Four problems related to manual transmission have been reported for the 1998 Ford Windstar. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The gear shift would not come out of park after starting the vehicle. Putting the vehicle in neutral before starting it and shifting it to drive corrected the problem.
While stopped at an intersection, the transmisison shifted into neutral without drivers knowledge, resulting in vehicle rolling backwards when the brake was released, shifting to park then back to drive reengaged the forward gear. Nlm.
Transmission shift lever failed.
I bought this van in Feb of 1998 and in a few weeks I noticed that the van would lunge forward at low speeds of about 5 to 10 miles per hour. I went to the dealer and was told there was no problem . I went to another dealer same thing. I returned to the original dealer and this time drove the van with a mechanic and showed him the problem. They ordered a new transmission but the problem has never gone. I wrote Ford but no help. Then I moved to south jersey an dshowed it to the dealer a few times and this past Jan I was told that the problem will stay and nothing more can be done. So at present every time I star the van and accelerate and then leave the peddle the car lunges. In slow traffic this a real anger because it seems as though the car is not in my control. The change in gear is very rough.