Problems · by component

1998 Ford Windstar equipment problems

41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Windstar cite equipment, 2% of all 2,283 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
41
2% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the equipment

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“10/16/15 BOUGHT VAN. 10/30/15 STOP HAD TOWED HOME.CALL DEALERSHIP HAD TOWED TO THERE PLACE. THEY RAN A RED WIRE FROM FUSE RELAY TO INSIDE OF DASHBOARD TOOK OVER A WEEK GOT IT BACK. NOT IN EVEN WEEK LATER TRANSMISSION START MESSING UP TOLD THEM WOULDN'T CHANGE GEARS. IT WENT OUT. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FIX IT FILE COMPLAINT WITH (DMV) INVESTIGATOR GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM AGREEMENT WAS THEY WILL HAVE IT FIX WE DONT PAY LABOR, WE JUST PAY FOR TRANS AND FLUIDS. HAD IT TOWED THEY BEEN HAD VAN YEAR. 10/2016 THEY FOUND TRANS COST 515.PAID THEM. THEN IN 11/2016 SAID RADIATOR WAS CRACKED WE HAD TO PAY 102.84 ANOTHER MONTH 12/26/2016 GOT VAN. ITS MESSED UP SMOKING BRAKES BURNT UP.THE SPEEDOMETER LINES UNDER VAN NOT CONNECT JUST HANGING DONT MATCH UP ONE BROKE AT THE END. THE ODOMETER NOT HOOK UP. TOLD THEM THEN CARRIED TO INSPECTION FAILED. MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THEY LIED THE TRANS COST 250 THE GUY THAT WAS WORKING ON IT BUSTED RADIATOR BUSTED IT THEY DIDNT TELL US. THEY RESPONSIBLE .THE MILES HAVE BEEN ROLLED BACK.2 TIMES. 10/15/2015 SAYS 144448.NOW 01/02/17 SAYS 144208. THEY BEEN HAD A YEAR AND THE ODOMETER DISCLOUSUER STATEMENT WAS SIGNED BY THE LADY NOT ME ARE MY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2017Power train, EquipmentODI 10954533
“I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK WAS LEANING TO THE RIGHT SIDE. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACE A CONNECTOR IN THE LIFT SYSTEM ON APRIL 30,2008. THE LIFT SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING. 05/06/08. SINCE I PURCHASED MY 98,FORD EXPEDITION BACK IN 2000,THE LIFT SYSTEM HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I 'VE HAD THIS TRUCK. THE TRUCK WAS FLATBED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ON THE TRUCK NEVER CODED UNTIL THE 8TH OF MAY AT THE SHOP. WHEN THE LIFT/SUSPENSION FAILED NO INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THE REAR STARTED TO DROP AS I WAS DRIVING IT HOME. NOW I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT CONVERT TO A COIL SYSTEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 10, 2008Suspension, EquipmentODI 10227234
“HEATER COIL WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT RADIO WAS MAKING THE PART DEFECTIVE. THE COIL WENT OUT AGAIN, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DOWN. MANUFACTURER STATED NO MORE REPLACEMENTS. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2004Visibility, EquipmentODI 10101971
“CONSUMER RECEIVED SEVERAL RECALL/ CAMPAIGN NOTICE 03E003000 REGARDING DS-2000 PRIMARY DRIVING CONTROL SYSTEM. CONSUMER DID NOT AGREE WITH THE CAMPAIGNS THAT THE MANUFACTURER CALLED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THESE REPAIRS WERE VERY COSTLY, AND DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH DIRT AND FOREIGN MATERIALS ENTERING THE SYSTEM ,AND CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO OPERATE SLOWLY. THE CONTROLS ON THE SYSTEM HAD TO BE PRESSED FIRMLY UNTIL THE FUNCTION, E.G., SHIFTING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2004EquipmentODI 10055493
“SOME TYPE OF COMPUTER CHIP FAILED THAT ENABLE THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT GEARS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME. WE WERE TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT A RECALL WAS DONE ON THE PART. HOWEVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED, THE AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR WAS UNKNOWN. NOW THE PAINT IS FALLING OFF & RUSTING EVERYWHERE! STARTED TO RUST ON TOP OF THE VAN ROOF THEN PAINT STARTED "CHIPPING" ON THE ROOF SIDE, WAS SMALL AT FIRST THEN ONE DAY WE HAD A LOT OF RAIN AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN AT THE END OF THE DAY I NOTICED A LOT MORE PAINT MISSING. I TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND THIS IS NOT USUAL FOR ANY OF MY CARS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Equipment, Unknown or otherODI 10069262
“A/C OCT. 99 $168.98, DEC. 99 $134.40 SUSPENSION JULY 01 $664.61, DEC. 99 $515.85, JUN 01 $61.78, BODY JUN 01 $443.61 OTHER CD PLAYER JUN 01 $19.50 AND $366.86 TURN SIGNAL JAN 02 $161.04 DOME LIGHT JAN 02 $84.02 JAN 02 $89.72 DOOR OCT 99 $134.52, MAR 03 $285.07 STEERING SEPT.02 $258.82, MAR. 03 569.32 COMPUTER CONTROLS SEPT. 00 $106.02 ENGINE JAN 02 $784.75 COOLANT SMELL (FOUND FRONT COVER GASKET LEAKING) SEPT. 02 85.95 (TOLD THROTTLE BODY WORN OUT, SOLD ME UPDATE COMPUTER SOFTWARE, SEAMS TO RUN BETTER) CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A/C SYSTEM INTERMITTENT. MECHANIC FOUND ENGINE PROBLEM, SAYS MAIN BEARINGS OR CRANKSHAFT BAD, POSSIBLY DUE TO COOLANT IN OIL SYSTEM FROM JANUARY 02 PROBLEM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Steering, Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Visibility, Structure, Equipment, Unknown or otherODI 10070335

Showing 6 of 41 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.