front cradle at steering area has completely rusted into from ac leak and road salt van was sold in vermont now is located in virginia unsafe almost undrivable to ford dealer for a rear axle recall for axle braces please investigate this
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking power steering fluid. The contact stated that the vehicle needed approximately one bottle of power steering fluid per day for it to operate normally. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. While driving at an unknown speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and made a winding noise. The vehicle was taken to several mechanics for inspection and it was discovered that the rack and pinion failed and was leaking fluid. The manufacturer…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Ford Windstars have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 143 owner complaints about steering for the 1998 Ford Windstar (10% of the 1,433 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Ford Windstar steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 71,734 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1998 Ford Windstar?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 31 of 143 complaints, followed by “tie rod” (22).
Other 1998 Ford Windstar problems
See all 1998 Ford Windstar problems or steering problems across all Windstar years.