Ford Windstar

hansj · May 2000

A big THANK YOU, bblaha, for your quick responce.
It will be of great help in my continued fight
for justice. hansj.

Karen_S · May 2000

Thanks, bblaha, for showing hansj the way!

KarenS
Vans host

tiredcanuck · May 2000

Just wanted to thank you all for the info on this site. We had a 98 Windstar. Heard a squeak in Nov/99 - had brakes checked. Service rep told me they were ready to change and as I gave him the go ahead the mechanic corrected him that he had the numbers backwards :-0 Went elsewhere to have brakes checked next time I heard squeak. Told not anything wrong with brakes. Husband drove vehicle to and from work and is a bit deaf so did not share my concern for "my squeak". This April I began driving vehicle to work and parking in underground lot. There was now a very definite squeak. 63,000 km (just over the warranty but 6 weeks before 3 years). Went to dealer and had it checked. Yup - tie rods :-) Managed to catch the mechanic between him parking the car and reporting to the service rep. "It's the tie rods, Ford has had problems with them; over warrantee - speak to the Service Manager" (nice guy :-)) Service Rep - tie rods estimate=$295Canadian. Went home because service rep made it sound as if mgr would not be any help. 3 weeks later the ignition switch broke and we were towed in. While waiting asked service rep about tie rods - he had not heard about tie rods. After waiting 2 hours for ignition to be fixed - I got mad enough to approach the manager who said yes he had handled some tie rod problems and Ford paid for it. Especially in our case where we were first owner and under 3 years and close to 60,000. They also approached Ford about the ignition. Service rep called me 3 days later and said to bring in van for new tie rods and alignment courtesy of Ford. We now have new tie rods paid 100% by Ford and the ignition paid 50% by Ford [cheque in the mail:-) ]

Your comments at this site certainly helped give me the info and strength to beat these guys! THANK YOU! Other than those problems the windstar has been a great vehicle. We used Chevron high octane gas, changed oil regularly, belts (once last fall) brakes 67,000 km - that's it except the recall for the gas gauge 'thingy' Ford did earlier.

But sad to say we have sold the Windstar this weekend and are buying a Dodge Dakota Quad cab - because of all the changes over the last 3 years (son away to university, daughter's family bought their own mini van, mother-in-law moved into the neighbourhood) we no longer need the van for people moving as often and wanted something to take fishing that handles a wet golden retriever better.

PS complained to the service manager about the problems with his service rep, but he is still working there :-0 We are no longer using their services - had our brakes done (67,000 km) at a place we have used the past 10 years for our '79 Ford F100.

Happy driving.

ravenrich · May 2000

I'm considering purchasing a 1996 Ford Windstar with 51,000 miles(LX version. Any comments? I believe the van was assembled in Canada in 5/96.

wholigan · May 2000

Take a look at the following:
Look at the topics here for Ford Windstar problems (#815), Ford Windstar problems II (#1295), Ford Windstar (#364), and Ford Windstar II (#972).
Take a look at the following links:
www.cartrackers.com
(under Forums, look for the following:
"The Windstar Report" and "Ford")
http://home.att.net/~ccatanese/ford/indexx.htm
http://www.fordwindstar.com
http://blueovalnews.com/fordtrans.htm

Bottom line; do you want to take the chance at having issues with the head gaskets, blown engines, failing transmissions, and other major expenses after your purchase? Around 60000 miles is the "general" failure time.

Ford has failed to acknowledge that there is a serious design flaw in the 3.8L V6 and the transmission that it is mated with fails at an uprescedented rate.

Whatever you do, educate yourself...

crkeehn · May 2000

Also realize that many of the sources above, are dealing with the 1995 Windstar. Both the 1996 and 1997 Windstars have proven to be much more reliable, according to Consumer Reports. There were changes made to the engine to handle increased horsepower, as well as a revised head gasket that improved the reliability.

wholigan · May 2000

Many of those links are for the 1995, however, the 1996 is "statistically" catching up with the 1995. The head gasket is only PART of the problem; Ford put an aluminum head on a cast iron block - the two metals expand and contract at different temperatures.

