Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 811 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 811, in the owner's own words
OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING AND DOES NOT GO INTO GEARS AS IT SHOULD. ALSO HAVE RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE STRUTS--BROKE AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG. HAD TO REPLACE REAR AXLE ALREADY AND HAVE BEEN TOLD MY YEAR OF WINDSTAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *TR
I HAVE A 95 FORD WINDSTAR (89K) LX3.8; DTC P0306.... GAVE RICH CONDITION, BLACK SMOKE OUT TAILPIPE, EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION ... DON'T STAY RUNNING. SPENT MORE THAN $4,000 ON THE REPAIRS DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. - HAVE REPLACED ALL O2 SENSORS; - HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS/ WIRES; - HAVE REPLACED STARTER/ BATTERY; - HAVE REPLACED ALL THE UPPER INTAKE GASKETS AND INTAKE ISOLATOR BOLTS; - HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR #6; - HAVE HAD REPLACED ALL WATER PUMP/GASKET, A/C AND TRANSMISSION TWO YEARS AGO STILL DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NEED RUN THE COMPRESSION TEST FOR ANY MECHANIC ISSUES BUT DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO SO' FORD DON'T WANT HELP ANYTHING/REPAIRS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
DRIVING HOME FROM A 1HR TRIP TURNED IN TO A 3HR TIP HOME.RPMS GOING UP TO HIGH AND SPEED DROPS. LIKE PULLING A BIG LODE. HAD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A WINNING OR RACING SOUND. NO LIGHTS CAME ON NO SHAKING OR RUFF RIDE. WOULD BE LIKE THIS FOR A BIT THEN RUN FINE FOR A BIT THEN DO IT AGEN.STOPPED CHECKED FLUIDS ALL FINE.GOT HOME AND RAN TO PARTS STORE PUT IT ON THE READ OUT.NOTED THEN OD BLINKING BUT NO CODS FOR TRANS AXEL CAME UP. BUT YET THE BOOK SAYS THAT IS A TRAN AXEL MAL. THEY GUY HIT RESET AND THE OD STOPPED BLINKING. PUT IT IN SHOP AND THEY CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG THEY GOT NO CODS. FOR THE TRANS AXSEL.TOLD ME TO COME GET IT THEY SPENT TO MUCH TIME ON IT AS IT IS. YA 45MINS. OUT OF ONE DAY.ALL THEY DID WAS DRIVE IT AND SEEN IT WAS DOING WHAT I SAID.THATS IS TO MUCH TIME.BUT FEELS IT HAS TO BE INTERNAL TRANS.$45 FOR THAT.NOW WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALER $80 FOR THEM TO SEE WHAT IT IS IF THEY CAN AND THEN FIX WHAT EVER IT IS AND GOD KNOWS HOW MUCH IT WILL BE TO FIX.I AM SURE I CAN NOT AFFORD IT.I AM LEFT WITH A CAR.THIS IS MESSED UP.FORDS ARE A MESS.AND PEOPLE LIKE ME PAY FOR IT.I HAVE HAD ONE PROB.AFTER ANOTHER AND HAVE ONLY HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS MOM HAD IT BEFORE THAT FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS. SHE HAD THE SERVES ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A LONG TIME BUT SHOP FOUND NOTHING WRONG. IT WENT OFF ONE DAY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN. IT IS NOW ON AGAIN.
1995 FORD WINSTAR TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 72,252 MILES. TRANSMISSION BEGAN SMOKING AND FLUID LEAKED OUT. WHILE CHANGING OIL GASKET, FOUND CHUNKS OF METAL IN PAN. DESPITE CHANGING OIL GASKET AND PUTTING IT NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID, CAR STILL HESITATES AND JERKS AT STOP LIGHT, SIGN. TOLD TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
PURCHASED THE VAN USED IN 2004. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES, ALTHOUGH PERIODICALLY THEY MADE A NOISE AND WOULD STIFFEN UP, THEN THE PEDAL WOULD GO SLACK AND THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. THE MUFFLER FELL OFF AND WAS PUT BACK ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN ON, WHEN HOOKED UP TO THE COMPUTER IT ONLY SHOWED CODES FOR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THEN IT STARTED OVERHEATING AND A BIT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE TAILPIPE. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND THE VAN DIDN'T HAVE MUCH POWER AND WOULD STALL OUT WHILE EMITTING A THICK CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPE. MECHANIC SAYS NOW THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN. *JB
TL*- THE FRONT TRANSMISSION SEAL ON HIS 1995 FORD WINDSTAR FAILED AND STARTED A FIRE, SPREADING OIL ALL OVER. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING REBUILT. THIS WAS THE SECOND FORD WINSTAR THAT THE CONTACT HAD PURCHASED AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD AT LEAST FIVE VEHICLES PER YEAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE ARE ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS ON 4 OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING EVEN AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE. ON THE FOURTH VISIT THE MECHANICS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION AND DETERMINED THAT THE COIL SPRINGS WERE OUT DATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED REGARDING COIL SPRINGS THEY DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PROTECTED UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER.
