10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 35
Injuries / Deaths:
10 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,536 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Ford Windstar engine problems

engine problem

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1998 Ford Windstar Owner Comments (Page 5 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #30

Dec 231999

(reported on)

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle stalls out when idling or cruising into a turn, mostly when the gas pedal is not applied. Dealer has not seen vehicle. Problem has occurred 10 times.

- Semi Valley, CA, USA

problem #29

Aug 011999

Windstar

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission "pump failed, causing planet gears to come apart.

- Newnan, GA, USA

problem #28

Mar 011999

Windstar

  • miles
I am so scared to drive our van- I have no idea what to do. Thia van showed be considered a lemon- or Ford should repair it. We purchased the van cause we had another little one on the way(making 4 kids) in the past we had old vechilcles. We decided to spend the $$ and have a reliable vechicle since we have 4 kids and travel around town alot. First my air codtioner goes out in July, 99 (electrical- no power to it). We did not have the $ to fix. Than in August,99 we started experiencing intermittent neutral condtion after driving and coming to a stop. Had to rebuild the transmission- due to a faulty clutch piston that Ford knows is causing problems in ax4S Windstar 3.8L. Engine - stalls usually when driving at low speeds, such as O turns or coming to a stop. Scared to death that somesone will run into me. Steering- vechile pulls to the right so badly that in seconds I am in another lane. Have had it relighned. The other seroius problem is I will start van or have foot on brake and it itermittally accerates in surges on its own. My foot in not near the gas- I am so scared to death that I will lose control of it resulting into an accident. I am so scared to drive this van and it is only a 98". what am I to do. I do not want to wait for and acident or death to someone. Please help!! I need some advice. I have no warranty on van- but yet with so many problems why should the consumer have to pay when Ford knows of the problems with the vans- what does it take - death!!! I need to know what is causeing these problems. I can not afford to keep taking them to mechanics and not getting it fix. Shouldn't Ford have to take this piece of crap back-please help!!

- Newman Lake, WA, USA

problem #27

Sep 191999

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Slowing from cuising speed to make a turn onto a side street, the engine stalled creating the potential for an accident. Stalling caused the power steering to fail making the vehicle difficult to manuver through the turn and loss of power created the possibility that I may not have been able to clear traffic. If my wife had been driving the minivan she surely would not have been able to avoid oncoming traffic.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #26

Jul 151997

Windstar

  • miles
6 months after purchasing the van's problem with stalling out when stopping and then proceeding through intersections. It had been taken to the dealer once in roanoke (majic city Ford)_ and again in charlottesville, va with no problems found. The car comes to a complete stop with 'service engine soon" light and can't be started until put in park and then started. Also, as odd as it seems, it only occurs when turning 'left'. the air conditioning when started (max ac- ac- defrost settings) make a bang noise att the right front underside of the van. It occurs a few times in a row and then stops only to begin weeks later. The van has been brought into brady-bushey for this with no repair work performed because it did not happen when they tested it. They told me to bring it back when it happens again. But then, when it stops making the noise how am I suppose to prove this noise?

- Charlottesville, VA, USA

problem #25

May 121999

Windstar

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When driving at any speed and without any prior warning, vehicle is stalls and cuts off.

- Acworth, GA, USA

problem #24

Apr 011997

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine. Air conditioning.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #23

Aug 201999

Windstar

  • miles
Engine caught fire while parked in driveway. Car was not running at the time. The car was driven home from work, (about a 20 minute ride), and had been parked for about 5 minutes when the fire occured.

- Farmington, NY, USA

problem #22

Mar 031999

Windstar

  • miles
While driving van stalls without any type of warning. This condition almost caused two rear end crahses. The dealer is not able to determine what is causing this problem.

- Rumson, NJ, USA

problem #21

Jul 201999

Windstar

  • miles
For no apparent reason the vehicle just cuts off while driving. The first time a computer adjustment was made, the second time(July 23rd) the electric fuel pump was replaced. The vehicle is being service for the third time(Aug 5th) for the same problem. Each time the vehicle had to be towed to the dealership.

- Burnsville, MN, USA

problem #20

Jun 251999

(reported on)

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When traveling at any speed vehicle will cut off without prior warning. Consumer has contacted dealer and dealer has replaced parts.

- Dahlonega, GA, USA

problem #19

Aug 011998

Windstar

  • miles
While driving vehicle stalls unexpectedly which may cause a crash. Been to the dealer several times, and dealer cannot determine the problem.

- Denton, TX, USA

problem #18

Jun 021999

(reported on)

Windstar

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While making a left/right or U turn engine completely shuts down without warning.

- Rockville, MD, USA

problem #17

Apr 301999

(reported on)

Windstar

  • miles
Dealership installed another transmission at 7,000 miles because of our repeated complaints about the bucking sensation/the vehicle is still bucking/other problems developed such as the lunching forward in second gear, shifting into gear began to produce a grinding noiseand a very obvious vibration in the steering wheel has developed/Ford keeps ignoring us after our repeatedly contacting them/we have now filed under the lemon law in the state of Connecticut/ we have been treated very shabbily by Ford !

- Jewett City, CT, USA

problem #16

Apr 071999

(reported on)

Windstar

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle has been to the dealership 5 times for the same hard shifting, transmission problem since new. Problem is better, but I expect failure before warranty expires. The transmission has a hard 1-2 shift since I bought it new on 13 Jan 98. The lemon law caused firm to offer me an extended warranty of 5 years/75,000 miles instead of fixing the problem. I'm very dissatisfied with the transmission, and dealership service shop's performance. Recently, the brakes have developed a vibration and the engine sometimes stalls at slow speeds. I took the van back to the dealership on Monday 5 April 99 for the same transmission problem, and the two new problems. The last several new vehicles I've purchased have been Ford. My next vehicle probably won't be a Ford.

- Gainseville, GA, USA

problem #15

Nov 011998

Windstar

  • miles
Intermittently while decelerating vehicle will stall unexpectedly which may cause a crash. Dealer cannot determine the problem.

- Apex, NC, USA

problem #14

Aug 241998

(reported on)

Windstar

  • miles
While making a right turn the vehicle cut off and the steering wheel locked up, causing loss of vehicle control. Cause unknown.

- Murray Hill, NJ, USA

problem #13

Feb 101999

(reported on)

Windstar

  • miles
While decelerating engine would stall without indications.

- Clinton, MD, USA

problem #12

Feb 191997

Windstar

  • miles
While driving and proceeding to come to a stop the vehicle will intermittently stall. Consumer has contacted the dealer, several repair attempts however continues. Brake rotors warped causing grinding of the brakes while stopping.

- Holbrook, NY, USA

problem #11

Aug 211998

Windstar

  • miles
The engine hesitates or stalls in a slow turn.

- West Sprin, VA, USA

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