Personally, it is the right size for my family. I love the roominess and it has a decent ride. However, after living through the repair process for three replacement transmissions, the head gasket job, and an engine replacement, I would say that I am very well educated on how Ford is treating their customer. Need I mention the quality of their product and services (all done at Ford dealerships?). This has not been a desirable position.

Again, whatever you do, educate yourself.

http://consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_windstar_1996_gaskets.htm

avidmarc · May 2000

My wife and I are lloking into buying a mini van for the family. Looking at the Windstar, MPV from Mazda and Honda's version. If anyone has any useful information (problems/concerns or praises) regarding any of these please feel free to let me know. Thanks. I view this board as a major tool in purchasing a car.

Avidmarc@aol.com

c1054 · June 2000

I have a 1999 Windstar SEL that I bought last April. My wife and I (and kids) like the vehicle. The front seats are confortable and it's enjoyable to drive. The biggest problem we had was a rattle in the right sliding door, but that was fixed. The reverse sensor is a great option, and well worth the money. It costs less than most insurance policy deductibles, and it's already saved me from bumping into things. If you can get the 0.9% financing, it pays to finance as much as possible. We saved over $2,000 by financing every penny.

My brother-in-law has a 1999 Odyssey. He likes it and has not had any major problems. I think that the inside of the Odyssey is a bit Spartan and not as nice as the Windstar. Honda cut corners on things like the luggage rack; in the end, I believe that the Windstar gives you more bang for the buck, although Honda's disappearing rear bench is a great idea. The good news is that they are both nice vans, so you can't go wrong. Good luck.

rmblwind · June 2000

We recently (last week) traded up from a 97 GL to a 2000 LX. We did this for one reason, and one reason only, that being the two rear bench seats in the 97 did not have head restraints - not a problem when we bought it, and our children were smaller, but a safety issue now that their heads extended over the top of the seats.
We never had any of the problems described elsewhere in this group with our 97, although the Anti-Lock Braking System started to engage with routine braking at about 21K miles (and a few weeks past the 3 yr. warranty - the Extended Warranty took care of it, minus $100.00 deductible). Also, on our way from Long Island, NY to Florida this past April, the Check Engine light came on in Georgia. As we were driving it to a dealership in Fl to check it out, the light went out, so we never took it in. On the return trip, it came back on (again, in Georgia!), and stayed on until we went to take it to a local dealership, so we again did not take it in. (Who knows what THAT was about!) So if it wasnt for the rear head restraints issue, we might not have traded up at all. Based on our fairly good experience with the 97 (and a 0.9% finance program!) we went for a new Windstar. The dealer, Country Ford, in Levittown, NY, which I contacted via the internet, made an offer that was within dollars of what I had estimated as a fair price - same with the trade in - kudos to them, a no hassle buying experience! (Of course, maybe we just didnt drive the 97 enough - at 38 months we only had 24,650 miles!
But at less than 150 miles on the new Windstar, I have noticed a few items that no one has addressed at this forum. First off, I miss the slide out storage bin that we had under the front passenger seat, the Windstar just doesnt have enough storage up front without the center bin (which we didnt order, because we thought the under seat bin was standard equipment, and we like to be able to get to the back without climbing over a center bin, or exiting the van!)
Second, the big space at the bottom of the the front console used to have a rubber mat to provide some traction for the items stored there. Our new one doesnt, so things just fly out when we accelerate! (Does anyone else have a mat here? Im thinking of cutting up a computer mouse pad to fit in this!)
But more worrisome, is distortion on the front windshield! From the drivers seat, anything from center to my right side is wavy. If I sit in the front passenger seat, the distortion disappears - but I now see it if I look to my left at the drivers side! If you exit the van and look through the cab from driver side to the passenger side, and you look at, say, the parallel lines caused by the vinyl siding on my house, they split into shallow zs. (Its the same in the other direction, but not as dramatic.) In other words, the distortion increases with the distance. Is this a bug, or a feature? Has anyone else experienced this? - if so, did you bring it up with the dealership? What did they say? Should I be concerned? Any feedback would be much appreciated!
Other than that, we are quite happy with this new van. We would like to hear from other owners of a 2000 Windstar LX, for their comments and/or experience - negative or positive. Thanks for this forum where consumers can exchange information.

philhy · June 2000

(wholigan) writes:
"Ford put an aluminum head on a cast iron block - the two metals expand and contract at different
temperatures"

This has been a very common practice in the automotive industry for quite some time. The fact that Ford might have screwed this particular engine up not withstanding, this fact alone should not deter anyone from buying a vehicle with a similar engine. I would venture to say that probably every competing minivan has the same aluminum heads on an iron block. In fact, it might even be correct to argue that the Japanese manufacturers did this first.

Regards,
Phil

wholigan · June 2000

This is only one example of engineering issues with the Ford 3.8L engine. It is obvious that technology is moving engines toward lightweight aluminum (the Honda 3.5 is an "Aluminum-Alloy"), however, why is it that Ford is having SO MANY problems while other manufacturers are not? What is causing the head gaskets to fail? Why is it that most of head gasket failures occur around Cylinder #4? Why is that so many front main bearings fail after the head gasket is replaced? Not to mention the Timing Gasket failure... Did I mention the transmission? Oooops; we were talking abount engines ;-)

Anyhow, thanks for the clarification!

cptplt · June 2000

My own 2000 SE doesn't have that problem or any number of LXs I have driven at work. Must be a manufacturing defect. Make the dealer check it out or show you others in his lot who have the same problem.
I had a problem with a replacement windshield on another car, I got a headache anytime I looked straight ahead! Somehow my brain must have gotten used to it because it doesn't bother me now unless I try to look for the "defect"!

w_harris · June 2000

Does anyone have experience with the factory entertainment system in the 2000 Windstar? My dealer has never seen it and does not know much about it.

Also, are there any changes expected in the 2001 Windstar? My lease is up in August.

bdemas · June 2000

w_harris: The system doesn't have a TV tuner. It does have a remote, a set of inputs for video games and 2 headphone jacks with headphones. It flips up from the back of the floor console. The console and viewing screen cover are all plastic and feel kind of cheap. The console also sticks further back into the second row then the normal floor console. My kids have kicked the normal console multiple times and I'd be afraid of them breaking that part of it.

We were thinking of getting this option, but chose not too (besides, the van that had it was the wrong color). We talked with a couple of dealers and both recommended buying an after market system. Hope this helps.

chordbuster · June 2000

I just bought a new 2000 Windstar LX and edmunds report of a floaty ride are true. My wife said she got sick driving the first one home. We took it back the next day and drove 3 other Windstars which she reported all drove differently. We wound up taking home a Windstar with 16" aluminum wheels and the ride on this vehicle was superior to the other three. She said that after driving all four vans, she could rate the ride different for each one. My advice , if you are interested in getting one of these vans, is to take it for a long drive to see how it handles. We really wanted an Odyssey, but we couldn't wait the 3 to 6 months delay in delivery. Now we really like our Windstar.

bblaha · June 2000

You might want to go over and read thru topic 420 - Minivan Entertainment Systems.

lanny3 · June 2000

We have a 2000 Windstar with about 3000 miles on it and have recently heard a grinding sound on three occasions when shifting from park to drive or reverse. It is a loud and disturbing sound. Has anyone else had this problem and any ideas on the cause?

lsg1 · June 2000

I have the same problem that you do. My 2000 windstar makes a grinding sound intermittently when starting, and/or shifting out of park. I've
noticed that it only happened when the car has not been started in over a day. I brought it into the shop, and they could not find anything wrong. If you bring yours in, and they find something, please post it, so that I can bring it in with some information. Thanks!!

lanny3 · June 2000

lsgl

I will post here if I find out anything.

Ours too only makes the grinding sound after car has been sitting for a while, and we noticed the last two times has been in damp humid weather...don't know if there is a connection.

naugstar2000 · June 2000

For those interested in the TV/VCR thread, we've had our 2000 Windstar for about six weeks now. Dealer had installed the aftermarket Rosen 6.4 system which we love.

Haven't seen the stock FORD setup, but we're more than pleased with the flexibility. Standard jacks PLUS, of course, but also extremely well integrated with stock audio controls- both in the dash and in the roof. Listener have their choice of entertainment whether they are headphoned in by wire to the roof jack, wirelessly via the Rosen headphones or via the speakers in the dash and doors. We can actually have three separate media playing AT ONCE!

I don't think the salesperson even realized this.

As we were stuck on the Jersey turnpike on Memorial Day weekend, it became well worth it to us. Maintained family sanity.

Highly recommend to those in the market. Screen size (6.4") is fine from the back row and the flip-up capabilty is VERY discrete. Out of sight out of mind.

cptplt · June 2000

gas pedal on my 2000 SE seems to have some play in it and it clicks and moves a few mm when you depress it before there is any resistance and any acceleration. Anyone noticed this in their car? I'm waiting till my first oil change to get it looked at but my 95 didn't do that, or any other car I've driven!

terypirate · June 2000

We are looking to replace our 97 Dodge GC Sport which we have had on lease for 42 months, 40k miles, and no problems. One small complaint is that we wish we had larger than than the 3.3 engine. We have narrowed the search to another Dodge,Windstar, or the least likely, a Honda. We are looking at a 2000 or 2001 model. Have done some examination of purchasing a Canadian vehicle and spoken to a couple of importers, to no avail, as they seem to think they should take the lion's share of the discount disparity. Is there any real possibility of purchasing a grey market vehicle at substantial savings??? Would be appreciative of any good information along this line at TChristensen@mn.rr.com

carl54 · June 2000

The rug in the back of my 2000 Windstar (600 miles)is "bubbled up" under the back seat. If I push down on it it goes down but springs back up. It sort of feels like there is warped paneling underneath. The dealer checked it out and said the electrical harness underneath was fine and that he examined a bunch of other Windstars and they were all the same. I have my doubts. Has anyone else encountered anything like this? Thanks.

birkiebob · June 2000

Back at Posts 103 and 109 I mentioned I was having tie rod ends changed in my '98 GL, and that the radio whine @2500rpm under electrical load would be subject of a DSB hearing. The tie rod ends were replaced, ALONG with a right-front bearing and hub assembly I wasn't even aware of (dealer noticed it). Handling is much tighter now. At the same time the dealer also took one last shot at the annoying radio whine that appears around 2500rpm with the lights on and the a/c on (I drive this way frequently). He tried a new engine wiring harness and just got done putting it in before the DSB hearing. YAY!, it worked-no more whine-FINALLY-after at least ten tries by two dealers(one gave up)!! Now the interesting part: The DSB came back with a denial because they said a couple repair orders ago a noise suppression device had been installed, and since that didn't eliminate the whine it had to be a "normal characteristic of the vehicle." Needless to say I informed the DSB that the dealer had eliminated it with a new harness, therefore it is NOT normal and their DSB process is flawed. Except,... maybe the DSB contact with the dealer prompted the harness change...? I must say my faith is a bit shaken, although I love my van and it is running great right now. I just hope any more serious problems surface before my warranty runs out in about 3000K. I also asked Ford for another two years of warranty (fat chance), and I did write the dealer/service manager and commend him for "never giving up trying." End of this saga...for now.

avs · June 2000

I bought my windstar in 98. It is GL model with 3.8L engine. It has 13600 miles and never had any problems until few days ago. One day hot summer day, it just stopped on the road. I tried starting it but it refused. I had it towed to the dealer. After two days, the dealer told me the fuel pump has a electronic malfunction and the dealer changed the Fuel pump and whole gas tank (he told me that the fuel pump is also linked to gas tank electronically). It was covered in warranty. Did any one else face this problem ever. What should I do. Should I contact Ford Motor. Having such a serious problem with such a low mileage is not good. It has shaken my confidence in my van which I use to like.

plake · June 2000

I am planning to buy a 2000 Ford Windstar with the 3.8 V-6. Can anyone comment on problems encountered with this vehicle

hale5 · July 2000

MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY TEST DROVE THE WINDSTAR AND I FEEL IN LOVE WITH IT. OF COURSE, MY HUSBAND WAS LOOKING AT THE BIG GAS GUZZLER, EXPEDITION. I AM CONCERNED HOWEVER, THAT ITS GETTING ALOT OF BAD PUBLICITY. PLEASE STEER ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I AM LOOKING FOR A NICE MINI VAN LUXARY STYLE. THANKS

michaelg4 · July 2000

I had a engine noise (Spark Knock) noise from my 99 3.8 engine. After much persistance on my part, my dealer installed a new engine. I just picked it up yesterday and so far so good. The service manager insists that I always use 87 octane gas (despite what we've always been told). Luckily I had documents from earlier visits to the shop telling me to use a higher octane gas to correct the noise problem. The higher ocatne gas resulted in a major build up of carbon which eventually damaged the pistons.

wacdmc · July 2000

We recently purchased a 2000 SE. Right away, we noticed the engine sometimes failed to start right away. The starter would crank perfectly but it would take 2-3 times or 4-5 seconds to start. Other times, it would start perfectly with one turn of the key. Once running, the van is great. Of course, the dealer can only diagnose problems by hooking up the computers and if it doesn't kick out a code, they don't have a clue. They did reproduce the extended start but did not determine a cause. I had it checked on out FL to NY trip last week and have not had the time to get it to my dealer here in FL. Anyone had a similar problem and if so, what did they fix? I have a hunch it is a fuel pressure regulator that may be letting the pressure drop in the fuel system. Thanks.

zim5 · July 2000

Greetings Everyone. I'll be traveling to the
Jersey Shore in August and I was wondering if
anyone can recommend a good trunk mounted bike
rack that would hold three bikes. I have a 98
Windstar LX and I don't have a trailer hitch.
I need the space on the roof rack for luggage.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

mspangler1 · July 2000

Alot of people are talking about their windstar problems so i'll talk about mine. I used to have a 1998 it got 40,000 miles before trading it in. I never had any problems with it. I really like my new 2000 but it does have its falts. About a month after purchasing it its main computer failed, which ford replaced with no problems. The brakes squeak and ford says there is nothing wrong, its not that bad though. I still really like the van and wouldn't get any other van than the windstar.

dwible1 · July 2000

I looked up a link on this topic but not sure of answer. I am looking for a site to tell me the loan value of a vehicle.

I know edmunds does this but is that what a bank would loan someone?

thanks in advance.

bdemas · July 2000

Does anyone know if rear mudflaps are standard on this model? The sales literature I have doesn't indicate one way or the other. The pictures show some with some without.

raykrol · July 2000

I've had a 2000 Windstar for the last 6 months and I love it. No maintenance problems, it runs great and I like how much room (interior) it has. I have been up in the "Poconos, PA" during the last winter and it has handled great. I hope to keep this Ford Windstar for many years.
RayKrol

kr70 · July 2000

In response to post 133, I just had my fuel injector replaced on a 99 Windstar SE. It took 4 days. The car is barely one year old and has 14K on it. Is this normal? I'm now a very nervous Ford owner.

I am also have difficulty with the audio system. Anyone with these issues or solutions in how to work with Ford dealers? Thank you.

bblaha · July 2000

I don't know if you still need an answer to your question or not. Banks use their own policy, so you're not going to find a site that tells you exactly what a bank will do; many however will lend up to 100% of the blue book value. Kelly Blue Book is typically used. The best way to get an answer to your question is to ask the bank or CU. They can tell you what their policy is.

ola1 · July 2000

I have a 98 Windstar with 41,000 miles. I just replaced the transmission @ acost 0f $2675. It has 6 months left on the warranty and Ford will not assist in the repair because it is over 36,000 miles.I have seen reports of this problem elsewhere but none here.

sutohe · July 2000

Has anyone with the 2000 Windstar experiencd problems with the power steering (loose bolts, the pump assembly or the power steering rack)?

homer61388 · July 2000

My question is how well does a Windstar with traction control compare up against a chrysler TC with AWD. Because I work with someone who is considering these two vans and is wondering how they travel in the snow. She's kind of leaning to the windstar because of the safty it promotes and because it will have better fuel economy then an AWD TC. Can anyone give me info on this question?

Another question I have is can you carry a 4x8 piece of plywood in the windstar? Because her husband does a lot of work with houses and knows the TC can but is wondering about the windstar?

boulderbrew · July 2000

I have one of the dreadful 1995 Windstars. Have already been through the head gasket problem and currently working with the transmission failure. The transmission has been rebuilt three times in past six months. The scenario is that things are working fine then the overdrive light begins blinking, 4th gear is gone, then third fails leaving only 1st & 2nd. The last time even 1st & 2nd failed. Aamco claims the tranny is being sent a bad signal by the car's computer but Ford cannot diagnose any such bad sensors. Anyone else with similar experiences?

2akitas · July 2000

We had a similar problem. We never had to rebuild, our tech found our battery was not up to snuff and the alternator was weak. He said the computer needs constant, strong power to function. Ours seems to be doing good now. All we did was repace the battery. Just out of curiosity, have your battery tested. By the way, we use a private mechanic, no more dealing with Ford!

tboner1965 · July 2000

2akitas has a good idea. Does AAMCO want to replace the computer? It is pretty simple to do. I took the EEC out of my Ford vehicle to install a superchip and returned it to the vehicle in 60 minutes.

If the shop wants to do this, make the following deal with them. They replace the computer, but if that doesn't work, they re-install your original computer and all you pay is the one or two hours of labor. It should be about an hour as there is one connector to the computer and one or two bolts holding it in place.

If they are certain of the diagnosis, they should have no problem with this agreement.

But first, have the charging system and battery checked.

HTH

Cheers,

TB

mcdill · July 2000

hello windstar owners , from 1 to 10 how would you rate the new 3.8's power and refinement, 1 being worst and 10 being best. thanks----------------mattmcdill

Pinkfloyd · July 2000

I've got a 2000 Windstar LX. The 3.8L has alot of power and torque. It could be a bit more refined in terms of noise when accerlating. It doesn't strain, it's just a bit noisy. I rate it a 8.

honken · July 2000

Hi!

I have bought a ford windstar -99 3.0.

Is this a good car? I have not get it yet.

Please excuse my poor english.

Honken

madmack · July 2000

The radio stays on when the keys are removed from the ignition....is this normal? Have CD with rear media controls.

bdemas · July 2000

madmack: It's normal, the radio will stay on for about 10 minutes as long you don't open any doors.

dannynoonan1 · July 2000

I need help from "KENT25 and ANIGHTMARE" Please E-MAIL me so I can understand your sceanrio with FORD leading to the "buyback" rickhault@cyber-wizard.com

honken · July 2000

What is the most usual problem with a Ford Windstar -98?

Anyone?

Honken

Ford Windstar

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles