1998 Ford Windstar Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the 1998 Ford Windstar, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 99,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (29% of reports).
- 73vehicle speed control complaints
- 99,000median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 54%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.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 21 of 73 complaints (29%)
- Brake fluid: mentioned in 6 of 73 complaints (8%)
- Sudden acceleration: mentioned in 5 of 73 complaints (7%)
- Further details: mentioned in 5 of 73 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 17 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 73 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 6 an injury.
Ford Windstar vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Windstar | 4 | 17% | 145,500 |
| 2003 Windstar | 85 | 6% | 94,472 |
| 2002 Windstar | 147 | 11% | 92,500 |
| 2001 Windstar | 127 | 8% | 99,808 |
| 2000 Windstar | 138 | 8% | 100,000 |
| 1999 Windstar | 99 | 7% | 120,000 |
| 1998 Windstar | 73 | 5% | 99,000 |
| 1997 Windstar | 21 | 11% | 90,051 |
| 1996 Windstar | 82 | 6% | 105,000 |
| 1995 Windstar | 116 | 3% | 128,573 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Was driving down the road @ 55mph and the speedometer shot to 0mph and the trans was thrown into 1st. This happened several times. I am looking for a resolution. It acts as if vss isn't working. Even threw a code. I replaced the sensor and checked the wires all the way to the ecm. Everything looks…
I went to ford dealership in dec 09 received inspection on recall # o9s09 and 09so9h only. Now here in feb. 2012 the same problems with suspension,right front tire wheel makes alto of noise power steering fluid is leaking strange noise is heard when making right turns,ford said my vehicle has had…
Abs and brake light on, and no speed control. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Ford Windstars have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 73 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the 1998 Ford Windstar (5% 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 vehicle speed control?
Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems start?
The median reported mileage is 99,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the 1998 Ford Windstar?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 21 of 73 complaints, followed by “brake fluid” (6).
Other 1998 Ford Windstar problems
- Power Train problems (332)
- Suspension problems (229)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (196)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (177)
- Steering problems (143)
- Electrical System problems (111)
- Wheels problems (83)
- Structure problems (81)
See all 1998 Ford Windstar problems or vehicle speed control problems across all Windstar years.