Ford Windstar years to avoid
The Ford Windstar years to avoid are 1995, 2001, 2000, 2003, 1999, 1998, 2002, 1996 — each drew complaint volumes well above the model's norm or has an open safety investigation. The 2005 is the cleanest year on record.
19,459
Total complaints
38
Recall campaigns
1985–2005
Years covered
8
Years to avoid
Complaints by model year
Windstar years to avoid
| Year | Why | Complaints | vs avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | High complaint rate | 4,799 | |
| 2001 | High complaint rate | 2,297 | |
| 2000 | High complaint rate | 2,191 | |
| 2003 | High complaint rate | 2,056 | |
| 1999 | High complaint rate | 2,040 | |
| 1998 | High complaints + open investigation | 1,949 | |
| 2002 | High complaint rate | 1,928 | |
| 1996 | High complaint rate | 1,855 |
Every Windstar year
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2003avoid | 2,056 | 9 | |
| 2002avoid | 1,928 | 9 | |
| 2001avoid | 2,297 | 16 | |
| 2000avoid | 2,191 | 16 | |
| 1999avoid | 2,040 | 13 | |
| 1998avoid | 1,949 | 14 | |
| 1997 | 249 | 6 | |
| 1996avoid | 1,855 | 9 | |
| 1995avoid | 4,799 | 8 | |
| 1994 | 25 | 0 | |
| 1993 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1991 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1990 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1985 | 7 | 0 |
Common questions
What are the worst Ford Windstar years?
Based on NHTSA complaint rates and open investigations, the Windstar years to avoid are 1995, 2001, 2000, 2003, 1999, 1998, 2002, 1996. The cleanest year on record is 2005.
What is the best year for the Ford Windstar?
By complaint volume, 2005 has the cleanest NHTSA record among Windstar years with enough data to compare.
How many recalls does the Ford Windstar have?
Across all model years, the Windstar has 38 distinct NHTSA recall campaigns and 19,459 consumer complaints on file.
Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.