There are 20 owner-reported tires & wheels complaints for the 2001 Ford Windstarin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AXLE SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY REAR WHEELS BENT INWARD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FAILED AND NOTICED THAT THE SUB FRAME ROTTED OUT WHILE INSTALLING THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.
WE HAD OUR LEFT REAR TIRE BLOW OUT AND IT TORE OFF OUR FUEL FILLER PIPE. I IMAGINE THIS COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF THE RIM HAD SPARKED IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. *TR
DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE AT POSTED DRIVING SPEED LIMITS THE VEHICLES ABS, BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS HAVE CONTINUOUSLY COME ON AFTER DRIVING BEGINS. IT HAS BEEN ALSO NOTED THAT AFTER SEVERAL BRAKE SERVICE INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS AT MAJOR AUTO REPAIR SHOPS, SUCH AS MIDAS, CARX , AND PEP BOYS. TECHNICIANS HAVE OBSERVED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEMS MAJOR COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE APPEARED TO HAVE FAILED DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF CORROSION AND EASILY RUSTING PARTS SUCH AS BRAKE SHOES, PADS, WHEEL CYLINDERS, BRAKE DRUMS, BRAKE LINE HOSES AND CONNECTORS. EACH OF THESE REPAIR SHOPS HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIR/ REPLACEMENT OF MANY OF THESE VITAL COMPONENTS WOULD BE EXTREMELY COSTLY TO REPAIR AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURIES OR CREATE A HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR THE VEHICLE'S OPERATOR AND OTHER DRIVERS IF NOT REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLES BRAKES AND HARDWARE HAVE BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN THREE TIMES BY ASAE CERTIFIED /QUALIFIED MECHANICS AND THE BRAKE SYSTEMS WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY REMAIN ON DURING REGULAR OPERATION. THE REAR BRAKES ARE GRINDING AND WEARING THE BRAKE SHOES DOWN MUCH FASTER THAN THEY DID BEFORE EVEN AFTER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. CURRENTLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP THE BRAKE PEDDLE MUST BE APPLIED AT A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST 30 SECONDS SOONER TO ENSURE A SAFE STOP. I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF CONCERN IN THE FAILURE OF THE FORD WINDSTAR BRAKE SYSTEM OPERATIONS AND A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE ABS SYSTEM AND BRAKES INCLUDING ITS MAJOR COMPONENTS SHOULD BE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR INJURIES TO THE VEHICLE'S OPERATOR AND TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. *JS
VEHICLE HAD VOLUNTARY RECALL DONE TO IT IN 2011. IT HAS NOW BROKEN IN SAME PLACE AS OTHERS HAVE EXPLAINED. RECALL IS A SHAM AND FORD IS GETTING AWAY WITH CONTINUING TO REPLACE WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
EHA TIRE VALVE TR-414 CRACKED AND LEAKED AIR FROM TIRE. OCCURRED AT SLOW SPEED SO NO CATASTROPHIC OUTCOME. TIRE WAS DAMAGED WHILE DRIVING AND REMOVING VEHICLE FROM ROADWAY. NEW SET OF TIRES PURCHASED JULY 2008. VALVE STEM FAILURE JULY 2009. PURCHASE WAS FROM JUST TIRES BRAND WAS GOODYEAR ASSURANCE COMFORTREAD. *TR
NORMAL DRIVING OF 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. REAR AXLE BROKE AND CAR WAS NON DRIVE ABLE. REAR AXLE DESIGN IS OBVIOUSLY BAD AND CAN CREATE A LIFE THREATENING CONDITION AS THE REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLIES WOULD FALL OFF. AT HIGHWAY CONDITIONS THIS WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC AND WOULD BE LIFE THREATENING. VERY POOR DESIGN THAT DOES NOT ALLOW ROAD CONDITIONS FOR A FACTORY AUTO WITH 8 SEATS. VERY BAD ESTIMATES OF PASSENGER WEIGHT AND SAFETY FACTORS. VEHICLE NEVER IN A HARD CRASH OR HARD DAMAGE. NEVER USED TO CARRY HEAVY EQUIPMENT OR NON ORDINARY FAMILY TRAVEL. DESIGN OF BACK WHEEL ASSEMBLY IS A FORMED METAL AND NOT A SOLID STRUCTURE TO