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Wikipedia: Ford Windstar
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History
The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Ford Windstar page on 18 May 2020, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
For the 2004 model year, the third generation Ford Windstar was released; as part of a mid-2000s rebranding of the Ford car model line with nameplates starting with the letter "F", the Windstar was renamed the Ford Freestar.
Sharing the V platform with the 2000-2003 Ford Windstar, the primary initiative of the $600 million redesign focused on driveline reliability, an issue that had plagued the Windstar since its 1994 introduction. In its development, the Freestar saw the addition of heavier-duty drive axles, larger wheel bearings, and the standardization of four-wheel disc brakes. The 3.0L and 3.8L V6 engines were both retired, in favor of two new engines. In the United States (only), the Freestar was powered by a 193 hp 3.9L V6 (shared with the Ford Mustang) while an optional 201 hp 4.2L V6 (the base engine of the Ford E-150) was standard for Canada and export vans. The 3.9L and 4.2L V6 engines were both enlarged versions of the long-running 3.8L V6. As part of the initiative to improve driveline reliability, the 4-speed automatic transmission saw upgrades for improved shifting and reliability.
In the redesign, the Ford Freestar saw a minor exterior facelift. While retaining much of the roofline of the previous-generation Windstar, in a shift away from New Edge design language, the Freestar adopted styling elements from several Ford vehicles, including the Ford Explorer, Ford Freestyle, and Ford Five Hundred. Shifting from the trademark curved dashboard of the previous Ford Windstar, the Ford Freestar adopted a flat dashboard, sharing many design elements with the then-upcoming Ford Five Hundred. In line with a number of competitive minivans, the Ford Freestar introduced a third-row seat that folded flat into the floor.
| Date | Document Name & Details | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 18 March 2004 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 135: Passenger Car Brake Systems 2004 Ford Freestar S, 5-Door MPV National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |  PDF - 1.1MB - 72 pages |
| 30 March 2004 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS No. 120: Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars 2004 Ford Freestar National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 1.6MB - 37 pages |
| 5 April 2004 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 201U: Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, Upper Interior Head Impact Protection 2004 Freestar SE Minivan National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 3.9MB - 113 pages |
| 10 May 2004 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 124H: Accelerator Control Systems 2004 Ford Freestar, MPV National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 1.2MB - 47 pages |
| 12 May 2004 publication date | Vehicle Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 208 for Occupant Crash Protection: Sled Test 2004 Ford Freestar MPV National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 5.8MB - 239 pages |
| 14 May 2004 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 124L: Accelerator Control Systems 2004 Ford Freestar, MPV National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 5.1MB - 47 pages |
| 23 July 2004 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 225: Child Restraint Anchorage Systems (Lower and Tether Anchorages) 2004 Ford Freestar, MPV National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 8.6MB - 100 pages |
| 20 May 2005 publication date | Safety Compliance Testing for FMVSS 201: Rigid Pole Side Impact Test 2004 Ford Freestar National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 1.6MB - 137 pages |
| July 2006 crash date | Calspan On-Site Rollover Crash Investigation Vehicle: 2005 Ford Freestar National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 169KB - 15 pages |
| May 2006 crash date | Rollover and Child Safety Seat Investigation / Rollover 2006 Ford Freestar National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 6,692KB - 37 pages |
| Febraury 2016 crash date | Special Crash Investigations On-Site Guardrail End Terminal Impact Investigation Vehicle: 2004 Ford Freestar National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 3.7MB - 27 pages |