Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Ford Windstar owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle was wobbling uncontrollably and almost caused an accident. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the rear axle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.
The gauges are acting crazy which causes the engine to jerk or the transmission and then it starts making the lights flicker in the interior and the gauges start sticking. It seems to make the overflow on the radiator to empty more because it is causing the sensors in the electrical for the parts to go crazy and run hot. Sometimes it only does it every so often but after getting the reserve hose on the power steering that connects to the reservoir to the coolant the battery was drained. Then going after getting it charged down the highway it caused the interior lights radio and seat and turn signals not to work when coming to a complete stop and it was idling the dashboard and all the lights were coming back on once given a guess it winded up not working again causing the battery to become hot or warm and acid you can smell in the air like rotten eggs. …
Manufacture Recall # 09S09 NHTSA Recall # 09V399000 Instrument cluster has become faulty. Details listed below. Overdrive (O/D) light will randomly start flashing for no reason ABS will randomly engage Parking brake light will randomly turn on Speedometer with become sporadic Transmission has trouble shifting gears due to tachometer becoming sporadic Vehicle will randomly try to die/stall out at a prolonged stop or while coming to a stop, even after all charging components have been replaces i.e. battery, alternator, drive belt, and cables.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While driving and approaching a stop light, a loud noise occurred and the vehicle accelerated at a high speed. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but could not gain control or stop the vehicle. The steering wheel became loose and the contact quickly shifted into park. The contact powered off the engine. When the vehicle was restarted, the engine revved high. The contact powered off the engine again, exited the vehicle, opened the hood, and noticed that the serpentine belt was shredded. Also, the metal pulleys were cracked in several parts and some were missing. The contact noticed underneath the vehicle that the motor, subframe, and muffler were laying on the ground. A tow truck was called and the driver stated that the subframe gave out. The vehicle was towed to the contact's mother's residence. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While driving approximately between 35-40 MPH on normal road conditions; pressure was applied to the brake pedal the front btakes locked and the driver was unable to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle also skidded without warning. The failure continued to occur intemittently. The "brake" and "ABS" warning light indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The warning indicator remained illuminated until the engine was shut off by the driver. The contact was able to drive the vehicle with caution; however, there was an increase in the engine rpms. An authorized dealer replaced the intake manifold gasket and the alternator. On a separate occasion, the the air bag system failed to deploy with a level of impact to the rear of the vehicle. There were no personal injuries. The contact had concerns of the safety risk involved. …
I was driving the van this afternoon on a public road when for no apparent reason the van started smoking from under the engine. I pulled into a automotive garage and got out of the van and it was still smoking badly. I individual who actually worked at the garage was on his way home from a restaurant and pulled into the parking area. He had me go into the vehicle to pull the latch to the hood and when he opened the hood the engine and other parts were engulfed with flames. They spread into the inside of the van and destroyed the dash board, windshield and other area. The roof on the inside was melting. They were able to put out the fire but the van is destroyed. The individual who stopped and helped me out is a mechanic at that particular garage and said it looked to him like a electrical problem started the fire. I am now without a vehicle. …
ABS light and traction control light illuminates after driving forward 150 yards. Heavily salted chicago streets have caused corrosion under car. Suspect ABS failure due to salt and water corrosion in electrical connectors. High amperage ABS electrical wires could short- out and cause a fire; an environmental, pollution and safety issue.
While driving check engine light came on. Vehicle was then taken to a dealership, who performed a diagnostic test that indicated that the intake manifold upper and lower gaskets needed to be replaced. The parts were replaced, but the failure recurred 13000 miles later. The vehicle was then taken to a mechanic, who also performed a diagnostic test in which the failure codes were 171 and 174 . The mechanic changed 4 02 sensors, and did a tune up. Also, mechanic a contacted dealership on this issue, who sent them a fax stating if these codes appeared it was a malfunction of the MIL lamp, and didn't change the o2 sensors because this wasn't what was causing the problem. …
Ongoing problem as described in TSB 04-17-4 & 03-16-1. These TSB's tell us that Ford motor company was aware of this design flaw and continued to manufacture and sell defective vehicles. The problem exist in their faulty 3.8l engine at the intake manifold. The poor design allows oil to seep into the intake plenum and over time the oil erodes away the rubber around the isolator bolts and gaskets. When this happens the engine reads lean fuel codes on banks 1& 2 and a vacuum leak. To compensate for these lean codes , more gasoline is pumped into the plenum causing a rich exhaust mixture which is then sent out the tail pipe into the atmosphere. Ford motor company designed and built these engines and they need to be held accountable for correcting this problem. Remember, this is an ongoing widespread problem with tens of thousands of these engines fouling up the air that we breath every day.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact was driving approximately 50-55 MPH when a loud noise was heard from the vehicle. The contact stated that it sounded as if something had fallen from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised her that the spark plugs were inverted in the engine and the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered a 5 percent discount to the contact if the vehicle were to be repaired at an authorized dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 120,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Engine complaints in other Windstar years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Ford Windstar?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Ford Windstar, 3% of the model year's 1,353 complaints. The component named most often is engine (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Windstar engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Ford Windstar, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Windstar engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.