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#BS-2002-FORWIN-7CA7

2002 Ford WindstarProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,928 owners and 9 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
1,928
Crashes
72
Fires
73
Recalls
9
TSBs
119
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,928 complaints, 72 crashes, 73 fires, and 9 recalls. Complaint rate is 5.3x the class average.

Top reported problems

1

rear axle broke in half

31 complaints • Severity 9.5/10

$X,XXX
2

engine stalls shuts down while driving

12 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

cracked axle

8 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
4

abs and brake lights stay on

7 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
5

windows not working properly

7 complaints • Severity 7.4/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the BrakesHIGH

503 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 102K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

84
0–30K
115
30–60K
383
60–90K
428
90–120K
295
120–150K
283
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (428 reports) • Median: 102K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Brakes (503 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Brakes503 (26%)
Electrical235 (12%)
Suspension171 (9%)
Speed Control129 (7%)
Suspension:rear87 (5%)
Service Brakes, Electric83 (4%)
Other52 (3%)
Drivetrain44 (2%)

2002 Ford Windstar: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 26% of all reports filed for the 2002 Ford Windstar, with 503 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 102,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 102K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2002 Ford Windstar, with 235 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2002 Ford Windstar, with 171 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Ford Windstar, with 129 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

21
02
39
03
31
04
27
05
27
06
47
07
179
08
230
09
369
10
171
11
192
12
131
13
157
14
89
15
51
16
42
17
45
18
28
19
21
20
6
21
5
22
11
23
2
24
5
25
2
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Ford Windstar. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (9 recalls)

03V459000Nov 2003

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

CERTAIN MINIVANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM." DURING TESTING, A THIRD ROW BENCH FLOOR-TO-SEAT LATCH RELEASED BEFORE THE STRENGTH REQUIREMENT WAS MET. IDENTICAL LATCHES ARE USED IN THE SECOND ROW OF SEATS.

06E056000Aug 2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.

09V399000Oct 2009

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

10V385000Oct 2010

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1997 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2003 AND CURRENTLY REGISTERED OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. AFTER MANY YEARS OF VEHICLE SERVICE IN THESE AREAS, CORROSION CAN WEAKEN THE REAR AXLE, MAKING IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO TORSIONAL STRESS. CORROSION AND STRESS CAN LEAD TO CRACKS WHICH IF UNDETECTED CAN PROPAGATE AND RESULT IN A COMPLETE FRACTURE OF THE AXLE.

11V030000Feb 2011

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. A SEPARATION OF A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKET MAY RESULT IN A LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. A SEPARATION OF BOTH FRONT SUBFRAME REAR BODY MOUNTS MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT.

+ 4 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

NHTSA Defect Investigations (6)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

EA08021ClosedOpened Sep 2008 · closed Oct 2009

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

EA10007ClosedOpened Dec 2010 · closed Mar 2011

Front Subframe Corrosion Failures

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

PE04022ClosedOpened Mar 2004 · closed Jul 2004

POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENING

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

PE08035ClosedOpened May 2008 · closed Sep 2008

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PE10016ClosedOpened May 2010 · closed Sep 2010

Rear Axle Cracking

SUSPENSION

+ 1 more in the full report

The worst model year for the Ford Windstar is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2002 Ford Windstar vs. Class Average (Minivan - 2WD)

This vehicle

1,928

Class avg

366

5.3x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical minivan - 2wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,928 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 9 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

2002 Ford Windstar: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Ford Windstar?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Ford Windstar is related to the brakes, with 503 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2002 Ford Windstar reliable?
The 2002 Ford Windstar has 1,928 complaints, 72 crash reports, and 73 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 5.3x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2002 Ford Windstar problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2002 Ford Windstar have any recalls?
Yes, the 2002 Ford Windstar has 9 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford Windstar problems start?
Based on 1588 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 102,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2002 Ford Windstar data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,928 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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