FordWindstar2003Overview/ford/windstar/2003/base/

2003 Ford Windstar

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 Windstar.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2003 Ford Windstar is a van equipped with an engine requiring 5.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil and a 4-speed automatic transmission, delivering an EPA-estimated 16 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined mpg. Beyond these mechanical specifications, the vehicle's daunting reliability profile is defined by nine separate recalls and 1,509 total owner complaints heavily concentrated in the service brakes. Within the model's 1990–2005 complaint history, this year sits far from the single complaint recorded in the lowest year of 2005 and well beneath the peak of 3,777 complaints in 1995, cementing the 2003 Windstar as a notably problematic iteration that demands serious scrutiny from researchers.

Model year200320022001200019991998199719961995

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 economy16/22/18 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
Tire sizeP225-60SR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length201.2 in
Overall width75.6 in
Overall height68.1 in
Wheelbase120.9 in
Curb weight3891 lb
Track (front / rear)64.2 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular 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 FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts59 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts24 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub184 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub221 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)715 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)15 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque5.0-11.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 2.75. With auxiliary A/C, 3.50. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 10.00. With auxiliary A/C, 14.00. oz
Optional BCI Group Number65
Optional BCI Cranking Performance750 cca
Standard BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)35.0-45.0
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 ohms
Engine Oil Pressure40-125 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2500 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle85 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.040; Rear: 0.030 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.030
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.98 in
Drum Discard at-or-over NoteSTAMPED ON DRUM

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
115 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
230 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
337 ft. lbs.; Perform following 3 steps on each bolt; before moving to next bolt in sequence37 ft. lbs
1back off 2-3 turns
2if long33 ft. lbs
3turn 180 degrees Proceed to next bolt in sequence180 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., Step 2: 115-12037 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 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 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 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miPCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory 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 2003 Ford Windstar sits at the tail end of a generation that saw extremely high complaint and recall volumes from its 1995 launch onward. While the 2003 model’s 1,509 complaints and 9 recalls are lower than the peak years of 19982000, they remain elevated compared to the pre-1995 era, and the 68 TSBs represent a sharp drop from prior years—suggesting fewer official fixes were being issued even as problems persisted. The top complaint areas for 2003—service brakes, hydraulic brakes, suspension, and power train—mirror long-standing issues across the generation, and the 33 crash and 27 fire complaints indicate serious safety concerns. Without data specifying root causes, the trend shows a gradual decline in reported issues but not a resolution of core problems. Given that 2003 is the final model year of a generation plagued by high complaint and recall numbers, this is not a recommended year to buy.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
68
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
6
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,509
Owner complaints
33 involved a crash · 27 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,509 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes210
Service Brakes, Hydraulic190
Suspension178
Power Train171
Electrical System104
Structure57
Service Brakes, Electric52
Vehicle Speed Control34

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…

12V195000Suspension:Rear:Axle:Non-Powered Axle AssemblyReported 03/05/2012

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1997, THROUGH JULY 3, 2003, REGISTERED IN PUERTO RICO. DUE TO INCREASED STRESSES CAUSED BY HIGH CYCLES OF TORSIONAL… Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET ON THE REAR AXLE OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 68 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
16-00652020-04-20StructureFor 1999-2003 Windstar vehicles Safety Recall 11S16 has been issued for vehicles that are…
TSB1600702016-04-21SuspensionSafety recall 10S13 - Rear axle corrosion - requests for recall service action
16-00702016-04-21SuspensionFor 1998-2003 Windstar vehicles Safety Recall 10S13 has been issued for vehicles that are…
TSB1600652016-04-20StructureSafety recall 11s16 - LCA rear attaching flanges or rear subframe body mount corrosion…
CSP-15-N-022015-09-29SuspensionSUMMARY 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2003 Windstar take?

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

Does the 2003 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 / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.