Ok here's a good one I'm having a hard time troubleshooting. My neighbor has a mid to late 90s windstar. Alternator tests good on the test bench it puts out 16 volts under a load. Battery is brand new, shows 13 volts on the meter. Start the car up and you can watch the volts drop. Meter shows the car is running off the battery. It appears the alternator isn't putting any power out. By the way this is the third alternator in the last 4 months. All battery cables and starter cables are free of corrosion. Chassis ground appears to be ok by putting the multimeter on the battery and grounding to the chassis. Both battery cables show 0 ohms when I checked them. The only thing that looks iffy to me is the two weather pack connectors on the alternator it'self. They seem a bit loose to me. Am I missing something or do you all think the problem might be deeper?

...not a clue here.

My dad has a 2000 Windstar minivan. It's had quite a few problems, but nothing like that so far. Wait, I know exactly what the problem is....FORD!

... that's a mind bender to me...

FOUND IT!!!!!!! one of the fuses was blown in the engine compartment. I think it blew on the first alternator she had. That one was putting out 21 volts!!! and started smokin.

Stupid fuse!

the question is will it fry the next fuse as well?...does the alternator have an internal voltage regulator or does it have an external one in the engine bay?...I also found this on consumer guide...kind of disturbing how many of the recalls mention "may result in a fire"


1995-98 Ford Windstar: Reliability
Trouble Spots


Audio system: Whining noises in the radio speakers are caused by the fuel pump in the gas tank. An electronic noise filter must be installed on the fuel pump. (1995-96)


Engine noise: A clunk heard and/or felt from the floor on acceleration, deceleration, or turns is caused by movement between the body and subframe, which is corrected by installing revised insulators. (1995-96)

Oil leak: Ford extended the warranty on 3.8-liter Windstars to 7/100,000 and may compensate owners for repairs related to head gasket failures. (1995)


NHTSA Recall History

1995 in certain hot-weather states: Cracks can develop in standard 20-gallon fuel tank.

1995: Improperly tightened alternator-output wire may result in overheating and possible fire.

1995: Some passenger airbags may not inflate properly; also, igniter end cap can separate, releasing hot gases.

1995: Wiring-harness insulation can abrade on a brace between instrument panel and cowl, resulting in short-circuit and possible fire.

1995-96: Tearing of bond between inner and outer hood panels during minor front-end collisions can result in gap at leading edge of hood; could lead to total separation of outer hood panel.

1996: Due to improperly torqued fasteners, driver+s seat on a few minivans may not hold properly in an accident.

1996: Park-pawl abutment bracket has sharp edge, which can cause pawl to hang up and not engage gear; vehicle can move even though indicator shows Park.

1996-98: Brake master cylinder on certain vehicles is oriented so warning statements are not entirely visible by direct view.

1996-98: Certain off-lease vehicles, Canadian in origin but sold in the U.S., have daytime running lights that do not meet U.S. Specifications.

1997: Servo cover can separate, causing transmission fluid to leak and contact catalytic converter; could result in fire.

1997-98: Front coil springs could fracture as a result of corrosion. Some tires have deflated due to contact with a broken spring.

1998: Damaged bearings on a few minivans can increase steering effort.

I think it fried on the first bad alternator. That one was putting out over 21 volts and started smoking. It's now the third alternator. I suspect number two was good. We replaced the fuse and she has not told me if it blew again or not.

In the 80's when I was a grunt at a mech shop, I remember those Fords having what I thought to be the weirdest charging system on them.
GM's were easy to fix, Fords took a little bit more time.