Problems · by component

2002 Ford Windstar structure problems

104 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Windstar cite structure, 7% of all 1,396 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
104
7% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE) and 15V608000 (SUSPENSION). The contact stated that while approaching a traffic signal and driving slowly, the vehicle shook, and the engine shifted. The contact stated that the engine shifted to the right. In addition, the contact lost control of the steering wheel. The contact stated that the RPMs became elevated. The contact pulled over into a parking lot and turned off the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle, and upon inspection, became aware that the subframe had detached and was dragging. The contact believed that the motor mounts were fractured. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic, and the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle remained at the tow yard unrepaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2026Suspension, StructureODI 11720212
“Axle broke on rt side just underneath the bracket that ford installed for recall.i was only going 10mph when it happened no warning I was able to gain control and stop was towed into a shop not driveable if this seems to be a problem mine looked fine they must filled it up with expand foam I would think that would trap in more moisture but these are dangerous they should all be fixed or bought back from the customer”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 13, 2025Suspension, StructureCrash reportedODI 11660690
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V385000 (Suspension) and 11V030000 (Structure) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the subframe was severely corroded. The failure mileage 59,839.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2023Suspension, StructureODI 11504440
“The driver and passenger side sliding doors tend to not open or close correctly sometimes you have to manually pull them open or they do not completely close and you have to bump the back end of it to close right”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 29, 2022StructureODI 11495404
“ON SATURDAY AUGUST 29, 2020 I WAS DRIVING IN MY 2002 FORD WINDSTAR DOWN A ROAD THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE SPEED LIMIT OF THE ROAD IS 35 MPH AND THERE IS A CURRENT BUMP IN THE ROAD AT AN ASPHALT ELEVATION CHANGE. AS SOON AS I WENT OVER THE BUMP IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS SEVERELY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A LOUD "BANG" AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING WILDLY AND MAKING SEVERE NOISES. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAD OCCURRED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULL ONTO A SIDE STREET SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE REAR DRIVER-SIDE WHEEL WAS ANGLED INTO THE BODY OF THE VAN. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, PEERING UNDER THE VEHICLE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE ACTUAL CAUSE WAS THAT THE VEHICLE'S REAR AXLE HAD FRACTURED NEARLY COMPLETELY THROUGH (SEE PICTURES). IN THIS CONDITION BOTH REAR TIRES COLLAPSED INTO THE VEHICLE FRAME. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN RECALLS RELATED TO THE REAR AXLE ON THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. AFTER THE INSPECTION, I WAS INFORMED THAT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2020Suspension, StructureODI 11352877
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNKNOWN PART DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL THEN BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION) AND 11V030000 STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO METRO FORD CHICAGO (6455 S. WESTERN AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60636, (773)776-7600, TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIR BEING PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 144,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2020Suspension, StructureODI 11322732

Showing 6 of 104 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

1 recall on this component

Structure: underbody shields

Free remedy

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. A SEPARATION OF A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKET MAY RESULT IN A LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. A SEPARATION OF BOTH FRONT SUBFRAME REAR BODY MOUNTS MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT.

StructureReported Jan 26, 2011NHTSA 11V030000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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