Which is cheaper to maintain, the Ford Windstar or the Ford Windstar?

Based on 5-year routine maintenance labor at a $150/hr indie shop rate, the Ford Windstar is cheaper to maintain — about $158 less over 60,000 miles. Parts cost is not included.

What's the labor difference between the 3.8L V6 and the 3.8L Essex V6?

Across 37 common maintenance jobs, hours vary by drivetrain and engine layout. See the side-by-side table on this page for each job's labor hours and estimated cost.

Are there any active recalls on the Ford Windstar or Ford Windstar?

The Ford Windstar has 9 open NHTSA recalls. The Ford Windstar has 9 open recalls. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer.

2003 Ford Windstar vs 2002 Ford Windstar — Labor Times, Costs & Recalls

Specifications

Year

2003

2002

Engine

3.8L V6

3.8L Essex V6

Drivetrain

FWD

Transmission

automatic

Fuel

gas

Powertrain

Engine output, acceleration, top speed, handling, braking — and Nürburgring if either car ran one.

Horsepower

200hp

—hp

Torque

240lb-ft

—lb-ft

0–60 mph

10.2s

—

Quarter Mile

17.8s @ 78 mph

—

Top Speed

110 mph

—

Skidpad

—

60–0 Braking

—

70–0 Braking

—

Curb Weight

4,050 lb

—

Max Towing

3,500 lb

—

Max Payload

1,400 lb

—

Performance specs synthesized from manufacturer figures and instrumented magazine tests (Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track). MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Numbers flagged as "low confidence" by AI generation are conservative estimates from related platforms.

Cost of Ownership

★ WINNER

5-Year Maintenance

$13,419

0.22 $/mi

5-Year Maintenance

$13,577

0.23 $/mi

🏆

ADVANTAGEFord Windstar — Saves you $158 over 5 years (1% less in routine maintenance labor)

Routine maintenance only. Cost = labor hours × $150/hr × estimated 5-yr frequency. Parts cost not included.

Maintenance Breakdown

Hours per common service. Lower is faster (and cheaper) at the shop.

AX4N/AX4S Automatic Transmission Failure

— hrs$1,950 / 5yr

3.8L V6 Head Gasket Failure (Both Heads)

— hrs$2,373 / 5yr

— hrs

3.8L V6 Head Gasket Failure (Both Banks)

— hrs

— hrs$2,275 / 5yr

Oil & filter change

0.3 hrs$1,020 / 5yr

Rear Axle Beam Corrosion and Mounting Bracket Failure

— hrs$1,300 / 5yr

— hrs

Tire rotation

0.4 hrs$480 / 5yr

0.5 hrs$600 / 5yr

Differential fluid

1.5 hrs$530 / 5yr

Rear brake pads

1.2 hrs$500 / 5yr

1.0 hrs$440 / 5yr

Front brake pads

1.0 hrs$460 / 5yr

Spark plugs

1.5 hrs$305 / 5yr

Intake Manifold Gasket Leaks (3.8L)

— hrs

— hrs$569 / 5yr

Rear Axle Beam Corrosion and Fracture

— hrs

— hrs$560 / 5yr

Intake Manifold Gasket Coolant Leaks (3.8L)

— hrs$553 / 5yr

— hrs

Brake fluid flush

0.7 hrs$240 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$270 / 5yr

Intake manifold gasket

5.5 hrs$275 / 5yr

4.5 hrs$230 / 5yr

12V battery

0.3 hrs$245 / 5yr

Front Lower Control Arm Ball Joint Failure

— hrs

— hrs$488 / 5yr

Wiper blades

0.2 hrs$240 / 5yr

Timing belt service

— hrs

5.0 hrs$460 / 5yr

Cabin air filter

0.3 hrs$210 / 5yr

Fuel filter

0.5 hrs$210 / 5yr

Coolant flush

1.0 hrs$200 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$170 / 5yr

Water pump

2.8 hrs$189 / 5yr

2.5 hrs$173 / 5yr

Valve cover gasket

1.5 hrs$114 / 5yr

2.5 hrs$174 / 5yr

Oil pan gasket

3.5 hrs$144 / 5yr

Front Control Arm Bushings and Ball Joint Wear

— hrs$245 / 5yr

— hrs

Engine air filter

0.2 hrs$120 / 5yr

Alternator

1.2 hrs$120 / 5yr

Fuel Pump and Sender Unit Failure

— hrs

— hrs$236 / 5yr

Serpentine belt

0.5 hrs$110 / 5yr

Harmonic Balancer Failure (3.8L)

— hrs$193 / 5yr

— hrs

Power steering flush

0.5 hrs$95 / 5yr

Harmonic Balancer Separation

— hrs

— hrs$166 / 5yr

Starter motor

1.2 hrs$76 / 5yr

1.5 hrs$85 / 5yr

Ignition coil

0.8 hrs$80 / 5yr

Thermostat

1.2 hrs$77 / 5yr

PCV valve

0.3 hrs$65 / 5yr

Active Recalls

Open NHTSA Recalls

9 open

Open NHTSA Recalls

9 open

Fluid Capacities

Ford Windstar

ac_refrigerant · R-134a

brake0.75 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3

coolant12.00 qt · WSS-M97B44-D

engine_oil5.00 qt · API SL

power_steering1.80 qt · Mercon

transmission_auto13.90 qt · Mercon V

washer1.00 qt · windshield washer fluid

Ford Windstar

ac_refrigerant · R-134a

brake0.75 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3

coolant12.50 qt · WSS-M97B51-A1

engine_oil4.50 qt · API SJ or higher

power_steering1.70 qt · Mercon

transmission_auto13.00 qt · Mercon V

washer4.50 qt · Windshield washer fluid concentrate or premix

The Verdict

TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Across cost of ownership and recall count, neither vehicle pulls decisively ahead. Pick on personal preference — drivetrain, transmission feel, brand loyalty, or the engine that puts a smile on your face.

Open the full dashboard for either truck

Labor times, torque specs, fluid capacities, DTC codes, repair procedures, recalls, common platform problems.