Total Complaints
12 filings
FORD WINDSTAR · model year
1993 FORD WINDSTAR
12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993FORDWINDSTAR carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 1993 WINDSTAR is engine and engine cooling:engine with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (2) and power train:automatic transmission (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 1993 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.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| CHILD SEAT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080111FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD JAYCO. THE VAN CAUGHT FIRE WHILE OFF AND PARKED. THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY THE FIRE DEPT. BUT NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE TRANSMISSION TYPE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000. UPDATED 02-14-08. *KB GARY FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT. UPDATED 02/14/08 *TR
Mileage: 100,000
20040422ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3.8L HEAD GASKET
Mileage: 94,000
20020705SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, SHREDDING THE TIRE. DEALER HAS REPLACED COIL SPRING AND TIRE.*AK. CONSUMER STATED AS HE PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE COIL SPRINGS.*JB
20020514SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FLOOR. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20001218ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FORD KNOWS THAT THESE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. THEY HAVE HAD A RECALL BUT ONLY FROM 1994 AND ONLY MADE IN A CERTAIN PLANT. *AK
20000314ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE ALUMINUM ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE SEPARATING AND LEAKING, ALLOWING COOLANT AND OIL TO MIX, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THESE ENGINES ARE RECALLED IN THE 94-95 MODELS, BUT NOT IN THE 93 MODEL WITH THE SAME ENGINE. OWNER HAS RECEIVED NO HELP FROM FORD. *AK *ML
19991220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET ON A 3.8L ENGINE; NOTICED LOTS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMER WITH SAME PROBLEM. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.*AK
19970213CHILD SEAT
INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE SAFETY HARNESS IS TOO SHORT AND TIGHT. FORD AGREES THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM.
19970117SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE FRONT END PULSATE, AND HAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, IN FOR REPAIR AND REPLACED DISC PADS AND ROTORS. *AK
19970117SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE FRONT END PULSATE, AND HAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, IN FOR REPAIR AND REPLACED DISC PADS AND ROTORS. *AK
19961216CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVING ALONG APPROXIMATELY 30MPH, VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF US AND HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK AND HELD PASSENGERS IN PLACE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
19960715POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED WHILE DRIVING AND WILL GO UP HILL WHEN APPLYING ACCELEATOR WILL NOT PICKUP SPEED. *AK
Compare 1993FORDWINDSTAR 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 1993 FORD WINDSTAR have?▼
The 1993 FORD WINDSTAR has 12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 FORD WINDSTAR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 FORD WINDSTAR is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1993 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.