217 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Windstar cite service brakes, hydraulic, 10% of all 2,283 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.
“Bought replacement brake pads from RockAuto 07/08/2023 9:06PM order 244457897 that are supposed to be Bosch BSH BC702 ceramic. What arrived is unbranded, unnumbered tag torn off the box with no identifiers at all. All brake pads used should have numbers to identify street legal for use but these have NOTHING on them, the box, anything. Unsafe if cannot identify use. RockAuto wants me to pay for return for their mistake, but bigger problem is that unknown pads are being sent out by RockAuto. I still have unopened set if interested.”
“I WENT TO FORD DEALERSHIP IN DEC 09 RECEIVED INSPECTION ON RECALL # O9S09 AND 09SO9H ONLY. NOW HERE IN FEB. 2012 THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION,RIGHT FRONT TIRE WHEEL MAKES ALTO OF NOISE POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING STRANGE NOISE IS HEARD WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS,FORD SAID MY VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL SERVICE IT IS DUE . I BELIEVE THEY ARE WRONG ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS THE RECALLS REPORTED ARE MY PROBLEMS I HAVE PAPER WORK PROVIDING THEY ONLY RAN TEST ON RECALL #O9S09 AND 09S09H MY CAR IS IN SERIOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS HERE IN ILLINOIS.UNDER THE ORIGINAL OWNER FORD STATED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FURTHER REPAIR. FORD DEALERSHIP ROBERTS MOTORS 4350 ALBY ALTON IL 62002. *TR”
“THIS VEHICLE WAS PART OF A PREVIOUS RECALL. ALL THE FORD DEALER DID WAS INSTALL A FUSIBLE LINK IN THE SCDS CIRCUIT TO THE ABS BRAKE UNIT. SINCE THAT TIME, THE ABS BRAKES HAVE BECOME INOPERABLE AND WILL START PULSATING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS CAUSES DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. WE REQUEST THAT FORD REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SCDS SWITCH, WHICH THEY KNOW IS DEFECTIVE. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION OF THE SUB FRAME WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE CORRODED. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SUB FRAME FAILURE AND DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE SUB FRAME WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE TIE RODS, FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN ONE YEAR OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE WHEEL CYLINDERS, BRAKE ADJUSTERS, SPRING KIT, DRUMS, ROTORS, SHOES, AND PADS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNAL LEVEL STOPPED WORKING FOR THE LEFT SIDE. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THEN PULSATED BACK UP, AND THEN THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 02/01/12”
“"ABS" AND "TRAC OFF" LIGHTS COME ON CONSISTENTLY DURING WARM-WEATHER MONTHS AT SPEEDS OVER 60MPH. THIS MEANS ABS BREAKING IS DISABLED UNTIL CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. FORD DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. ISSUE COMMON PER THE BELOW LINK (SEE PROBLEM #2 SECTION). HTTP://WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALL.INFO/. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT ONCE HE TURNED ON THE HEATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,816.”
Showing 6 of 217 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. THE BRAKE FLUID MASTER CYLINDER IS RECESSED AND ORIENTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SO THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING STATEMENT EMBOSSED ON BOTH THE TOP OF THE FILLER CAP AND THE SIDE OF THE RESERVOIR BODY ARE NOT ENTIRELY VISIBLE BY DIRECT VIEW. THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT FULLY COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS."
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. MINI VANS SOLD DURING THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER 1996, AND JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MAY 1997. FRONT BRAKE CALIPER ANCHOR PLATE TO HUB AND SPINDLE ASSEMBLY BOLTS MAY BE LOOSE AS A RESULT OF AN INCOMPLETE TIGHTENING OPERATION AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.