1997 FORD WINDSTAR — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 190 complaints · 6 recalls
Most-reported system: POWER TRAIN (32 complaints · 16.8%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 6
  • Fires 9
  • Injuries 5
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 1996 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 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.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution POWER TRAIN appears in 32 of 190 owner complaints (16.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. POWER TRAIN: 32 complaints, 16.8% of reports POWER TRAIN 32 · 16.8% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports SUSPENSION: 31 complaints, 16.3% of reports SUSPENSION 31 · 16.3% ENGINE: 30 complaints, 15.8% of reports ENGINE 30 · 15.8% · 1 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 20 complaints, 10.5% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 20 · 10.5% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 18 complaints, 9.5% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 18 · 9.5% · 1 crash reports 3 fire reports STEERING: 12 complaints, 6.3% of reports STEERING 12 · 6.3% · 2 crash reports STRUCTURE: 7 complaints, 3.7% of reports STRUCTURE 7 · 3.7% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 5 complaints, 2.6% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 · 2.6% · 3 fire reports FUEL SYSTEM: 5 complaints, 2.6% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 5 · 2.6% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 118 complaints, 62.1% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 118 · 62.1% · 4 crash reports 3 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
POWER TRAIN 32 16.8% 1 crashes · 1 fires
SUSPENSION 31 16.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 30 15.8% 0 crashes · 1 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 20 10.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 18 9.5% 1 crashes · 3 fires
STEERING 12 6.3% 2 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 7 3.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 2.6% 0 crashes · 3 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 5 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 118 62.1% 4 crashes · 3 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 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.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 1997; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 1997. 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 1998-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 1998-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 1999-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 1999-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 1999-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2000-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2000-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2000-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2000-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2001-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2001-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2001-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2001-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2002-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2002-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2002-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2002-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2003-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2003-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2004-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 1997 Apr 2014 Recall campaign 97V097000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V097000 Recall campaign 99V147000 ◆ Recall campaign 99V147000 Recall campaign 00V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V168000 Recall campaign 01V199000 ◆ Recall campaign 01V199000 Recall campaign 01I007000 ◆ Recall campaign 01I007000 Recall campaign 09V399000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V399000 Investigation EA99020 ● Investigation EA99020 Investigation PE00024 ● Investigation PE00024 Investigation EA00027 ● Investigation EA00027 Investigation EA03004 ● Investigation EA03004 Investigation PE08035 ● Investigation PE08035 Investigation EA08021 ● Investigation EA08021
  • Campaign 99V147000 was reported 795 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01V199000 was reported 546 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01I007000 was reported 570 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1997-Q3 Owner reports 2
1997-Q4 Owner reports 2
1998-Q1 Owner reports 2
1998-Q2 Owner reports 5
1998-Q3 Owner reports 3
1998-Q4 Owner reports 2
1999-Q1 Owner reports 9
1999-Q2 Owner reports 3
1999-Q3 Owner reports 13
1999-Q4 Owner reports 7
2000-Q1 Owner reports 5
2000-Q2 Owner reports 7
2000-Q3 Owner reports 6
2000-Q4 Owner reports 2
2001-Q1 Owner reports 14
2001-Q2 Owner reports 5
2001-Q3 Owner reports 7
2001-Q4 Owner reports 12
2002-Q1 Owner reports 6
2002-Q2 Owner reports 5
2002-Q3 Owner reports 13
2002-Q4 Owner reports 2
2003-Q1 Owner reports 11
2003-Q2 Owner reports 2
2003-Q3 Owner reports 5
2003-Q4 Owner reports 2
2004-Q1 Owner reports 7
2004-Q2 Owner reports 2
2004-Q3 Owner reports 1
2004-Q4 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2005-Q4 Owner reports 2
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q2 Owner reports 2
2006-Q3 Owner reports 1
2006-Q4 Owner reports 2
2007-Q1 Owner reports 2
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 2
2014-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V097000
Recall campaign 1 99V147000
Recall campaign 1 00V168000
Recall campaign 1 01V199000
Recall campaign 1 01I007000
Recall campaign 1 09V399000
Defect investigation 1 EA99020
Defect investigation 1 PE00024
Defect investigation 1 EA00027
Defect investigation 1 EA03004
Defect investigation 1 PE08035
Defect investigation 1 EA08021
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (6)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 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. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 01I007000

    Report date
    Component:
    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. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 01V199000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SHIELDS AROUND THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 6, 2001. 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 1-800-392-3673.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 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. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V097000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TEMPERATURE MAY BE HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THESE SERVO COVERS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 99V147000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    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 2026-08-21 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.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 190 complaints · page 1 of 8

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
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 2026-08-21 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.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources