Overview & Reviews

This year the Windstar has been totally redesigned. The biggest news for '99, in addition to the completely new exterior and interior styling, is a left-hand sliding door. The second- and third-row seats are now on rollers for easier removal/interchangeability and the instrument panel has been redesigned for improved ergonomics. There's also a more powerful and cleaner-burning 3.8-liter V6 plus upgraded suspension, transmission, brakes and air conditioning components. New options include side airbags and a trick reverse sensing system.

• As the most recent minivan to undergo a major redesign, the Windstar is now king of safety and high-tech features.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 148.00

• 

  So Many Problems Over the Years - Big and Small - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By KP - December 13 - 12:39 pm

  I bought this vehicle used (the 3.6L model) with fairly low mileage. After just a couple years of owning it, the transmission failed. So I ended up having to spend $1,700 on having the transmission rebuilt. Just a couple days ago it wouldnt start and it wasnt a battery issue. I had to have it towed to the shop and found out it was done...I would need a new engine. So I ended up having to salvage it. After all that was done I wrote down a list of the problems I experienced over the years with it. Its a long list: 1. Had to have the transmission rebuilt at less than 70,000. It might have been 50K but I cant remember. 2. ABS lights would come on and off for no apparent reason 3. Dashboard gauges would constantly flicker and youd have to bang on the dashboard to get them to display properly, but that only worked occasionally. Most of the time the fluttering happened every day. This was an issue for years. 4. Power locks would fail/not be consistent and constantly would have to unlock/lock manually 5. Sliding doors for backseat wouldnt easily open. Heavy lubrication would help for a while but then the problem would recur 6. Air conditioner failed several years ago and was too expensive to fix 7. In the winter, the heat would not come on until at least 15 or 20 minutes of driving and even then it wasnt always consistent 8. The air/heat would suddenly come on in the back even when the back vents were turned off 9. The windshield wiper fluid reservoir sprung a leak so no windshield wiper fluid would stay in it 10. The rear axle had to be replaced in a Ford recall 11. The body, especially the undercarriage and the lower part of the drivers and passengers side sliding doors started to rust and corrode 12. Would constantly go out of alignment, wearing tires out. 13. The drivers side tire, in particular, would lose air and even when I would replace it, whatever new tire Id put on it would start losing air over the course of the next months. I never could figure that one out. 15. The power windows on both the drivers and passengers side doors had to have their motors replaced more than once. After the motor went out on the passenger side window, I just gave up and dealt with it. 16. One of the power windows in the rear stopped working years ago. I also didnt bother to get it fixed. 17. I had to have a new exhaust flex pipe put on it, which cost several hundred dollars. 16. There were issues with the struts and suspension but I didnt bother to get them fixed. 17. The engine hydrolocked/seized and we found out the head gasket blew, meaning the engine needed to be replaced. It was then that I decided to get rid of it. If I had gotten every broken item on the aforementioned list fixed, I would have spent thousands of dollars more on the van than what I originally paid. I wont buy another Ford.

• 

  Wouldnt buy another 99 Windstar! - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By Rachelle - January 5 - 4:04 pm

  Bought the van from an elderly couple with only 128k. Seemed great at the time. The blinker for some reason whenever youd turn on the left one would flash a light on the dash like a bulb was out (it wasnt). No mechanics could figure out the problem. The heater fan quit working. Developed some electrical problem with the dome lights so when your driving at night theyd just randomly come on and stay on or sometimes theyd strobe. The back passenger door quit opening from the inside and would only unlock whenever it decided to. When the door wouldnt unlock you could not do it manually so the kids would have to climb through. Then around 140k the head gasket started leaking and between 140k and 150k the tranny just blew. I am a Ford lover all the way but they totally FAILED with this vehicle!

• 

  Do not buy - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By Meechie - December 18 - 4:07 pm

  When I firt purchased in March of 2010 I was excited. We had our 4th child, we needed the room. I purchased with 128,000 miles. First 6 months of owning caliper was sticking which cracked my rotor on front driver side. 2 weeks later the heat sensor went and the water pump along with power steering pump. I knew its was a older vehicle so I wasnt expecting top notch condition. Only passenger side door unlock and lock when pressing the button, have to unlock and lock driver side doors manually. The driver sliding door keeps sticking so you have to keep putting oil on it or WD-40. I kept regular maintenance (oil changes, breaks etc.) Could never fix antifreeze leak, it would just leak in another spot. Seems like each time I turn around something else needed to be fixed. Each time I got the engine light off to get inspected if comes back on a month later for another issue so I gave up and just waited when it was time to renew the inspection. In 2011 experience signs of transmission failure. August of 2013 around 140,000 miles had head gasket replaced. February of 2014 transmission failed completely, replaced with another used transmission. The cluster instrument also goes hay wire I also had that replace and doing the same thing again. Emergency break never worked from the beginning and still dont. 2013 I had to replace the front frame that holds the transmission and engine due to it rusting out so bad, if i didnt the transmission would of fell on the ground, I talked to Ford but they said they cant do nothing about it. The van now has 146,000 miles on it. This is nothing but a money pit I would not recommend this vehicle to anybody. I wish I would of done my research but you live and learn. Not reliable at all, the only thing I can say I never was stranded I always got home when something went wrong.

• 

  Dont waste your money - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By toomanyfords - March 26 - 8:05 am

  Purchased a used 99 in 2010 with about 100 k miles on it. Within a year the transmission went out. Had it rebuilt and it did fine after that. Bought it with a small oil leak and it burned more and more oil over the next 4 1/2 years until one day the engine seized out of nowhere at 145k miles. I have to say the engine held up for a long time with obvious issues before it finally quit. But... it did have the issues in the first place. Other than that, never had any other problems with it ( lol). My overall impression of this van... well its not worth the couple thousand they go for used. Save your money.

• 

  Nice minivan - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By yermom123 - April 1 - 5:05 pm

  Its a good car, when the transmission works. I have had to replace it 3 times. Honestly it drives really smooth! 200,000 miles and just took it to Nashville, Tennesse which is about a 12 hour drive from my house. Does well in the snow. I have had it for 14 years and no major problems except the tranny. It is very confortable. I am 6ft and 275 pounds and am very comfortable driving it. I feel really safe driving my kids in it with the triple 5 star crash test rating. Would recommend this vehicle, but make sure the tranny is good first!

• 

  MONEY PIT! PLEASE DONT BUY! - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By chicmama004 - January 30 - 12:58 am

  My husband and I bought this car at 90k miles. We have had nothing but trouble! This car was well maintained with records but around 100k the engine light came on and would not go off no matter what the mechanic fixed. We had to replace the water pump, timing belt and then 5k miles later another water pump. It drains batteries very fast. The worst thing is that the automatic doors jammed and now wont open its to much money to replace them so my kids climb over the front seats to get in the back. The horn quit working also the power locks. Now my mechanic is telling be the freeze plugs need to be replaced and the engine will have to be pulled out. 800 dollars for 49 cent plugs. Horrid!

• 

  Transmission Nightmare! - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By alkouv - January 29 - 9:33 pm

  We bought this van with 66,000 miles on it. Once it hit 100,000 miles, it went to pot! We knew the air intake manifold was bad when we bought it, but the dealership gave us the runaround saying they didnt make them anymore so we couldnt get it replaced. Finally found someone to do it years later. It left us stranded in another state when tranny went out around 110,000 miles. B/t tranny and engine work, we spent over $3,000....and then less than a year later....it threw a rod! So to the junkyard it went. I was warned about these before buying them, and I wish I had listened. Please stay far away from these vans!

• 

  Stay away - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By carboy6 - March 3 - 10:13 pm

  Transmission went out at 60k. Mechanic said he replaces a lot of ,particularly Windstar, trannys. Have spent thousands on repairs. Got this car for free with only 12k on it. At first we didnt have any problems but that only lasted about 2 months. Had I known the quality of this model I would have bought my own car. Do not buy this van unless you like feeding mechanics families.

• 

  Wish I never had... - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By bigiq - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Up until 60K this van worked problem-free and we enjoyed it. The body felt strong and solid. Inside was comfortable and roomy and was nicely equipped with all the typical features. Once we hit 60K (this is when the warranty expires? hmm.) the engine became a nightmare. Every couple of months a major, costly component required replacement. The engine started to leak oil into the spark plug area which was difficult to repair. Then two independent mechanics informed us the entire engine required replacement and thats when we traded it in. This was a frustrating ownership experience. I understand Ford today is a lot better but I dont think Ill buy one again anytime soon.

• 

  Sad to see it go! - 1999 Ford Windstar
  By Goodall family - August 6 - 2:21 am

  We have had our van for almost 9 years. Bought it with only about 32,000 miles on it. It now has just over 176,000 on it. The transmission is about to go out. We are now shopping for a used car. I will very much miss it! We havent had to put much money into it, so overall it was definitely a good car for us. I am disappointed the transmission is going out. I would have kept this car much longer otherwise. It is comfortable, roomy and I feel very safe in it. It has had its share of quirkiness though. We call it a "ghost car" as the interior lights will flash on and off sometimes and we have had lights on the dash go on and off but it would still run fine--didnt bother to have checked