1998 Ford Windstar reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 1998 Ford Windstar from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,949
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- 255 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 4
- see below
- Reported harm
- 84 reported crashes · 88 injuries · 4 deaths · 90 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#94
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Ford median
+1,612
median 338 across 514 Ford records
Vs 1996-2000
+1,681
median 268 complaints in 623 records
Top component share
13%
Power Train: 255 complaints
What owners report fails — 1998 Ford Windstar
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 255
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE 110
- SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS 86
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP 79
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 57
4 recalls on record for the 1998 Ford Windstar
- NHTSA 15V608000 · 2015 · SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE AS If the brackets were not installed properly, the rear axle may fracture, affecting the vehicle handling and increasing t
- NHTSA 12V193000 · 2012 · POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- NHTSA 12V195000 · 2012 · SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE AS A FRACTURED AXLE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- NHTSA 10V385000 · 2010 · SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE AS A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1998 Ford Windstar
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1998 Ford Windstar units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford Windstar reliable?
NHTSA has 1,949 consumer complaints on record for the 1998 Ford Windstar and 4 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train:automatic transmission (255 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1998 Ford Windstar units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Windstar?
Owners most often report problems with: power train:automatic transmission (255), engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (110), suspension:front:springs:coil springs (86), service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (79). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1998 Ford Windstar?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 1998 Ford Windstar. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.