1996 Ford Windstar Problems and Recalls (1,379 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1996 Ford Windstar is Engine (28% of 1,379 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 1,379 complaints · 9 recalls

What problems show up on the 1996 Ford Windstar?

385 of 1,379 filings named Engine (28% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (280 reports).

There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Suspension, Brakes, Transmission / driveline, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1995 has 3,306 reports on file; this year has 1,379. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1996 Ford Windstar

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 9 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 385 complaints · 27.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 59
  • Fires 45
  • Injuries 52
  • Deaths 1
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 385 of 1,379 owner complaints (27.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 385 complaints, 27.9% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 4 fire reports 385 · 27.9% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 280 complaints, 20.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 6 crash reports 1 fire reports 280 · 20.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 178 complaints, 12.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 15 crash reports 6 fire reports 178 · 12.9% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 100 complaints, 7.3% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 100 · 7.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 64 complaints, 4.6% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 crash reports 15 fire reports 64 · 4.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 53 complaints, 3.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 14 fire reports 53 · 3.8% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 45 complaints, 3.3% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 45 · 3.3% Wheels (WHEELS): 35 complaints, 2.5% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 1 crash reports 35 · 2.5% Steering (STEERING): 30 complaints, 2.2% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 crash reports 2 fire reports 30 · 2.2% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 858 complaints, 62.2% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 48 crash reports 25 fire reports 858 · 62.2% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 385 27.9% 0 crashes · 4 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 280 20.3% 6 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 178 12.9% 15 crashes · 6 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 100 7.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 64 4.6% 5 crashes · 15 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 53 3.8% 1 crashes · 14 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 45 3.3% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 35 2.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 30 2.2% 2 crashes · 2 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 858 62.2% 48 crashes · 25 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 1995; the first recall shown was reported in May 1996. 1995-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1996-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 1996-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 1996-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 1997-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 1997-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 1997-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 1997-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 1998-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 1998-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 1998-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 1998-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 1999-Q1: 36 owner reports 36 1999-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 1999-Q3: 65 owner reports 65 1999-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 2000-Q1: 68 owner reports 68 2000-Q2: 65 owner reports 65 2000-Q3: 53 owner reports 53 2000-Q4: 57 owner reports 57 2001-Q1: 93 owner reports 93 2001-Q2: 72 owner reports 72 2001-Q3: 54 owner reports 54 2001-Q4: 41 owner reports 41 2002-Q1: 49 owner reports 49 2002-Q2: 56 owner reports 56 2002-Q3: 49 owner reports 49 2002-Q4: 25 owner reports 25 2003-Q1: 47 owner reports 47 2003-Q2: 38 owner reports 38 2003-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2003-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2004-Q1: 36 owner reports 36 2004-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2004-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2004-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2005-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2005-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2005-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2005-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2006-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1995 Oct 2015 Recall campaign 96V086000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V086000 Recall campaign 96V114000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V114000 Recall campaign 96V166000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V166000 Recall campaign 97V180000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V180000 Recall campaign 99V147000 ◆ Recall campaign 99V147000 Recall campaign 00V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V168000 Recall campaign 01I007000 ◆ Recall campaign 01I007000 Recall campaign 02V101000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V101000 Recall campaign 09V399000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V399000 Investigation PE96015 ● Investigation PE96015 Investigation PE96042 ● Investigation PE96042 Investigation EA96026 ● Investigation EA96026 Investigation PE97011 ● Investigation PE97011 Investigation EA97018 ● Investigation EA97018 Investigation PE98056 ● Investigation PE98056 Investigation EA99020 ● Investigation EA99020 Investigation PE00024 ● Investigation PE00024 Investigation EA00027 ● Investigation EA00027 Investigation RQ02011 ● Investigation RQ02011 Investigation RQ04003 ● Investigation RQ04003 Investigation PE08035 ● Investigation PE08035 Investigation EA08021 ● Investigation EA08021
  • Campaign 96V086000 was reported 92 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 96V166000 was reported 206 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V180000 was reported 228 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V147000 was reported 1,120 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01I007000 was reported 1,444 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 02V101000 was reported 2,145 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q4 Owner reports 1
1996-Q1 Owner reports 4
1996-Q2 Owner reports 5
1996-Q3 Owner reports 20
1996-Q4 Owner reports 14
1997-Q1 Owner reports 20
1997-Q2 Owner reports 15
1997-Q3 Owner reports 23
1997-Q4 Owner reports 32
1998-Q1 Owner reports 19
1998-Q2 Owner reports 25
1998-Q3 Owner reports 24
1998-Q4 Owner reports 22
1999-Q1 Owner reports 36
1999-Q2 Owner reports 23
1999-Q3 Owner reports 65
1999-Q4 Owner reports 32
2000-Q1 Owner reports 68
2000-Q2 Owner reports 65
2000-Q3 Owner reports 53
2000-Q4 Owner reports 57
2001-Q1 Owner reports 93
2001-Q2 Owner reports 72
2001-Q3 Owner reports 54
2001-Q4 Owner reports 41
2002-Q1 Owner reports 49
2002-Q2 Owner reports 56
2002-Q3 Owner reports 49
2002-Q4 Owner reports 25
2003-Q1 Owner reports 47
2003-Q2 Owner reports 38
2003-Q3 Owner reports 22
2003-Q4 Owner reports 22
2004-Q1 Owner reports 36
2004-Q2 Owner reports 13
2004-Q3 Owner reports 10
2004-Q4 Owner reports 11
2005-Q1 Owner reports 9
2005-Q2 Owner reports 13
2005-Q3 Owner reports 13
2005-Q4 Owner reports 6
2006-Q1 Owner reports 6
2006-Q2 Owner reports 8
2006-Q3 Owner reports 7
2006-Q4 Owner reports 3
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 5
2007-Q4 Owner reports 2
2008-Q1 Owner reports 3
2008-Q2 Owner reports 3
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 4
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 5
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q4 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 96V086000
Recall campaign 1 96V114000
Recall campaign 1 96V166000
Recall campaign 1 97V180000
Recall campaign 1 99V147000
Recall campaign 1 00V168000
Recall campaign 1 01I007000
Recall campaign 1 02V101000
Recall campaign 1 09V399000
Defect investigation 1 PE96015
Defect investigation 1 PE96042
Defect investigation 1 EA96026
Defect investigation 1 PE97011
Defect investigation 1 EA97018
Defect investigation 1 PE98056
Defect investigation 1 EA99020
Defect investigation 1 PE00024
Defect investigation 1 EA00027
Defect investigation 1 RQ02011
Defect investigation 1 RQ04003
Defect investigation 1 PE08035
Defect investigation 1 EA08021
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Safety Recalls (9)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Suspension, Brakes, Transmission / driveline, and Body / frame.

  1. Recall campaign 00V168000

    Safety recall 00V168000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THE LIGHT GIVEN OFF FROM THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS IS BRIGHTER THAN ALLOWED BY U.S. STANDARDS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO DEACTIVATE THE RUNNING LIGHT FUNCTION AND TO COMPLETE ANY OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECALLS ON THESE VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 01I007000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
    Remedy:
    FORD IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR FRONT COIL SPRING REPLACEMENT TO A TOTAL OF 10 YEARS OF SERVICE FROM THE WARRANTY START DATE, WITH UNLIMITED MILEAGE. THIS COVERAGE IS AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO SUBSEQUENT OWNERS AT NO CHARGE. IF EITHER FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURES DURING THE COVERAGE PERIOD NOTED ABOVE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE BOTH SPRINGS AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 02V101000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    LEAKAGE OF BRAKE FLUID WILL RESULT IN BRAKE LIGHT ACTIVATION. EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE COULD ALSO RESULT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LINE FOR CORROSION AND CLEARANCE CONDITIONS. A BRAKE LINE THAT IS NOT CORRODED WILL BE REPOSITIONED. A BRAKE LINE THAT IS CORRODED OR LEAKING WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NYLON COATED BRAKE LINE AND SECURED USING THREE RETAINING CLIPS TO ASSURE CLEARANCE FROM THE INSULATOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 10, 2002. 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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 09V399000

    Safety recall 09V399000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 96V086000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PARK PAWL OCCASIONALLY NOT ENGAGING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROLL PIN. IF THE ROLL PIN IS DAMAGED, BOTH THE ROLL PIN AND THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, OWNERS WILL BE REMINDED TO FULLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE, IN ADDITION TO PLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  6. Recall campaign 96V114000

