Ford Windstar Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 309 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Ford Windstar across 9 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (92). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (37% of reports).
- 309air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 157mention a crash
- 139mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 27%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.
- Air bag: mentioned in 115 of 309 complaints (37%)
- Bags deploy: mentioned in 35 of 309 complaints (11%)
- Upon impact: mentioned in 27 of 309 complaints (9%)
- Airbag deployed: mentioned in 21 of 309 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 114 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 309 complaints, 157 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 139 an injury.
Ford Windstar air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Windstar | 30 | 2% | 107,687 |
| 2002 Windstar | 36 | 3% | 82,750 |
| 2001 Windstar | 51 | 3% | 79,000 |
| 2000 Windstar | 31 | 2% | 80,068 |
| 1999 Windstar | 28 | 2% | 95,600 |
| 1998 Windstar | 13 | 1% | 103,000 |
| 1997 Windstar | 3 | 2% | — |
| 1996 Windstar | 25 | 2% | 92,000 |
| 1995 Windstar | 92 | 3% | 123,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Model years: 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: minivans and passenger vehicles. A restraint control module (rcm) or a side or front crash sensor may have been assembled with one or more of the screws that mount the circuit board in the housing missing. If some or all of the screws are missing, the performance of the occupant restrains could be affected.
Risk: In some cases, less than the intended level of protection in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rcm and crash sensors and, if necessary, replace them.
Air bags
Model years: 2001
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles, limousines, and mini vans were built with a newly designed restraint control module (rcm). In some cases, the rcm does not recognize certain system faults that could result in an air bag or seat belt pre-tensioner unexpectedly activating during the self-test sequence at vehicle start-up.
Risk: This condition could result in personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rcm in these vehicles. Owner notification began september 14, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. While driving at an unknown speed, the air bags deployed without warning or impact. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer…
1999 ford windstar lx. Consumer writes in regards to bracket recall that was not honored for vehicle. *ld the consumer stated the airbag did not deploy. *js the consumer stated the manufacturer agreed to have the vehicle repaired.*js
I was driving at around 30 mph, 2 cars in front slammed on brakes, i was approximately 1 1/2 car links back and hit the brakes. Abs failed, airbags failed, and slid into car in front of me. I was on a city street going straight.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. The contact stated that the air bag, traction control and brake warning lights continued to intermittently illuminate. The contact noticed that a fuse blew and the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic. An unknown local dealer was notified…
Takata recall uncontrollable driving with steering rear end fishtailing. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Windstars have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 309 owner complaints about air bags for the Ford Windstar. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Windstar air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Ford Windstar?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 115 of 309 complaints, followed by “bags deploy” (35).
Other Ford Windstar problems
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (2,676)
- Power Train problems (2,595)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (2,137)
- Suspension problems (2,045)
- Electrical System problems (1,567)
- Structure problems (1,239)
- Service Brakes problems (929)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (892)
See all Ford Windstar problems.