Problems with 2002 Ford Windstar VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Recall 09s09 was performed on my 2002 windstar. the speed control was not working before this recall. it was working now. a day or 2 later the orange abs light came on. the brakes seem to work ok for a while, now it seems that the brakes are erratic in pedal pressure and stopping distance. *tr

On 12/09/09 i had the recall 09s09 speed control campaign recall performed at feduke ford @ 2200 vestal parkway e. vestal, ny 13850 on my 2002 ford windstar. after the recall was performed i am experiencing very frequent abs/brake light indicators on the dash warning light system. the van was taken back to feduke ford for diagnosis on 07/15/10. the result of the diagnosis was a faulty ecu relay that is built into the electronic control unit. said repair estimate was approximately $842.00. with the abs /brake warning lights on i do not have abs brakes. these lights are on frequently and this is my family vehicle. i have done online research and have discovered this is a very common problem with these vans. my wife and children use this van and i am very concerned that this issue is not being corrected by ford since this is such a common problem/defect. during the week prior to 07-15-2010 i had to stop quickly for backed up traffic on sr 434 and since i had no abs my braking distance was increased and the overall braking ability of the van was not what it would have been had the abs system been functioning properly. *tr

The abs warning light comes on frequently which stops the abs from working per the ford dealer. a brake light warning light also comes on, but per the ford dealer the brakes are not affected. this problem appears to be related to ford recall no. 09s09. the ford dealer wants me to spend $800 to replace the abs module. i think ford should be paying for this replacement since leaking oil from the speed control deactivation switch (scds) (ford recall no. 09s09) lands on the abs module and connector. *tr

The morning of july 11, 2010, the abs control module on our 2002 windstar suffered an internal fire due to brake fluid leaked from the bad switch, resulting in a loss of proper brake function and no readings from the speedometer, tachometer, and odometer (as well as multiple warning lights). this occurred several weeks after having had the brake pressure deactivation switch recall performed (nhtsa campaign id 09v399000, action number ea08021). the local ford dealership which had performed the initial recall work refused to repair or replace the module under the recall or as a warranty claim, stating that it was not part of the recall, nor was it apparently damaged at the time of the brake switch repair. i subsequently removed, opened and examined the control module (8/28/2010), and found blackened brake fluid present inside the module at the connector pins. i also found evidence of significant burning around the pins at the connections to the printed circuit board. this evidence included the blackened fluid, severe discoloration, and lifted traces, all of which are clearly apparent in photos of the module interior. luckily, it appears that an internal trace burned through and interrupted the fault current prior to the failure becoming a runaway fire event. at this time the vehicle has not been repaired, and is sitting idle. i have kept the failed control module for examination as necessary. *tr

Ford performed safety recall 09s09 in 2009 but only installed safety wiring harness 2002. requested ford to replace both speed control deactivation switch and abs module due to the known failures included in the investigation, but ford refused after a year the abs and brake warning lights started to come on intermittently, now the warning lights come on everytime the car is driven after several miles. based on research (http://www.2carpros.com/questions/ford-windstar-2003-ford-windstar-abs-c1185-trouble-code), i can see that this is very common problem with this vehicle and the problem and it causes braking safety issues in addition to fire problem. the replacement of the speed control deactivation switch and abs control module replacement should be required as part of 09s09 recall. the installation of the wiring harness only minimizes the occurrence of possible fire, but does not address the main cause of the problems of the defective deactivation switch and abs module. *tr *kb

I was driving home from work when the low brake fluid light came on. i was headed to pull over when the dashboard went crazy. said that the abs was bad, right brake light needed to be checked, traction control error, check transmission, mileage was gone only --------- listed, a/c stopped working, said fuel data computer error, speedometer was out. i am taking it to ford tomorrow to have the vehicle speed control replace and i believe this is what is causing this problem. the brake fluid may be leaking on everything because i did small a burning smell. *tr

Brake light (red) and abs brake lights (yellow) stay on. i went to replace fuse #10 and it keeps blowing out. speedometer and odometer do not function. cruise control does not work. a/c does not work. the o/d light flashes after about 30 seconds after the vehicle starts and continues to blink until the vehicle is shut off. i took it into a ford dealership today to have them perform the 09s09h recall and it did not change anything. all issues seem to be associated with this 'leaker' scds that was replaced, but that caused further damage to the abs ecm unit causing it to fail. *tr

