Vehicle Data Hub

1996 Ford Windstar transmission problems

Owners reported transmission problems in 190 complaints for the 1996 Ford Windstar, 10% of the complaints on file. It is the 3rd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
190 10% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
80,000 miles 24 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
6 and 1
Injuries and deaths
5 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When transmission problems show up

Transmission complaints by mileage, 1996 Ford Windstar Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 80,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 5 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 1 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 1 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 4 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 5 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 2 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 4 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 1 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 1 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 80,000 miles
Based on 24 complaints that include mileage. 29% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles5
20k to 40k miles1
40k to 60k miles1
60k to 80k miles4
80k to 100k miles5
100k to 120k miles2
120k to 140k miles4
140k to 160k miles1
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles1
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Of the 24 transmission complaints that report mileage, the median is about 80,000 miles, and 29% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 6 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injuries.

What owners wrote

-vehicle was in park for about 1-2 minutes and the vehicle popped out of gear and rolled down the street. Driver started running behind vehicle and was pinned between the vehicle and light, and suffered some damage to her left side. There is a recall listed on the transmission 96v-086000. Dealer says that this is what the recall states will happen, but they say that this vehicle is not listed on recall for the park pawl roll pin popping out of gear.

July 1997 CrashInjury

Dt*: the contact stated while driving on normal road conditions at any speed the transmission slipped continously and would not go into overdrive when gas was applied while trying to pass other vehicles. The vehicle was taken to the dealership who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a reputable transmision service. The contact disregarded the option because it was too far and the towing too expensive. A tire was also punctured while repairing a coil spring.

Reported at 125,000 miles, December 2005

Other problems reported for the 1996 Ford Windstar

Transmission problems in other years

Transmission problems across all Ford models