Problems · by component

1996 Ford Windstar air bags problems

26 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Windstar cite air bags, 2% of all 1,404 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
26
2% of all complaints
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“ON JUNE 7 I WAS OUTSIDE OF OUR HOME AND NOTICED I SMELLED GAS NEAR MY WIFE'S VAN. AFTER INSPECTING I SAW THE TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL. I TOOK THE TANK OFF AND NOTICED THERE WAS PRESSURE TO THE TANK FROM THE FRONT STRAP. THE PRESSURE CAUSED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A STRESS CRACK WHERE THE STRAP HOLDS THE TANK. IT APPEARS TO ME THE STRAP IS TOO SMALL FOR THE TANK. FORD REFUSES TO FIX THIS AND WOULD RATHER MY WIFE AND CHILDREN RIDE AROUND IN A GAS LEAKING DANGER MACHINE. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 95000 MILES AND I FEEL THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED HERE AS IN THE 1995 WINDSTAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2008Fuel system, gasoline, Air bagsODI 10230440
“1996 FORD EXPLORER, 4X4. DRIVING IN DESERT WENT OVER A BUMP A LITTLE FAST, WHICH SET OFF MY AIRBAGS. MY RIDER IS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR BROKEN NOSE, CHEEK AND SOME KIND OF SMOKE INHALATION. MY WINDSHIELD IS BROKEN BECAUSE THE BAG HIT THE MIRROR WHICH THEN HIT THE WINDSHIELD. MY STEERING WHEEL IS DESTROYED, CRUISE CONTROL AND HORNS ARE OUT OF SERVICE. BEFORE I COULD DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN I HAD TO CUT THE AIRBAGS OUT. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR EXCEPT WHAT THE AIRBAGS DID. I WANT THIS ALL FIXED AT FORD'S EXPENSE. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR 10 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT; RECALLED TIRES, STEERING BARS AND BRAKES (ALL RECALL). *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2008Air bagsODI 10215325
“WHILE DRIVING 55 MP BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2004Air bagsODI 10089944
“AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINING ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN THE DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2001Air bagsODI 899512
“ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTL/SIMUTANEOUSLY COME ON AND CAUSE LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRACTICALLY, PARKING BRAKE AND BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE,ALSO THE POWER WINDOWS WERE INOPERATIVE.*SLC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2001Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Visibility, Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 899517
“WAS TRAVELING 40-45MPH IN FOGGY WEATHER WHEN A DEER APPEARED IN THE ROAD. HIT DEER & BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED,CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUFFER BURNS ON THE FACE & ARMS. ALSO, FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2000Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 857723

Showing 6 of 26 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.