47 of the 1,949 complaints about the 1998 Ford Windstar are about the lighting — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 118,500 miles.
47
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I NEEDED THE STARTER REPLACED, MY BRAKES, I'M HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, MY CAR STOPS WHEN IT WANTS TO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY,.. IT MAKES NOISES WHEN I'M TURNING, I HAVE RUST COMING FROM UNDER MY CAR. THE SIGNAL LIGHTS FLICKERS
NHTSA complaint #11010660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LIGHT WILL NOT RESET EVEN AFTER REPLACING PART.
NHTSA complaint #10472987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION OF THE SUB FRAME WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE CORRODED. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SUB FRAME FAILURE AND DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE SUB FRAME WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE TIE RODS, FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN ONE YEAR OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE WHEEL CYLINDERS, BRAKE ADJUSTERS, SPRING KIT, DRUMS, ROTORS, SHOES, AND PADS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNAL LEVEL STOPPED WORKING FOR THE LEFT SIDE. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THEN PULSATED BACK UP, AND THEN THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 02/01/12
NHTSA complaint #10439715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. IT FIRST STARTED WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH CATCHING ON FIRE AND CAUSING WIRES UNDER MY HOOD TO BURN... NOW FOR THE LAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR..THE SENSOR ON THE DASH WOULD SHOW THAT THE DOOR WAS AJAR(NOT CLOSED) I COULD TAKE THE BATTERY CABLE OFF FOR A WHILE AND THE DOOR LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. NOW I HAVE HAD TO REMOVE ALL THE BULBS IN THE LIGHTS INSIDE THE VAN TO KEEP MY BATTERY FROM RUNNING DOWN THIS MORNING I GET UP AND MY BATTERY IS DEAD AND ACID FROM THE BATTERY IS ALL OVER THE POST AND CABLE WIRES. I TALK TO MY MECHANIC HE SAYS THIS IS DUE TO SOME PROBLEM IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HE SAID HE HAS HAD TO WORK ON SEVERAL WINDSTARS FOR THE SAME PROBLEMSOME KIND OF SENSOR FAULT DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10332084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
VEHICLE IS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WASHER,SEAT BELT,AND DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF. WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING THE WIPER BLADES STOP WORKING,POWER WINDOWS WILL NOT OPERATE AND ON A FEW OCCASIONS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL BLINK WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN OLD VEHICLE BUT I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. NOT JUST RESTRICTED TO THIS YEAR. IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE THAT HAPPENS JUST AFTER A FEW YEARS OF SERVICE. I WOULD THINK THAT WIPER BLADES MALFUNCTIONING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN.
NHTSA complaint #10327719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERIOR LIGHT AS WELL AS BEEPING NOISE RINGING NONSTOP WHILE ALL DOORS ARE SHUT CORRECTLY. DASH LIGHT ALSO STAYS ON COMPUTER ISSUE WITH SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #10230367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 1998 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN, WITH 220,000 MILES ON IT, CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE PARKED, AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. WE HAD BEEN CAREFULLY FOLLOWING THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. DURING THE WEEK BEFORE THE FIRE, WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT ALWAYS TURNING OFF WHEN WE EXITED THE VAN.
NHTSA complaint #10215513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
1998 FORD WINDSTAR - FAILURE OF BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH; CAUSED ALL BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT OF MASTER CYLINDER, AND SUBSEQUENT BRAKE FAILURE. NO ACCIDENT CAUSED (FORTUNATELY), COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS OR FATAL. WIFE NOTICED THAT SHE COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE JUST BEFORE ENTERING THE FREEWAY; USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP AND DRIVE THE WINDSTAR HOME. I DISCOVERED MASSIVE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID HAD LEAKED ONTO THE SURROUNDING AREA, AND THE #30 FUSE FOR CRUISE CONTROL, AND ABS HAD BLOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10188380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
1998 WINDSTAR HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY CLOUDED MAKING LOW BEAMS USELESS. *TS THE HEADLIGHT ARE CLOUDY ON THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE AND CANNOT BE POLISHED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10157334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
HEADLIGHT POWER REDUCED DUE TO HAZY LEN'S.
NHTSA complaint #10143492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
THE DOOR OPEN/CLOSE INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINED ON. *AK SOMETIMES THE LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10076155 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH INTERIOR LIGHTS AND LOCKS BECAUSE OF THE DOOR AJAR MONITOR. ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED AND DOOR ALARM MONITOR REMAINS ON WHICH CAUSES THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES. HAVE TO REMOVE #29 FUSE JUST TO GET INTERIOR AND DOME LIGHTS TO SHUT OFF, EVEN AFTER IGNITION IS OFF AND KEY REMOVED. OTHERWISE BATTERY WILL DIE AS LIGHTS DO NOT GO OFF AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO. DRIVING WITH DOME LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ON IS A VERY BIG SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. HOWEVER REMOVING THIS FUSE ALSO RESULTS IN LOSS OF ELECTRIC WINDOW FUNCTION WHICH SHOULD ALSO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS. EVERYTIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, IT WOULD STOP FOR A SHORT WHILE AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY ACT UP AGAIN. I AM THE SOLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND PURCHASED IT NEW IN 1998. I FEEL THESE PARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE CORRECTLY TO BEGIN WITH AND/OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO BE REPAIRED. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10067642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
HAVE A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR VAN AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT MY INTERIOR LIGHTS AND SENSOR SHOWING THAT YOUR DOOR IS OPEN DOES NOT TURN OFF. EVEN ALL THE DOOR ARE CLOSED. SOMETIMES THE INTERIOR LIGHTS GO OFF BUT THE BEEPING NOISE DOES NOT STOP.
NHTSA complaint #10063958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT COVERS TURNED CLOUDY. CONSUMER FIRST NOTICED THIS IN 2001. EVEN WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE SWITCHED TO BRIGHT THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY ENOUGH TO SAFELY SEE AT NIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10049907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH INTERIOR LIGHTS AND LOCKS BECAUSE OF THE DOOR AJAR MONITOR. HAVE TO USE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TO ENTER BECAUSE DRIVERS DOOR NORMALLY SETS IT OFF, AND HAVE TO UNPLUG BATTERY TO LET SYSTEM RESET, SO BATTERY DOES NOT GO DEAD WHICH NORMALLY TAKES A COUPLE OF DAYS. LOCKS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN WHILE DRIVING. DOOR AJAR WILL ALSO ACTIVATE WITH THE OTHER DOORS ON ITS OWN WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. EVERYTIME I WANTED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, IT WOULD STOP AND THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING UNLESS IT WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10020759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. CHIMES STAY ON WHEN CAR IS STARTED UNTIL THE SPEED REACHES AROUND 15 MPH. BUT AS SOON AS I SLOW DOWN AND STOP, THE CHIMES COME ON AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10010651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON UNTIL 15-20MPH IS REACHED. DASH LIGHT INDICATOR SAYS DOOR IS OPEN. ISOLATED PROBLEM TO SLIDING DOOR ON PASSENGER SIDE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. TAKE TO FORD DEALERSHIPS ON 3 SEPERATE OCASSIONS AND ALL 3 TIMES THE PROBLEM MYSTERIOUSLY WENT AWAY. ALSO WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE REAR WIPER DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10005370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #567129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
LIGHT THAT INDICATES DOOR IS OPEN STAYS ILLUMINATED. LIGHT GETS SO HOT THAT IT MAY CAUSE A FIRE. *AK THE SWITCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE FORD COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DOESN'T WANT TO FIX UNLESS CONSUMER PAYS OUT OF POCKET. THE SLIDING DOOR WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #8012785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS OVER THE PAST YEAR HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTED. AT NIGHT DIMMER LIGHTS HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILTY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK DEALER ADVISED THAT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #8010471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
THE INTERIOR COURTESY LAMPS DO NOT GO OUT WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED. DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON. FORD IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND ITS A SAFETY ISSUE AS DRIVER CANNOT SEE DURING NIGHT DRIVING UNLESS FUSE IS PULLED. INTERIOR LIGHTS CANNOT BE SHUT OFF WITH THE DIMMER SWITCH!!.. DEALERS PLAY DUMB WHEN YOU DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. THREE NEIGHBORS HAVE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN!!!!!!!!
NHTSA complaint #761925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #564286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
ACCELERATOR WENT DOWN ON ITS OWN WHILE IN REVERSE, NO BRAKES TO STOP, RESULTING IN A ACCIDENT. STEERING VIBRATES, RECOMMEND ROTATING THE TIRES. INTERIOR SEATS SLIGHTLY TWISTED, DOOR LOCKS WORKS SOMETIME, INTERIOR LIGHTS WORK SOMETIMES.
NHTSA complaint #9005277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING DOOR WARNING LIGHT COMES ON PANEL, AND LIGHT WILL STAY ON. INTERIOR LIGHT WILL GO OFF, BUT THE SOUND OF THE CHIME WILL NOT STOP. DEALERLERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AIK
NHTSA complaint #8006863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #564286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
SEAT BELT ALARM,LIGHT, AND COURTESY LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #8004936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
DOME LIGHT WILL AUTOMATICALLY STAY ON EVEN AFTER DOORS ARE CLOSED. CONTACTED DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #8004349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON DASH IS ON CONSTANTLY WHEN ALL DOORS ARE SHUT. CHIME IS ALSO GOING OFF AT ALL TIMES. WHEN CHIME IS ON IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO LOCK DOORS. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #8002931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. 10 SECONDS LATER THEY WILL COME BACK ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8001490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERIOR LIGHTS IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT REMAIN ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STATED THAT BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #899470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.