Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Ford Windstar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 101 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 101, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL BANGING WAS HEARD FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000.
1995 FORD WINDSTAR - SLIDING DOOR TOP FORWARD BRACKET ATTACH POINT. 1) THE METAL AROUND THE ATTACH POINT ON THE DOOR SHOWS STRESS CRACKS ON ALL FOUR SIDES AND THE METAL UNDER THE PAINT IS BUCKLING. THE LOCATION OF THE BRACKET BELOW THE DOOR SEAL MAY ALLOW RAIN TO POOL UP ON THE BRACKET SUPPORT AND CAUSE THE SUPPORTING METAL TO RUST AND SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. 2) DOOR IS RATTLING AND IS IN DANGER OF FALLING OFF. VEHICLE. 3) I AM CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE AVAILABILITY OF A NEW DOOR OR WELDING A SUPPORT PLATE ON THE EXISTING DOOR. *AK
THE HINGE AND RUNNER OF THE SLIDING DOOR BROKE, RESULTING IN THE BACK SIDE OF THE DOOR FALLING OFF THE CAR.
1995 FORD WINDSTAR. UPPER LAYER OF HOOD FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING ON SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY NEAR EXIT 13. CALLED FORD AND ALL THEY TOLD ME IS THAT MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I DON'T CARE ABOUT WARRANTY. I CARE ABOUT FEELING LUCKY I'M NOT DEAD OR KILL ANYONE DRIVING BEHIND ME. THIS MUST HAVE HAPPENED OR WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND SOMEONE WILL GET KILLED. ON SEPT. 11 2001 (STRANGELY ENOUGH) I LOST MY BRAKES ON THE SAME VEHICLE. I CALLED FORD AND THEY GAVE ME THE WARRANTY ROUTINE. SURE ENOUGH THEY RECALLED THE VEHICLE SOON AFTER FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I REPORTED. IN FACT THEY PAID TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEBODY IS DEAD DUE TO A FLYING HOOD. THANK YOU. *LA
THE VEHICLES SPEEDOMETER FAILED. *AK *NLM
THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS, THE TRANSMISSION SIDE PAN GASKET, HEAT, POWER WINDOW, DEFROSTER, DOOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY, WERE ALL REPLACED, THE DOME LIGHT WOULD STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY, AND THE RIGHT CALIPER WAS LEAKING.*JB
DRIVER IS UNABLE TO SHUT VEHICLE SLIDING DOOR. THE RUBBER PIECE THAT GOES AROUND THE EDGES OF THE DOOR CAME OFF TRACK. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
FRONT STRUTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. FRONT END ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. CASTER AND CAMBER RESET. THERE IS A SQUEALING NOISE FROM FRONT END WHEN TURNING, DEALER REPLACED OUTER TIE RODS AND RIGHT CONTROL ARM. *TT
BEFORE FREEDOM FORD REPLACED OUR ENGINE, WE WERE HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WE REPORTED AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM TO WHY THE DOOR CHIMES AND DOOR ADJAR LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON, OUR ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS RELACED ON 09/27/2001. THEN OUR BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE LIGHTS IN THE CAR STARTED DIMMING, WE REPLACED OUR BATTERY AND FOUND OUT FROM FORD THAT OUR ALTERNATOR WAS BAD. WE HAD TO PAY 387.51 FOR AN ALTERNATOR.! NOT TO MENTION THE 1800+ IN EMERGENCY EXPENSES WE HAD TO PAY THAT FORD REFUSE TO PAY US BACK WHEN OUR ENGINE BLEW WHILE DRIVING HOME ON A VACATION. HOWEVER THEY DID REPLACED THE ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE AFTER LONG NEGOTIATION