1997 Ford Windstar

The 1997 Ford Windstar has 4 recalls, the most serious being a transmission defect on vehicles with the AX4S automatic transaxle where a servo cover can blow off while driving, spraying transmission fluid onto the catalytic converter and starting a fire.

Two recalls address the same front coil spring issue: the springs can fracture over time from corrosion, particularly on vehicles that have been driven in areas where road salt is heavily used. Depending on where the spring breaks, a fractured piece can work its way past the spring seat and puncture or deflate the front tire it contacts. There is also a brake system labeling concern: the brake fluid master cylinder sits recessed in the engine compartment at an angle that makes the fluid-type warning text on both the filler cap and the reservoir body difficult to read directly, which means the vehicle may not fully meet federal brake system standards.