Problems with 2003 Ford Windstar ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Dt*: the contact stated the brake and abs lights illuminated without incident. an independent repair shop determined there was no problem with the vehicle and reset the codes. the lights illuminated again and the dealership determined the abs master cylinder needed to be replaced. also, the door ajar light stayed illuminated, but was not been inspected by a mechanic.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs and brake warning lights illuminated and would remain lit. as of september 17, 2007, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. the front brakes were replaced, however, the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was 57,000 and current mileage was 67,300.

Bought the 2003 windstar in 04/26/ 2004 it was a certified program car from a dealer and had mileage of 013335 we have had several problems with it. first the rear doors will close and then reopen the dealer replaced the sensors in the doors still have that problem, second the ball joints need replaced, third the passenger window would not roll up or down intermittently, fourth lift gate door ajar light keeps coming on you get out and shut it and it still is on next time you open and close maybe a day or two later it will go off, fifth the abs and brake lights on dash come on and sixth the passenger door ajar light comes on and won't go off. the side doors and the window was noticed before the warranty went out so we bought the extended warranty. *tr

This is a copy of the letter i sent to ford recently. i thought i would try both paths to see if there is any other information out there about this issue. ford motor company customer relationship center p.o. box 6248 dearborn, mi 48126 hello, i have a 2003 ford windstar vin xxxxxxxxx that has a problem. {dealer name} has looked at the problem twice and found nothing. the problem has occurred twice in the last 12 months. so far it has happened within the first five minutes of operating the van. if the van is in drive and you are holding pressure on the brakes for an extended period of time (extra long stop lights), the following will happen. the engine will increase in rpms and jolt forward until you get enough pressure on the brakes to hold it at a stop. if you put it in neutral or park, it will continue to move forward if you let up on the brakes. the only way to get the van out of the situation is to shut it off. once you restart it, everything is fine. by pressure on the brakes, i mean you better push the pedal to the floor or you will be moving! i am not sure if my wife could hold it long enough to get it turned off. the first event happened in stop and go traffic at a congested intersection. i almost rear ended the car in front of me. the second event happened when i was the first vehicle at a stop light. when it jolted forward i was in the intersection. luckily i was not hit by another car. my question is, what can be done about this problem? my wife will no longer drive the van because she is scared of it. the problem will happen again. hopefully it will not cause an accident, but eventually will. so i would like to resolve the issue before it becomes a bigger problem. the van has also had other electrical abnormalities. *nm

Abs problem. it occurs intermittently as soon as warm weather starts. i have had it checkout by several local auto repair shops and they say it is a existing problem with the abs unit. i have had the switch on the master cylinder replaced, still the same problem. ii have contacted ford with poor results. they say there is not a problem with the abs. *tr

2003 ford windstar ecm failure causing abs system malfunction. recall of a related symptom in october 2009 did not fix this current issue. *tr

Our 2003 ford windstar began experiencing intermittent electrical failures. on may 27, after driving normally, we stopped for about 30 minutes. then the van stalled several times on a short trip. after another 10 minute stop, it operated normally again. several times during the next week, although the car did not stall, the power to the steering and brakes went out. we had an appointment with our local ford dealer to service the van on june 7. however, on june 6 the power systems failed, causing the car to crash into a road side mailbox. no personal injuries occured. nothing was done to correct the failure. at our expense, ford would have had someone look at the vehicle to see if they could determine the exact cause of the accident. we choose to deal with our insurance company instead. the car was totaled and repossessed by state farm insurance.

We own a 2003 ford windstar. our instrument panel has gone haywire. the tachometer stopped working, it is completely off the scal. the speedometer does not work. sometimes it registers that you are doing 50mph when the vehicle is not moving, and then will not register any speed when you are moving. you cannot determine what your speed is at any given time. my vehicle is beginning it's third week in the at the dealership. i was told that the parts were being held at the border in mexico. i have also been told that the part is on a "national backorder". at this point the dealership has determined that i need a new instrument cluster, which again, is at the mexican border, in customs, or so says the dealership.

We have had many different problems with our '03 ford windstar. we have had the powersteering pump replaced 3 times. we have had the transmission rebuilt because is quit working. the abs and brake light on the dash are always on. we can not adjust the temperature of the a/c or heater. it is always cold. the rear air selector switch does not work. the dome lights flicker from time-to-time. the rear speakers work about 1/2 the time. the brakes sometimes make a growling sound when applied. the mechanics can not find the reason for the noise. the rear door indicator switch needs to be replace. when we shut the rear hatch (door) the doors will not lock because it seems that a door is still ajar.*tr

Electrical problems that required the replacement of the main electrical harness 3 times, which were under warranty. the interior lights continue to flash and flicker to this day, both day and night, creating a hazard to safe operation of the vehicle. there are also false aleerts of the tire warning system, and other intermittant electrical problems in the vehicle. there is also a noise coming from the front end, which is in the area of the sub frame assembly.

