1996 Ford Windstar GL review from North America
"One repair nightmare after another"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Rear-window (vent) motor has been replaced twice.
"Check Engine" light has been a recurring problem since we drove the Windstar home.
"ABS" light now comes on when motor gets hot.
General comments?
Horrible experience with this van. The "Check Engine" light came on intermittently, accompanied by rough idling. We went to two different dealerships a total of five different occasions. The 1st told us that the intake manifold was cracked (didn't seem likely, but it was covered by the extended warranty) & fluid was causing the plugs to short out. Total repair almost $2000.00.
2nd dealer told us the valves were sticking & needed to be grinded-out. Total repair $1800.00.
Now the ABS light comes on when the motor warms up. After the overall shoddy service that we'd received from both dealerships AND from Ford Motor Company directly, I'm dreading another trip to the dealer for this latest defect. My first and last Ford product.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 liter Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 0/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 0/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 48000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Stanza |
| Date of Entry | 19th February, 2001 |