1999 Ford Windstar: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 2039 complaints
2039
Total Complaints
101,850mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
64
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

72,700 25th Percentile
101,850 Median Mileage
135,046 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
184
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
156
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
109
SUSPENSION
82
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
77
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
76
SERVICE BRAKES
72
SUSPENSION:REAR
69
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
64
STEERING
53

Severity Assessment

64
Crashes
86
Fires
49
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALER OF PROBLEM. THE POWER DOORS CAN BE ACTIVATED BY A CHILD. THEY KEEP CLOSING & DO NOT STOP UNTIL THEY ARE CLOSED & LOCKED. CAN HAPPENS EVEN WHEN SOMETHING OR SOMEONE IS IN THE DOORWAY. *AK"
"WHEN TRYING TO PUT GAS INTO THE TANK THE PUMP DOES NOT FIT PROPERLY. IF CONSUMER PUTS THE PUMP ALL THE WAY IN THE TANK, THERE IS AN AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF THAT KEEPS CONSUMER FROM PUMPING . TO PUMP GAS CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD THE PUMP 1/3 OF AN INCH IN THE TANK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK"
"THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN IN THE 1999 WINDSTAR. FIRST, THE HORN REQUIRES EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE IN ORDER TO GET IT TO SOUND. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE ONE NEEDS A QUICK SOUNDING OF THE HORN. SECOND, A LARGE AREA OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE ONE WOULD EXPECT ..."

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