1997 Ford WINDSTAR problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
142 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
88,890 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 43 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 142 complaints (17.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 18 | 12.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 5.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 4.2% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 2.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 2.1% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 25 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 21 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 6 |
| Suspension:Front | 5 |
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 25; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 21; Power Train: 15; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 6; Suspension:Front: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 12 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 3
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 99 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 21 |
| 2001 | 39 |
| 2002 | 26 |
| 2003 | 20 |
| 2004 | 11 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2000: 21; 2001: 39; 2002: 26; 2003: 20; 2004: 11; 2005: 3; 2006: 7; 2007: 2; 2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10070667 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
I BOUGHT THIS 1997 FORD WINDSTAR IN MARCH OF 2003. THE VERY NEXT DAY I RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDENT CAR DEALER DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY RESET THE LIGHT. WITHIN A WEEK IT WAS ON AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY SAID IT WAS A FLUXATION IN THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND IT WAS MAKING THE LIGHT COME ON. THEY RESET IT. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER IT IS LOSING COOLANT SOMEWHERE AND RUNNING ROUGH, THEY CHECK IT AND NOW IT NEEDS 2 OUT OF 4 OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACED IM TOLD. THEY PAY FOR IT IF THEY TRULY FIXED IT BECAUSE ABOUT…
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070667 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088085 · 2004-08-17 (August 17, 2004)
ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKING ENGAGES DURING NORMAL DRY BRAKING. THIS CAUSES A LESSENING IN BRAKING JUST BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP. COULD CAUSE A COLLISION BY NOT STOPPING CAR WITHIN THE DISTANCE EXPECTED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10088085 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000833 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1996 WINDSTAR, 86,000 MI. PROPER MAINTENENCE HAD BEEN DONE. I SEE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS HERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NHTSA IT IS TIME TO STEP UP AND FORCE A RECALL. HOW LONG DO THE CONSUMERS HAVE TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. WE DON'T HAVE THE $3000 THEY WANT FOR REPAIRS. WHAT HAPPENED TO COMSUMER RIGHTS? THE WAY IT STANDS NOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER AMERCIAN CAR. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE ECONOMY. YOU HAVE TO HOLD CORPORATE AMERICA RESPONSIBLETOPUT OUT QUALITY VEHICLES…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000833 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026343 · 2003-07-01 (July 1, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026343 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10055244 · 2004-01-16 (January 16, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND PULLED OVER. THE DRIVER WENT FOR HELP AND CAME BACK TO FIND THE VEHICLE IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 170,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055244 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10144086 · 2005-11-30 (November 30, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATES HAS BEEN HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SINCE 2002. ON APRIL 28, 2004 THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT PROVIDING AN ACCURATE SPEED READING. ON DECEMBER 9, 2004 THE SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK OR SLIDE PROPERLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR AND DETERMINED THAT THE SLIDE WHEELS WERE DRY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DOOR LATCH, AND NOW IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT AGAIN. ON FEBRUARY 5, 2005 THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 75, 172 MILES, AND ON NOVEMBER 21, 2005 THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. ALL REPAIRS H…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,172 miles reported. Look up ODI 10144086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10184352 · 2007-03-06 (March 6, 2007)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE FRONT SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RECALL #01I007000: SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 142,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158181 · 2006-05-24 (May 24, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL TANK CRACKED RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND EXPLAINED THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.
Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158181 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 559397 · 2001-02-02 (February 2, 2001)
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, VAN HIT A POT HOLE, WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO CRACK, FUEL TANK WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CJ
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 559397 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 716971 · 2000-01-06 (January 6, 2000)
VAN LOST POWER AND STALLED. TOOK TO SERVICE CENTER AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE MAIN BEARING SPUN AND CRACKED BLOCK. SINCE WARRANTY WAS OVER ON MILEAGE, NEITHER THE DEALER NOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL WARRANTY OR EVEN LOOK AT IT. WAS TOLD IT WAS "LACK OF MAINTENANCE" THAT CAUSED PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 716971 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 879994 · 2001-02-07 (February 7, 2001)
VEHICLE SURGES FOWARD WHILE DRIVING, AND AT THE SAME IT WILL SPUTTER AND STALL OUT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON , CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 879994 at NHTSA ↗