10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 3
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 67,643 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
2003 Ford Windstar (VIN not included in Ford's recent recall). ABS control module is intermittently bad and has been since around 50000 miles. This has been a problem (as indicated by the intermittent illumination of the ABS and brake lights on the instrument panel). Ford had said that it was just brake fluid level a little low. Dash. It was verified by a certified independent mechanic that the control module is bad. Results in a loss of ABS. Ford will not replace this unit under recall and will not sell the unit to my mechanic or to me.
- Hampton, NH, USA
2003 Ford Windstar ABS failure in warm weather only.
- Morris Plains, NJ, USA
Prende la luz de freno junto con la luz de ABS en tablero. SE escanea Y marca el codigo C1185.
- Toluca, 00, USA
ABS and emergency brake lights turn on. Tends to happen in warm-hot weather or when the vehicle has been running for over 1 hour. ABS brakes don't work. Emergency brakes work.
- Chilton, WI, USA
ABS/brake light stay on constantly. Started intermittently about 2 years ago. Now it is always on. Took it to the mechanic and he pulled so many codes I can't list them all. However, some of the codes: C1185; C1446; B1318; C1235 just to name a few.
- Huntsville, AL, USA
ABS and brake lights on dashboard come on for no reason. When these are on my ABS system is not working. Brakes have been inspected and are fine.
- Murfreesboro, TN, USA
2003 Ford Windstar with intermittent ABS and brake light turning on. Mechanics get several error codes and are unable to pinpoint decisively.
- Frederick, MD, USA
ABS and brake light stays on. ABS brakes do not work.
- Long Branch, NJ, USA
2003 Ford Windstar van. Brake and ABS light comes on. It came on a lot during the hot weather. Dripping and sizzling sound when van is turned off. Have not replace anything yet. Reading boards to find out what to do.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
Brake & ABS light come on for no apparent reason some time when you start vehicle, some time when you are driving not using the brake some time when you start to accelerate..once it comes on it stays on until you shut the car off most times it will be off when you restart the car.
- Gibsonia, PA, USA
2003 Ford Windstar SE brake and ABS lights on intermittently. The following codes are present: C1226;C1235;C1185;C1198;C1194;C1254;C1246;C1250; and C1242. The mechanic said it appears the ABS control module is going bad or is bad at a cost of $700. I replaced both rotors, drums, right wheel bearing, left inner tie rod and my brakes work just fine. The lights coming on are an annoyance and could possibly cause a fire??
- Eagle Lake, MN, USA
I have a Ford Windstar 2003 and the ABS brake light keeps turning on so I looked it up online and I found that the problem is in the ECM module and to replace it costs about 250$ and the ABS/brake light turns on when driving in bumps and sometimes for no reason and sometimes it turns on just when you get your car out of the garage.
- Hemet, CA, USA
ECM module defected according to the brake shop. The brake shop pulled the codes and all the codes said to replace the ECM module. The reason I took my 2003 Windstar to the brake shop because my brake light, on by dash, comes on and my brakes makes noise like the brakes are on but they are not. This problem is intermittent and the brake light resets when the minivan is turned off. The brake shop said I had excellent brakes and the ECM module is defected. It will cost 600-800.00 dollars for repairs at my Ford garage. But I understand as of now, there is no recall for the ECM module, however there maybe a recall in the near future. A recall will be great for me saving me 600-800.00 dollars. Thanks
- Versailles, KY, USA
ABS and brake light stay on,2003 Ford Windstar.
- Minot, ND, USA
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that intermittently the brake warning light illuminated on the instrument control panel which caused her to increase the stopping distance. This braking adjustment increased the risk of a vehicle crash. A local mechanic replaced the brake pads, rotors and stated that in the near future the brake module would need to be replaced to completely remedy the failure. She was in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 82,694 and the current mileage was 91,326.
- Gasburg, VA, USA
The amber ABS warning lamp and the red brake warning lamp on the dashboard have been coming on intermittently since about November 2008. It has become more frequent as of late. Additionally, the steering wheel-mounted 'off' control for the cruise control has only ever worked intermittently in the three years we have owned this vehicle. As the vehicle sat parked in the garage over night on September 2-3, 2009, the battery drained (2-month old battery; all connections are fine, and it subsequently took a charge from a charger). I read on Ford's recall site that these are all symptoms of the voluntary recall that was issued by Ford in June 2008 ''involving speed control deactivation system.' Based on all the related complaints on this production model--1999-2003--I am very concerned that Ford's design is failing due to improper engineering, not normal wear-and-tear or owner neglect, abuse, or misuse. If the dashboard warning lights are on intermittently due to a design flaw of the control module whilst there is not actually a problem with the functionality of the brake system itself, there will not be any additional warning when there actually is a problem with the ABS or the brake system. This needs to be recalled so that the warning system will function as it is supposed to.
- Grand Rapids, MI, USA
The ABS and brake lights keep coming on even though there are new brakes on the vehicle.
- Millington, TN, USA
My 2003 Ford Windstar engine caught on fire on 8/22/09. The fire department was called. It was towed to a auto shop by aaa. I was told it was the ABS and oil leaked, which caused a fire.
- Sacramento, CA, USA
Since we got our 2003 Ford Windstar new in December, 2002, we have always had an issue with constantly needing to fill the brake fluid. The Ford dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong. In Feb, 2008 our ABS and brake light came on. Took it to a Firestone repair shop, they fixed and akjusted the brakes and they said it was a problem with the brake sensor and that there was nothing wrong with the brakes when they were finished, just the light was on and we needed to replace the sensor. As it was extremely costly and they told us there was nothing further wrong with the brakes, we choose not to replace it. In June 2008 our cruise control stopped working. We again took it in and they could not figure out what was wrong. Two weeks ago, August, 2009, we had all new brakes put on. Just yesterday, August 21, 2009, our brake fluid was almost empty. We took it back to the place we had the brakes put on, and they just filled the brake fluid and said there was an air bubble. Upon driving home from the repair shop, we noticed that our speedometer and odometer had stopped working and the overdrive light was now flashing. So, we have the following warning lights on our control panel: ABS, brake, overdrive; and the following items not working: ABS, speedometer, odometer, overdrive; and a continually disappearing brake fluid problem. Don't actually know if the ABS works or not.
- Centerville, OH, USA
- Albuquerque, NM, USA