Windstar Design Flaw Trends

[elephantfly]

Has there been any discussion on whether there is correlation between common WS failure modes and where they were manufactured? Could one perhaps read the VIN and predict some of the things that are going to happen to his car? (Mine's a Canadian 98 3.8 which doesn't like cold weather very much: power door lock sticks, P1537 and P1538 intermittant codes).

[BleedDodge]

All Windstars were built at the Oakville Ontario plant.

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by elephantfly

Has there been any discussion on whether there is correlation between common WS failure modes and where they were manufactured? Could one perhaps read the VIN and predict some of the things that are going to happen to his car? (Mine's a Canadian 98 3.8 which doesn't like cold weather very much: power door lock sticks, P1537 and P1538 intermittant codes).

It sounds like the door panels need to be pulled off and the lock mechanisms need to be cleaned and lubed.

Regards

Dan

[DRW1000]

The "common" failures for the Windstars tend to be design issues and not necessarily build problems. For example some of the high failure rate items are:

Isolator bolts - Due to imprpoer material for the bolts and the baffle in the valve cover. Both have since been redeisgned

DPFE - unit has been redesigned

Transmission - arguably a car tranny used in too heavy of a vehicle.

Heater selector - design issue