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.
It was a cold night -35 F, when I was in Canada. When I started the car the next morning, my emergency flashers came on. I pushed the emergency flasher button to turn them off but it didn't work. I continued to push the button but it didn't turn them off. There is no fuse to shut them off. They are still flashing. This problem has virtually killed my battery. Now I have to disconnect my battery so it won't die, if I don't use the car for an more than a day or two. I went to a mechanic to replace the signal light / emergency flasher unit. He said that he couldn't fix it because when he disconnected it, the emergency flashers on the dash were still flashing. So he charged me for labor only and returned the part, at no cost to me. He said he saw another case like this on google (think it was Wisconsin). The same thing happened after a cold night. Worse of all, he said that the entire instrument cluster had to be replaced to fix it. This cost was around $1,200. This vehicle is only worth about $1,500 and is only 11 years old. I believe that this defect should be covered by Ford. It doesn't seem to happen much but it basically makes me have to drive with my emergency flashers on all the time, unless I pull out 2 bulbs in the rear and a total of 3 fuses (in the car and under the hood). This latter situation, ultimately, leaves me with no signal lights. I use hand signals. I think they are still allowed by law.
- Palm Springs, CA, USA
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ABS, brake light stays on for no reason. Spent several hundred dollars having it diagnosed. Replace many parts. No resolution. Drives often with a miss especially during acceleration.
The brake and ABS light came on the day after I bought the 2003 Windstar. I had to do some research to figure out that it needed a little bit of work because the previous owner lied about why they wanted to sell the van. They said nothing was wrong with it and it ran great. Well now there are some major issues with the Windstar. Shortly after the brake and ABS light came on the engine light came on. Now I am trying to come up with the money to fix this problem.
The brake light comes on at speeds 35mph-40mph for no reason and stays on until vehicle stops and computer reboots. The brakes have been replaced and and brake control module replaced. Everything possible has been done according to what the tester says may be wrong. It did not pass a state inspection for this and nothing can be found wrong with the van to cause the light to come on like this. This appears to be a non-fixable, but costly problem due to the fact that everything has been tried that might be causing it. In the end a repair shop charges a substantial amount to reset the computer and send you on your way. It is my opinion that the company needs to do a recall, if they know what causes it, and correct the problem once and for all.
The ABS and brake lights come on. The brakes have been checked and our mechanic informed us they are fine. The indicator lights come on once the car has warmed up or it is rainy or hot outside. This problem has been going on for approximately 3-4 years.
While driving my 2003 Ford Windstar model sel, I'm encountering a problem with the braking system/ABS, as well as, my cluster gauge going haywire doing what it wants on and off on its own. The braking system is starting to become more frequent. I've gone to Ford for this particular problem and a few others. Ford looked at my car and told me the rear axel had cracked and they repaired the axel on recall. I informed them about the ABS breaking system. I've been to two separate dealers in staten island, NY. One dealer told me it looks like I have an electrical problem not sure if it's related to cluster gauge/braking system. They told me I had a problem with the right rear window motor as well, which Ford fixed supposedly. As far as the braking system goes they told me they took it for a ride and did not see anything wrong with my vehicle. I told them about the cluster gauge doing what it wants, the ABS working/not working. Having a hard time stopping car, as well as, telling both Ford dealers about my wife having no choice but to pull off the highway because she was having this particular brake problem. I told them the only way she was to stop the vehicle was to crash into these big green metal commercial garbage containers at approximately 10 miles per hour. I showed them the damage to the front of my vehicle as well as telling them my wife had hurt her neck, I was told from both Ford dealers that we don't see a problem we can't fix a problem and I am now reading on the web that there seems to be a problem with these cars up to 2003 with everything I have explained up til now. If anybody has any input or contact info for me to call to help me, I would deeply appreciate any help you can provide before one or all of my family members become injured or god forbid fatalities.
As the drivers of Ford Windstar we all got treated unfair Ford wont even help its current Ford Windstar drivers I've met alot Windstar owners and they are agitated, , first off only had this since last year and after the last 6 months of this it has been a terrible van to drive, first changing the alternator 3 X's and the battery 4's really would get a person violent, whatever happened to customer service beyond the mile of service as Ford always talks, don't get me wrong the van can go miles til empty, also, the back windows the driver side doesn't open, it gets hot back there, oh wait the ac don't work in the rear either, don't go to far on a hot ride 4 hours away, you'll be sweating within the 10 miles you'll be drenched, when you open a car or van, big rig, limo, bus, the lights come on, not this mean pup, if you drop money, better wait til morning you'll be searching all nite, it doesn't matter who the current driver the vehicle is you should proceed to bring them in for adjustments, there cost, oh wait you just put $500 in it, here we go again, another $200, by the time it hits 6 months you just spent money you needed for groceries, oh wait $5 is all you got, now you gotta beg for food, and don't have no money to do squat, Ford I hope this reaches you, so you see I cant tolerate a non honest company, I should have bought that Honda or that Acura, pure smooth running cars right there, quality built is there name and I stand behind them, Ford you get 1 star, Honda 10 stars...a driver of the unwinning 2003 Ford Windstar SE, Ford you got that buyback program still, she really needs a new home, a home worth big bucks to dump into her, anyone reading this out here, if you here of any help for this sick 2003 Ford Windstar SE, Ford is it about time you, demote and let a new car maker come to town.
While driving, turn signal would not turn off after turn was made. I could not manually turn it off. All gauges began to go crazy. Speedometer and tachometer revolved from one side to the other then settled at the bottom and did not register speed or RPM. Fuel gauge settled to the bottom and the temp gauge did the same. Odometer went out (it is digital) and the van heater ceased to function. In about 2 minutes or so all gauges began to go crazy again and they settled back into a state where everything registered normally. The heater came back on. This happened several times while I was out. I reached my destination and was out of the van for about 1 1/2 hours and returned to the van to go home and everything started up and worked normally all the way home. This has happened sporadically over the last couple of weeks.
The speedometer, odometer & cruise control did not work & ABS pump ran continuously. ABS & brake light stayed on. This only happened when the outside temp. Was around 80-85 deg.F & lights shut off once the engine cooled. Diagnosis was defective brake control mod. Pulled fuse 101 to keep pump from running. In 2012 the lights remained on with fuse in and the speedo & odo would go out intermittently. Nov. 2013, lost speedo & odo all together.
The brake light and the ABS light came on as I was driving down the highway. I tested the brakes and they still worked. Pulled over and checked them out on the side of the highway. Worked ok continued on my trip. Have since had numerous times this his occurred. Have found out this happens when the car has been driven and has reached normal operating temps. Have been told by mechanics that the ABS module is bad! I have not had it repaired yet. Lights are annoying though.
ABS & brake light on all the time and the systems don't work when light is on therefore they aren't never working and my odometer quit working and my other gauges go crazy like it's an electrical problem gone crazy. I don't know what gauges actually work and which ones don't cause they seem to go crazy and read different all the time. But, my ABS & brake light stay on all the time no matter what.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Pekin, IL, USA