Most common 1995 Ford Windstar problems
Share of the 3,326 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Windstar complaints by model year
Best Windstar years: 2004, 1997. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1998. Compare all years →
1995 Ford Windstar recalls (6)
Vehicle speed control
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…
Remedy: 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…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the brake line for corrosion and clearance conditions. A brake line that is not corroded will be repositioned.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: minivans which were originally sold or currently registered in the following hot weather states: alabama, arizona, arkansas, california (10 southern counties), florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, nevada (clark county only), oklahoma, south carolina and texas, can develop cracks in the fuel…
Remedy: Dealers will install a brace assembly at the strap bolt hole location and replace the tank strap with a revised, longer strap. Dealers will also inspect the tanks for leaks.
Structure › Body › Hood
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.
Remedy: 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.
Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
The alternator output wire was not connected tightly to the power distribution box.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the connection. Vehicles with visible damage to the plastic power distribution box housing will have the the underhood harness, including the power distribution box, replaced.
Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
The wiring harness insulation can abrade on a brace that runs from the instrument panel to the cowl.
Remedy: Dealers will install a shield on the instrument panel to cowl brace, and installation of a piece of convolute wrap material on one of the adjacent harnesses.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 14 possible defects involving the 1995 Ford Windstar:
Hydraulic brake line failure
On April 4, 2002, Ford motor company notified odi of a defect condition that could result in extended stopping distances in approximately 250 thousand model year (my) 1995 and 1996 windstar minivans sold or registered in salt belt states (recall 02v-101).according to Ford, improper brake line routing in vehicles manufactured at the oakville assembly plant from January 14, 1994 through May 21, 1996 resulted in some…
Fuel tank fatigue cracking
See attached report.
Fuel tank cracks
There is no summary currently available
Rear axle trailing arm
There is no summary currently available
Outer hood panel detachment
The office of defects investigation has received 6 reports indicating the outer hood panel separated from the vehicles as they were being driven.Ford has provide 39 additional reports that are consistent with odi reports.Ford indicates that the likely cause is prior collision damage.this investigation is being upgraded to further study this issue.
Brake pedal fade/extended stopping
Odi has received sixty-eight (68) consumer reports of alleged failures or malfunctions in the brake system on certain 1995 and 1996 Ford windstars, which resulted in brake pedal fade and in extended stopping distances during brakingthese alleged failures or malfunctions are reported to have caused twelve (12) accidents that resulted from vehicle loss of braking.the conplainants report that the loss of braking…
Engine compartment fires
Odi has received 134 consumer complaints, 285 manufacturer complaints, and 137 manufacturer warranty claims alleging incidents of engine compartment fire in model year (my) 1995 thru 2003 Ford windstar vehicles.two of the odi complaints allege the fires caused structural damage to the complainant's home.of the 134 odi complaints, 36 allege the fire occurred while the vehicle was parked, 72 allege the fire occurred…
Suspension coil spring breakage
There is no summary currently available
Fuel tank cracks
There is no summary currently available
Outer hood panel detachment
There is no summary currently available
Brake pedal fade/extended stop distance
There is no summary currently available
Engine compartment fires
Ea08-021 is closed with Ford's actions in recall 09v-399 recalling approximately 4.5 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).with this recall Ford has now recalled all of the approximate 16 million Ford model vehicles that were manufactured from my 1992 through 2003 with a texas instruments scds.NHTSA will continue to monitor the recalled vehicles to ensure…
Suspension coil spring breakage
There is no summary currently available
Automatic transmission failure
There is no summary currently available
What 1995 Ford Windstar owners say
Engine & cooling all 1,613 →
I asked the seller at Ford to completely service the van before I would buy it. He said his mechanic would. I checked the van out two weeks later, low on oil, no brake fluid, trans fluid very low, no water hardly at all in receiver, then the starter went out, replaced it no good, replaced switch, no good, brakes gone out, can't keep fluid in systems, engine light came on, emission problems, mechanic stalls for the hour amount, and still can't fix/test ii code. Inside lights dim when extra. Lights come on. It's a [redacted] piece of junk and they sold us a lemon. I paid over $4,000.00 cash for it, and all they wanted to so was sell it for money. What can I do? It has 72,000 etc mile and now has 82,000. We are both disabled with two kids. We have been screwed. I can get the Ford info on the Ford Windstar 95 3.8 it rattles, water runs out of the exhaust pipe and the converter. …
My 1995 Ford Windstar developed a fire under the hood on the driver's side while parked in my driveway. The car had not been driven at all during the two weeks prior to the fire. The last time it was driven prior to the fire, the car repeatedly lost power (decelerated, nearly to a stop) while driving on an uphill incline. Depressing the accelerator was ineffective during such episodes. Power returned and the car would acclerate and maintain a steady speed once the car returned to level ground. I had not used the cruise control system at all during that last trip and used it rarely in the 12 years that I owned the car. The fire completely destroyed the engine and all other major systems under the hood. The fire damaged the surface of my driveway and a small area of my lawn.
Transmission & drivetrain all 875 →
I asked the seller at Ford to completely service the van before I would buy it. He said his mechanic would. I checked the van out two weeks later, low on oil, no brake fluid, trans fluid very low, no water hardly at all in receiver, then the starter went out, replaced it no good, replaced switch, no good, brakes gone out, can't keep fluid in systems, engine light came on, emission problems, mechanic stalls for the hour amount, and still can't fix/test ii code. Inside lights dim when extra. Lights come on. It's a [redacted] piece of junk and they sold us a lemon. I paid over $4,000.00 cash for it, and all they wanted to so was sell it for money. What can I do? It has 72,000 etc mile and now has 82,000. We are both disabled with two kids. We have been screwed. I can get the Ford info on the Ford Windstar 95 3.8 it rattles, water runs out of the exhaust pipe and the converter. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Ford Windstar. When the vehicle was shifted to the drive position, the vehicle accelerated and the check engine warning indicator illuminated continuously. The contact stated that there were difficulties shifting the vehicle to different gears. The failures recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the idle air controller failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 245,000.
Brakes all 505 →
I asked the seller at Ford to completely service the van before I would buy it. He said his mechanic would. I checked the van out two weeks later, low on oil, no brake fluid, trans fluid very low, no water hardly at all in receiver, then the starter went out, replaced it no good, replaced switch, no good, brakes gone out, can't keep fluid in systems, engine light came on, emission problems, mechanic stalls for the hour amount, and still can't fix/test ii code. Inside lights dim when extra. Lights come on. It's a [redacted] piece of junk and they sold us a lemon. I paid over $4,000.00 cash for it, and all they wanted to so was sell it for money. What can I do? It has 72,000 etc mile and now has 82,000. We are both disabled with two kids. We have been screwed. I can get the Ford info on the Ford Windstar 95 3.8 it rattles, water runs out of the exhaust pipe and the converter. …
Tl contact owns a 1995 Ford Windstar. While driving at any speed, the ABS light would illuminate on the instrument panel and brake fluid would leak. The contact also noticed that the cruise control switch worked inconsistently. She discovered that the cruise control deactivation switch had melted. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 152,000.
1995 Ford Windstar engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Ford Windstar a good car?
Based on 3,326 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 Windstar rates avoid: 3.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Windstar at the same age. It is one of the Windstar years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1995 Ford Windstar?
The engine & cooling — 1,613 complaints, 48% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (875) and brakes (505).
How many recalls does the 1995 Ford Windstar have?
There are 6 recalls for the 1995 Ford Windstar, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Windstar?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996 and 1998. See the full Ford Windstar years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Ford Windstar problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 8% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.