Ford Windstar Equipment Problems
Owners have filed 155 complaints with NHTSA about equipment problems on the Ford Windstar across 9 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (39). The words owners use most often: “air conditioner” (15% of reports).
- 155equipment complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention 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.
- Air conditioner: mentioned in 23 of 155 complaints (15%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 11 of 155 complaints (7%)
- ABS brake: mentioned in 9 of 155 complaints (6%)
- Master cylinder: mentioned in 8 of 155 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do equipment problems happen?
Based on 62 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 155 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 10 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Windstar equipment complaints by model year
| Model year | Equipment complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Windstar | 9 | 1% | 78,986 |
| 2002 Windstar | 12 | 1% | 56,000 |
| 2001 Windstar | 23 | 1% | 98,000 |
| 2000 Windstar | 15 | 1% | 90,000 |
| 1999 Windstar | 22 | 1% | 85,000 |
| 1998 Windstar | 26 | 2% | 52,415 |
| 1997 Windstar | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1996 Windstar | 8 | 1% | 81,275 |
| 1995 Windstar | 39 | 1% | 49,780 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Equipment:appliance:air conditioner
Model years: 1999, 2000, 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: mini vans equipped with auxiliary rear air-conditioning. If the auxiliary air-conditioning blower motor stops turning while in the medium-low blower speed setting, there is the potential that the resistor may become hot and smoke.
Risk: The motor could potentially catch on fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a jumper wire that will ensure that the medium-low blower speed setting is protected by the thermal limiter. Owner notification began augsut 27, 2001. 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 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
10/16/15 bought van. 10/30/15 stop had towed home.call dealership had towed to there place. They ran a red wire from fuse relay to inside of dashboard took over a week got it back. Not in even week later transmission start messing up told them wouldn't change gears. It went out. They didn't want to…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. While the vehicle was in motion, an internal fire erupted near the rear auxiliary air conditioning. The controls associated with the wires and the covering were melted. The contact smelled strong plastic fumes in the rear of the vehicle. The contact pulled…
Abs and brake lights began coming on my dash. They will go off periodically, and then come back on. The first date this happened was in 2010. I drive a 2003 ford windstar. I took it to the auto shop right away and was quoted over $1,000 to fix it. I asked what the part does and was told that it…
My 2002 ford windstar van gear shift pin keep coming up and i have to take it to a shop so they can put the pin back in 3 times. My gears do not shift right it shifts hard. I brought this van brand new in 2003. Also my air bag light stays on the avis ford body shop said my sensor is rusted out…
7/21/2011 bought van from private party. Recall completed in march of 2011 regarding back axle. On 7/13/2012 8pm, my 18yr old son, while driving home from lacrosse practice, nearly killed. Upon pulling out onto the main road, he lost all controls, no steering, no brakes and no power. He coasted and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Windstars have equipment problems?
No. NHTSA has 155 owner complaints about equipment 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 equipment?
Yes: 1 safety recall list equipment. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about equipment problems on the Ford Windstar?
The most frequent phrase is “air conditioner”, in 23 of 155 complaints, followed by “head gasket” (11).
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.