1997 Ford Windstar Problems, Recalls & Reliability
249 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 Ford Windstar, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 6 defect investigations. It scores 5/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1997 Ford Windstar has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1997 sits among all Windstar years
What owners report
“We were driving on the interstate at 70 mph with the cruise control on. Without any warning, the van went out of gear , the engine revved up, and all acceleration stopped. We pulled off the road and tried to get the van to go back into gear - any gear - and it wouldn't. There was no warning of a…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Windstar
“Blown head gasket on 3.8 engine on 1997 ford windstar, with only 77,000 miles. Ford with not offer any help. After owning a ford for past 28 years, this is the last ford product that my family will ever own. Ever! Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Windstar
“Front driverside tire went flat, front suspension spring had broken in two pieces and punctured a hole in the sidewall of the tire.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Windstar
“I am concerned about the warning lights on the dashboard. When driving this vehicle the abs brake light along with the emergency brake stay lit while driving and when the vehicle is being used. It also seems that the door ajar buzzer tends to keep sounding while driving. This is a hindrance while…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Windstar
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 58 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 88,890 miles. Half of those reports fall between 75,172 and 115,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
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…
Fix: 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…
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1995-1998 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVANS. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS COULD POTENTIALLY FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION.…
Fix: FORD IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR FRONT COIL SPRING REPLACEMENT TO A TOTAL OF 10 YEARS OF SERVICE FROM THE WARRANTY START DATE, WITH UNLIMITED MILEAGE. THIS COVERAGE IS AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO…
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…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SHIELDS AROUND THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 6, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE…
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,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO DEACTIVATE THE RUNNING LIGHT FUNCTION AND TO COMPLETE ANY OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECALLS ON THESE VEHICLES.
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…
Fix: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH NEW LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THESE SERVO COVERS.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 09V399000.
Led to recall campaign 01I007000.
Led to recall campaign 99V309000.
Technical service bulletins
176 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1997 Ford Windstar. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1997 Windstar TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 Ford Windstar reliable?
The 1997 Ford Windstar drew 249 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 5/100, scored against the model's worst year (1995).
What are the most common 1997 Ford Windstar problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 Ford Windstar are transmission & drivetrain (46 complaints), engine (41), and suspension (39).
At what mileage do 1997 Ford Windstar problems show up?
Owners most often report 1997 Ford Windstar problems around 88,890 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 75,172 and 115,000 miles.
Does the 1997 Ford Windstar have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 1997 Ford Windstar. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.