10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
94,190 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Ford Windstar brakes problems

brakes problem

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2003 Ford Windstar Owner Comments (Page 4 of 15)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #236

Nov 202013

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 72,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

ABS lights come on intermittently and now are on all the time. This vehicle later was involved in a crash due to cruise control switch leaking out most of brake fluid. Ford replaced the switch and fixed the brakes but wants $2000 plus to replace the ABS/hcu.

- Elk Grove, CA, USA

problem #235

Jul 302014

Windstar

  • 137,000 miles
April, noticed that cruise control not working 100% of time - not engaging and not disengaging!! opted not to use it anymore. July, ABS and brake light on and didn't shut off while in home garage. Shut van off, restarted it, lights off. August, lights seem to be coming on with more frequency. Doesn't seem to be speed related. September, ABS and brake light coming on more frequently. Seems to reset (for short time) after shut van off. October, had brake system checked. Disc rotor - R&R; control arm w/ ball joint - lower - front suspension; rear brakes serviced; brake fluid flush. Thought that would have "fixed" everything however less than 10 days later, the ABS and brake lights are coming on again while driving. Turn van off, turn back on - lights reset - until next time I drive it!! after reading through, realize that the two might be related. Safety is a must!!

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #234

Oct 182014

Windstar

  • 175,019 miles
While driving, the ABS and brake warning lights on the dash came on, and stayed on until the engine was restarted. The lights are off until driving a short distance, when they will both come on at the same time. My mechanic claims that all sensors are good, and that the ABS control unit is defective. When the vehicle is cold, it takes longer for the lights to come on.

- Fort Smith, AR, USA

problem #233

Oct 132014

Windstar

  • 92,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My brake warning and ABS lights are on I shut the car off and they are off I drive later they come back on, my brakes work fine the fluid is full.

- Port Orange, FL, USA

problem #232

Oct 132014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • miles
ABS and dark brake lights come on while driving then reset themselves when vehicle is turned off, then come on again while driving once vehicle warms up.

- Surrey Bc Canada, WA, USA

problem #231

Oct 152012

Windstar

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond as the brake and ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic. The technician was unable to diagnose the problem and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,000.

- Johnson City, TN, USA

problem #230

Jun 122013

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The ABS light stays on no matter what I do.

- Girard, PA, USA

problem #229

Oct 202014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 163,000 miles
The ABS and brake light comes on and stays on.

- Monroe, NC, USA

problem #228

Aug 202014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 124,000 miles
A dash indicator light came on that said, "check your traction control." At the same time the ABS and the brake light came on.

- Spring Green, WI, USA

problem #227

Oct 132014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 116,000 miles
The ABS light and brake light are on constantly. Brakes (rotors, pads and calipers) have been replaced.

- Hatfield, PA, USA

problem #226

Oct 022014

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Braking distance suddenly increased. ABS failed to activate. ABS light comes on intermittently.

- Loveland, CO, USA

problem #225

May 012014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 165,000 miles
The 2003 Ford Windstar has a 'brake light' and a 'ABS light'. when driving the car the ABS and brake lights will both come on (but the car's brakes are not impacted). After a few minutes the two lights will go out. From what I have read on-line this is a fault in some module. The brakes themselves are not at issue but it provides false warning lights. A web site that tracks Ford Windstar issues says: "the (mostly unservicable) ECU master relay has a bad soldier joint which fails prematurely and causes the ABS light and dtc C1185. It also causes the enhanced ABS braking system to become inoperable. If your ABS light is on. Report the problem at NHTSA - safercar.gov. Use the category brakes, the more reports the better a chance of continued action." So, I am reporting this flaw.

- Matthews, NC, USA

problem #224

May 012014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 110,000 miles
I was driving to the store and the speedometer needles went crazy and the ABS / brake lights went on. After a couple of minutes the needles went back to normal and the ABS/ brake lights stayed on. We changes the sensors that go to all 4 tires and the lights remain on.

- Pueblo, CO, USA

problem #223

Oct 312013

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 78,000 miles
Multiple episodes of the ABS traction control and brake light coming on at the same time..if you shut off engine and restart the warning lights go away. Started last year thru present time. Have had vehicle serviced and they have tried to reset the error codes with out success seems to be worse when its wet.suspect the ABS computer is defective.

- Winter Springs, FL, USA

problem #222

Oct 062012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 110,000 miles
ABS and brake lights illuminate and stay illuminated. Investigation shows a failure to the ECU unit causing the ABS on my vehicle to be inoperable. When I have to aggressively brake my Ford Windstar it produces a skid instead of a controlled stop.

- Yorktown, VA, USA

problem #221

Oct 022012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 120 miles
ABS and emergency brake lights come on and off intermittently. Middle seat won't go back up and the door locks don't work half the time.

- Oklahoma City , OK, USA

problem #220

Jan 032012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 96,000 miles
Multiple episodes of the ABS traction control and brake light coming on at the same time..if you shut off engine and restart the warning lights go away. Started several years ago thru present time. Have had vehicle serviced and they have tried to reset the error codes with out success seems to be worse when its wet.

- Carnegie, PA, USA

problem #219

Sep 302014

Windstar

  • 150,000 miles
The red brake light keeps coming on, as well as the yellow ABS light. The lights typically come on after driving the car for a few minutes. This as been an ongoing issue for some time and have had brakes serviced numerous times.

- Tewksbury, MA, USA

problem #218

Sep 012009

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
The ABS and brake light began to come on intermittently, followed soon afterwards by the power right passenger window failing to go and down, followed by the transmission O/D off light flashing. These would occur until the engine was shut down, then most of the time the symptoms would go away, always to return. When the O/D off light would come on, the transmission would fail to perform at speed and we would have to reduce our speed to under 50 mph in order to not rev the engine above 3500 RPM. When this light is on, you cannot get to 60 mph without redlining the engine. I have had dealers and mechanics look at this a number of times with no resolution.

- Heppner, OR, USA

problem #217

Aug 152014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
2003 Ford Windstar trouble codes C1185, C1198, C1194, C1254, C1246, C1250, C1243, C1212, C1210; ABS and brake light comes on intermittently don't know if my ABS is working when this happens.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

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