MEET NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. METAL SHEARED MOST OF THE WAY THROUGH. OBVIOUS DESIGN LIMITATIONS THAT WILL NOT MEET MULTIPLE PASSENGER OPERATIONS ON LOCAL ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. VERY-VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN AND FABRICATION SPECIFICATIONS. AXLE WAS WELDED TO MAKE IT SLOW ROAD WORTHY TO GET IT TO CAR REPAIR SHOPS. REPLACEMENT OF BAD AXLE IS NECESSARY FOR COMPLETE OPERATION. CALLS TO FORD DEALERS RESULTED IN CONVERSATIONS THAT FORD WOULD NOT FIX OBVIOUS FLAWS AT THEIR EXPENSE. LIFE THREATENING DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND FABRICATION MUST BE CORRECTED BY FORD. CRITICAL FAILURE WOULD CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS. CAR SHOPS CLAIM THAT MATERIAL AND DESIGN CAUSED PROBLEM AS NO DAMAGE OR COLLISION WAS MADE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TOP OF THE WHEEL WAS LEANING INWARD AND THE BOTTOM WAS LEANING OUTWARD. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE TWO WHEELS WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
RUBBER TIRE VALVE STEM CRACKED. TIRE DEFLATES. HAS OCCURRED SO FAR ON 3 OF 4 TIRES PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2006. FAILURES OCCURRED IN MARCH 2008, JULY 2008 (TWICE). IN ALL THREE CASES, VALVE REPLACED BY TIRE DEALER. *TR
THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE FOR NO REASON. *TR
TIRE FAILURE
TL* - WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON 12/26/06 THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. HE PROCEEDED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED IT HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE GOOD AND THE EVENING WAS CLEAR. THE CONTACT SAID THAT HE THEN RETURNED HOME AND INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND NO PUNCTURES IN IT, BUT DID NOTICE A BUMP IN THE TIRE. THE CONTACT STATED HE TOOK TIRE TO FIRESTONE TIRE CENTER THE NEXT MORNING , AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED BY A NAIL, BUT THERE WAS NO NAIL IN THE TIRE. THE TECHNICIAN DID SHOW HIM AN IMPRINT OF THE NAIL ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED TO FIND OUT IF THIS TIRE HAD ANY SAFETY ISSUES. THE INFORMATION ON THE TIRE WAS: 214/65R16, MODEL # FR380 AND DOT# W26V38B2306. THE CONTACT HAS THE DAMAGED TIRE, AND FIRESTONE DID REPLACE IT WITH A NEW TIRE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY HAD TO SCRAP THE INSIDE OF TIRE AND CLEAN IT UP BEFORE THEY GAVE THE DAMAGED TIRE BACK. *AK UPDATED 02/06/07. *JB
VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SHEARED OFF, AND THE LUGS: NUTS WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL, LUGS: NUTS, AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
I HAVE MADE CONTACTS BEFORE WITH FORD. MANY ITEMS UPON MY VEHICLE HAVE WENT BAD SINCE PURCHASE. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS TIRE BLOW OUTS. I CONTACTED FORD AFTER 2 TIRES BLOW OUTS WITHIN 3 MONTHS TIME. SINCE MY CONTACT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AN AIR CONDITIONER, AND OTHER ITEMS. BUT MY MAIN CONCERN WAS A TIRE BLOW OUT AGAIN THAT LEFT MY VEHICLE WITH FRONT DAMAGE AND MY LOWER BACK IN PAIN.*AK
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, THE TIRE RESET WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. *JB
TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH WRONG SIZE BY 2 SEPARATE DEALERS CAUSING TIRE SENSOR LIGHT TO BE ON . AFTER OVER 25 SERVICE VISITS PROBLEM DISCOVERED .DEALER SENT HOME WITH KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM "WOULD NOT CORRECT PROPERLY" 4 DAYS LATER ACCIDENT RESULTED. *NLM
THE RIM ON THE VEHICLE SEPARATED.*JB
THE RIM CRACKED INTO THE TIRE, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO LEAK AIR. *JB
AT 20-25MPH FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BOLTS AND NUTS SEPARATED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. DEALER IS INSPECTING VEHICLE.*AK
NO SUMMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026