BY MY WIFE. WE ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR DOOR CHIMES AND LIGHTS AND FORD SAID ON 02/14/2002 THEY COULD NOT CHECK TO SEE WHAT'S WRONG UNLESS IT COMES ON AND TO BRING IT IN WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON. FIGURE THE ODDS ON THAT, I LIVE ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES AWAY FROM THERE AND THE LIGHT MAY GO OUT BEFORE I GET THERE. ALSO, WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN THE FRONT MIRROR ON THE INSIDE CAME OFF WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. I MEAN LITERALLY FELL OFF. THESE FORD WINDSTARS ARE NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD AND THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE VANS OR FORD SHOULD BE ORDERED TO GIVE THE OWNERS A PRORATED REFUND OR SET AMT. BACK FOR ALL OUR PROBLEMS AND FINANCIAL SUFFERINGS WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH. I PRAY THAT NHTSA ISSUES A RECALL OR ORDER FORD TO TAKE THE 1995 WINDSTARS OFF THE STREET AND ISSUE US A PRORATED REFUND. THESE WINDSTARS ARE NOT SAFE.IMAGINE YOUR ENGINE BLOWING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH YOUR FAMILY IN THE VAN. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.E-MAIL ME WITH THE ANSERS TO MY QUESTIONS.. WILL NHTSA BE ISSUING A RECALL OR FORD A PRORATED REFUND ON THESE FORD WINDSTARS SOON? I STILL OWE ON THIS FORD, BUT WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT ANYMORE, BUT IT IS ALL WE HAVE. HOW CAN WE GET RID OF THE WINDSTAR AND THE LOAN PAYMENTS AND BUY SOMETHING ELSE? I PRAY THAT YOU WILL HELP US OWNERS OF WINDSTARS. THANKS.*AK
WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, IT FELL RIGHT OFF. THE BACK END OF THE DOOR FELL RIGHT TO THE GROUND. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND. VERY DANGEROUS AS IT ALMOST TOOK MY FOOT OFF. *AK
WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD NUMBEROUS TIMES AND DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED. WE HAVE SO MUCH MONEY IN THIS VAN WE CAN'T GET RID OF THIS LEMON. NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND HAS RUINED BATTERIES. WE HAVE TO CHANGE BRAKES AT LEAST 3 TIMES A YEAR. NOW MY LOCKS START LOCKING W/O ANYONE PUSHING THE BUTTON. IT HAS BEEN REALLY A NIGHTMARE..
CONSUMER STATES THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS.*YD
THE DOOR SENSORS FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY CAUSING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO STAY ON UNTIL THE BATTERY IS DRAINED, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONSUMER HAD ALL THE SENSORS DISCONNECTED. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
REPORTING A BROKEN WELD FROM TOP BRACKET OF SLIDING DOOR . MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF NO RECALL, AND VEHICLE BEING OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK THE TOP WELD ON THE DOOR ITSELF BROKE. NLM
WHILE DRIVING WOULD HEAR A RATTLING NOISE. CHECKED VEHICLE AFTER PARKING IT. SLIDING DOOR WAS FALLING OFF THE HINGES WHICH WERE CRACKED. PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORSE. BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED RECALL HAD EXPIRED IN 8/31/96.*AK
DOOR SENSOR LEAVES INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS ON AND THE ASSOCIATED RELAY IS HOT TO THE TOUCH. POWER WINDOW MOTOR INOPERATIVE, WAS WORKING INTERMITTENLY UP TO TODAY. IGNITION SWITCH WILL ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN IT SHOULDN'T.
