10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 88,770 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The ABS and brake light keep turning on and off. This happens as soon as the car has heated up. It is not on when I first start the car it only comes on after I have drive the car for a while. This problem has progressively gotten worse. When I talked to the Ford dealership, they acted as if they had never heard of any problems with the Windstar ABS ECM system. This seems to me to be a major safety hazard. I thought the ABS breaking system was an important system on cars! doing some research I have found that it is due a defective part and Ford wants to brush it under the rug. Now I know why the dealer acted as if he had never heard of the problem before. This seems to be a problem that many Windstar are having and they want to ignore it. Their seems to be no concern for safety here. I only found out about this problem by going on the internet and asking what was wrong with my van. I hope Ford admits to this problem and addresses it so no lives are lost due to poor brake performance!
- Methuen, MA, USA
ABS light comes on when it rains. Goes out when begin to drive. Sometimes makes noise. It has been doing this for years.
- Oklahoma City, OK, USA
ABS lights/brake lights come on intermittently and stay on. Doesn't matter what speed I am going. I had the scds recall done but they said the ABS was ok. I drove down the road and the lights came back on again. I've had 3 mechanics tell me they fixed it and they never did. Ford fix the ABS module!!!
- Deland, FL, USA
Ford Windstar 2002 ABS brake light turns on and off for no reason.
- San Diego, CA, USA
2002 Ford Windstar - having issues with emergency brake light on, ABS light on and traction control light on. Have done some research and this is a very common problem that has not been recalled. Braking distance is greatly increased. ABS system does not function.
- Lees Summit, MO, USA
I have a 2002 Ford Windstar. About 2 months ago the brake light, ABS light, and the traction control light came on the dashboard, as well as the speedometer and digital odometer quit working. I took it to a local Ford dealer to have it looked at, and they told me that the ABS module went bad and would need replaced. They quoted me $1006.17 + tax to fix it! it is my understanding that this year Windstar has a recurring problem with this module, and I would like to know if any work is being done on a recall?
- Germanton, NC, USA
My ABS lites & brake lights are always coming on.
- Warren, RI, USA
Brake and ABS lights turn on at same time without an apparent cause, this happens after driving van 5 or less minutes at a low speed. Once the engine is turned off and restarted again, both lights remain off, and again, after driving the van for a short distance brake and ABS lights come on again. I already replace brake pads as well as refilled brake liquid deposit without fixing the problem. My big concern is that my wife uses this van to take and pick up my 4 kids at school.
- Pharr, TX, USA
ABS light is on constantly and took to dealer mechanic and mechanic documented that " ABS light on and ABS activation when braking on normal road- work performed- scan for codes and found multiple codes related to module. Must bring to Ford dealer for repair. Module software has to be downloaded and reprogrammed by Ford dealer. -11/13/2009. Brakes/rotor/disc have been replaced in 11/13/2009 and still ABS light on and brake light also. Today, it is difficult to brake. Am hoping Ford will recall the ABS module.
- Schenectady, NY, USA
In September 2009 the mechanic at the dealer where I bought my Windstar told me the ABS module is bad and that I need a new one and have to go to the Ford dealer directly and pay around $800 and have it reset by their computer. This has cost me lots of money because I already spent $600 on rear brakes because of not knowing this is a common problem with Ford Windstar.also, immediately after purchasing this vehicle in 2007, the locks on the van don't work. Sometimes it locks by remote and sometimes the locks all work, but, the driver side. This is a pain. Now, I have a problem with the 'check engine' light coming on and I have had various mechanics try to reset the light and it will come back on again and again! I have spent hundreds on this van to have it in shape, but always something arises. Despite the cruise control recall, I have not had any problem with it and use it all the time, but will have to have it done. I wish Ford to fix all the problems this type of van has and so I won't have to spend hundreds, again, or I will have to get rid of it, which is a shame because I really love the tv, even though the screen give me problems and the vcr no longer works.
- Schenectady, NY, USA
The ABS light and brake light are coming on intermittently. I have topped off brake fluid, but that does not work. The mechanic said ABS failure on this vehicle is more common than not.
- Dover, TN, USA
I was driving on the highway and my ABS light came and I noticed the cruise control also didn't work any more. I took it to the Ford dealer and they did the recall for the leaky scds switch this fixed the cruise problem but the ABS no longer works on my Windstar.
- Imlay City , MI, USA
Braking distance suddenly increased due to ABS and brake light on all the time. I took Windstar sport 2002 in for a safety recall in Dec 2009. They said that they fixed it and for the past 8 months these two lights keep turning on and off about 3 times a week. Now for the last month, the light have been on constantly. I am concerned for vehicle setting on fire at any time due to this last recall and now a new recall of rear axle corrosion. I have a disabled 5 year old and I am very concerned. I would like these items fixed properly. Obviously, the last recall was not. The thought of my van setting on fire with my child in it did not occur to the mechanic maybe. I learned of the last recall not being fixed properly by investigating this new recall. I honestly couldn't figure out why my lights were staying on and Ford said that I needed an oil change maybe. I just had one done at the beginning of the month so that is not the case. I did own a 1996 Windstar that burst into flames in 2005 February way before the recall came out in 2009. I have told them 3 times that it has already set on fire and there is no van left but they keep sending me notices for it. I would like my current vehicle fixed right the first time. It is a safety hazard especially since it would take longer to pull my child out of vehicle if it set on fire spontaneously while in it. I use my vehicle daily to Transport my child to different therapies.
- Brampton, 00, USA
I have a 2002 Windstar the brake pressure differential deactivation switch was leaking. I had it replaced under the Ford recall. But I am also having problems with the ABS and brake light coming on intermittently. Also the cruise control does not work anymore. So after reading the article on www.fordwindstarrecall.info/ I decided to report this issue I am having. I looked under the care and the module is a Ford kelsey-hayes.
- Haddon Heights, NJ, USA
Failure of ABS electronic control unit. First noticed as ABS dashboard light would come on intermittently since June 2010. When checked out by the (non-Ford) shop that does all the work, they certified that the brakes were fine, but the ABS ECU was producing multiple and apparently random error codes. After about a month this became an almost daily occurrence; took vehicle to Ford who reported the ECU had failed completely (non-operative) and I would need to replace it. Ford mechanic said this was not uncommon on these Windstar. I did so at a cost of $1,200.
- Loudonville, NY, USA
I have had ABS and brake light problems for about a year now. I take it to the Ford garage they have said there is nothing wrong and reset the system. So far I haven't had an accident, I was told my brakes are good. But I still have these lights coming on almost everyday now.
- Mansfield, OH, USA
Braking distance suddenly increased.
- Bethesda, MD, USA
On our 2002 Windstar van, every now and then it takes longer distance for brakes to work properly, especially if it is raining. Under the recall campaign, some time ago, wire harness/fuse link was replaced by a Ford dealer. We seems to have the same problem of ABS and brake lights come on and go intermittently. We had the brakes checked, and everything seems to be ok. Brakes taking longer distance to apply and it is very unpredictable, scary and to get used to it. I do not know what to do?
- Johnson City, TN, USA
ABS and brake light indication on dash board. Brake fluid found on wires at ECM. Repair not completed by Ford dealer as part of Windstar vehicle speed control recall ' id# 19544. Failure of ECM is direct result of problem associated with this recall.
- Spring Hill, TN, USA
- Elk Grove, CA, USA