The abs light on the dashboard of my 2002 ford windstar mini-van is on all the time. the ford dealer told me that i would have to replace the abs module for a price of $750.00 plus labor to correct this. then i received a letter from ford stating a recall involving the cruise control mechanism was needed to make my windstar safe from a possible fire. i had ford do the no-cost fix which amounted to a jumper wire with a fusible-link. however, this did not fix the existing abs problem. now, my speedometer is not functioning properly. i have read up on this problem and find that many windstar mini-vans manufactured between 1999 and 2003 have had similar problems and they all are related to the abs system. i believe that ford should completely fix these problems and owners should not have to pay an amount exceeding $1000.00 to do so. these problems were apparently inherent in these model years and repairs or replacements should be the responsibility of ford, not the vehicle owners. i can still drive my windstar but will have to have the speedometer problem fixed at a minimum (if that is possible singularly). not having the abs problem fixed may lead to further complications, but i cannot afford these costly repairs at this time. *tr

I have a 2002 ford windstar. there was a ford recall #09s09b to correct the abs/brake light issue. i went to a ford dealership in my area on 05/27/10 to have the matter corrected but after i left the dealership, i still have the same problem. i am driving this vehicle with fear since the problem has not been corrected and it can result in a fire. *tr

Brought vehicle into ford for nhtsa campaign id number: 09v399000, nhtsa action number: ea08021. vehicle still getting a hot, burning smell. abs and emergency icons still come on at various times lasting for hours or days then shutting off. drives rough with a distinct "chugging effect" like it is going to stall. complete tune up has been done including replacing spark plugs,intake valves and seals. burns oil at a slow rate (approx 1/4 litre every 1 1/2 months) the abs/emergency lights come on at least once a week and the "chugging" and burning smell is every time you drive it. the recall work was done and we were told the scds did indeed leak and personal research reveals that then the ecm connector needs replacing which ford refuses to do for us. *tr

I have a ford windstar 2002. its abs and brake lights come on during summer. in the recall last year, a ford dealer changed the deactivation switch on the car. but after that, i still have the same problem: in warm weather, abs and brake lights come on while driving. *tr

Recall of brake switch (09s09) on my 2002 ford windstar. they replaced the switch but i still have abs lights that come on periodically. it has not been completely fixed and the dealership says they will not cover it. *tr

Acts like dying but surges forward with brake on. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the dashboard panel malfunctioned. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have the wiring harness fuse installed according to recall # 09v399000, vehicle speed control. the brake fluid leak caused the wiring harness in the dashboard to malfunction. the dealer informed the contact that the brake fluid could have also leaked onto the abs module. the contact stated that the failure was directly related to the recall. the failure mileage was unknown. 93,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an increased stopping distance whenever the brakes were applied. this failure occurred after the vehicle was repaired under the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 09v399000 (vehicle speed control). the contact also stated that the anti-lock brake and brake lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. the speed control deactivation switch was not leaking and there were no brake fluid leaks either, but the consumer was experiencing braking issues. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage is 115,000. updated 9/13/11 *cn updated 09/28/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs and brake lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the abs would fail when the light illuminated. the cruise control and speedometer also malfunctioned. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was approximately 109,000 and the current mileage was approximately 115,000.

2002 ford windstar lx - brake light & abs light activated (steady on) and od (overdrive) off light activated (flashing), concurrent with loss of analog speedometer and digital (led) odometer function. no obd ii codes issued by system. researched and found ford recall 09s09 - speed control system modification, which (apparently) addresses this problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. during a recall repair the dealer did not perform the entire repair. the dealer installed a fuelable link and inspected the harness for heat damage. the dealer did not find any heat damage to the harness so the dealer did not replace the abs control module connector. the contact stated that a leak caused the scds to leak and the harness needed to be replaced. the dealer also informed the manufacturer that it does not need to be replaced; therefore, the manufacturer stated that no more repairs are needed on the vehicle. the contact feels the vehicle can cause a fire due to the abs control module connector not being replaced. the failure mileage was 120,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that while at a traffic stop, the vehicle erroneously accelerated. the vehicle began to function normally several moments later. the contact also stated that the brake, abs and over drive off warning lights illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was determined that the master cylinder failed and was leaking brake fluid onto the electrical components. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the brake fluid was leaking from the speed control deactivation switch onto the wiring harness and it's components which also caused the #10 fuse to fail. the leak was caused by a defect which led to recall 09v399000. the electrical system was malfunctioning as a result. the dealer stated that they would not repair anything outside of the component listed in the recall. the manufacturer stated that they would not assist him until his vehicle was inspected by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were approximately 85,000.

I own a 2002 ford windstar and had recall 09s09 performed at my local dealership last november and now my cruise control does not work at all. also for the last 6-8 months my (yellow) abs and (red) brake lights come on and off on my dash. my power window on the driver side works only when it wants to and the passenger side window can be rolled down from the passenger side but has to rolled up from the driver side. and last but not least the rear door lock buzzes every time the doors lock which is every time i put the vehicle in gear. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that recall campaign number 09v399000 repair was performed which dealt with the vehicle speed control and since that time the abs light and brake light have been coming on. the contact heard different information regarding the fix for the failure. one dealer stated that they know this has been a problem and another dealer stated that they do not know of the failure and would have to perform a diagnostic test. the vehicle was not inspected. the failure mileage was 84000 and the current mileage was 94000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. while driving 25 mph he noticed that there was smoke under the hood. he was able to safely drive the vehicle to a local repair facility. the technician extinguished the fire and determined that the cruise control brake switch failed and caused the fire. the technician removed the fuse which allowed the contact to drive the vehicle; however, he was unable to view his speed since the fire damaged the control switch. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact will notify the manufacturer of the failure. the failure mileage was 88,000. updated 01/29/10 *bf updated 01/29/10

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. while driving the abs and service brake warning lights illuminated on the instrument control panel. the brake fluid reservoir was leaking fluid onto the cable, which caused the vehicle speed cruise control and the abs to fail. brake fluid was added to the reservoir by the contact. the dealer was notified and a technician stated that the abs cable needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, there was a fire under the hood after the vehicle was repaired. the current and failure mileages were 86,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that a fire almost erupted, from break fluid leaking under the firewall in the cruise control. he notified the dealer in reference to recall# 06v286000, vehicle speed control. he was advised that since his vehicle was excluded from the recall, he was ineligible for a free remedy. no repairs were made. the manufacturer was notified. the failure and current mileages were 94,558.

June 2009-brakes failed/indicator light stayed on--took to midas and found the master cylinder was leaking. replaced master cylinder. sept 15th, 2009--brake indicator light came on. brake pedal was spongy and the cruise control would not work correctly. if i tried to use the cruise control, it would disengage without me touching the brakes, then it would return to speed without me resetting. returned the car to midas and they found the brake pressure differential switch was shorted out. it was covered in brake fluid. *tr

This is an update to odi number 10278659. the cruise control actuator switch was identified as leaking brake fluid by my independant auto repair shop. they replaced the "cruise control actuator switch" part number yf1z 9c888 ab at a cost of $34.56 for parts and $22.50 for labor. they also replaced the wiring harness that connects to the switch. after this was done, the cruise control started to work consistently again. the abs light and brake warning light still come on intermittently. sometimes i have noticed they go on after i hit a bump. once they go on, they remain on for the duration of the journey (until the car is turned off). *tr

For the past several years my van has has intermittent problems with the brake lights on dash appearing while driving the car at various speeds. once i stop the car and turn it off the lights will usually disappear but sometimes will come back within minutes of restarting car. this tends to happen during warmer times of year versus winter. also i have noticed a problem with brakes even right after getting them replaced. the mechanic says there is nothing wrong with the brakes?? around the same time this started to happen my cruise control stopped working. i had recieved a notice from ford about cruise control recall but when i called the local dealer and told them that my cruise control was not working and i was wondering if it had something to do with recall they said no, that was not the problem. *tr

I own a 2002 ford windstar sel. recently had two messages of low brake fluid. abs brake warning lights also come on and off on instrument panel. cruise control stops working from time to time. then on aug 4, the entire instrument panel went haywire, and air conditioner stopped cooling. having it looked at tomorrow, but this sounds like leaking brake fluid from bad switch has caused electrical meltdown. no fire - yet. *tr

