9.3

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,670
Average Mileage:
115,500 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. transmission was rebuilt (2 reports)
  2. not sure (1 reports)
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problem #3

Mar 112010

Windstar 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 185,000 miles

transmission quit shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear, seems that it is stuck in second and i can manually shift to 1st and second but not to 3rd. this is the second time and this time i will not repair it , and am looking to buying a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. I know American cars have gotten better, but are still no match to the Japanese cars. I have previously owned two Nissan pickup trucks a 1985 and a 1995, and when i sold them they had over 250000 miles each , running great with very minimum maintenance. Just the normal wear.

- Stefano R., 1638 West Juno, CA, US

problem #2

Jul 192006

Windstar 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 83,421 miles

I was driving from Orange County, CA. to Las Vegas, and half way there my transmission started acting up. As i was going up an incline it would downshift into 2nd and would remain there, it would not upshift to 3rd, unless i would stop turn engine off restart car and then it would gradually work up to speed again, I made it to Vegan and back by going through that sequence, when I got home it cost $1850 to rebuild trans, a month later it failed again with same problem, repair shop honored the work and fixed it again. Now it has 185000 miles and it has failed again. But instead of fixing it its going to the junk yard.

- Stefano R., 1638 West Juno, CA, US

problem #1

Oct 082007

(reported on)

Windstar GL 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles

The transmission shifted back and forth between 2 and 3rd and 3rd and 4th gears without reason until it would no longer shift into 4th. It was rebuilt and works fine except on most days when first started the transmission barely makes the vehicle move from the garage until it 'reprimes' within a minute or so. This began after the rebuild and was brought to the attention of the shop, but it will only produce the problem on most days at first operation. The transmission does not have any other notable problems otherwise, now with 99000 miles.

- Terry F., Pearland, TX, US