1998 Ford Windstar GL review from North America
"Comfy Roomy Ride with Endless Mechanical Nightmares"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
O2 Sensors.
Tie rods.
ABS Braking system - an absolute nightmare. I have nicknamed it the Deathstar. Even Ford deemed it unsafe to drive. Nothing ever seemed to correct the problem and I continued to drive it until my daughter was born. Now, I refuse to put her life in jeopardy. Dealer offered to diagnose the problem for $300.00-$400.00. I took it elsewhere (5 different places before anyone could figure out what the problem was) and the ABS computer was bad--to the tune of $2,000.00 to have it repaired. I didn't and it now rests in my yard.
Check engine light has always been on. Every time I take it anywhere to be diagnosed I would have one more thing repaired until I gave up and just continued to drive it with the light on. I took it long distance frequently and never broke down.
Interior lighting always on with the bell alert for door ajar - like the rest of you I got tired of listening to the "Bong, Bong, Bong" and the lights on... I replaced the sensor and cleaned the door connections and that corrected the problem.
Sensors and switches constantly go bad on this vehicle, more than any vehicle I've ever owned. For example, reverse lights, passenger window control, etc.
General comments?
The interior of the vehicle has a lot of perks. It's roomy and comfy. I have driven long distances on a regular basis and never became uncomfortable.
The controls and cup holders were well within reach.
Decent sound system.
Rides smoothly.
Handles great.
Great for transporting passengers in comfort and class as well as cargo, although the seats are a real pain to take out and are extremely heavy and awkward.
Great power. You step on the gas and it responds without hesitation.
Good gas mileage.
Basically, it's not mechanically sound, but you can ride in comfort until the components fail and it kills you.
Recommended reviews
| Unpredictability I rate this a 10, unreliability it gets a 0 |
| Junk |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 60000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 138000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Escort |
| Date of Entry | 19th October, 2004 |