1. normal driving although problem increases with warmer weather. 2. abs and brake lights illuminate consecutively and abs brake system deactivates increasing stopping distances despite fusible link installed by local ford dealer under nhtsa campaign id number : 09v399000 3. ford dealer and independent shop scan code c1185 however parts replacement does not remedy. *tr

Sudden acceleration at a stop light on 2 occ. *tr

We have a 2002 windstar with 165k miles. the abs /brake light has intermittently come off and on for the last 2 years. i noticed that last year my cruise control began to periodically work. on wednesday july 8th i started the van and noticed white smoke pouring from the hood. i immediately shut the vehicle off and traced the smoke to the brake pressure deactivation switch. i didn't know what it was until i read this article www.fordwindstarrecall.info this was extremely helpful and saved me time on estimating the problem. the switch had burned and the plastic switch was dripping the melted fire plastic into my motor! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact noticed that the instrument panel lights and the power locks were failing. he replaced the fuse several times and smelled a burning odor underneath the hood of the vehicle. the contact found fluid leaking from the vehicle, which originated from the cruise control. the wiring harness was damaged. the dealer replaced the cruise control wiring harness, switch, and the speedometer wiring harness at the cost of $888. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control); therefore, they would not assist. the vehicle has been repaired. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 80,000.

I own a 2002 ford windstar and a couple months ago my van almost caught fire because of the brake deactivation switch under the master cylinder shorted out. it started leaking brake fluid immediately. i took it to my mechanic to have it fixed and he told me they were having problems with these switches shorting out and catching the automobile on fire. a month ago my abs brake light came on and a few days later the # 10 fuse blew and smoke started coming out from under the van. we immediately disconnected all the fuses associated with the abs brake module. i do not have abs hooked up now and i do not feel very safe driving around without it but i do not have the money to put it in the shop again for the same problem. i would like for ford to recall and take care of this very faulty abs brake system. *tr

Vehicle became having intermittent abs light and brake light activation while driving. this began in 2007. i had it checked and the dealer advised it was a control module problem not covered under warranty. i checked on line to get a better story, which appears to have been reported many times. over the past 2 months march/april 2009 the problem appeared to become worst. finally cruise control became intermittent and then quit. i checked brake pressure switch found fluid in and around the switch which is one of the reported problems with the windstar. the abs system and cruise control are currently inop. there are no blown fuses. *tr

The brake pressure cruise deactivation switch on my 2002 windstar has leaked brake fluid down onto the wiring below the brake master cylinder. i have purchased the replacement switch from my nearest ford dealer. but now my cruise control does not work, and the horn does not work, and the abs and brake warning lights come on intermittently. *tr

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? *tr

Brake pressure switch leaked brake fluid causing failure of cruise control, speedometer, and odometer. red brake light and yellow abs light on constantly. had repair done at local ford dealer. paid $200.00 for analyzer and $700.00 to replace wiring, cruise control module and speedometer module. brake and abs lights are now off. second day out of the shop the abs and brake lights come on intermittently. estimate #700.00 i am hoping the nhtsa rules on this defect as a safety hazard and orders a recall. *tr

brake, abs brake, cruise control, and speedometer/odometer electrical problems my dash lights are on and off all the time went to 3 mechanic they all checked my brakes, abs and could not find a problem it goes on whenever it wants stays on for weeks then comes back on while driving this has been doing for over a year. i even put stickers over the lights that i can see while driving. i still think there is a electrical wiring problem it is very annoying. i can not afford to get another vehicle . i see there are a lot of complaint about same problem my niece has one does the same thing and my brother in law in west virginia his is doing it too so i really thing ford needs to check into this before someone's van catches fire or hurt some one. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that when coming to a stop with his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on it's own. the vehicle crashed into the rear end of a vehicle, which caused the other vehicle to crash into a vehicle as well. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to a dealer who had not diagnosed the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 125,000. updated 09/20/11

Purchased a used 2002 ford windstar vehicle at dealership in december 2008--cruise control was working fine at time of purchase--around march 2009 cruise control failed to work. this may not be related but the speedometer would become stuck at speed set after depressing brake and slowing down- cruise control will not activate any longer. *tr

Red brake light went on in my 2002 ford windstar. merchants tire checked and indicated that the cruise control switch to the master cylinder has been leaking brake fluid. *tr

Ford windstar 2002. cruise control only engages intermittently. when cruise control is on, it will dis-engage abruptly for no reason. yellow abs dash light and red brake warning dash light go on intermittently (simultaneously). after they go on, they stay on until the car is turned off. the abs system appears to still work correctly even when the yellow abs light is on and the red brake light is on (although there is no way for the driver to tell if the abs system and brake system are working correctly or not when the warning lights are on). my local ford dealership diagnosed that the ecm control module needs to be replaced. this is an expensive electronic component with no moving parts, and there is no reason that this board should be failing. this is a common problem with 2002 ford windstar models. i believe ford should be required to offer free diagnosis and repair for any problems related to ecm control modules for this model year. i first noticed the problem around october 2008 as the weather turned colder. this is consistent with a theory that the ecm board is sensitive to temperature changes, which affects the correct working of the cruise control and abs systems. the cruise control mostly did not work during the winter 2008-2009. as warmer temperatures arrived in spring 2009, the cruise control started to work intermittently again. sometimes it engages correctly, sometimes i push the "set" button repeatedly and finally it engages, sometimes i push the "set" button repeatedly and it will not engage. when it is engaged, it will dis-engage abruptly for no reason. i suspect sometimes it dis-engages because the car hit a bump in the road - but frequently it dis-engages with no bump in the road. having the cruise control dis-engage abruptly for no reason is a safety issue and could easily result in an accident. having the abs system not work correctly (due to the ecm module) is a safety issue and could easily result in an accident. *tr

Brake pressure differential deactivation switch (2b264) located under the master cylinder (behind the air filter) over time developed a leak. my cruise control has stopped responding, and brake fluid is leaking at an exponential rate out of the reservoir above the master cylinder. *tr

cruise control brake cancellation switch on a 2002 ford windstar smoking and blowing fuse #10. *tr

My van brake light and abs light had been coming on for at least 6 months... my mechanic was trying to determine if it was the abs switch or abs module and just reset the codes after a tune-up. we would add brake fluid to the car on several occasions. the failure occurred when i started my van and backed out of a parking spot. i smelled something burning and realized my van was smoking. at first i thought it was steam and then i realized it was white smoke. so i reparked my vehicle, shut it off and popped the hood. when i got around i followed the engine from left to right and in the back right was a perfect propane flame. i blew it out. i noticed the part was connected down below the brake fluid reservoir, wired ran to that part, on the bottom the part that was on fire was rusted. but it appeared to plug into the part it was attached to like a key and then wires came down from there... my mechanic disconnected the part saying i would not longer have cruise control and he ordered the part from ford in milledgeville, ga. he replaced the part on 8/25/08. i do not believe the old part is still available. since the part has been replaced my brake light and abs light still come on! *tr

I was driving on a street and the car in front of me came to a sudden stop. i immediately had to brake and then the abs light and main brake light came on and stayed on. i took the vehicle to a dealer and they told me that the abs module was bad and i asked them if the knew why and they told me that they did not know. i then asked if the vehicle was safe to drive and they said yes but i would not have abs brakes. *tr

2002 ford windstar - abs and brake light come on all the time in warmer temperatures. understand it to be a known defect in the braking module - aluminum housing expanding when warm. no problem in colder weather. abs braking system not active when lights are on. no parts repaired or replaced at this time because of cost and after seeing hundreds of similar complaints with this year/model it appears to be possible recall along with faulty cruise control deactivation switch leaking brake fluid and causing fires. *tr

Failure of the brake/cruise control deactivation switch caused leaking brake fluid to fall into and cause failure of abs module. i am aware that the nhtsa is investigating and i encourage you to demand an immediate and complete recall. this is a serious fire hazard that can happen even while the vehicle is parked in the garage, hours after the vehicle was shut off. please act! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. while driving between 45-55 mph, the engine began to lose power. the contact pulled into a ford dealer and was informed that the brake cruise deactivation switch was leaking into the fuse box. the failure caused the speedometer to fail and the abs and several other lights to illuminate. recall number 05528 (deactivation switch) was referenced regarding the ford explorer. the current and failure mileages were 70,000. update 09/10/08 *cw updated 09/15/08. *jb