WE PURCHASED OUR FORD WINDSTAR NEW IN 7/94 (IT WAS ANEARLY 1995 RELEASE). PROBLEMS BEGAN IMMEDIATELY WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL, DOOR CLOSURE SENSOR, ETC. THERE WERE ALSO OTHER NUISANCES SUCH AS THE SUSPENSION THAT HAD A BANGING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER ANY BUMP. THE DOOR SENSORS AND ENGINE COMPUTER WERE REPLACED. THE SUSPENSION PROBLEM WAS NEVER RESOLVED. THEN BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED (36,000 MILES) THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON (WHICH IT IS STILL ON 5 YEARS LATER). AFTER TRIPS TO THE DEALER AND A $500.00 TUNE-UP THE ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED-- WHICH IT NEVER WAS. AT THAT TIME YEARS AGO I TOLD THEM THAT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SEEM TO SHIFT PROPERLY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WENT ON VACATION THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. THEIR ANSWER WHIULE IT WAS "UNDER WARRANTY" WAS THAT THE ENGINE WAS ELECTRONIC AND THAT IF A SENSOR WAS BAD OR THE FUEL MIXTURE WAS NOT PROPER IT WOULD CAUSE THAT TO HAPPEN. THEY SAID THAT THE SENSORS DID NOT INDICATE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WE, HOWEVER, KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE CAR PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE , BUT AGAIN THE ONLY THING THEY COULD FIND IS THAT THE ENGINE INDICATED THAT IT WAS RUNNING "TOO LEAN". THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND EVENTUALLY WOULD GO OFF, BUT THIS HAPPENED MORE FREQUENTLY. FINALLY, THE CAR BECAME UNRELIABLE, AND WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. SURE ENOUGH IT WAS GOING BAD! THEY ESTIMATED TO FIX IT WOULD COST $2000+ I SAID THAT MY CONCERN WAS ALSO THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS PERHAPS IN FAILURE ALSO. THEY SAID THAT AGAIN THEY DIDN'T THINK SO. WITH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS, I WAS HESITANT TO PAY THAT MUCH TOO FIX THE HEAD GASKET. I THEN ASKED IF FORD WARRANTY WOULD PICK UP ANY OF THE COST. AFTER TALKING TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE THE ANSWER WAS, NO! SHORTLY, THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE FAILED AND I HAD IT TOWED TO AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC WHO AGREED TO FIX IT FOR $800-900. SINCE THAT TIME THE ENGINE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAM
THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED BY OTHER WINDSTAR USERS. I RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION FROM CARTRACKERS. COM ON THEIR WEBSITE. THE LIGHTS WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT CLOSED STAYS ON INSIDE THE VAN AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON AND TURNS OFF AFTER YOU REACH ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR AND SOMTIMES IT JUST STAYS ON. PLEASE INFORM ME OF WHAT TO DO IN THIS SITUATION AND INVESTIGAT ANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE HAD WITH THIS VAN. THANK YOU . I LOOK FORWARD TO A REPLY REGARDING THIS MATTER.
CONSUMER HAS HAD THE SUBFRAME BUSHINGS REPLACED ON 2 OCCASIONS WITHIN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD UNDER 70,000 MILES, ON ONE OCCASION AT 65488 MILES THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS (KNOCKING UNDER THE FLOORBOARDS) AS BEFORE WHEN THE BUSHINGS NEEDED REPLACED, HOWEVER THIS TIME THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS LOOSE SUBFRAME BOLTS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SO A MONTH LATER THE DEALER STATED THE SUBFRAME BUSHINGS HAD FAILED AGAIN, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH SLIDING DOOR COMING OFF. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. AFTER RECEIVING VEHICLE SLIDING DOOR CAME OFF AGAIN. VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER. *AK THE VAN DOOR FELL OFF SECOND TIME DUE TO POOR REPAIR JOB. *YH
WHEN OPENING SLIDING DOOR, IT JUMPS LOWER TRACK AND HANGS, WHICH SEEMS THAT DOOR MAY HAVE FALLEN DOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SLC
HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORMER FORD TEC. THAT THE FRAME BUSHING HAVE FAILED ON A LOT OF WINDSTAR VANS AND THAT THE RUBBER SWRINKS WITH AGE AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO POP ANY TIME THAT THE TIME FRAME IS PUT IN A BIND.*AK
SLIDING DOOR FALLS OFF VEHICLE. TOP ATTACHMENT OF DOOR ONTO VEHICLE IS BROKEN WHY???? WE HAVE NORMAL USE BY FAMILY OF THREE. THE ROLLERS ON THE TOP SEEM TO BE WORN DOWN--SOME ARE SMALLER THAN OTHERS. WE TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR--"THEY NEVER SAW THAT BEFORE" DID NOT WANT TO FIX DID NOT HAVE PARTS TO FIX THE "TRIED" TO WELD SOME PART ON. COST US ABOUT $300 TO FIX. DOOR HAS COME OFF 2 MORE TIMES. THEY WANT MORE MONEY AND WILL TRY AGAIN. THEY DONT KNOW WHICH PART TO ORDER TO FIX THIS DOOR. I DON'T WANT THE DOOR TO FALL ON ANYONE AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. PLEASE HELP. VE COME OFF 2 MORETIMES. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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