1998 FORD WINDSTAR — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 1,393 complaints · 14 recalls
Most-reported system: POWER TRAIN (268 complaints · 19.2%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 54
  • Fires 65
  • Injuries 59
  • Deaths 3
Compare with 1997 →
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 268 of 1,393 owner complaints (19.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. POWER TRAIN: 268 complaints, 19.2% of reports POWER TRAIN 268 · 19.2% · 6 crash reports 4 fire reports SUSPENSION: 192 complaints, 13.8% of reports SUSPENSION 192 · 13.8% · 5 crash reports 1 fire reports ENGINE: 155 complaints, 11.1% of reports ENGINE 155 · 11.1% · 1 crash reports 25 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 142 complaints, 10.2% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 142 · 10.2% · 9 crash reports 2 fire reports STEERING: 99 complaints, 7.1% of reports STEERING 99 · 7.1% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 79 complaints, 5.7% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 79 · 5.7% · 2 crash reports 20 fire reports WHEELS: 77 complaints, 5.5% of reports WHEELS 77 · 5.5% · 4 crash reports FUEL SYSTEM: 60 complaints, 4.3% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 60 · 4.3% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 57 complaints, 4.1% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 57 · 4.1% · 7 crash reports 7 fire reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 1,102 complaints, 79.1% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1,102 · 79.1% · 38 crash reports 43 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 268 19.2% 6 crashes · 4 fires
SUSPENSION 192 13.8% 5 crashes · 1 fires
ENGINE 155 11.1% 1 crashes · 25 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 142 10.2% 9 crashes · 2 fires
STEERING 99 7.1% 1 crashes · 1 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 79 5.7% 2 crashes · 20 fires
WHEELS 77 5.5% 4 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 60 4.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 57 4.1% 7 crashes · 7 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1,102 79.1% 38 crashes · 43 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 Apr 1997. 1997-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 1997-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 1998-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 1998-Q2: 20 owner reports 20 1998-Q3: 33 owner reports 33 1998-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 1999-Q1: 66 owner reports 66 1999-Q2: 39 owner reports 39 1999-Q3: 52 owner reports 52 1999-Q4: 39 owner reports 39 2000-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2000-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 2000-Q3: 56 owner reports 56 2000-Q4: 52 owner reports 52 2001-Q1: 68 owner reports 68 2001-Q2: 65 owner reports 65 2001-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 2001-Q4: 39 owner reports 39 2002-Q1: 53 owner reports 53 2002-Q2: 55 owner reports 55 2002-Q3: 46 owner reports 46 2002-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2003-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2003-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2003-Q3: 35 owner reports 35 2003-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2004-Q1: 55 owner reports 55 2004-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2004-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2004-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2005-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2005-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2005-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2005-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2007-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2008-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2008-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2009-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2010-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2010-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2010-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2011-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2011-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2011-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2012-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2013-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 1997 Oct 2023 Recall campaign 97V051000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V051000 Recall campaign 97V097000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V097000 Recall campaign 97V165000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V165000 Recall campaign 98I003000 ◆ Recall campaign 98I003000 Recall campaign 99I001000 ◆ Recall campaign 99I001000 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 Recall campaign 10V385000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V385000 Recall campaign 12V193000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V193000 Recall campaign 12V195000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V195000 Recall campaign 15V608000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V608000 Investigation PE97048 ● Investigation PE97048 Investigation EA98008 ● Investigation EA98008 Investigation SQ99001 ● Investigation SQ99001 Investigation PE00024 ● Investigation PE00024 Investigation EA00027 ● Investigation EA00027 Investigation PE02085 ● Investigation PE02085 Investigation EA03004 ● Investigation EA03004 Investigation PE08035 ● Investigation PE08035 Investigation EA08021 ● Investigation EA08021 Investigation PE10016 ● Investigation PE10016
  • Campaign 98I003000 was reported 426 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99I001000 was reported 369 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 99V147000 was reported 745 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01V199000 was reported 1,196 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01I007000 was reported 1,220 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V385000 was reported 4,552 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V193000 was reported 5,350 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V195000 was reported 5,168 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V608000 was reported 6,412 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 1
1997-Q3 Owner reports 3
1997-Q4 Owner reports 8
1998-Q1 Owner reports 5
1998-Q2 Owner reports 20
1998-Q3 Owner reports 33
1998-Q4 Owner reports 32
1999-Q1 Owner reports 66
1999-Q2 Owner reports 39
1999-Q3 Owner reports 52
1999-Q4 Owner reports 39
2000-Q1 Owner reports 34
2000-Q2 Owner reports 26
2000-Q3 Owner reports 56
2000-Q4 Owner reports 52
2001-Q1 Owner reports 68
2001-Q2 Owner reports 65
2001-Q3 Owner reports 50
2001-Q4 Owner reports 39
2002-Q1 Owner reports 53
2002-Q2 Owner reports 55
2002-Q3 Owner reports 46
2002-Q4 Owner reports 23
2003-Q1 Owner reports 34
2003-Q2 Owner reports 29
2003-Q3 Owner reports 35
2003-Q4 Owner reports 33
2004-Q1 Owner reports 55
2004-Q2 Owner reports 17
2004-Q3 Owner reports 17
2004-Q4 Owner reports 12
2005-Q1 Owner reports 12
2005-Q2 Owner reports 12
2005-Q3 Owner reports 11
2005-Q4 Owner reports 8
2006-Q1 Owner reports 6
2006-Q2 Owner reports 3
2006-Q3 Owner reports 5
2006-Q4 Owner reports 7
2007-Q1 Owner reports 6
2007-Q2 Owner reports 4
2007-Q3 Owner reports 3
2007-Q4 Owner reports 3
2008-Q1 Owner reports 4
2008-Q2 Owner reports 7
2008-Q3 Owner reports 9
2008-Q4 Owner reports 3
2009-Q1 Owner reports 10
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 10
2009-Q4 Owner reports 14
2010-Q1 Owner reports 4
2010-Q2 Owner reports 17
2010-Q3 Owner reports 19
2010-Q4 Owner reports 16
2011-Q1 Owner reports 10
2011-Q2 Owner reports 10
2011-Q3 Owner reports 4
2011-Q4 Owner reports 12
2012-Q1 Owner reports 6
2012-Q2 Owner reports 4
2012-Q3 Owner reports 5
2012-Q4 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 6
2013-Q3 Owner reports 3
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 2
2014-Q2 Owner reports 3
2014-Q3 Owner reports 2
2014-Q4 Owner reports 2
2015-Q1 Owner reports 2
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 2
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 3
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 6
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
2018-Q2 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V051000
Recall campaign 1 97V097000
Recall campaign 1 97V165000
Recall campaign 1 98I003000
Recall campaign 1 99I001000
Recall campaign 1 99V147000
Recall campaign 1 00V168000
Recall campaign 1 01V199000
Recall campaign 1 01I007000
Recall campaign 1 09V399000
Recall campaign 1 10V385000
Recall campaign 1 12V193000
Recall campaign 1 12V195000
Recall campaign 1 15V608000
Defect investigation 1 PE97048
Defect investigation 1 EA98008
Defect investigation 1 SQ99001
Defect investigation 1 PE00024
Defect investigation 1 EA00027
Defect investigation 1 PE02085
Defect investigation 1 EA03004
Defect investigation 1 PE08035
Defect investigation 1 EA08021
Defect investigation 1 PE10016
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (14)

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 10V385000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    AS PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE, DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY INSTALL THE REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS FREE OF CHARGE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V193000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS, OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V195000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    A FRACTURED AXLE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET ON THE REAR AXLE OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 1, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V608000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    If the brackets were not installed properly, the rear axle may fracture, affecting the vehicle handling and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brackets to verify their proper installation. If a bracket is found to have been misinstalled, the rear axle will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The began on October 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S27.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V051000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    AS A RESULT OF THE HEADREST BEING IN THE "UP" POSITION, A CHILD SEATED IN THE ICS WOULD RECEIVE LESS THAN THE INTENDED PROTECTION IN THE CHILD HEAD AREA IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    THE SECOND ROW BENCH SEATS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH SEATS BUILT WITH REVISED HEADREST LOCKOUT MECHANISMS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. 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 →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V165000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN INCREASE STEERING EFFORTS, AFFECTING STEERING CONTROL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE ON THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR, AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THOSE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLIES THAT FALL WITHIN THE SUSPECT DATE CODE RANGE. THE DATE CODES FOR WINDSTAR MODEL VEHICLES ARE 97JB09 OR 97JC08; THE DATE CODES FOR MUSTANG MODEL VEHICLES ARE 97J09B OR 97J08B.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98I003000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    WHEN THE BOLTS ARE LOOSE, A NOTICEABLE NOISE AND/OR VIBRATION IS EVIDENT WHICH PROVIDES WARNING TO THE VEHICLE DRIVER. VEHICLE BRAKING IS NOT DEGRADED.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE FRONT BRAKE CALPIER ANCHOR PLATE BOLTS. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 99I001000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    IF THE CONSOLE DOES FALL DOWN, IT COULD DISTRACT THE DRIVER OR POSSIBLY STRIKE A FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED RETAINING BRACKET IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE ORIGINAL RETAINING BRACKET.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. 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 1,393 complaints · page 1 of 56

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