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 1996 record →
THE SPEEDOMETER GIVES FAULTY READINGS AT ALL SPEEDS. THE NEEDLE SPINS RAMDOMLY, AND THERE IS THE SOUND SIMILAR TO A BAD BALL BEARING UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASHBOARD. I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, SINCE NEARLY EVERY OWNER OF A 1995 - 1997 WINDSTAR THAT I KNOW HAS DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEM, THOUGH THEIR PROBLEMS BEGAN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ABOVE 35 MILES PER HOUR. FAILED AT 35 MPH-JUMPS TO 60 THE TO 90MPH. *ET
SPEEDOMETER HEAD FAILED TWICE. YH
POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW OF SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES BACK & FORTH CAUSING DIFFICULTIES WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ITS FIRST FAILURE AT 27,000 MILES, BUT HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND NEEDS A THIRD SPEEDOMETER. *YC
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN, CAUSING WATER COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE OIL PAN . DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION, WHILE APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE HESISTATED AND LUNGED FORWARD WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER HAD REPLACED TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. ALSO,DEALER REPLACED COIL AND A SPARK PLUGS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. DEALER COULD NT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OVER 30 MPH SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE FLUCTUATES BACK AND FORTH, NOT REGISTERING THE CORRECT SPEED. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *AK
SPEEDOMETER READING IS INCORRECT, READING STATED FASTER SPEED THEN ACTUALLY TRAVELING. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WE TOOK OUR WINDSTAR IN AT THE FIRST INITIAL FAILURE(12-2-97). THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD COME ON, SO WE TOOK IT TO THE FORD GARAGE CLOSEST TO OUR RESIDENCE. WE WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT SHOULD THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COME BACK ON THAT IT SHOULD RESET ITSELF IN A FEW DAYS.... NOT TO WORRY. THIS HAPPENED 6-7 TIMES AFTERWARD WITH THE LIGHT ALWAYS GOING OFF AFTER 3 COLD STARTS. BUT WHEN WE WOULD TAKE A LONG TRIP. IT WOULD START ALL OVER. IN OCT. OF THIS YEAR (1999) THE LIGHT CAME AND AND DID NOT GO OFF. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT IT, THEY SAID IT NEEDED A TUNE-UP. ($217.00) WE TOOK IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK IT BACK BECAUSE THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THE DEALER SAID IT NEEDED A NEW 02 SENSOR (APPROX. $100.00) THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. WE TOOK IT BACK. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE COMPUTER, WHICH THEY REPLACED AT NO COST. LIGHT CAME BACK ON. TOOK IT BACK. SAID THE ALTERNATOR WAS MAGNATIZED. NEW ALTERNATOR DIDN'T HELP. FINALLY THE TOLD US THAT IT POSSIBLY COULD BE THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. THEIR ESTIMATE IS $1200 WHICH WE CANT AFFORD. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 1995 WINDSTARS FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. BUT BECAUSE MY WINDSTAR IS A 1996 FORD IS UN-WILLING TO HELP. MY WINDSTAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAN OF 1996. SO I AM SURE THAT THAT ENGINE HAS THE SAME DEFECT OF THE 1995 ENGINE. I WANT TO STRESS HOW FUSTRATED I AM WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN THEIR STANCE ON THIS MATTER. THEY REALLY DON'T CARE HOW SAFE THE VEHICLE IS. *A
DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET THAT FORD IS REFUSING TO REPAIR. *AK
SPEEDOMETER JUMPS TO 120MPH WHEN TRAVELING AT 65MPH, SEEMS TO WORK FINE UNTIL YOU REACH 40MPH THEN IT WILL JUMP. COST TO REPAIR WAS $493 FORD WOULD NOT COVER COST EVEN UNDER EXTRA-CARE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK
THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED AT 10-15-97. I TOOK IT IN AND THE FORD DEALOR TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON 4 TO 5 TIMES SINCE. NOW THAT THE DEALOR HAS IDENTEFIED THE PROBLEM THEY TELL ME IT WILL BE A 1200.00 FIX. OF COURSE NOW IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
DOOR AJAR, LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY OPERATE. LIGHTS STAY ON, AND AT NIGHT ARE A DISTRACTION TO DRIVER. EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS OFF, LIGHTS REMAIN ON, AND RUN BATTERY DOWN. DEALER CONTACTED. CONSUMER REPAIRED LIGHTS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK
I TOOK THE AUTOMOBILE IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND ASKED MECHANIC TO LOOK AT HEATER BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE HEATING PROPERLY. THAT'S WHERE THE NIGHTMARE BEGAN. THE MECHANIC CALLED AND SAID THERE WAS WATER IN #4 CYLINDER WHICH I HAVE LEARNED IS A PROBLEM WITH 3.8L ENGINES WHICH FORD WAS AWARE OF FOR SOME TIME. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO FORD WHERE THE INTAKE GASKET AND THE 18 SENSORS WERE REPLACED. INSPITE OF THE NOTED SLUDGE, THEY FAILED TO DROP THE OIL PAN AND SENT ME ON MY WAY INTO THE DARK WITH A CAR WHICH HAD NOT BEEN TEST DRIVEN. THE CAR BROKE DOWN IN LESS THAN 5 MILES. NOW I'M BEING TOLD I NEED A NEW ENGINE. SHOULDN'T THE ENGINE LAST LONGER THAN 125,000 MILES? WHY DID I HAVE TO HAVE IT TUNED UP AT 100,000 IF THE ENGINE IS ONLY SUPPOSE TO LAST ANOTHER 25,000 MILES? FORD HAS PROVEN NEGLIGENT IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 3.8L ENGINE. HAD MY CAR NOT BROKEN DOWN THAT NIGHT, THE NEXT MORNING I WOULD HAVE SET OUT AT 5:15AM ON I-20 AND I285 IN ATLANTA. IT WAS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THIS CAR BROKE DOWN SO QUICKLY WHEN THEY FAILED TO REPAIR IT PROPERLY. *AK
WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES A SPEED OF 50 MPH , SPEEDOMETER CABLE HEAD MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING RAPID FLUCTUATIONS ON SPEEDOMETER DIAL OF + OR - 30 MPH. THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN SAFE AND PROPER HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
SPEEDOMETER NOT ACCURATE. SPEEDOMETER WILL JUMP 5-10 MILES ON THE GAUGE OR WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET WILL BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE GAUGE. *AK
WE HAD TO REPLACE OUR TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE TELL ME ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD 1996 WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION: THREE OWNERS IN THE VIRGINA AREA, FOUR OWNERS IN THE MARYLAND AREA, THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED HE WORKS ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS ALL THE TIME WHICH I ALSO HEARD FROM AN AMOCO SHOP
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER DOORS/TAILGATE AND THE SLIDING DOOR ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO A PIN IN THE HANDLE TO BREAKING OR FALLING APART, CAUSING THE DOORS TO GET STUCK AND THEY WON'T OPEN OR CLOSE. *AK
NHTSA RECALL # 96V086 000/ POWER TRANSMISSION: EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STARTING TO ROLL OUT OF DRIEWAY AFTER BEING PARKED. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPS BETWEEN 50 MPH -120 MPH, NOT INDICTATING SPEED OF VEHICLE, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF DEFECT. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO GET A SPEEDING TICKET. NLM
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE GAS BEING PUSHED,AND ALSO DECELERATED OWN ITS OWN.DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM FOR THE SECOND TIME. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE, AND THEREFORE COULD NOT REPAIR. *AK
TH SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT ACCURATELY SHOW THE SPEED. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS, ESPCIALLY WITH MY TEENAGE DRIVER. JOHNSON FORD IS CHARGING $333.00 FOR THE PART ALONE WHICH INCIDENTLY CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED AT FORD DEALERS. I FEEL THAT A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD WORK. *AK
OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLAHSING - ADVISED BY FORD DEALER TO NO LONGER DRIVE. EEC TESTED FOUND FAULTY VALVEBODY. THIS WAS THE THIRD MAJOR INCIDENT WITH FRONT BRAKES. AT 26,107 MILES THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY REBUILT. AT 38,831 MILES THE ROTORS WER
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 9/99. SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE, 2 DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED. FRED BEANS FORD HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE AND REMEDY PROBLEM. MANUFACTURE OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE.
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A LOUD SOUND. CONSUMER DROVE CAR TO DEALER. DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THA T TRANSMISSION WAS FULL OF METAL. BEARINGS WERE RATTLING AROUND IN TRANSMISSION. THAT WAS THE NOISE CONSUMER HEARD. *AK
HEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO TELL HOW MANY MPHS THE VEHICLE IS TRAVLING DUE TO THE SPEEDOMETER./DOMETER. NEEDLE IS JUMPING FROM PLACE TO PLACE. *AK
OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC TO HAVE TIRE CHANGED & NOTICED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WAS LEAKING COOLANT ON MANIFOLD/FRONT TIMING CHAIN. IF ENGINE RAN DRY, WOULD HAVE SEIZED . WAS VERY HARD TO WARM UP. MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF PROBLEM. *AK
HEAD GASKETS FAIL ON THE 3.8 L ENGINE. FORD WILL NOT FIX. THEY HAD A RECALL IN 1998, 98M01 BUT WILL NOT FIX AFTER JAN 1999.
CAR FAILED TO GO AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT RED LIGHT MANY TIMES , ABS LIGHT STAYS ON,EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON,SPEEDOMETER SPINS OUT OF CONTROL,INTERIOR LIGHTS SOMETIMES STAY ON,
WHEEL RIM LEAKED AIR. YH
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT VEHICLE INTO GEAR IT DOESN'T SHIFTING PROPERLY. ALSO, ABS LIGHT IS ON, AND THERE ARE NO ABS BRAKES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES FOR REPAIR SERVICE, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMIE THE CAUSE. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL BECOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE . ALSO, THE ABS LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE IN MOTION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK
SPEEDOMETER VERY ERRATIC, GOING 55 WILL SHOW 90 TO 100. AT 40 WILL SPIKE AT 60 NO WAY OF KNOWING TRUE SPEED. TO ME A DEFINITE HAZARD.
