1996 Ford Windstar: recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 1996 Ford Windstar. The newest campaign is 09V399000. NHTSA received the report on 13 Oct 2009. The NHTSA record gives the component Vehicle Speed Control. NHTSA has 1,368 complaints on file for this model year. 13 NHTSA investigations name this model year.
The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.
This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.
Remedy of the newest campaign, 09V399000, in the NHTSA record
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on . Complaint file through . Recall file through .
Since the last update
No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks
Recall campaigns
8 campaigns, newest first. 6,469,843 units in total.
- 09V399000Vehicle Speed Control
- 02V101000Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
- 00V168000Exterior Lighting
- 99V147000Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Master Cylinder
- 97V180000Structure / Body / Hood
- 96V166000Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Gear Position Indication (Prndl)
- 96V114000Seats
- 96V086000Power Train / Automatic Transmission
09V399000Received . 4,500,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 09S09. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
02V101000Received . 250,283 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain minivans originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. During assembly, some brake lines were installed in a twisted position, causing contact with the dash panel insulator above the catalytic converter. This contact could abrade the brake line corrosion protection, consequently, salt or water absorbed in the dash panel insulator would promote corrosion. This corrosion could ultimately lead to a leak in the brake line.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Leakage of brake fluid will result in brake light activation. Extended stopping distance could also result, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the brake line for corrosion and clearance conditions. A brake line that is not corroded will be repositioned. A brake line that is corroded or leaking will be replaced with a nylon coated brake line and secured using three retaining clips to assure clearance from the insulator. Owner notification began may 10, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 02S36. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
00V168000Received . 20,637 units.
Exterior Lighting
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: mini vans, light pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Off lease canadian vehicles equipped with daytime running lights which meet canadian requirements and not the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." according to ford, the vehicles were imported into the u.s. Erroneously.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The light given off from the daytime running lights is brighter than allowed by u.s. Standards.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will be advised to deactivate the running light function and to complete any outstanding safety recalls on these vehicles.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 00S14. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
99V147000Received . 789,723 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Master Cylinder
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: minivans. The brake fluid master cylinder is recessed and oriented in the engine compartment so that the brake fluid warning statement embossed on both the top of the filler cap and the side of the reservoir body are not entirely visible by direct view. These vehicles may not fully comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 135, "passenger car brake systems."
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Owners will be provided with new labels and installation instructions.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 99S17. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
97V180000Received . 769,000 units.
Structure / Body / Hood
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans. Tearing of the bond between the inner and outer hood panels during minor front end collisions can result in a gap at the leading edge of the hood. Air forced between the inner and outer panels can produce enough pressure to force the outer panel upward.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This condition can result in total separation of the outer hood panel.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the hood area for any damage along the leading edge of the hood. If there is any evidence of bond separation, the hood will be replaced. If there is no evidence of bond separation, additional adhesive will be applied between the inner and outer hood panels.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
96V166000Received . 40,000 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Gear Position Indication (Prndl)
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. This would allow the vehicle to move even though the gear shift indicator shows that the vehicle is in park.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Unintended and unexpected vehicle movement can result in personal injury and property damage.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park pawl abutment bracket.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
96V114000Received . 200 units.
Seats
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
The four fasteners securing the driver's seat to the floorpan were not torqued to proper specifications.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The driver's seat may not properly hold in the event of a vehicle accident resulting in personal injury to the occupant.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the driver's seat fasteners and retorque to proper specifications.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
96V086000Received . 100,000 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
The park pawl shaft was improperly positioned when the roll pin that retains it was installed during transmission assembly. If the shaft was not properly positioned, the roll pin may not have lined up with the groove in the shaft and have been crushed at assembly. Also, a burr could have been raised on the shaft.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This could result in the park pawl occasionally not engaging when the transmission selector lever is placed in the park position. This could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral if the vehicle operator does not apply the parking brake.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the park pawl shaft roll pin. If the roll pin is damaged, both the roll pin and the park pawl shaft will be replaced. In addition, owners will be reminded to fully apply the parking brake, in addition to placing the transmission in park.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Manufacturer campaign number 96S39. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.
Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.
Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.
Complaints by component
1,368 complaints, 1,829 component mentions.
A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.
- 1996 Ford Windstar
- All 1996 vehicles
| Component | 1996 Windstar | All 1996 vehicles | Windstar, all years | Mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 284.9 | 145.2 | 201.9 | 521 |
| Power Train | 184.3 | 100.3 | 161.6 | 337 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 138.3 | 125.1 | 136.9 | 253 |
| Suspension | 61.2 | 54 | 75.9 | 112 |
| Electrical System | 47 | 82.2 | 74.8 | 86 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 43.7 | 41.9 | 47.6 | 80 |
| Unknown or Other | 43.2 | 21.6 | 22 | 79 |
| Steering | 30.1 | 48.5 | 39.4 | 55 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 25.7 | 51.6 | 22.1 | 47 |
| Visibility | 23.5 | 61 | 27.7 | 43 |
The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 25.
- Complaints that report a crash
- 60
- Complaints that report a fire
- 43
- Injuries in the complaints
- 52
- Deaths in the complaints
- 1
- Date of the newest complaint
- 21 Oct 2010
These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.
Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.
Investigations
| Number | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Campaign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EA08021 | Engineering analysis | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | Electrical System | 17 Sep 2008 | 14 Oct 2009 | 09V399000 |
| PE08035 | Preliminary evaluation | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | Electrical System | 13 May 2008 | 17 Sep 2008 | |
| RQ04003 | Recall query | HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE FAILURE | Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Fluid | 27 May 2004 | 7 Oct 2004 | |
| RQ02011 | Recall query | FUEL TANK FATIGUE CRACKING | Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly | 29 Aug 2002 | 14 Mar 2003 | 99V309000 |
| EA00027 | Engineering analysis | SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BREAKAGE | Suspension | 8 Dec 2000 | 31 Jul 2001 | 01I007000 |
| PE00024 | Preliminary evaluation | SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BREAKAGE | Suspension | 23 Jun 2000 | 8 Dec 2000 | |
| EA99020 | Engineering analysis | FUEL TANK CRACKS | Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 Jul 1999 | 16 Dec 1999 | 99V309000 |
| PE98056 | Preliminary evaluation | REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 28 Oct 1998 | 24 Feb 1999 | |
| EA97018 | Engineering analysis | OUTER HOOD PANEL DETACHMENT | Structure | 30 Sep 1997 | 22 Oct 1997 | 97V180000 |
| PE97011 | Preliminary evaluation | OUTER HOOD PANEL DETACHMENT | Structure | 13 Mar 1997 | 30 Sep 1997 | |
| EA96026 | Engineering analysis | BRAKE PEDAL FADE/EXTENDED STOP DISTANCE | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 31 Oct 1996 | 18 Feb 2000 | |
| PE96042 | Preliminary evaluation | BRAKE PEDAL FADE/EXTENDED STOPPING | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 Jun 1996 | 31 Oct 1996 | |
| PE96015 | Preliminary evaluation | FAILURE OF AUTO TRANS PARK LOCK SYSTEM | Power Train / Automatic Transmission | 23 Feb 1996 | 22 May 1996 | 96V086000 |
Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.
Other model years
The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.
A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.
Follow by RSS:Ford recallsVehicle recalls
Official channels
- NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
- NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
- NHTSA page of the 1996 Ford WindstarThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.
Cite this page
Recall Register. 1996 Ford Windstar: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/ford/windstar/1996/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through .
Sources
- Source
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
- Licence
- US government work, public domain
- Recall file through
- 30 Sep 2026
- Complaint file through
- 29 Mar 2018
- First complaint in the file
- 1 Jan 1995
- Manufacturer in the recall file
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.
Questions
- How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1996 Ford Windstar?
- 6,469,843 units in 8 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
- How many recall campaigns does the Ford Windstar have for all model years?
- NHTSA lists 33 recall campaigns for the Ford Windstar, model years 1985 to 2004. 8 of them name the 1996 model year.
- Which component do the complaints about the 1996 Ford Windstar name most often?
- Engine and Engine Cooling: 521 of 1,829 component mentions, or 284.9 per 1,000. For all 1996 vehicles the figure is 145.2 per 1,000.
- Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Ford Windstar open?
- No. Each of the 13 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.