Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 1,588 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Ford Windstar, and it carries 13 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 208 | 13% |
| Power train | 199 | 13% |
| Suspension | 143 | 9% |
| Electrical system | 127 | 8% |
| Steering | 120 | 8% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 86 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 70 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 54 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 51 | 3% |
| Visibility | 48 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH out of the driveway, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding and popping sound. The contact shifted to park(P). The contact stated that upon ins
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the contact became aware that the rear passenger's side wheel was pushed upward and was nearly rubbing the inner wheel well. The c
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel started pulling to one side, almost causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. There were
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, he heard the rear driver’s side tire rubbing against the axle and then saw smoke coming from the tire. No warning light was il
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
If my vehicle is not used for a few days (3 to 4 days), when I start the vehicle, all the needles of the instrument cluster oscillate violently between extremes. However, this does not affect drivability and I can slowly
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Went into a curve and vehicle swayed and went into the other lane as if had a flat tire. I had it checked at an independent garage and found rear axle is breaking
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle made screeching sounds. The contact saw smoke and detected a burning odor. The vehicle then stalled. The contact was abl
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while attempting to move the vehicle up her driveway, the vehicle began to accelerate uncontrollably. The contact was able to turn off the vehicle without shiftin
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 1999 Ford Windstar. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles manufactured September 2, 1997, to July 3, 2003. The affected vehicles were previously remedied to safeguard against the rear axle cracking from corrosion, however, the remedy brackets may have been misinstalled.
Risk: If the brackets were not installed properly, the rear axle may fracture, affecting the vehicle handling and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brackets to verify their proper installation. If a bracket is found to have been misinstalled, the rear axle will be replaced. These repairs wil
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1997, THROUGH JULY 3, 2003, AND CURRENTLY REGISTERED OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN VIRGINIA. OVER TIME, CORROSION CAN WEAKEN THE REAR AXLE MAKING IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO TORSIONAL STRESS. CORROSION AND STRESS CAN LEA
Risk: A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS, OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1997, THROUGH JULY 3, 2003, REGISTERED IN PUERTO RICO. DUE TO INCREASED STRESSES CAUSED BY HIGH CYCLES OF TORSIONAL LOADING, SPECIFIC TO THIS MARKET, THE REAR AXLE CAN CRACK.
Risk: A FRACTURED AXLE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET ON THE REAR AXLE OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL B
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. CORROSION-RELATED FRACTURES OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS AND BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS MAY OCCUR.
Risk: A SEPARATION OF A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKET MAY RESULT IN A LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. A SEPARATION OF BOTH FRONT SUBFRAME REAR BODY MOUNTS MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STE
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS AND BOTH BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BE
| Reliability raw | 42 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 61 | average |
| Maintenance | 75 | good |
| Depreciation | 63 | average |
| Performance | 59 | average |
| Efficiency | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other minivans & vans in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 1,588 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and structure is the most reported area with 208 of them (13%). There are 13 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 42/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 61/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1999 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 57/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.