Overview & Reviews
Ford widens the driver door as a stop-gap measure until the 1999 Windstar arrives with a fourth door. Subtle styling revisions and a new Limited model round out the changes for 1998.
- Powerful engines and roomy interior.
- Offensive shape, lack of suspension refinement.
User Reviews:
Showing 11 through 20 of 118.00-
Is Excellent Car - 1998 Ford Windstar
By Rene Cristales - January 11 - 10:16 amWe bought GL model at 6 y/o w/115,000 on it. I must say it has always been very reliable. Started up every morning. I dont recall it ever breaking down on me. The engine on this is a vehicle. For a van, it has great power. The transmission too, has great power and pickup. My only problem with this van was its A front heating system and ac front system. Interior lights go on, wont go off. A short in the abs system it ding with the key out. I have to punch the steering wheel to make it stop. Slide door dummy light stays on for a while after its closed. But it was a comfort ride with room to spare. Great for a family and the van has 250,000 milles and still working fine
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Sorry to see it go - 1998 Ford Windstar
By sorrytoseeitgo - January 6 - 6:34 pmHad 17000 miles when we bought it, now has 200000+. This has been a great van. Normal wear and tear repairs. It has been one of the most reliable cars Ive had. Although itd probable be just fine, long trips on high mileage makes me nervous with a family. Someone is going to get a great used van at 200000+. Will probably keep it in the family!
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Good reliability - 1998 Ford Windstar
By wirebender - December 8 - 10:00 amThis has been a workhorse for me. We have traveled back and forth from Oregon to California to Arizona numerous times and have never had any trouble. Van now has over 90k miles and still going strong. Regular maintenance has been all that is needed. Highly recommend.
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This van is a piece of junk - 1998 Ford Windstar
By Cocoamosh - November 19 - 5:23 pmThis van was good for about 3 months and then it went to hell fast. Rack and pinion power steering pump and struts-they all go together and its costly. I loved my van until about a week ago and got an estimate for repair. No wonder everyone says do not buy a Ford-Found On The Road Dead and some other words I can think of.
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Great performer in the long run - 1998 Ford Windstar
By duke - August 30 - 7:54 pmWhen you compare the low maintenance cost versus the three or four times maintenance cost of imports there is no comparison. For comfort the interior design of the Windstar served as a model for the coming years to other minivans. For fuel economy nineteen to twenty miles per gallon was ahead of its time in comparison to the other minivans. And when you become aware of the fact that after ten years or more many Windstars are still on the road. Whereas the Honda Odysseys, Susuki Oasis, Toyota Siennas, and the rest of that bunch have mostly been decommissioned even though their owners spend a lot more money on them trying to keep them alive. The contest is over. Windstar is the winner
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10 Years Ownership - 1998 Ford Windstar
By B Whitcomb - August 18 - 8:39 pmGood reliable engine, no oil burner and exceeded EPA estimates on highway achived 26 MPG on highway. A lot of interior noise. Removable second and third row seats very heavy. Brakes marginal. Tow package for 3500 lbs worked well. No major failures in 203000 miles. Seat cushions on front driver side did not retain cushion. Radio AM reception poor.
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Ok, Its a Van - 1998 Ford Windstar
By Muddman - June 20 - 9:53 amBought this Windstar back in 2000 and have driven about 167000 miles with it. Only once did we have a tranny replaced, but I dont remember the mileage. Also had an incident when it refused to shift coming back from a ski trip in WV. Nursed it back, to find that it was a faulty computer chip. Have taken numerous trips to MI (about 1000 mile each way) and has always been solid. The only real issue with my van is that, in the summer it "bings" at you when the driver side door is open and continues to "bing" until you reach 15 mph. The whole time the interior lights will stay on, and the door ajar light stays on. Have had this problem twice. Aparently its a harness in the steering colum.
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Served me well - 1998 Ford Windstar
By Intel Timmy - June 18 - 9:46 amLook in any car buying guide and youll read to stay away from this vehicle. My 3.8 liter Windstar served me well and all I can tell you is that I sold it a few months ago with 187,000 miles and I never had a problem with it. I religiously changed the oil and rotated the tires. It has tons of interior room, decent gas mileage and a pretty smooth ride. I hauled 1,100 lbs of bagged rocks behind the third row seat, numerous 4 x 8 sheets of drywall and other things and it kept going strong. Of course, I washed it once a week, waxed it twice a year and kept up the vehicle very, very well. I sold mine a few months ago for $2,000 and probably could have gotten more.
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Never Let Me Down - 1998 Ford Windstar
By Started Every Time! - June 11 - 7:12 pmWe bought GL model at 6 y/o w/70,000 on it. I must say it has always been very reliable. Started up every morning. I dont recall it ever breaking down on me. The engine on this is a monster. For a van, it has great power and pickup. The transmission too, has great power and pickup. My only problem with this van was its electrical system. My Aerostar had the same exact problem. Must be a Ford thing. Interior lights go on, wont go off. A short in the steering column makes it ding w/ the key out. I have to punch the steering wheel to make it stop. Side door dummy light stays on for a while after its closed. But it was a comfort ride w/room to spare. Great for a family of 5.
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Oscurito review - 1998 Ford Windstar
By oscurito - June 9 - 9:21 amI owned this for 2 and a half years, I have no complaints about this truck. I only did its regular maintenance as oil change, tune ups. The only thing I could complain about is the transmission, it slips a little when you are on the stop and go within the city but once you are on the highway your ride is very smooth!
