Ford Windstar 1996–2003

Summary

8 model years in 2 generations, 10,757 owner complaints in total.
Within their own generation, 1998, 1999 and 2000 drew the most complaints in the first three years.
1997 and 2002 drew the fewest complaints of their generation over the same span.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Half of the complaints that give a mileage were filed by 101,000 miles (6,419 of them give one).
Owners reported 376 crashes, 372 fires, 373 injuries and 11 deaths across these model years.
34 recalls and 25 federal investigations cover these model years; 1 investigation is still open.

1996–1998

Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 225.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Most reported system	Note
1996	1,386	225	Engine
1997	192	50	Powertrain	fewest complaints
1998	1,433	482	Powertrain	most complaints

Powertrain is the largest group in 2 of the 3 compared years.

1999–2003

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Most reported system	Note
1999	1,522	312	Powertrain	most complaints
2000	1,675	261	Brakes	most complaints
2001	1,686	132	Brakes
2002	1,353	75	Brakes	fewest complaints
2003	1,510	95	Brakes

Brakes is the largest group in 4 of the 5 compared years.

Every model year

A model year gets its own page when four sources cover it, it holds at least 50 complaints, and it either compares with the other years of its generation or shows one system in 40% or more of the complaints that name a component. The rest are listed here with their figures.

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Investigations	Bulletins	Combined MPG	Page
1996	1,386	9	13	177	18	yes
1997	192	6	6	176	17–18	yes
1998	1,433	14	10	236	18–19	yes
1999	1,522	13	8	325	17–18	yes
2000	1,675	16	8	225	17–18	yes
2001	1,686	16	8	167	18	yes
2002	1,353	9	6	119	18	yes
2003	1,510	9	6	68	18	yes

What owners report across all years

System	Complaints	Share	Median mileage
Brakes	2,905	27%	98,000 mi
Suspension	1,891	18%	126,000 mi
Powertrain	1,713	16%	93,800 mi
Electrical System	1,396	13%	100,000 mi
Body & Structure	1,139	11%	116,252 mi

Shares are over complaints that name a component; a complaint naming several systems is counted under each.

Brakes

Owner report When driving my muffler broke loose and was dragging on the ground. My axel creaks when I stop or sit idle at a light. When several miles from home my ignition cylinder came out. I couldn't start or turn the ignition on nor operate the steering. I'm now afraid to drive my vehicle. Since acquiring it. I've put a…

Owner report ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. I DO NOT HAVE ABS FUNCTION WHILE THE LIGHTS ARE ON AND IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN IN WARMER WEATHER. WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF IT RESETS AND DOESN'T COME BACK ON UNTIL DRIVEN A FEW MILES AGAIN. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL FORUMS, THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING ON A LARGE AMOUNT OF …

Suspension

Owner report The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving over a railroad track at 40 MPH, the rear axle snapped. The wheel hub to the axle was barely connected. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number:15V608000 (SUSPENSION); however, the contact had not received the recall notification. The dea…

Owner report The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE) and 15V608000 (SUSPENSION). The contact stated that while approaching a traffic signal and driving slowly, the vehicle shook, and the engine shifted. The contact stated that the engine shifted to t…

Powertrain

Owner report The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH out of the driveway, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding and popping sound. The contact shifted to park(P). The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear passenger's side tire was pushed inward, and …

Owner report The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact lost control of the vehicle and drove off the side of the roadway. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic who discovered that …

Largest recalls

Campaign	Component	Filed	Vehicles
09V399000	VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	2009-10-13	4,500,000
01V227001	SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY	2001-07-16	1,400,000
01I007000	SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS	2001-07-12	948,492
99V147000	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER	1999-06-14	789,723
97V180000	STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD	1997-10-20	769,000

Whether a recall has been done on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Open investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Subject
SQ99001	STRUCTURE	1999-01-12	OVERHEAD CONSOLE LOOSE OR HANGS DOWN

Service bulletins

Ford issued 1,493 service bulletins covering these model years, most often about power train.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so a bulletin listed here may not be specific to one year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2020-04-20	STRUCTURE	For 1999-2003 Windstar vehicles Safety Recall 11S16 has been issued for vehicles that are operated in high corrosion areas for an extended period, where a front subframe lower control arm (LCA) rear attaching flange or rear body mount could…
2016-04-21	SUSPENSION	For 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles Safety Recall 10S13 has been issued for vehicles that are operated in high corrosion areas for an extended period, where the rear axle could potentially fracture. If the rear axle should completely fracture, …
2016-04-21	SUSPENSION:MULTIPLE AXLE	Safety recall 10S13 - Rear axle corrosion - requests for recall service action
2016-04-20	STRUCTURE	Safety recall 11s16 - LCA rear attaching flanges or rear subframe body mount corrosion - requests for recall service action
2015-09-29	SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY	SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.
2014-09-09	SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY	FORD: SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING REAR AXLE FRACTURING IF VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN HIGH CORROSION AREAS FOR AND EXTENDED PERIOD. MODEL 1998-03 WINDSTAR. *PE
2014-09-09	SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM	FORD: SAFETY RECALL ON FRONT SUBFRAME LOWER CONTROL ARM (LCA) REAR ATTACHING FLANGE OR REAR BODY MOUNT THAT CAN SEPARATE FROM SUBFRAME IF VEHICLE IS OPERATED, FOR EXTENDED PERIOD, IN HIGH CORROSION AREAS. MODEL 1999-03 WINDSTAR.
2014-08-11	SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:SPINDLE	FORD: ON SOME MINIVANS, REAR AXLE WILL FRACTURE, IN HIGH CORROSION AREA, AFTER OPERATING FOR AN EXTENDED TIME PERIOD, AND VEHICLE HANDLING ABILITY WILL BE AFFECTED. MODEL 1998-2003 WINDSTAR. *PE
2014-08-11	SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM	FORD: A SAFETY RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON MINIVANS WHERE LOWER CONTROL ARM (LCA) OF FRONT SUBFRAME ATTACHING REAR FLANGE OR REAR BODY MOUNT CAN SEPARATE DUE TO CORROSION. MODEL 1999-2003 WINDSTAR. *PE
2008-05-16	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR	FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more after news coverage or a recall. That is why years are compared only with other years of the same generation, over the same span, and never with other models.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications (data as of 2026-10-28).
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines and fuel economy.

This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection.