Ford›Windstar›2002›Overview/ford/windstar/2002/base/

2002 Ford Windstar

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Windstar.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Ford Windstar is a van equipped with a 5.0‑quart, 5W‑20 API oil fill, a four‑speed automatic transmission and EPA ratings of 16/21/18 mpg. It accumulated 1,399 owner complaints — most frequently about suspension — and was subject to nine recalls. In the model’s broader complaint record from 1990‑2005, the 2002 total sits well below the 1995 peak of 3,777 complaints but far above the 2005 low of one, placing this year in a mid‑range reliability tier for the Windstar line.

Model year2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	201.2 in
Overall width	75.6 in
Overall height	68.1 in
Wheelbase	120.9 in
Curb weight	3891 lb
Track (front / rear)	64.2 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 21 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	ATF

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts	59 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	24 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	184 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	221 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	715 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	15 rpm
Spark Plug Manufacturer	Motorcraft
Spark Plug Gap	0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque	5.0-11.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing	10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	2 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	Front A/C only, 2.75; front and rear A/C, 3.50. lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	68
Oil Capacity	Front A/C only, 10.00; front and rear A/C, 14.00. oz
Optional BCI Group Number	65
Optional BCI Cranking Performance	750 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	65

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	35.0-45.0
Injector Primary Resistance	11-18 ohms
Engine Oil Pressure	40-125 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM	2500 rpm
Intake Valve Lash	Hydraulic in
Exhaust Valve Lash	Hydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	85 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.040; Rear: 0.030 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.030
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.97 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	14 ft. lbs.	14 ft. lbs
2	29 ft. lbs.	29 ft. lbs
3	36 ft. lbs.; Perform following 3 steps on each bolt; before moving to next bolt in sequence	36 ft. lbs
1	loosen 2-3 turns
2	if long bolt	30–37 ft. lbs
3	turn 175-185 degrees; Proceed to next bolt in sequence	175–185 degrees

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

37 ft. lbs., Step 2: 115-120

37 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 45,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 mi	PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Transmission Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Ford Windstar generation experienced a dramatic surge in federal reports starting in 1995, with complaint and recall volumes remaining elevated through the early 2000s. The 2002 model year falls within this high-volume arc, recording 1,399 complaints and 9 recalls, which is a decrease from the 1,725 complaints and 16 recalls seen in 2001. While 2002 shows an improvement over 2001, the trend fluctuated as complaints rose again to 1,509 in 2003. Primary complaint areas for 2002 include the suspension (211), hydraulic service brakes (193), general service brakes (144), and electrical systems (78), though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. Additionally, the 2002 model recorded 47 crash and 52 fire complaints. Given the consistently high volume of complaints and recalls relative to the vehicle's early production years, 2002 is not a recommended year to buy.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

145

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

1,399

Owner complaints

47 involved a crash · 52 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01’02’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,399 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Suspension211

Service Brakes, Hydraulic193

Service Brakes144

Electrical System78

Power Train67

Structure62

Service Brakes, Electric51

Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Electrical System38

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 9 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V608000Suspension:Rear:Axle:Non-Powered Axle AssemblyReported 29/09/2015

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles manufactured September 2, 1997, to July 3, 2003. The affected vehicles were previously remedied to safeguard against the rear axle… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brackets to verify their proper installation. If a bracket is found to have been misinstalled, the rear axle will be…

12V193000Power Train:Axle AssemblyReported 03/05/2012

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1997, THROUGH JULY 3, 2003, AND CURRENTLY REGISTERED OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN VIRGINIA. OVER TIME, CORROSION CAN WEAKEN THE… Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS, OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 145 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
16-0065	2020-04-20	Structure	For 1999-2003 Windstar vehicles Safety Recall 11S16 has been issued for vehicles that are…
TSB160070	2016-04-21	Suspension	Safety recall 10S13 - Rear axle corrosion - requests for recall service action
16-0070	2016-04-21	Suspension	For 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles Safety Recall 10S13 has been issued for vehicles that are…
TSB160065	2016-04-20	Structure	Safety recall 11s16 - LCA rear attaching flanges or rear subframe body mount corrosion…
CSP-15-N-02	2015-09-29	Suspension	SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Windstar. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 65 battery Vehicles taking 5.0 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 Windstar take?

5.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Windstar have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Windstar get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.