EA96026, THE VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
1995 Ford Windstar complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1995 record →
VEHICLES ABS BRAKING SYSTEM EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WITH MUSHY PEDAL. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT HIS REAR BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT BECAUSE OF A FAULTY FUSE. DEALERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE RTO EMEDY THE PROBLEM. OWNER HAS HAD FUSE REPLACED 2 TIMES. *AK
AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WAS VIOLENT, CAUSING INJURIES/ BURNS TO ARMS, WRIST, AND SHOULDER.
DESIGN PROBLEM LIMITS STOPPING CAPABILITY OF EMERGENCY BRAKES.
WHEN DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 35 MPH THE RIGHT REAR RETAINER SPRING BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECCLEARATE, CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF BRAKE-RELATED PROBLEMS WITH THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLE. *AK
PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE, SHIFTED TO PARK, GOT OUT OF VEHICLE, MOMENTS LATER VEHICLE ROLLED OUT OF GARAGE, ACCORDING TO INDICATOR, STILL IN PARK POSITION, VEHICLE WITH DEALER TO DETERMINE CAUSE AND REPAIRS NEEDED, IF ANY; NO COLLISION. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON FIVE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
CAR TRANSMISSION JUMPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. *AK
UPON MAKING A SUDDEN STOP ON WET AND DRY PAVEMENT CONSUMER NOTED MALFUNCTIONING OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM, PEDAL GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND BRAKES FADING AWAY, EA96-026. *AK
UPON MAKING A STOP ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT CONSUMER NOTICED MALFUNCTIONING OF THE ABS BRAKES, RESULTING IN BRAKES FADING AWAY/EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM. *AK
PASSENGER'S SIDE LUGS: NUTS SHEARED OFF WHEEL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE IN A CRASH. *AK
FUEL LEAK, CAUSING FUMES IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
DEFROSTER WILL NOT DEFROST THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPER WILL ONLY REACH HALF WAY ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD WIPER FREEZE UP WHICH CAUSES THE THE WINDSHIELD TO FREEZE VERY QUICKLY. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, LIFTED THE HOOD UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MAIN FUSE BOX AND THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE IS AWAITING SERVICE. *AK
SEAT TRACK AND ROD ASSEMBLY FAILURE. *AK
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, SHE STATES THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THAT WHEN SHE WENT TO APPLY BRAKES THERE WERE NO BRAKES, ,SHE FURTHER NOTES THAT DEALERS CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING WIFE TO BREAK HER FINGER. ALSO THE BRAKES HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND THEY MAKE LOUD NOISE WHEN APPLIED. *AK
WAS BACKING VEHICLE OUT; PUT VEHICLE INTO GEAR TO MOVE FORWARD; VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE; CHECKED & NOTICED SEPARATION OF TIE ROD END FROM WHEEL; VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER; TIE ROD DISCONNECTED. *AK
AT 40 MPH VEHICLE DOESN'T COME TO A QUICK STOP DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE, THAT CAN RESULT AN ACCIDENT. *AK
ABS BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL WILL FADE, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING/INTERMITTENTLY 2ND AND 3RD GEARS INOPERATIVE.
WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE, WHEN DURING PANIC STOP, AT APPROX. 45MPH, PEDAL GRABBED THEN RELEASED, PEDAL TRAVEL TOO FAR DOWN, BRAKE ACTION WASN'T FAST ENOUGH, PEDAL BECAME SPONGY, WENT TO FLOOR , REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
HAD TO REPLACE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM 3 TIMES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. *AK
SPARK PLUGS FAILED.
ANTILOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED.
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED.
EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT DURING PANIC STOP, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW/STOP VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD, SKIDDING 40 FEET, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, 4 WEEKS PRIOR EXPERIENCED ABS LIGHT STAYING ON, ALSO NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG. *AK
AT TIMES WHEN IN DRIVE TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL DUE TO A CRACKE DPISTON IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND MAKING A COMPLETE STOP, IMPACT AT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE OFF FROM THE TRACK, CAUSING SEAT BACK FAILURE. *AK
GAS TANK LEAK.
REMOTE CONTROL FAILED.
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, SHE STATES THAT IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR VEHICLE TO STOP ONCE BRAKES ARE USED AND THAT THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR OF VEHICLE, VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO STOP. *AK
THE VEHICLE'S THIRD SEAT'S TRACK AND ROD HAVE FAILED; THIS SEAT IS RARELY USED.
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DID'T DEPLOY. ALSO THE BRAKES WERE MAKING A LOUD NOISE. DUP OF 808490, ADDED ON 25-FEB-98. *AK
WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE, ON WET PAVEMENTS UPON APPLYING BRAKES AND TURNING VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD, ALSO WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW/STOP PEDAL TRAVELS TO FAR DOWN, THEN CONTINUES TO ROLL FORWARD, BRAKE ACTION IS INADEQUATE. *AK
ENGINE FAILED, REPLACEMENT EXPERIENCES INTERMITTANT FAILURES WHEN TRYING TO START.
WHILE DRIVING ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES ARE HARD AND THEY MAKE LOUD CRYING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES. *AK
AT HWY SPEEDS, WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, PEDAL PULSATES THEN FADES, BECOMES SPONGY, DOES NOT STOP FAST ENOUGH, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, DEALER REPLACED PADS AND RESURFACED ROTORS AT 13,000, PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK
WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD, BRAKES FADED AWAY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, EA96-026. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES FADE OUT. ALSO THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE ARE NO BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE. *AK
ABS BRAKES FADED AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME TO A STOP, RAN INTO SOMEONE'S HOUSE. DID NOT TAKE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL WILL FADE CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO THERE IS EXCESSIVE GRINDING, THE ROTORS WERE CUT WHICH RELIEVED SOME OF THE GRINDING. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DETAILS.
HAS BEEN THROUGH 4 SETS OF PADS AND HAS BEEN THROUGH ONE SET OF ROTORS, DELAER SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE HAS USED FOUR SETS OF BRAKE PADS AND ONE SET OF ROTORS. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BRAKES.
VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, INJURING THE OCCUPANT IN THE STOMACH AREA, EA96-026. *AK
EXPERIENCING BRAKE PEDAL FADING AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1995 Ford Windstar → · Every Windstar year → · How the figures are calculated →