1999 Ford Windstar Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 Ford Windstar, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 103,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake fluid” (12% of reports).
- 130service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 103,000median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%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.
- Brake fluid: mentioned in 15 of 130 complaints (12%)
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 12 of 130 complaints (9%)
- Deactivation switch: mentioned in 8 of 130 complaints (6%)
- Distance suddenly increased: mentioned in 7 of 130 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes, hydraulic repair on the 1999 Ford Windstar at $1,200, and half of them between $620 and $1,450.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 85 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 130 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 2 an injury.
Ford Windstar service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Windstar | 2 | 8% | 83,000 |
| 2003 Windstar | 282 | 19% | 80,000 |
| 2002 Windstar | 324 | 24% | 89,340 |
| 2001 Windstar | 292 | 17% | 90,000 |
| 2000 Windstar | 204 | 12% | 93,960 |
| 1999 Windstar | 130 | 9% | 103,000 |
| 1998 Windstar | 177 | 12% | 89,875 |
| 1997 Windstar | 24 | 13% | 88,890 |
| 1996 Windstar | 218 | 16% | 85,000 |
| 1995 Windstar | 484 | 15% | 104,832 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Vehicle description: minivans. The brake fluid master cylinder is recessed and oriented in the engine compartment so that the brake fluid warning statement embossed on both the top of the filler cap and the side of the reservoir body are not entirely visible by direct view. These vehicles may not fully comply with requirements of fmvss no. 135, "passenger car brake systems."
Fix: Owners will be provided with new labels and installation instructions.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Shifted from park to drive and entered into traffic lane. Pressed down on gas pedal but all that happened was engine revved up but vehicle would not go forward. Luckily, there was light traffic or i would have been hit. A helpful person pushed me to a safe place to park. I started the car and found…
The abs light goes on in the car without any warning. *tr
Abs light comes on intermittently. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1999 Ford Windstars have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 1999 Ford Windstar (9% of the 1,522 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 1999 Ford Windstar service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 103,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 Ford Windstar?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,200 (half paid between $620 and $1,450), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 Ford Windstar?
The most frequent phrase is “brake fluid”, in 15 of 130 complaints, followed by “master cylinder” (12).
Other 1999 Ford Windstar problems
See all 1999 Ford Windstar problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all Windstar years.