1999 Ford Windstar Structure Problems
Owners have filed 276 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 1999 Ford Windstar, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 120,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “sub frame” (19% of reports).
- 276structure complaints
- 120,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 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.
- Sub frame: mentioned in 53 of 276 complaints (19%)
- Rear axle: mentioned in 32 of 276 complaints (12%)
- Engine cradle: mentioned in 23 of 276 complaints (8%)
- Front subframe: mentioned in 19 of 276 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the 1999 Ford Windstar at $1,850, and half of them between $1,350 and $2,250.
Based on 19 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2011), 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 structure problems happen?
Based on 196 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 276 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford Windstar structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Windstar | 1 | 4% | 138,869 |
| 2003 Windstar | 127 | 8% | 116,000 |
| 2002 Windstar | 101 | 7% | 115,678 |
| 2001 Windstar | 293 | 17% | 116,000 |
| 2000 Windstar | 216 | 13% | 119,235 |
| 1999 Windstar | 276 | 18% | 120,500 |
| 1998 Windstar | 81 | 6% | 95,800 |
| 1997 Windstar | 8 | 4% | 49,000 |
| 1996 Windstar | 37 | 3% | 96,000 |
| 1995 Windstar | 99 | 3% | 125,199 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure:frame and members:underbody shields
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 1999-2003 windstar vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, utah, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. A separation of a front lower control arm rear attaching bracket may result in a lower control arm separation. A separation of both front subframe rear body mounts may result in separation of the steering intermediate shaft.
Risk: This could result in reduced steering control increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect both front lower control arm rear attaching brackets, and both body mount attachments at the rear of the front subframe, and make the necessary repairs free of charge. If repairs cannot be made to a vehicle, ford will offer to repurchase the vehicle. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before february 21, 2011. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Subframe is completely rusted through and will not pass the safety. The vehicle was treated by the recall 11s16-s4.in 2012. I went for a voluntary safety check and the vehicle stayed at the service as very unsafe to drive.
I was driving and heard a thud. When i hit the brakes there was a grinding noise. The tire than becamed slant and the steering wheel is cocked to one side.
Front left sub frame by the motor mount is rusted through. Passenger side is fine. Concerned this could break which could cause the vehicle to loose control at highway speeds.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1999 Ford Windstars have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 276 owner complaints about structure for the 1999 Ford Windstar (18% 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 structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 120,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the 1999 Ford Windstar?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,850 (half paid between $1,350 and $2,250), from 19 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 1999 Ford Windstar?
The most frequent phrase is “sub frame”, in 53 of 276 complaints, followed by “rear axle” (32).
Other 1999 Ford Windstar problems
See all 1999 Ford Windstar problems or structure problems across all Windstar years.