1998 Ford Windstar: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1948 complaints
1948
Total Complaints
90,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
84
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

58,822 25th Percentile
90,000 Median Mileage
125,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
255
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
110
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
86
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
79
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
57
SUSPENSION
55
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
53
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
52
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
42
SUSPENSION:FRONT
41

Severity Assessment

84
Crashes
90
Fires
88
Injuries
4
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BRAKE CALIPER DISCONNECTED, JUST FELL OFF. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK"
"LEFT FRONT CALIPER LOCKS UP AND NOT RETRACTING."
"WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD SHIFT ON TRACKS; WOULD NOT LOCK IN. WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR TAKING OFF FROM STATIONERY POSITI0N, SEAT MOVES FORWARD. TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SEAT TRACKS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28