Sliding side doors worked intermittently. told nothing wrong. one stopped working. cost close to $400 dollars and took all day. said it was an electricians nightmare. the very next day the other door quite working. we have no children, so do not use door in excess. this is more than coincidence. the first one needed a new plate or something like that. they said it would be $1000 if the motor goes. *jb

We have not been properly informed about all of the recalls or other issues with our vehicle. the vehicle does have a lot of problems from the electrical, structure, engine lights are always throwing codes needing a lot of sensor replacements at our cost, the rpms seem to run fast sitting at a light(we have to turn off the engine and then restart), and the engine seems to run hot, brakes, cruise control(cannot use), traction control(cannot use), interior light are always flickering, passenger windows(cannot use) and door locks(cannot use), both rear windows(cannot use), leaks from roof, rear door and sliding doors, the cruise control, brake and traction control lights stay on while driving(we were told by a dealership that we can still drive the vehicle, but we won't have anti-lock brakes.), the ac is always having trouble staying charged, the ac/heat control switches have malfunctioned(it has to be set away from the cold and the speed to 3/4 speed to work right), the battery keeps losing charge, the brake tail lights stay on draining the battery and had to get repaired by us because the dealership could not locate the problem, driver seat has malfunctioned(cannot use per dealership's request), cruise control and traction control does not work, suspension seems to have a lot of squeaks and popping sounds, alternator and starter had to be replaced several times, the coil packs need constant replacements, all spark plugs and wires had to be replaced before their time, cannot use the rear wiper because it goes down onto the paint and starts wiping the paint and not the rear window, constantly replacing exterior lights all around, the engine constantly cuts out, we told the dealership for several years that there was an antifreeze smell and they could not locate it until 5-28-13, replaced bad front and rear axles on 5/28/13 and many others. 12k-18k to repair everything. *tr

The instrument panel gauges started jumping all over and i could not determine my speed, gas amount or any other data from the instruments. this happened at 37,000 miles and i had to pay $500 to have a new instrument cluster panel installed. *ak

Continuing problem with power rear sliding doors. non-operational on drivers side and opening by itself on the passenger side. also, does not retract when closing if there is an object in the way as stated in owners manual. happened after 1 year warranty expired. feel quality should be better than 1 year especially since the power doors were a big selling point with the vehicle. one door was fixed within the 1st year, but 3 or 4 months after that we had problems with the other door and now we have it with both doors. we will leave the minivan in the mall parking lot and return with one of the doors open. it also opens automatically, at times, when we close one of the front doors. *jb

Purchased a used van from local dealer. it has a dvd player already installed (not factory installed). approx. 6 months later, i complained to service assoc. while getting an oil change, that my radio does not get stations clearly. maybe there's a problem with the antennae. he said, "it's a ford thing" in 2005 i told same service assoc. that the 'door is ajar' light keeps coming on. the trunk. hatch light comes on and stays on even when back is closed. and the interior lights go on and off. and the dvd player no longer worked. he said it could be the contacts, and he would clean them but there's 'no guarantee". the next service check, i told him that the lights stay on after the doors are closed and i 'm afraid my battery will go dead. also that the power locks now go on and off while driving around. i was told that it was probably an electrical problem but that it was not under any warranty and it would be very costly,it could take hours and hours of looking for the problem and it may never be found. i went home and my husband purchased and changed the contact thing for the back door. the light for that back hatch then stopped staying on when the door was closed. i was very concerned about the locks going up and down while driving my three small children around. how could i know if the locks were engaged or not??? if there is a 'short; could a fire start?? i called the ford co. consumer number, explained my problems and the rep. just told me that "there is no recall for those problems with that van". i said i was afraid for my children's safety, not knowing if the doors were locked or open. when repeated her statement and said to take it to the dealer at my expense. it is now 2008, my locks continue to go up and down while driving randomly, i have to turn all the interior lights off and leave them off, already replaced a battery, back door is open light still stays on!! please advise me!! i am quite frustrated and nervous about this vehicle. *tr

