Total Complaints
7 filings
FORD WINDSTAR · model year
1985 FORD WINDSTAR
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985FORDWINDSTAR carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 WINDSTAR is electrical system:ignition:switch with 1 filings, followed by steering:rack and pinion:rack (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 7 investigation files overlapping the 1985 WINDSTAR. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19981114POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
WE ARE EXPERIANCING ERATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS DURING SHIFTING SOMETIMES CAUSING STALLING, AND A HIGH R.P.M AT HIGH SPEEDS. THIS WORRIES ME IN THE SAFETY OF DRIVING. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE FIVE STAR SAFETY RATING BECAUSE OF HAVING A CHILDCARE BUSINESS(FOR THE SAFETY OF TRANSPORTING LITTLE ONES). THANK YOU JON BRADLEY
19981002POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
19980304ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD BECAME APART OR LOOSE . ALSO COOLANT ON CYLINDER HEAD BECAME LOOSE. THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
19980304ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD BECAME APART OR LOOSE . ALSO COOLANT ON CYLINDER HEAD BECAME LOOSE. THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
19960601STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
POWER STEERING RACK FELL OFF. (FIRST VEHICLE ON 601396) *DSH
19960601SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED FOUR TIMES.
19960531FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
Compare 1985FORDWINDSTAR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
EA10007Engineering AnalysisClosed
Front Subframe Corrosion Failures
DP10005Defect PetitionClosed
Rear Axle Fracture Recall Scope
PE10026Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front Subframe Corrosion Failures
PE10016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Rear Axle Cracking
PE08035Preliminary EvaluationClosed
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 FORD WINDSTAR have?▼
The 1985 FORD WINDSTAR has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 FORD WINDSTAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 FORD WINDSTAR is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1985 FORD WINDSTAR safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.