2003 FORD WINDSTAR — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 1,501 complaints · 0 recalls

Verdict & Safety Summary

Most-reported system: SERVICE BRAKES (512 complaints · 34.1%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 32
  • Fires 27
  • Injuries 33
  • Deaths 1
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 SERVICE BRAKES appears in 512 of 1,501 owner complaints (34.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. SERVICE BRAKES: 512 complaints, 34.1% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 512 · 34.1% · 5 crash reports 3 fire reports SUSPENSION: 214 complaints, 14.3% of reports SUSPENSION 214 · 14.3% · 3 crash reports 4 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 196 complaints, 13.1% of reports POWER TRAIN 196 · 13.1% · 4 crash reports 2 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 188 complaints, 12.5% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 188 · 12.5% · 1 crash reports 7 fire reports STRUCTURE: 81 complaints, 5.4% of reports STRUCTURE 81 · 5.4% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 59 complaints, 3.9% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 59 · 3.9% · 5 crash reports 3 fire reports ENGINE: 41 complaints, 2.7% of reports ENGINE 41 · 2.7% · 1 crash reports 7 fire reports STEERING: 24 complaints, 1.6% of reports STEERING 24 · 1.6% · 2 crash reports AIR BAGS: 23 complaints, 1.5% of reports AIR BAGS 23 · 1.5% · 8 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 673 complaints, 44.8% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 673 · 44.8% · 8 crash reports 6 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)
SERVICE BRAKES 512 34.1% 5 crashes · 3 fires
SUSPENSION 214 14.3% 3 crashes · 4 fires
POWER TRAIN 196 13.1% 4 crashes · 2 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 188 12.5% 1 crashes · 7 fires
STRUCTURE 81 5.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 59 3.9% 5 crashes · 3 fires
ENGINE 41 2.7% 1 crashes · 7 fires
STEERING 24 1.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 23 1.5% 8 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 673 44.8% 8 crashes · 6 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 Jan 2003. 2003-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2004-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2004-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2004-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2005-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2006-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2008-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 2008-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2009-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2009-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2009-Q3: 61 owner reports 61 2009-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2010-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2010-Q2: 44 owner reports 44 2010-Q3: 96 owner reports 96 2010-Q4: 62 owner reports 62 2011-Q1: 56 owner reports 56 2011-Q2: 46 owner reports 46 2011-Q3: 47 owner reports 47 2011-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2012-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2012-Q2: 40 owner reports 40 2012-Q3: 64 owner reports 64 2012-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2013-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2013-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2013-Q3: 38 owner reports 38 2013-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2014-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2014-Q2: 44 owner reports 44 2014-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 2014-Q4: 41 owner reports 41 2015-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2015-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2015-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2015-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2016-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2016-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2016-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2017-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2017-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2017-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2018-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2019-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2003 Jul 2026 Investigation PE08035 ● Investigation PE08035 Investigation EA08021 ● Investigation EA08021 Investigation PE10016 ● Investigation PE10016 Investigation PE10026 ● Investigation PE10026 Investigation DP10005 ● Investigation DP10005 Investigation EA10007 ● Investigation EA10007
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2003-Q1 Owner reports 3
2003-Q2 Owner reports 4
2003-Q3 Owner reports 7
2003-Q4 Owner reports 8
2004-Q1 Owner reports 13
2004-Q2 Owner reports 15
2004-Q3 Owner reports 9
2004-Q4 Owner reports 10
2005-Q1 Owner reports 4
2005-Q2 Owner reports 8
2005-Q3 Owner reports 7
2005-Q4 Owner reports 3
2006-Q1 Owner reports 6
2006-Q2 Owner reports 7
2006-Q3 Owner reports 6
2007-Q1 Owner reports 9
2007-Q2 Owner reports 5
2007-Q3 Owner reports 9
2007-Q4 Owner reports 17
2008-Q1 Owner reports 17
2008-Q2 Owner reports 25
2008-Q3 Owner reports 50
2008-Q4 Owner reports 23
2009-Q1 Owner reports 19
2009-Q2 Owner reports 29
2009-Q3 Owner reports 61
2009-Q4 Owner reports 22
2010-Q1 Owner reports 26
2010-Q2 Owner reports 44
2010-Q3 Owner reports 96
2010-Q4 Owner reports 62
2011-Q1 Owner reports 56
2011-Q2 Owner reports 46
2011-Q3 Owner reports 47
2011-Q4 Owner reports 22
2012-Q1 Owner reports 25
2012-Q2 Owner reports 40
2012-Q3 Owner reports 64
2012-Q4 Owner reports 33
2013-Q1 Owner reports 31
2013-Q2 Owner reports 29
2013-Q3 Owner reports 38
2013-Q4 Owner reports 23
2014-Q1 Owner reports 23
2014-Q2 Owner reports 44
2014-Q3 Owner reports 50
2014-Q4 Owner reports 41
2015-Q1 Owner reports 23
2015-Q2 Owner reports 30
2015-Q3 Owner reports 13
2015-Q4 Owner reports 14
2016-Q1 Owner reports 11
2016-Q2 Owner reports 6
2016-Q3 Owner reports 19
2016-Q4 Owner reports 21
2017-Q1 Owner reports 17
2017-Q2 Owner reports 5
2017-Q3 Owner reports 12
2017-Q4 Owner reports 8
2018-Q1 Owner reports 6
2018-Q2 Owner reports 7
2018-Q3 Owner reports 6
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 4
2019-Q2 Owner reports 12
2019-Q3 Owner reports 5
2019-Q4 Owner reports 5
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 4
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 4
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q3 Owner reports 4
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 3
2023-Q1 Owner reports 2
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Defect investigation 1 PE08035
Defect investigation 1 EA08021
Defect investigation 1 PE10016
Defect investigation 1 PE10026
Defect investigation 1 DP10005
Defect investigation 1 EA10007
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (0)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

Zero safety recalls recorded for this model year in official NHTSA 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.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot Aug 21, 2026
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 1,501 complaints · page 1 of 61

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 Aug 21, 2026
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