WE HAVE BEEN HAVING OUR ABS LIGHT COME ON WHEN THE VAN TRAVEL ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50-55 AFTER 3-10 MILES AT THIS SPEED THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN DEC 1998 AND THE DEALERSHIP THOUGHT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY CLEANING THE SENSORS. THE PROBLEM KEPT COMING BACK . NOW WE WERE INFORMED THAT THERE IS A TOOTHED COLLAR ON THE FRONT AXLES THAT THE SENSORS MONITOR FOR SPEED. THESE RINGS CRACK AND THE SENSOR PICKS UP THE CRACK. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT AXLES ON THE VAN ON 24 SEPT 1999. THEY FIGURED THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WE DROVE THE VAN TO MY PARENTS HOME IN SCRANTON, PA AND 7 MILES INTO THE JOURNEY THE ABS CAME ON AGAIN. THE PROBLEM WILL NOT GO AWAY AND FORD HAS NO SPARE PARTS TO REPLACE THESE RINGS UNTIL 15 OCT. HOW CAN SOMEONE PLACE A 5 STAR GOVERNMENT SAFETY RATING ON A VEHICLE WHEN THE MAIN SAFETY DOES NOT OPERATE. WITHIN THE LAST 3 MONTHS THIS VAN HAS HAD THE SUBFRAME MOUNT, STEERING RODS AND PART AND LAST THE WHOLE LEFT AXLE. IF WE KEEP THIS UP MY WIFE WILL HAVE A WHOLE NEW VAN. WE HAVE A HANDICAPPED CHILD AND THE VAN IS VERY USEFUL FOR HIM AND HIS BABY BROTHER. WE DON'T DRIVE IT BUT LOCAL ANY MORE. WE DON'T FEEL SAFE. WE ARE ASKING HOW THIS VAN RECEIVED A 5 STAR SAFETY RATING AND WHAT COULD YOU DO TO HELP US GET THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. WE ONLY BUY AMERICAN MADE CARS, BUT AS OF LATLEY I AM LOOKING AT OLD JUNK CARS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT ANYTIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME.
TRACKING CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT/ ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATE, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEMS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE TRACKING CONTROL LIGHT AND ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATE, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITHIN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET CRACKED, RESULTING IN OIL LEAKAGE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING STALLING AND HESITATION WHILE DRIVING WHICH MAY RESULTIN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
EA96026, BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT A CRASH. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS BUILT WITH AN ALUMINUM CYLINDER PISTON THAT LOSES FORWARD LINE PRESSURE AND TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE. VEHICLE CAN SLIP INTO NEUTRAL AT ANY TIME. A LOCAL DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 5 OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS A YEAR. THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FROM FORD IS BUILT WITH A STEEL CYLINDER PISTON TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HEAD ON COLLISION IF YOU TRIED PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION WITH ALUMINUM PISTON.
NO SUMMARY.
THE TRANSMISSION COMPONENT THAT THE DEALER BELIEVES HAS FAILED IS THE THRUST PISTON. MY RESEARCH ON WINDSTAR MINI-VANS HAS SHOWN THIS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR 1995 MODELS. IT THEREFORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED IN MY 1996 MODEL BUT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT.
SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 60MPH. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE TIRE WAS FLAT, TOOK TIRE FOR REPAIR AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE WAS FLAT BECAUSE THE WHEEL RIM HAD SPLIT NEAR ONE OF THE WELDS, UNWELDED AND CAME APART. *AK
I WAS AT A STOP SIGH ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A MAJOR HIGHWAY,IT HESISTATED LIKE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON, GOT 2-3 FEET IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH TRUCK RIGHT BEHIND ME (COULDN'T BACK UP)AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO IN DRIVE. I FINALLY GOT IT TO COAST TO PARKING LOT. TOOK VEHICLE IN TO FORD AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, IT HAD METAL ALL THROUGH IT. WHICH I SAID WITH THIS MILEAGE AND NO WARNING AT ALL. HIS REPLY WAS HE HADN'T SEEN IT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN (OFTEN INDICATEDS ITS HAPPENING AND THIS IS ONLY ONE FORD PLACE)AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. KEEP IN MIND I'M A 48 YEAR OLD DRIVER WITH NO TICKETS OR WRECKS, I DON'T ABUSE A VEHICLE AND THIS IS MY FOURTH FORD (NOT VAN)IT WAS VERY HAZARDOUS NOT TO SAY HORRIFYING.
WHEN TURNING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE WIPERS DON'T WORK,UPON TURNING ON THE WASHERS THEY WORK. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER HAS REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET ONCE BEFORE, FOR THE SAME DEFECT. PROBLEM IS OCCURRING AGAIN. *AK
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 1996 Ford Windstar → · Every Windstar year → · How the figures are calculated →