1999 Ford WINDSTAR problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,439 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
105,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 871 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 174 of 1,439 complaints (12.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 320 | 22.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 226 | 15.7% |
| Steering behavior | 196 | 13.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 83 | 5.8% |
| Engine operation | 44 | 3.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 9 | 0.6% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 174 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 154 |
| Electrical System | 109 |
| Suspension | 82 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 76 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 75 |
| Service Brakes | 72 |
| Suspension:Rear | 69 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 174; Structure:Frame And Members: 154; Electrical System: 109; Suspension: 82; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 76; Vehicle Speed Control: 75; Service Brakes: 72; Suspension:Rear: 69
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 17 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 56 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 140 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 179 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 324 |
| 150,000 and above | 155 |
Under 25,000: 17; 25,000 to 49,999: 56; 50,000 to 74,999: 140; 75,000 to 99,999: 179; 100,000 to 149,999: 324; 150,000 and above: 155
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (324). 568 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 | 102 |
| 2001 | 127 |
| 2002 | 138 |
| 2003 | 133 |
| 2004 | 107 |
| 2005 | 67 |
| 2006 | 44 |
| 2007 | 29 |
| 2008 | 79 |
| 2009 | 86 |
| 2010 | 219 |
| 2011 | 97 |
| 2012 | 41 |
| 2013 | 35 |
| 2014 | 48 |
| 2015 | 28 |
| 2016 | 18 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2000: 102; 2001: 127; 2002: 138; 2003: 133; 2004: 107; 2005: 67; 2006: 44; 2007: 29; 2008: 79; 2009: 86; 2010: 219; 2011: 97; 2012: 41; 2013: 35; 2014: 48; 2015: 28; 2016: 18; 2017: 15; 2018: 5; 2019: 7; 2020: 4; 2021: 4; 2022: 3; 2024: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 320 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 226 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 196 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 10001133 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 35/40 MPH THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ABS FAILED. THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ABS ENGAGED WITHOUT CAUSE. THE PARTS REPLACED IS UNKNOWN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO APPEARED ON DASH. TS *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001133 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002927 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)
ON TWO OCCASIONS THE BRAKES IN MY 1999 WINDSTAR FAILED. BOTH OCCASIONS INVOLVED DAMAGE TO MY WINDSTAR. THE FIRST ACCIDENT OCCURED IN NOVEMBER 2002 AND IN THAT ACCIDENT TWO OTHER AUTOS WERE INVOLVED. IN BOTH ACCIDENTS THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE EVEN THOUGH I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES HARD. I TOLD THE DEALER (KOON'S FORD IN FALLS CHURCH, VA) ON BOTH OCCASIONS THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I FELT SO SCARED DRIVING MY WINDSTAR THAT I JUST TRADED IT IT AT A BIG LOSS (US$4,000 TRADE IN) FOR…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002927 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000893 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING HER TO HAVE TO UNEXPECTEDLY PULL OVER. THE VAN ONLY HAS 35K MILES ON IT. WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AFTER SO FEW MILES. AFTER PERUSING THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002754 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)
MY VAN WAS BARELY OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THE O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS A RESULT OF A BROKEN SENSOR WELD ON MY INTAKE MANIFOLD TO THE TUNE OF APPROX. $900. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE O/D OFF LIGHT MEANT THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $2,700. ALL THIS FOR BEING 1 MONTH AND 500 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. PLUS, I SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH FORD WINDSTARS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING AT 35,000 MILES AND 70,000 (TWICE) SO I SEE THAT …
Owner-reported narrative. 36,570 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002754 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001941 · 2003-01-03 (January 3, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE'S STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE FILLED EVERY 30,000 MILES TO MAKE IT HOME. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001941 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002311 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES THAT POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING FAST CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE INOPERABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002311 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008973 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008973 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010662 · 2003-03-18 (March 18, 2003)
WE PURCHASED A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002. THE DASH LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY THE ODOMETER AND RADIO BLINK. THEY WILL DIM AND BRIGHTEN, DIM AND BRIGHTEN. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC PATTERN. IT IS A RANDOM THING. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THERE IS A SHORT IN THE WIRING OR SOMETHING. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS TODAY, BUT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MONTHS. I HAVE BEEN CHECKING RECALLS RELIGIOUSLY TO SEE IF THIS WAS ONE OF THEM. ALSO THERE IS RUST UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE CARFAX REPORT DID NOT SHOW ANY WATER DAMAGE TO THIS VEHICLE. IT ALMOS…
Owner-reported narrative. 34,490 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010662 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002516 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITH NO WARNING.DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002516 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003159 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)
I OWN A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES THAT IS USED FOR PLEASURE PURPOSES ONLY. TWO DAYS AGO THE POWER STEERING UNIT COMMENCED HOWLING WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. YESTERDAY I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER IN ARCADIA. DURING THE DRIVE TO THE DEALER THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO STEER CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, WHEN THE SERVICE MAN AT THE DEALER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE STALL HE SAID THAT THE STEERING HAD FROZEN AND WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALER, AFTER CHECKING THE POWER STEERING U…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003159 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019158 · 2003-05-23 (May 23, 2003)
THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT ON MY VAN. LUCKILY I WAS AT HOME IN MY DRIVEWAY. CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMPLAINTS AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. SO I AM HAVING TO HAVE IT FIXED MY SELF. THE VEHICLE IS 4 YEARS OLD, I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE PUMP SHOULD BE BAD.
Owner-reported narrative. 54,285 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019158 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10260390 · 2009-03-02 (March 2, 2009)
OUR 1999 WINDSTARS IDLING WHILE STATIONARY IN PARK OR WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED WOULD BECOME ERRATIC AND STALL, WITH BRAKES DEPRESSED WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT VEHICLE IN N TO TRY TO KEEP RPMS UP, VEHICLE STALL WHEN STARTED TO WARM UP THEN START UP AFTER TURNING KEY OFF THEN BACK ON THEN THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WE HAD TO GET THE WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM MINUS THE GAS TANK REPLACED(PUMP, FILTER,SENDING UNIT) BUT WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED WE DIDNT GET THE FUEL GAGE BACK AND THE MECHANIC COULDNT FIND WHY. THEN WE HAD STATIC COMING THRU THE SPEAKERS WHILE VEHICLE WAS OF…
Owner-reported narrative. 117,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10260390 at NHTSA ↗