My yellow abs brake light and my red brake light indicator come on whenever my brake lines begin to heat while driving. i have also had intermittent problems with the over drive light coming on and off, and the odometer and the speedometer failing. this has occurred since the windstar van was new. the previous owner had tried to have the sensors replaced but it continued to happen, and still happens now with me. i am concerned that if the brakes do fail or need repair, i won't know as the lights are always on, anyway. i am also concerned with the possibility of fire due to a short, or being ticketed as i never know when the speedometer will begin to fail. i was told by an independent mechanic that there was an unspecified electrical short causing these issues, and that it would difficult or impossible to trace. i am experiencing both problems 1 & 2 as described on the following website. **** http://www.fordwindstarrecall.info/ **** the issue of the abs brake light is critical in that the abs brake system does not function as designed by ford. the issue is caused by heat in the abs (anti-lock brake system) ecm (electronic control module) (2c219) module causing expansion of a large aluminum plate (heat sink) in the ecm which is attached to the ecm main circuit board at all points. the expansion occurs when the unit gets warm especially in the summer months and causes intermittent electrical connection in the unit because the fragile board is being stretched and malformed. the code most commonly scanned by professional mechanics is code c1185. seen by us owners as a yellow abs brake light. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the lights on the instrument panel and the head lamps sporadically come on and off even when the car is not started. the brake lights sporadically come on and off as well even when the brakes are not being applied. the aircondtioner also failed and only comes out through the defroster vents. the vehicle has been taken to a local mechanic but a problem could not be diagnosed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the air condition was repaired however it failed again soon after. the current and failure mileage was unknown. the vehicle has not been repaired as of current date. (sc) updated 06/16/08 *bf

While driving vehicle stalled intermittently. vehicle was towed to the dealership, and dealership could not find any problem, and told consumer to come and pick up the vehicle. however, vehicle stalled while pulling out of the dealership. then. dealership indicated that the computer chip was bad and replaced it. three week later, upon starting the vehicle , the engine turned over, and vehicle stalled. vehicle is currently at the dealership. but, dealership could not identify what was causing the vehicle to stall, but suggested that several parts should be replaced. *ak

Vehicle is a ford windstar limited 2003 minivan. the advance trac system came on during normal operation and on dry payment and under normal circumstances. the vehicle was not spinning and i was driving about 25 mph. the vehicle pulled to the left into the oncoming traffic and then slowed to a stop on its own. there was a terrible noise as if the front suspension was being torn apart. i drove the vehicle to the side of the road and turned off the advance trac system. after testing the transmission and i proceeded to my destination. when i was a few hundred feet from my home i turned the advance trac system back on and it repeated the same scenario. i then parked the vehicle in my driveway and call a towed truck for delivery to the dealership where i purchased the vehicle. *jb

The brake light is always on for abs and emergency brake. they are often spongy and don't operate well. this issue has been ongoing. the car has been looked at dozens of times but no issue can be identified.

My 2003 ford windstar has sever electrical problems. the interior lights randomly come on and will flash until i turn them off with the dash control. it will go for few days with no problem and then start flashing again. this started at about 40,000 miles and still happening at 115,000 miles. dealer has check several times and says they can find no problem. of course won't do it when at dealer. *tr

Since purchase i have had to replace transmission, airconditioner, and the alternator--this has been replaced 4 times. there is still an issue with the interior lights coming on. this has been reported to ford and they state there is no issue on their part. *tr

We purchased the 2003 ford windstar in october of 2003. since that time, the van has been in and out of the shop 5 times because of a loud screeching in the power steering, interior lights flickering on and off (which they told me that they couldn't find a reason for that and that i should just turn the interior lights off so that it dosen't happen), and a thumping in the front end when the wheels are turned sharply. they told me that i should bring the van to the shop whenever any of these things happen since they couldn't figure out what was causing these problems and i have done that. i am currently driving a loaner car from the dealership because the van is back in the shop. i called ford motor company and filed a complaint with them. i need to know why this is happening and what can be done to fix this van.

The power sliding doors on my 2003 windstar open spontaneously after closing. this is a concern when there are children or pets in the car. two different car dealers have attempted multiple times to fix the problem. they have been unsucessful so far. another issue is the car alarm goes off for absolutely no reason. they have also attemped to fix this problem, with no success.

2003 ford windstar the side doors have not worked right from the time we bought this van. took it back to dealer, said it's contacts are dirty. still didn't fix doors they don't work right to this day now the abs brake light keeps coming on! the rear axel are cracking and recalled. the windstar should be recalled complete! *tr

Vehicle stalled in heavy traffic forcing the consumer to pull over and change the fuse. (nar) *ph *cb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. while the vehicle was parked the contact noticed that the engine light and the abs light was illuminated on the dashboard. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technicians stated they could diagnose the failure for a fee. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 2,000.

Abs light on 2003 ford windstar comes on in warm & hot weather.*tr