NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1995 Ford Windstar. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
TRANSMISSION/ABS BRAKES/ELECTRIC WINDOWS, AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. ALSO, SLIDING DOOR COMES OFF.
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO DESIGN MATERIAL (ALUMINUM).
TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE AND THERE ARE CONSTANT BRAKE PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO BE UNREPAIRABLE.
WEAK ALUMINUM FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON (DESIGN) CRACKED CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL.
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE WHEN VEHICLE IS SLOWING DOWN. 1ST GEAR HAS FAILED. REVERSE GEAR HAS BEGUN TO SLIP OUT. CANNOT SHIFT FROM PARK OR DRIVE INTO REVERSE. WHEN ENGINE IS COLD TRANSMISSION WILL ENGAGE INTO REVERSE.
TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE ROLLED BACK WHILE IN DRIVE UPON LIFTING FOOT OFF BRAKE.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND WITHOUT VEHICLE COLLISION OCCURRING THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NONE PROVIDED.
ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED DURING BRAKING, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE/BRAKES FADING. *AK
FRONT RIGHT FRAME OF DOOR LEAKS.
WHEN APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE, THEN SUDDENLY JUMPED FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. *AK
TRANSMISSION CLUTCH PISTON HAS HAIRLINE CRACK. CAUSES TRANSMISSION TO JUMP INTO FIRST GEAR FROM A STOPPED POSITION. REAR BRAKES CONTINUALLY SQUEAL. RIGHT FRONT BRAKE INTERMITTENTLY LOCKS UP. ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDS REPLACEMENT. FRONT SHOULDER BELTS GET TANGLED AND TWISTED AT THE POINT WHERE THEY FEED THROUGH A METAL D-SHAPED CLIP ON THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. BELT CAN'T FULLY RETRACK.
SUMMARY NOT PROVIDED BY CONSUMER.
FRONT CALIPERS LOCKED UP, DESTROYING ROTORS AND PADS. DEALERS REPLACED CALIPERS/PADS AND ROTORS. 13,000 MILES, LATER DEFECT REOCCURRED.DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT. *AK
IE 98 080;TIMING GASKET IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, CAUSING THE HEADGASKETS TO FAIL. DEALER ARE AWARE OF DEFECT. *AK
ENIGINE MOTOR BLOWER FAN HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES FOR A TICKING SOUND THAT IT STILLS MAKES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER
BOB KEIM REPLACE CONTROL ARM / SPINDLE ASSEMBLY FIRST WEEK OF JAN. 1998. THIS WAS COVERED UNDER FORD 3 YEAR 36 MONTH WARRANTY. BOB KEIM WOULD NOT REPLACE TRANSMISSION AS 36 MONTH WARRANTY EXPIRED APRIL 3RD WHICH WAS THE DATE THAT VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUT INTO SERVICE. AMCO COMPLETELY REBUILD TRANSMISSION FOR ME 5/15/98 AT A COST OF $1,958.99
BRAKE LINE RUPTURED, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE BRAKE LINE, RESULTING IN COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
RECALL NOT IN THE SYSTEM. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL REGARDING THE HEAD GASKET. DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE RECALL. STATED ALL PARTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IIN RECALL . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
FORD PAID A PORTION OF THE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT PRIOR TO THE RECALL. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION WHEN I INITIALLY DETECTED IT AT 32K MILES. IN LATE NOVEMBER THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR INTO NEUTRAL ON CITY STREETS, MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. FORD WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE PAID THE MAJORITY OF THE BILL, LEAVING ME WITH A BALANCE OF $500.00. FOUR DAYS AFTER THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE FOR ME OR MY CHILDREN.
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER SAYS NEEDS NEW HEAD GASKETS. *AK
FORD HAD SENT LETTER ON THIS BUT EXTENED WARRENTY INSTEAD OF A RECALL
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR.
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS BUSTED AND OIL LEAKED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SIEZE UP. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
THE ENGINE STARTS TO OVERHEAT AND THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BECOMES COLD. DEALER SAYS ITS A BAD ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
EVERY GASKET ON THIS VEHICLE IS LEAKING, INCLUDING ENGINE HEAD GASKET/TRANSMISSION GASKET/THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AND THE VALUE COVER GASKET. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE COOLANT. DEALER SAID ENGINE HEAD GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND SMOKE. DEALER SAYS HEAD GASKETS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
BRAKES VIBRATE VEHICLE WHEN BRAKING HARD.
THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. *AK
VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE STALLING OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
THE RUBBER GASKET ON THE TIMING COVER FAILED.
NO SUMMMARY LISTED ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK. AS EXITING THE VEHICLE IT JUMPED INTO GEAR, CRUSHING CONSUMER IN BETWEEN A PARKED VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
AT 45,000 MILES TRANSMISSION HAS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO OPERATE IN 1ST GEAR OR REVERSE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HEAD GASKET FAILURE OF RECALL NOTICE.
CONSUMER HAS TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT A RECALL THAT WAS TOLD TO CONSUMER BY AN FRIEND. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO THE WORK, THEY STOPPED DOING THE WORK ON DECEMBER 31, 1998. *AK
CONSUMER HUNG UP. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE, AND THE ENGINE TO BE INOPERABLE. DEALER SAID IT WAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *AK
ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR FLUID. REPLACED STARTER. ENGINE OVERHEATED--REPLACED RIGHT CYLINDERHEAD, SPARK PLUGS, COOLANT, FILTER, THERMOSTAT. ENGINE IDLES ROUGH.
NO SUMMARY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
BRAKES CONTINUALLY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT DUE TO FAILURES.
#1. THE TRANSMISSION-HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIME AND IS FOR IT AGAIN M AKING IT 4 TIMES.THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE O RIGINAL TRANSMISSION WITH DEFECTIVE REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS. WHEN THE VAN WAS LESS THA N THREE MONTHS OLD I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS ROUGH GOING INTO 2ND.I W A S TOLD THAT THAT IS NORMAL IT SHIFTS HARD.Y ET BEFORE THE LAST 3 TRANSMISSION WENT OUT THE SHIFTS WERE SMOOTH ,EXPLAIN THAT. #2.THE BRAKES.HAVE BEEN IN 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING THE PEDDLE GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE THE BRAKES ARE REALLY LOOSE,AFTER TAKING THE VANIN FOR SERVICE ON THE BRAKES THEY SEEM TO WORK FINE FOR ABOUT THE TIME IT TAKES TO PULL INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND THEN THEY GO BACK TO THE PEDDLEON THE FLOOR .I WAS ADVISED TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THAT THAT RESET THE BRAKES(DUH).I HAVE LET IT GO BUT(I HAVE A FRACTURED NECK AND AM DEATHLY AFARID THAT THE BRAKES WILL FAIL AND HAVE INSTRUCTED MY FAMILY TO CONTACT LAWYERS/&FORD IN CASE I DIE DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE ) I KNOW THE BRAKES ARE STILL NOT ACCEPLTABLE,BUT WHAT CAN I DO ?OH YEAH AFTER ONE TIME I TOOK THE VAN IN FOR THE BRAKES I ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY DIDN'T ENGAGE RIGHT AWAY.. .F=FIX ,O=OR ,R=REPAIR,D=DAILY THIS IS WHAT FORD STANDS FOR TO ME.
WE RAN OVER A RACCOON, CAUING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG CAUSED ME TO HAVE A CONCUSSION AS WELL AS A BRAIN INJURY AS SHOWN ON AN MRI. WE FEEL THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS INCIDENT. DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE VAN CONSISTED OF A SMALL CRACK IN THE GRILL COVER. HOWEVER, MY MEDICAL BILLS WILL BE EXTREMELY COSTLY. I AM CURRENTLY UNDER THE CARE OF A NEUROLOGIST. HE STATED THAT DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURY TO MY BRAIN, HE WILL BE REPEATING THE MRI IN 6 MONTHS. MY CONCUSSION IS BEING TREATED THROUGH MEDICATION. ONCE AGAIN, WE FEEL THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED AT ALL. IN ADDITION, THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG WAS EXCESSIVE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, CAUSING FIRE.
TRANSMISSIONS HAS BEEN ALWAYS A PROBLEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW IT WAS TAKEN SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER THAT AFTER IT IS PLACED ON PARK, THETHERE IS A PLAY OF ABOUT 3 -4 INCHES AND THE VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD BY 3 - 4 INCHES. WAS TOLD THAT IS THE DESIGN OF THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION FROM FORD. WAS NOT SATISFIED AT ALL. ALL ALONG PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. FINALLY IT GAVE WAY AT 49, 000 MILES. HAD A REBUILT INSTALLED AND THAT TOO GAVE WAY AT 61K. NOW A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 65K. OTHER NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS TO LIST. FORD IS RIPPING OFF CONSUMERS.
INTERIOR DOME LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED WHICH CAN BECOME DIFFICULT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE LIGHT ONLY GOES OFF WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 20 MPH. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK