2001 Ford Windstar Problems and Recalls (1,666 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2001 Ford Windstar is Brakes (25% of 1,666 owner reports). There are 16 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 1,666 complaints · 16 recalls

What problems show up on the 2001 Ford Windstar?

410 of 1,666 filings named Brakes (25% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Suspension (345 reports).

There are 16 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Cruise / speed control, Seat belts, Glass / wipers / cameras, Suspension, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2000 has 1,651 reports on file; this year has 1,666. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2001 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 16 campaigns on file below.
  2. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  3. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  4. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Brakes. 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: Brakes 410 complaints · 24.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 64
  • Fires 60
  • Injuries 59
  • Deaths 1
All Ford Windstar years →
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 Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) appears in 410 of 1,666 owner complaints (24.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 410 complaints, 24.6% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 9 crash reports 10 fire reports 410 · 24.6% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 345 complaints, 20.7% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 12 crash reports 5 fire reports 345 · 20.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 218 complaints, 13.1% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 4 crash reports 218 · 13.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 152 complaints, 9.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 19 fire reports 152 · 9.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 121 complaints, 7.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 2 fire reports 121 · 7.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 88 complaints, 5.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 4 crash reports 13 fire reports 88 · 5.3% Engine (ENGINE): 48 complaints, 2.9% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 crash reports 6 fire reports 48 · 2.9% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 39 complaints, 2.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 18 crash reports 39 · 2.3% Steering (STEERING): 39 complaints, 2.3% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 39 · 2.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 995 complaints, 59.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 45 crash reports 26 fire reports 995 · 59.7% 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)
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 410 24.6% 9 crashes · 10 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 345 20.7% 12 crashes · 5 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 218 13.1% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 152 9.1% 1 crashes · 19 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 121 7.3% 2 crashes · 2 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 88 5.3% 4 crashes · 13 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 48 2.9% 2 crashes · 6 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 39 2.3% 18 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 39 2.3% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 995 59.7% 45 crashes · 26 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 Jan 2001; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2000. 2001-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2001-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2001-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2001-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2002-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2002-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2002-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2002-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2003-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2003-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2003-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2004-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2004-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2004-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2004-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2005-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2005-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2005-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2005-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2006-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2006-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2006-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2007-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2007-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 2007-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2008-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2008-Q2: 27 owner reports 27 2008-Q3: 51 owner reports 51 2008-Q4: 38 owner reports 38 2009-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2009-Q2: 43 owner reports 43 2009-Q3: 56 owner reports 56 2009-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 2010-Q1: 43 owner reports 43 2010-Q2: 93 owner reports 93 2010-Q3: 141 owner reports 141 2010-Q4: 96 owner reports 96 2011-Q1: 71 owner reports 71 2011-Q2: 41 owner reports 41 2011-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2011-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2012-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2012-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 2012-Q3: 44 owner reports 44 2012-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2013-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q2: 28 owner reports 28 2013-Q3: 41 owner reports 41 2013-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2014-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2014-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2014-Q3: 42 owner reports 42 2014-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2015-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2015-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2015-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2015-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2016-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2017-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Sep 2000 Oct 2023 Recall campaign 00V270000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V270000 Recall campaign 00V412000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V412000 Recall campaign 01V207000 ◆ Recall campaign 01V207000 Recall campaign 01V227001 ◆ Recall campaign 01V227001 Recall campaign 01V261000 ◆ Recall campaign 01V261000 Recall campaign 01V262000 ◆ Recall campaign 01V262000 Recall campaign 02V072000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V072000 Recall campaign 03V459000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V459000 Recall campaign 06E056000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E056000 Recall campaign 09V399000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V399000 Recall campaign 10V385000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V385000 Recall campaign 11V030000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V030000 Recall campaign 12V193000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V193000 Recall campaign 12V194000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V194000 Recall campaign 12V195000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V195000 Recall campaign 15V608000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V608000 Investigation PE04022 ● Investigation PE04022 Investigation RQ04011 ● Investigation RQ04011 Investigation EA05004 ● Investigation EA05004 Investigation PE08035 ● Investigation PE08035 Investigation EA08021 ● Investigation EA08021 Investigation PE10016 ● Investigation PE10016 Investigation PE10026 ● Investigation PE10026 Investigation EA10007 ● Investigation EA10007
  • Campaign 01V207000 was reported 144 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01V261000 was reported 173 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 01V262000 was reported 198 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 03V459000 was reported 1,011 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V385000 was reported 3,194 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 11V030000 was reported 3,564 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V193000 was reported 3,858 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V194000 was reported 3,810 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V195000 was reported 3,810 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V608000 was reported 5,054 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2001-Q1 Owner reports 7
2001-Q2 Owner reports 5
2001-Q3 Owner reports 11
2001-Q4 Owner reports 12
2002-Q1 Owner reports 11
2002-Q2 Owner reports 16
2002-Q3 Owner reports 18
2002-Q4 Owner reports 7
2003-Q1 Owner reports 13
2003-Q2 Owner reports 12
2003-Q3 Owner reports 6
2003-Q4 Owner reports 12
2004-Q1 Owner reports 25
2004-Q2 Owner reports 13
2004-Q3 Owner reports 11
2004-Q4 Owner reports 17
2005-Q1 Owner reports 20
2005-Q2 Owner reports 13
2005-Q3 Owner reports 11
2005-Q4 Owner reports 10
2006-Q1 Owner reports 14
2006-Q2 Owner reports 8
2006-Q3 Owner reports 12
2006-Q4 Owner reports 6
2007-Q1 Owner reports 13
2007-Q2 Owner reports 7
2007-Q3 Owner reports 20
2007-Q4 Owner reports 13
2008-Q1 Owner reports 24
2008-Q2 Owner reports 27
2008-Q3 Owner reports 51
2008-Q4 Owner reports 38
2009-Q1 Owner reports 25
2009-Q2 Owner reports 43
2009-Q3 Owner reports 56
2009-Q4 Owner reports 32
2010-Q1 Owner reports 43
2010-Q2 Owner reports 93
2010-Q3 Owner reports 141
2010-Q4 Owner reports 96
2011-Q1 Owner reports 71
2011-Q2 Owner reports 41
2011-Q3 Owner reports 31
2011-Q4 Owner reports 18
2012-Q1 Owner reports 19
2012-Q2 Owner reports 26
2012-Q3 Owner reports 44
2012-Q4 Owner reports 16
2013-Q1 Owner reports 18
2013-Q2 Owner reports 28
2013-Q3 Owner reports 41
2013-Q4 Owner reports 12
2014-Q1 Owner reports 9
2014-Q2 Owner reports 29
2014-Q3 Owner reports 42
2014-Q4 Owner reports 23
2015-Q1 Owner reports 17
2015-Q2 Owner reports 25
2015-Q3 Owner reports 15
2015-Q4 Owner reports 18
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 6
2016-Q3 Owner reports 13
2016-Q4 Owner reports 11
2017-Q1 Owner reports 10
2017-Q2 Owner reports 4
2017-Q3 Owner reports 6
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 2
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 2
2019-Q2 Owner reports 9
2019-Q3 Owner reports 6
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 2
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 2
2021-Q1 Owner reports 3
2021-Q2 Owner reports 3
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 2
2023-Q1 Owner reports 4
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 00V270000
Recall campaign 1 00V412000
Recall campaign 1 01V207000
Recall campaign 1 01V227001
Recall campaign 1 01V261000
Recall campaign 1 01V262000
Recall campaign 1 02V072000
Recall campaign 1 03V459000
Recall campaign 1 06E056000
Recall campaign 1 09V399000
Recall campaign 1 10V385000
Recall campaign 1 11V030000
Recall campaign 1 12V193000
Recall campaign 1 12V194000
Recall campaign 1 12V195000
Recall campaign 1 15V608000
Defect investigation 1 PE04022
Defect investigation 1 RQ04011
Defect investigation 1 EA05004
Defect investigation 1 PE08035
Defect investigation 1 EA08021
Defect investigation 1 PE10016
Defect investigation 1 PE10026
Defect investigation 1 EA10007
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Safety Recalls (16)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags, Cruise / speed control, Seat belts, Glass / wipers / cameras, Suspension, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline.

  1. Recall campaign 00V270000

    Safety recall 00V270000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RCM IN THESE VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 14, 2000. 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 →

  2. Recall campaign 00V412000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    IN SOME CASES, LESS THAN THE INTENDED LEVEL OF PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RCM AND CRASH SENSORS AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THEM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 01V207000

    Cruise / speed control

    Report date
    Component:
    Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN RESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR MATS IN THE VEHICLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 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. Recall campaign 01V227001

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE OCCUPANT PROTECTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT OUTBOARD SEAT BELT BUCKLES AND IF THE BUCKLE FAILS THE INSPECTION PROCESS, IT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 25, 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 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 01V261000

    Glass / wipers / cameras

    Report date
    Component:
    Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
    Consequence:
    SWITCH MALFUNCTION IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE INTERMITTENT SETTING OF THE WIPERS IS BEING USED, OR WHEN SNOW OR ICE OBSTRUCTS THE BLADES FROM RETURNING TO THE "PARKED" POSITION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. LOSS OF VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW WIPER COVER WITH IMPROVED SEALING AND WATER RESISTANCE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAIN AUGUST 27, 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 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 01V262000

    Safety recall 01V262000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THE MOTOR COULD POTENTIALLY CATCH ON FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A JUMPER WIRE THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE MEDIUM-LOW BLOWER SPEED SETTING IS PROTECTED BY THE THERMAL LIMITER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGSUT 27, 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 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Recall campaign 02V072000

    Safety recall 02V072000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AT THE REAR WIRE HARNESS. A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN LEAD TO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE REAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, REVERSE PARK-AID SYSTEM, OR TRAILER TOW ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. A SUSTAINED SHORT CIRCUIT CAN RESULT IN MELTED CONNECTORS AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND SURROUNDING AREA FOR ABSENCE OF BODY SEALING AND CORROSION. IF CORROSION IS PRESENT, DEALERS WILL SERVICE THE BODY GAPS, REPAIR CORRODED CONNECTORS, AND APPLY A PROTECTIVE PATCH TO THE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY AND BODY HOLE. IF CORROSION IS NOT PRESENT BUT THE BODY SEALER IS MISSING, DEALERS WILL SERVICE THE BODY GAPS AND APPLY A PROTECTIVE PATCH TO THE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY AND BODY HOLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 5, 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 →

  8. Recall campaign 03V459000

    Safety recall 03V459000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    IF THE LATCHES ON TH4E SECOND OR THIRD ROW SEATS OF THE VEHICLE RELEASE IN A CRASH, THE POTENTIAL FOR OCCUPANT INJURY IS INCREASED.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT-TO-FLOOR LATCHES ON THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW OF SEATS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 21, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Recall campaign 06E056000

    Safety recall 06E056000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. 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 →

  11. Recall campaign 10V385000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (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 →

  12. Recall campaign 11V030000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS, AND BOTH BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME, AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. IF REPAIRS CANNOT BE MADE TO A VEHICLE, FORD WILL OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 21, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Recall campaign 12V193000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (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 →

  14. Recall campaign 12V194000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    A SEPARATION OF A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKET MAY RESULT IN A LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. A SEPARATION OF BOTH FRONT SUBFRAME REAR BODY MOUNTS MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS AND BOTH BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. Recall campaign 12V195000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (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 →

  16. Recall campaign 15V608000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (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 →
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 1,666 complaints · page 1 of 67
2023-11-13Suspension (SUSPENSION)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11554891
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the rear axle fractured. There was no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a stress crack caused by excessive corrosion. The vehicle had not been repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
2023-07-17Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11532671
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the front end of the vehicle made abnormal sounds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a fracture due to corrosion on the front sub frame. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V030000 (Structure). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
2023-03-28Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11514177
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear axle cracked where bracket that was installed during previous recall. Van is not drivable and could have been a bad accident.
2023-02-09Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11506431
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear axle cracked in multiple locations causes car to sway and tires to turn inward and bald
2023-01-24Suspension (SUSPENSION)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11503400
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently came to a complete stop. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the rear wheels were crooked and rubbing against the inner fender well. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then later to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear axle was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000. The contact noted that the failure speed was 55 mph. The axle was previously repaired due to the recall while the vehicle was under warranty. When the contact took the vehicle for repair, they were told that the vehicle was no longer under warranty or the recall.
2023-01-20Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11502841
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the rear axle was previously replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V608000 (Suspension). The contact stated that while his girlfriend was driving approximately 10 MPH and making a left turn, a loud bang was heard from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact's girlfriend was able to veer to the side of the road and became aware that both the rear driver’s and passenger’s side tires were tilted inward, and the rear axle was fractured. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained with the mechanic awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 159,000.
2022-11-30Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11495529
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and crossing railroad tracks that were flush with the road surface, the contact heard the passenger’s side rear tire making a loud screeching noise. The contact could hear rubbing or friction and then noticed that smoke was coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled off the road safely and inspected the vehicle and saw that the wheel was tilted into the wheel well and was rubbing the top and inside of the tire against the wheel well. The contact had the vehicle towed back to his residence. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V608000 (Suspension). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
2022-11-04Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11492307
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact's husband owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while in reverse, she heard an abnormal noise. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the control arm was cracked. The contact was then informed by the mechanic of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V03000 (Structure). The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that no recall was affiliated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2001 Ford Windstar?

Owners named Brakes most often — 410 of 1,666 reports (25%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2001 Ford Windstar?

NHTSA lists 16 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Cruise / speed control, Seat belts, Glass / wipers / cameras, Suspension, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline. 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 2001 Ford Windstar?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. 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