Mark Iii FORD WINDSTAR problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
112,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 to 1999 model years. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 66.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
| Structure:Body | 1 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 1 |
| Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs | 1 |
Engine: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Structure:Body: 1; Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 1; Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 1 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 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2012: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 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 553557 · 2000-08-07 (August 7, 2000)
TRANSMISSION FELL APART. *ET
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 553557 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11076426 · 2018-03-06 (March 6, 2018)
1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD?
Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11076426 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
1998: 0; 1999: 0
Year-by-year records
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11076426 · 140,000 mi1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD? |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 150.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Structure:Body | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11076426 · 140,000 mi1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD? |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 150.0%ODI 10458452 · 84,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MARK III FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS RELATING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 01I007000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) AND 01V199000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AS THE RECALLS HAD BOTH EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs | 150.0%ODI 10458452 · 84,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MARK III FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS RELATING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 01I007000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) AND 01V199000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AS THE RECALLS HAD BOTH EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | Too few reports for a range | 140,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11076426 · 140,000 mi1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD? |
| Structure:Body | Too few reports for a range | 140,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11076426 · 140,000 mi1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD? |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | Too few reports for a range | 84,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10458452 · 84,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MARK III FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS RELATING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 01I007000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) AND 01V199000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AS THE RECALLS HAD BOTH EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRE… |
| Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs | Too few reports for a range | 84,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10458452 · 84,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MARK III FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS RELATING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 01I007000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) AND 01V199000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AS THE RECALLS HAD BOTH EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRE… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1998: 1 complaints · 1999: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Engine | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Structure:Body | Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | — | 0 | 1ODI 11076426 · 140,000 mi1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD? | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure:Body | 1ODI 11076426 · 140,000 mi1)-THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE ON THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION NOW RESTS ON THE FRAME, THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT EVEN WITH THE RECALL REPAIR. 2)-AN ENGINE MISFIRE THAT CAN'T BE FIXED. THE WINDSTAR MINI VAN IS A VERY POOR QUALITY UNIT FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHY ARE THESE MINI VANS STILL ON THE ROAD? | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1ODI 10458452 · 84,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MARK III FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS RELATING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 01I007000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) AND 01V199000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AS THE RECALLS HAD BOTH EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRE… |
| Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 10458452 · 84,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MARK III FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS RELATING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 01I007000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) AND 01V199000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AS THE RECALLS HAD BOTH EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EITHER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRE… | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.