Faults:

The idler pulley went out and stranded me twice.

Both window motors went out and there is a loose piece of metal in the door near the windows.

The transmission shifts jerkily.

The ABS and overdrive lights have come on many times.

Replaced the alternator and had the brakes completely redone.

The final straw was the leaking of antifreeze into the engine. The dealer said it was through the "water pump gasket", but clearly it is a head gasket failure.

General Comments:

This van was the best choice of those available at the time. It is comfortable to drive and has run well until now. There are so many reports of the same problems that I guess I am lucky to have gotten it as far down the road as far as I did before having head gasket problems.

Faults:

The head gasket blew at 74,000 miles. This required replacement of the O2 sensors as well.

The transmission required major repairs at 90,000 miles.

General Comments:

This car has been extremely unreliable, and the response from Ford was a disgrace to the history of that company.

I have vowed never to buy another Ford, and am telling my friends and family that in my experience, Ford does not stand behind their products.

Faults:

Like most other Windstar reviews I have seen, my van had similar issues. Thank goodness for the 7 year extended warranty (that just ran out last a few months ago).

Electrical problems galore, but not enough to ever sideline the car. Warning lights are random, and whenever van was checked under warranty, they could never fix them or find a reason. (even though the dealership never hesitated to charge the warranty company- it was not worth my time or effort to go back to get it done right).

Speedometer has never worked properly, despite numerous attempts to fix. The whole mechanism was replaced by a dealership in another town, and when this failed to work, my dealership said they put in the wrong one. I have gotten very good at estimating my speed - no tickets yet!

The mysterious suspension cracking noise reported elsewhere shows itself regularly in my van, but despite tie rod ends, boots, strut welds, and many other things I don't understand, it still does it. Now, I find it to be a reassuring sound since whenever I hear it I know that everything is "normal".

Yes, 2 head gasket repairs.

Interior door lights stay on, but at least I can always find my van in the parking lot at night.

General Comments:

I consider myself very fortunate that my van still actually runs, but I know that I am on borrowed time here.

Anyone know how to convert it into a fish pond?

Faults:

The door open light has been a problem. The lights stay on in the van after it is locked for hours was another problem. The head gaskets have gone out, but that was at 80,000 miles. The engine misses and the transmission is shifting roughly.

General Comments:

The paint and interior are in very good condition. The dealer has broken many parts while the van was in the shop. Hubcaps at 65.00 each. Parts of the dash and the heater plenum which costs 900.00 to replace. They give the same old excuse,"it was broke when it came in". I will buy a new Mustang soon, but not from this dealership.

Overall I have been happy with the Windstar GL. It is very comfortable even with a full load of people. I will work out the engine missing and transmission shifting problem without the help of the "parts breaking Dealership" and acquire the new Mach 1 Mustang sometime this summer.