FORD WINDSTAR 1995-TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETE FAILURE. HIT GAS AND WAS UNABLE TO GO IN ANY GEAR. TRANSMISSION REPAIR FACILITY SAID FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY ALUMINUM PISTON, REPLACED WITH STEEL. ALSO FACILITY REPORTED FORD SUGGESTS OVERFILLING TRANSMISSION WITH FLUID SO SUFFICIENT FLUID IS AVAILABLE WHEN TURNING CORNERS. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS OVER $2000. *NM
TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED BY A FORD DEALER IN 1997 WITH A $400 DEDUCTIBLE. TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN IN 2002 AND WAS REBUILT. THE VAN IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR MORE TRANSMISSION WORK AT THE COST OF $1995. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THIS CREATED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR MY CHILDREN AND I. THE COST OF REPAIRS THIS TIME WILL EXCEED $2000 AT AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TCP PREVIOUSLY. I PUSH FOR A RECALL AND FOR FORD TO OFFSET THE COST OF SEVERAL TRANSMISSION OVERHAULS.*AK
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REBUILT/REPLACED. AT 80,000 MILES. I DO NOT TOW WITH THE VEHICLE NOR DID I ABUSE IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP FOUND BITS OF METAL IN FLUID. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON JUNE 3, 2005 AND THE ODOMETER READ 59,000 MILES. CONTACT RAN A CAR FAX REPORT, AND IN THE YEAR 2000 THE REPORT WAS SHOWING 100,300 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION, HEAD GASKET, AND FUEL INJECTION BROKE. SHE SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP, AND STATED WHEN THEY SOLD THE VAN FOR SOMEONE ELSE THEY WOULD TRY TO GET CONTACT MONEY BACK. *AK
DEFECTIVE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR WITH RECURRENT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. *BF THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED SOON AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE KNOCK FOR THE 3RD TIME WHICH WAS DUE TO A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. *JB
CAR ENGINE WAS SKIPPING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT MID SPEEDS, AUTO SHOP SAID IT WAS EITHER THE TORQUE CONVERTER STARTING TO GO BAD OR THE TRANSMISSION HAD A SHORT IN THE OVERDRIVE SWITCH. NEXT NIGHT AFTER DRIVING APPROX 30 MILES, PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY, 20 MINUTES LATER, WHOLE FRONT END OF CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. CAR WAS TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. *JB
ENGINE HAS BEEN SPUTTERING, FLASHING OVERDRIVE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. REAR PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS WON'T OPEN, RADIO CONSOLE STARTED TO GET REAL HOT AND THEN WENT OUT. ENGINE CONTINUES TO SPUTTER AS THOUGH ITS SKIPPING A GEAR, AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT CONSTANTLY BLINKING.*AK
I ASKED THE SELLER AT FORD TO COMPLETELY SERVICE THE VAN BEFORE I WOULD BUY IT. HE SAID HIS MECHANIC WOULD. I CHECKED THE VAN OUT TWO WEEKS LATER, LOW ON OIL, NO BRAKE FLUID, TRANS FLUID VERY LOW, NO WATER HARDLY AT ALL IN RECEIVER, THEN THE STARTER WENT OUT, REPLACED IT NO GOOD, REPLACED SWITCH, NO GOOD, BRAKES GONE OUT, CAN'T KEEP FLUID IN SYSTEMS, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, EMISSION PROBLEMS, MECHANIC STALLS FOR THE HOUR AMOUNT, AND STILL CAN'T FIX/TEST II CODE. INSIDE LIGHTS DIM WHEN EXTRA. LIGHTS COME ON. IT'S A [XXX] PIECE OF JUNK AND THEY SOLD US A LEMON. I PAID OVER $4,000.00 CASH FOR IT, AND ALL THEY WANTED TO SO WAS SELL IT FOR MONEY. WHAT CAN I DO? IT HAS 72,000 ETC MILE AND NOW HAS 82,000. WE ARE BOTH DISABLED WITH TWO KIDS. WE HAVE BEEN SCREWED. I CAN GET THE FORD INFO ON THE FORD WINDSTAR 95 3.8 IT RATTLES, WATER RUNS OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE CONVERTER. I WANT TO SUE THEM, I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THE HELL WITH YOU, YOU BOUGHT IT AS IT WAS. FORD PRODUCTS ARE THE WORST AUTO'S ON THE MARKET. WE WANT REVENGE AND ALL OUR MONEY BACK NOW. [XXX]. WHAT IS NEXT A HEAD GASKET? I HEARD THAT COST OVER $1,600.00 TO FIX. AND THERE ARE ALOT OF THEM GOING OUT. FORD NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND IT'S PRODUCTS OR GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS. I HAVE HAD MY KIDS TOSSED TO THE DASH WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKES BEFORE WE EVEN GET OUT OF OUR DRIVE WAY. WE WEAR SEATBELTS, I WOULDN'T DARE RIDE IN IT. IT IS A DEATH TRAP TO ME.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS, TRANSMISSION, AND FAULTY BRAKES ON 1995 FORD WINDSTAR.*MR *JB
MY 1995 FORD WINDSTAR DIED OUT ONE DAY WHILE PARKING AT A STORE. IT STARTED UP AGAIN AND I IGNORED IT. A MONTH LATER IT MADE A STRANGE NOISE SO I HAD IT LOOKED AT. I WAS TOLD A PISTON WENT OUT IN MY ENGINE AND I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I REPLACED IT AND NOW IT COSTANTLLY DIES OUT. I HAD REPLACED MANY PARTS SUCH AS THE IDLE AIR CONTROL MOTOR, IDLE SPEED CONTROL SENSOR,MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, AND NOW I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE POWERTRAIN COMPUTER MODULE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A GREASY SUBSTANCE ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD AND SMELT SMOKE. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO CHECK THE SMELL, BUT DIDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM. THEN, CONSUMER PULLED BACK ONTO THE ROAD, DROVE FOR A FEW SECONDS, BEFORE PULLING INTO A GAS STATION. CONSUMER WAS ALERTED BY THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATED THE FIRE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION SEAL FAILURE. *AK
I HAVE OWNED MY VAN SINCE JANUARY 2000. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING, MY VAN HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, WHICH WAS FIXED UNDER THE FORD RECALL. STILL WITHIN THE RECALL, A HEAD GASKET BLEW AGAIN. FORD TOLD ME THE RECALL ONLY ALLOWS FOR A ONE TIME REPAIR. SINCE THEN, MY VAN IS ON ITS THIRD ENGINE AND THIRD TRANSMISSION. MOST RECENTLY WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE MAIN COMPUTER AS WELL. WE HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY FIXING THE VAN THAN WHAT WE PAID FOR IT. *AK
CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY PENDING CLASS ACTION SUITS AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY REGARDING ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1995 FORD WINDSTAR. *LA *SC *JB
HAD TO HAVE HEADS REPLACED, ELECTRONIC BRAIN, AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ALL WITHIN 1 1/2 YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION FAILED TO CHANGE GEARS SMOOTHLY AS NORMAL. GEARS WOULD SLIP AND PERFORM ERRATICALLY. A TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
1995 FORD WINDSTAR TRANSMISSION "LURCHES" INTO 1ST GEAR WHEN IN PARK. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!. ALMOST RAN INTO SOMEONE IN A PARKING LOT, TRYING TO TURN INTO A SPACE AND IT LURCHED FORWARD MISSING THEM. SCARED TO DEATH. *AK I WENT DIRECTLY HOME AND WHILE AT A STOP SIGN IT LURCHED AGAIN, HOWEVER I WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY NOT TO RUN INTO THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. GETTING THIS FIXED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG AND QOUTED ME A PRICE QUICKLY, AFTER SAYING THEY DO THESE ALL THE TIME..... MAYBE FORD SHOULD BE REPLACING THIS.....AND REIMBURSING US...... BEFORE SOMEONE DIES!!!
IN JUNE '99 TOOK VAN IN AS PER OWNER NOTIFICATION TO HAVE HEAD GASKET CHECKED. DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING. IN NOV '99 HEAD GASKET FAILED. FORD WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. IN DEC '99 SENT LETTER TO TX STATE ATTY GENERAL CONSUMER DIVISION WITH LISTS OF COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THIS WEB SITE. IN FEB '00, FORD MOVED WARRANTY UP TO 100,000 MILES AND GOT REFUND. IN MAY '00 ENGINE FAILED. IN AUG '00 FORD REPLACED ENGINE WITH ANOTHER 3.8 L. IN SEPT '00 TRANSMISSION STARTED FAILING (BUT NOTICED PROBLEM SINCE DAY PURCHASED. DEALERSHIP STATES PROBLEM IN ALL WINDSTARS, TAURUSES, AND SABLES. IN FEB '03, REPLACED TRANSMISSION. IN NOV '03 HEAD GASKET FAILS AGAIN IN NEW MOTOR CLOSE TO 60,000 MILES ON THIS MOTOR. FORD WILL DO NOTHING. SEEK HELP THROUGH YOUR STATE ATTY GENERAL CONSUMERS AFFAIRS OFFICE, SEND COPY OF LETTER TO FORD, YOUR LOCAL BBB, DETROIT BBB, AND CONSUMER REPORTS. ALSO, MY ENGINE CUTS OFF WHEN TAKING OFF AFTER STOPPED WITH WHEELS TURNED SHARPLY LEFT OR RIGHT.
AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES ON THE INTERSTATE, WE WAS DRIVING IN TOWN, MADE A STOP AT THE STORE, WHEN WE LEFT THE STORE WE STOPED AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY, WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING.*AK AFTER TALKING TO SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS, AND TAKING VEHICLE TO FORD SHOP WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE WINDSTAR VAN. ( TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING ) HAD THIS HAVE HAPPEND ON THE INTERSTATE ITY COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT, OR EVEN A FATALITY...
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.
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