    Safety recall 96V114000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THE DRIVER'S SEAT MAY NOT PROPERLY HOLD IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DRIVER'S SEAT FASTENERS AND RETORQUE TO PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  7. Recall campaign 96V166000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  8. Recall campaign 97V180000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE OUTER HOOD PANEL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HOOD AREA FOR ANY DAMAGE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HOOD. IF THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE OF BOND SEPARATION, THE HOOD WILL BE REPLACED. IF THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF BOND SEPARATION, ADDITIONAL ADHESIVE WILL BE APPLIED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER HOOD PANELS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  9. Recall campaign 99V147000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    Not available in the source record
    Remedy:
    OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH NEW LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-16
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 1,379 complaints · page 1 of 56
2015-10-14STRUCTUREUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10782238
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE K FRAME RUSTED OUT WHERE THE CONTROL ARMS MOUNT TO THE FRAME AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE
2015-09-28Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10778214
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 240,000.
2015-03-13Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10694170
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 20 MPH. THE SERVICE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.
2013-10-25Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 10549528
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ABS LIGHT ON DASHBOARD COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, AFTER 5 MINUTES OF OPERATION LIGHT WILL COME ON, THEN STAY ON, BUT AFTER SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND START AGAIN LIGHT IS FFF AND COMES BACK ON AFTER FEW MINUTES OF TRAVEL. *TR
2013-07-03Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10522986
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THIS IS A SECOND CALL FOR HELP FORD CORPORATE WILL NOT EMAIL ME BACK. WILL NOT VERIFY IF PCM HAS BEEN UPDATED. THE VAN ONLY HAS UNDER 59,000 MILES ON IT . IT SHOULD NOT BREAK THIS BAD THIS SOON MAKES ME TELL ANYONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR LOCAL NEWS MEDIA AND CLARK HOWARDS TEAM. I DO NOT WANT TO CALL FORD UNLESS IT IS AGREED THE PHONE WILL BE RECORDED FOR COURT PURPOSES. I EVEN ASKED IS THE WOULD LET ME USE THE UPDATER. I SURE DO NOT WANT DON RICH FORD IN VILLA RICA EVER AGAIN. THEY STRIPPED THE SCREW. THAT SET MIN CLEARANCE ON THROTTLE PLATE. NO SHIFTS FUNNY AND SPUTTERS AND TERRIBLE NOISE IN OIL PAN AREA. ROD S KNOCKING. INTERNET HAS TONS OF COMPLAINTS OF PISTONS EXITING ENGINE OIL PAN. *TR
2013-06-29Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10522406
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DEAR FORD MY MOTHER AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET ANSWERS FROM THE DEALER AND SINCE THEY GAVE UP. BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIX IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. EVEN THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME. THE VAN A 1996 WINDSTAR WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT AND IT STARTED THE ENGINE STARTED STALLING, WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL LOSES POWER STEERING. MY MOM ALMOST WENT INTO A DITCH TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR. WITH LITTLE INTERNET SEARCHING FOUND HUNDREDS OF VANS WITH SAME PROBLEMS, AND APPEARS THERE IS NOT ONE RESOLVED. AND SINCE THIS HAS GONE ON FOR OVER A MONTH. THE LAST VISIT TO THE FORD DEALER IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE STALLING. . THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE IS NEW, AND MASS AIR FLOW IS CLEAN SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED ALSO. I CHECKED THE AIR FILTER WAS CLEAN, THE FUEL FILTER IS ORIGINAL SO I REPLACED IT. I STARTED LOOKING AT THE THROTTLE BODY, AND NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE PLATE SCREW WAS ALL GOUGED UP. WHILE I WAS SITTING IN DRIVE WAY WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND UNLESS FORD ENGINES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR 60,000 MILES, WITH ALL THE STALLING AND LOW ENGINE IDLE THAT KEEPS OIL PRESSURE IN THE ENGINE LUBRICATING THE CRANK SHAFT.!! SO WHEN ENGINE STALLED AT VERY LOW IDLE THERE WAS NO OIL GETTING THROUGH THE ENGINE. THIS ENGINE NOW HAS LOWER END KNOCK, WHICH I VERIFIED BY PULLING VAN ONTO FLOOR RAMPS, TEST DROVE AND CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM, IS CRITICAL. EACH TIME I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN ENGINE STALLED EVERY TIME, LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE FORD IS IGNORING THIS PROBLEM.. AND THIS ALSO ANSWERS WHY OTHER COMPLAINTS WERE ABOUT ENGINE FAILURES AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. THIS LETTER WILL BE PUT ON ALL SOCIAL NETWORKS, TO WARN OTHERS THIS COULD HAPPEN TO THEM BE AWARE. THEY SAID THE ECU/PCM COMPUTER WAS UPDATED. COULD NOT FIND UPDATE ON INVOICES, OR IN HISTORY I CAN ACCESS. *TR
2013-03-26Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 10504616
CrashFireInjuryDeath
FORD RECALL LETTER DATED DECEMBER 2011 RECALL NUMBER 09 S 09 SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM MODIFICATION. I RECENTLY TOOK MY FORD WINDSTAR ON JANURARY 3, 2013 FOR A RECALL. ABOUT A MONTH LATER I DROVE OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AND NOW THE VEHICLE IS SLOW AND WON'T PICK UP SPEED IT MAKES A PUT PUT SOUND AND HAS ALMOST NO POWER. I CALLED THE DEALER TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND THEY WANT $90.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS JUST IN THE SHOP FOR THE RECALL. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AND ALL THEY SAY IS THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FORD DEALER ACTIONS OR INACTIONS. THE LETTER FROM FORD WAS THE MAIN REASON I TOOK THE VAN IN BECAUSE IT SAYS THERE IS A FIRE HAZARD BUT NOW THE VAN IS A PIECE OF JUNK. FORD REFUSES TO RECHECK THE VEHICLE AND LOCATE THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM THE VEHICLE IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO GET AROUND. THANKS FORD FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND LACK OF CONCERN. SIGNED DISSATIFIED VICTIM OF A SCAM. *TR
2012-09-25Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10476963
CrashFireInjuryDeath
NOTICED FUEL LEAK WHEN RETURNED AFTER PARKING AT SLANTED PARKING SPACE. INSPECTION BY LICENSED MECHANIC IN COLUMBUS, OHIO CONFIRMED FUEL TANK LEAK. REMOVED TANK FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND FOUND CRACK. REPAIRED BY SAME MECHANIC. TOTAL COST CLOSE TO $300.00. NOW NO GASOLINE LEAK. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1996 Ford Windstar?

Owners named Engine most often — 385 of 1,379 reports (28%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1996 Ford Windstar?

NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Suspension, Brakes, Transmission / driveline, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1996 Ford Windstar?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-16. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources