1998 Ford Windstar Recalls, Complaints & Specs
11 safety recalls list the 1998 Ford Windstar, and owners have filed 1,433 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
11 safety recalls for the 1998 Ford Windstar
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Non-powered axle assembly (suspension)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles manufactured September 2, 1997, to July 3, 2003. The affected vehicles were previously remedied to safeguard against the rear axle cracking from corrosion, however, the remedy brackets may have been misinstalled. The incorrect bracket installations may…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brackets to verify their proper installation. If a bracket is found to have been misinstalled, the rear axle will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free…
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Axle assembly (power train)
Ford is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997, through july 3, 2003, and currently registered or originally sold in virginia. Over time, corrosion can weaken the rear axle making it susceptible to torsional stress. Corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which, if undetected, can…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and install rear axle reinforcement brackets, or replace the axles, as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall began on june 19, 2012.…
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Non-powered axle assembly (suspension)
Ford is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997, through july 3, 2003, registered in puerto rico. Due to increased stresses caused by high cycles of torsional loading, specific to this market, the rear axle can crack.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and install a reinforcement bracket on the rear axle or replace the axles, as necessary. This service will be provided free of charge. The recall began on june 1, 2012.…
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Non-powered axle assembly (suspension)
Ford is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997 through february 28, 2003 and currently registered or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new…
Remedy: As parts become available, dealers will inspect and if necessary install the rear axle reinforcement brackets free of charge. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 20, 2010.…
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Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
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Coil springs (suspension)
On certain minivans originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the district of columbia. The…
Remedy: Dealers will install protective shields around the front coil springs. Owner notification began september 6, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
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Exterior lighting
Vehicle description: MINI vans, light pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Off lease canadian vehicles equipped with daytime running lights which meet canadian requirements and not the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." according to ford, the vehicles were imported into…
Remedy: Dealers will be advised to deactivate the running light function and to complete any outstanding safety recalls on these vehicles.
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Master cylinder (service brakes)
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…
Remedy: Owners will be provided with new labels and installation instructions.
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Shaft sector (steering)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and MINI-vans. The rack and pinion steering gears may have damaged input shaft bearings.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on the rack and pinion steering gear, and, if necessary, replace those rack and pinion assemblies that fall within the suspect date code range. The date codes for windstar model…
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Automatic transmission (power train)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with ax4s automatic transaxles. The low/intermediate servo cover can separate from the transaxle while the vehicle is being driven. If this occurs, transmission fluid will leak contacting the catalytic converter.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmission and replace these servo covers.
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Child seat
Vehicle description: minivan equipped with second row bench seats with optional integrated child seat (ics). The headrest lockout mechanism on the seats may not engage and lock the headrests in the "down" position, as intended, when the ics is deployed. A vehicle occupant could move the headrest to the "up" position.
Remedy: The second row bench seats have been replaced with seats built with revised headrest lockout mechanisms.
1,433 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 Ford Windstar have filed 1,433 complaints with NHTSA; 54 describe a crash and 65 describe a fire. Reports cite 59 injuries and 3 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 98,241 miles. Complaints peaked in 2001 with 233 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 1998 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering significantly. The vehicle was taken to a Tire Store, where it was diagnosed that”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 31, 2023 · Suspension
“We woke up this morning to the driver's side completely burned and melted. It had been parked sinced Monday. Fire inspector said it was definitely an electrical issue coming from the seat.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 8, 2022 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 Ford Windstar (Windstar FWD Van, Windstar FWD Wagon). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18–19 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16 / 22–23 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3/3.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Ford Windstar model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Windstar model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 Ford Windstar | 0 | 5 |
| 1990 Ford Windstar | 0 | 6 |
| 1991 Ford Windstar | 0 | 3 |
| 1992 Ford Windstar | 0 | 2 |
| 1993 Ford Windstar | 0 | 11 |
| 1994 Ford Windstar | 0 | 23 |
| 1995 Ford Windstar | 6 | 3,326 |
| 1996 Ford Windstar | 8 | 1,386 |
| 1997 Ford Windstar | 5 | 192 |
| 1998 Ford Windstar | 11 | 1,433 |
| 1999 Ford Windstar | 11 | 1,522 |
| 2000 Ford Windstar | 15 | 1,675 |
| 2001 Ford Windstar | 15 | 1,686 |
| 2002 Ford Windstar | 8 | 1,353 |
| 2003 Ford Windstar | 8 | 1,510 |
| 2004 Ford Windstar | 0 | 24 |
| 2005 Ford Windstar | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1998 Ford Windstar
How do I know if my 1998 Ford Windstar has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 11 campaigns currently list the 1998 Ford Windstar; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V168000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
- Expedition9,359 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.