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.
My ABS/brake lights have been coming on while driving. Lean codes P0171 and P0174 are showing. Also electrical system, mainly locks have become inconsistent. When using remote to open locks, sometimes a door lock will not open on driver or passenger side. Also, interior lights sometimes don't shut off when supposed too.
After going about 4 miles after starting up van, ABS light comes on, occasionally the red brake light will come on too, speedometer goes crazy (up and down) and inside lights flicker at random. Seems to be some sort of electrical issue and/or brake issues.
ABS light came on and won't go off. Mechanic can't figure it out. Last month the brake light came on and now it won't go off either. I did some research and discovered this is a fairly common problem, leading to a potential fire.
The battery light comes on occasionally. When it comes on, the electrical system has reduced power. This is confirmed by the headlights dimming, wipers moving at slower speed. If I turn the ignition off and then restart, the battery light goes off and everything functions normally. If I don't turn the car off, it will die in a short time.
- Chanhassen, MN, USA
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There was a safety recall initiated by Ford for corrosion of the engine cradle - 2003 Ford Windstar structure: Frame and members:underbody shields NHTSA campaign #11V030000. Ford repaired the left side only, leaving the right side rusted and now several significant rust holes have appeared on the right side. Ford disclaims any responsibility saying that they made the repair properly but I claim they made the repair inadequately. Bad metal is bad metal and regardless of the fact that the holes were discovered over a year later is inapplicable as good metal does not rust through to the point of creating a safety hazard. If the engine cradle fails, the engine will fall from the vehicle, potentially while moving. Gas will spew across the road and a fireball will ignite. Other drivers will either hit the engine, swerve to miss it and hit other vehicles, and/or get caught in the inferno which will cause significant damage, human harm and needless deaths. Ford initiated this safety recall because there was this safety issue and the issue remains. Safety was not improved by simply repairing one side of the engine cradle allowing the other side to corrode to the point of sizeable rust holes being created in a short period of time following the initial inadequate repair. Once a safety recall is initiated, it is in the best interests of the public to ensure that the repair is properly and completely made and therefore that the safety issue is fully resolved.
ABS and brake light comes on and off, drivers side window and rear drivers side wing does not operate properly, radio changes stations on its own, engine serge when in ideal, interior lights come on by themselves, noise in rear when in reverse.
The rubber on the wires going to the power distribution box rubbed off and melted shorting out everything. Cased the speedometer to go out tachometer to stop working ABS and brake lights to come on and overdrive light blinks. May have cot on fire for a min I smelled smoke but went out on its own.
The electrical system, computer, causes the dome lights to go on and off. The electric window to sometimes not work, the ABS light to come on and off, the brake light to come on and off.
ABS light and brake light stay on. Have new brakes. Interior lights keep flashing on and off when driving battery light stays on. I have had battery tested.
My ABS and brake light keep coming on. I have had several items done to fix problem including tune up, cleaning of contacts. I am now told that the ABS circuit controller may be bad. This is a $1,500 job that just may fix the problem. I have already spent about $600. Judging from the hits I get on the internet this is not an isolated problem.
First of all there is a short located by the steering wheel around the air bag. I thought it was the battery so I changed it and a couple of days later my van would not start. I took it to the Ford dealer and they couldn't find the problem, so I took it to an old man that just did electrical problems on automobiles. He said it was a bad wire in the steering column and he said to repair it would cost a lot of money, so he bypassed some wires and I have not had any problems since, but when you open the driver side door, the door chimes, like when you leave the keys in the ignition. He only charged me $75. Also I would be driving and the interior lights would turn on and off by themselves. This has been happening for a long time. Also the ABS warning lights have been on for a while and my mechanic said it is a bad ABS steering box. To replace it would cost around $1000. I have had also the head gasket replaced because the Ford dealer could not find what was wrong with it while it was still under warranty. It was idling very rough while stopped at a light, also when in parked. It cost me about $600 to replace it. I took it to pep boys and they found out what was wrong with it. I also had the fuel pump replaced, because it kept shutting off while at the grocery stores and had it towed by aaa 3 times in about a year. Bottom line, I will never buy another Ford vehicle while I am alive. They are good for the first couple of years, then they start failing. So sad, because I have been a Ford guy for over 35 years.
My instrument panel keeps going crazy. The RPM needle is now pointing down into the dash. The speedometer usually is not working correctly, it will say that I am doing 20 mph, when I am doing more like 45-50. The gas gauge sometimes says that it is on empty, when I have a full tank of gas. Sometimes the needles work, sometimes they don't (with the exception of the RPM needle...it hasn't moved from that buried in the dash spot for a couple of months now), sometimes the speedometer needle goes all the way to the right and then gets buried in the dash also, so far though, each time, it has came back...even though it rarely registers even close to the correct speed. The repair for this is going to be about $700 is what I was told. I do not have that kind of money, and I am constantly praying that my 17 year old daughter who has to drive it sometimes, does not get into an accident because she is going too fast, and has no clue how fast she is actually going, or one of us may get a speeding ticket. I have looked at websites and seen that a lot of people are having these problems, so Ford should do the right thing and make a recall, before someone is seriously injured or even killed!!! also, not sure if it is related or not, but the ABS light stays on.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Athens, OH, USA