1997 Ford Windstar GL review from North America
"This is our second and last Ford, both have been terribly disappointing"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The first signs of problems seemed innocent enough. A door ajar light on the dash. All of the door sensors are functional, yet the door ajar light remains on. Where it really gets annoying is when the headlights are on and the car is moving less than 15 mph.
At that point the warning bell goes off continuously until you either get above 15 mph or turn off the headlights.
The ABS often activate @ below 10 mph. Sometimes the ABS light goes on & stays on, other times the brakes just release and allow the car to coast an extra 5 feet or so at the end of a stop.
The Oil Pan Gasket takes 4 "book hours" of labor to replace? Why did they put the oil pan where it is inaccessible?
The cup holder rattles constantly.
General comments?
Overall, this car has been a headache. We bought it new, maintained it properly, used Mobil 1, the whole bit. Ever since it turned 40,000, we've regretted buying it, but since the resale is so bad, we're going to keep it until the kids can drive & let them drive into the ground.
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  | Take a chance? New US car makers' motto |
| Extremely comfortable driveway ornament |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4/10 |
| Reliability marks | 3/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83000 miles |
| Previous car | Subaru GL |
| Date of Entry | 1st April, 2003 |