Ford Windstar Reliability
19,459 NHTSA complaints (1985–2005). Complaint rate: 76309.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1995 Ford Windstar (179 crash-related complaints). The 2004 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Ford Windstar Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1,685 | 0.4% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1,652 | 2.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1,097 | 1.3% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 979 | 2.2% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 929 | 1.5% |
| SUSPENSION | 845 | 3.1% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 719 | 6.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 631 | 11.1% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 578 | 1.0% |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 560 | 3.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985GOOD | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | View 1985View→ |
| 1990GOOD | — | 11 | 1 | 2 | View 1990View→ |
| 1991GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 1991View→ |
| 1992GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 1992View→ |
| 1993GOOD | — | 12 | 1 | 1 | View 1993View→ |
| 1994GOOD | — | 25 | 2 | — | View 1994View→ |
| 1995AVOID | — | 4,799 | 179 | 66 | View 1995View→ |
| 1996 | — | 1,855 | 71 | 53 | View 1996View→ |
| 1997GOOD | — | 249 | 6 | 11 | View 1997View→ |
| 1998 | — | 1,949 | 84 | 90 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999 | — | 2,040 | 64 | 86 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000 | — | 2,191 | 87 | 66 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001 | — | 2,297 | 91 | 79 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | — | 1,928 | 72 | 73 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | — | 2,056 | 54 | 31 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004GOOD | — | 33 | 0 | 2 | View 2004View→ |
See also: Ford Windstaraccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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