Problems with 2003 Ford Windstar SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The abs brake light comes on with a warning to check the system. when checked, nothing physical can be found wrong with the brakes. when the vehecle is restarted the light is out. *tr

Brake, abs, and other lights come on, drive disengages, van will only run in 2nd or low gear until you turn it off then on again. very dangerous situation as the van loses power and decelerates. fuse #1 sparks when putting in a fuse. blows the fuse immediately. interior light then will not work. van is currently being looked at by phil long ford. *tr

Abs and brake lights come on simultaneously and intermittently. mechanic diagnosed as a wiring problem or bad abs module. *tr

The vehicle abs warning light and brake warning light go on and off. diagnostic code of c1185. no viable reason for the failure. lights are illuminated on the dash board regularly but with no particular pattern or reason. loss of abs breaks as a result. fearful of accident or vehicle fire due to issue. nothing done to correct the problem as there does not seem to be a clearcut solution to the problem without impacting other functions of the vehicle. additional issue with interior cabin lights going on and off while driving. this is distracting at night and could cause an accident. this is a product defect that has been happening since 2007. i will not pay to fix something that happens in many of the same models and is clearly a defect that should be recalled. i've told the dealership and they say i need to pay to have a modular replaced. *tr

Within a few minutes of starting the van an driving out of the neighborhood, the console lights flickered and there was a wisp of smoke from within the dashboard area, though i didn't witness any flames. the console abs and brake lights came on. i subsequently replaced the battery in case it was weak, but since that time the abs and brake lights have come on and off intermittently. if they do come on, sometimes i can make them turn off by turning the van off and restarting it. *tr

Ford windstar 2003 abs light, trac active light, and brake light intermittently go on and off and stay on for various amounts of time and then just turn off on their own with no apparent reason found. car operates fine when these lights come on. i am worried about a vehicle fire. this is still an ongoing problem in my car. searched the web and many other ford minivans have the same problem. ford ash to do something!! *tr

The abs light and the brake light come during driving intermittently. car must be turned off and restarted to turn of warning lights. brakes squeal. *tr

Abs warning lamp and brake warning lamp illuminates. mechanic advises me that this is a common problem on these models. evidently ford will not recognize the issue and help us to resolve it. here is the website that talks about the problem and offered me the info to help me with my problem. http://www.fordwindstarrecall.info/ *tr

On almost every trip the abs and brake warning lights come on the dash. dealer stated a problem code c1185 and said the abs module would need to be replaced for about $800. *tr

Tl*the contact was renting a 2003 ford windstar. while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle would not stop. the contact noticed smoke and the brake warning light illuminated on the instrument control panel. she had to apply pressure to the brake pedal several times in order to stop the vehicle. she called the rental company and they stated that there was nothing wrong with the brake system. they concluded that the brake system possibly needed to be serviced. the vin and speed were unknown. the failure mileage was 62,221.

I was driving along and suddenly the emergency brake light, the abs light, the traction light, and check engine light came on. the odometer, and dashboard fuel info system didn't work, the speedometer stopped working. the words "check transmission" came on the info screen. i took the car to three different mechanics and no one can find anything wrong with my vehicle. i was told that the car is fine and they can't find any reason for these lights to be on or how to get them to go off. *tr

Emergency brake light came on around three months ago. the emergency brake was not engaged and this had no effect on the running of the vehicle. the vehicle brakes started going to the floor when we found the switch at the bottom of the master cylinder was leaking and defective. we ran out of brake fluid. we have replaced the defective switch and bled the brake lines to make sure everything works again. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact noticed that the abs warning indicator would sporadically illuminate on the instrument panel. she took the vehicle to the dealer and they cleaned the wheel speed sensor. three weeks later, the failure resurfaced. currently, the failure still persists. the failure mileage was 63,000 and current mileage was 70,000.

My abs lights come on when the car warms up. *tr

Failure of ecm in the abs brake system resulting in the abs light and the brake light being illuminated all the time. *tr

Since we got our 2003 ford windstar new in december, 2002, we have always had an issue with constantly needing to fill the brake fluid. the ford dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong. in feb, 2008 our abs and brake light came on. took it to a firestone repair shop, they fixed and akjusted the brakes and they said it was a problem with the brake sensor and that there was nothing wrong with the brakes when they were finished, just the light was on and we needed to replace the sensor. as it was extremely costly and they told us there was nothing further wrong with the brakes, we choose not to replace it. in june 2008 our cruise control stopped working. we again took it in and they could not figure out what was wrong. two weeks ago, august, 2009, we had all new brakes put on. just yesterday, august 21, 2009, our brake fluid was almost empty. we took it back to the place we had the brakes put on, and they just filled the brake fluid and said there was an air bubble. upon driving home from the repair shop, we noticed that our speedometer and odometer had stopped working and the overdrive light was now flashing. so, we have the following warning lights on our control panel: abs, brake, overdrive; and the following items not working: abs, speedometer, odometer, overdrive; and a continually disappearing brake fluid problem. don't actually know if the abs works or not. *tr

I have a 2003 ford windstar lx and the abs light and the brake light on the instrument cluster continually come on. i have had the front and rear brakes serviced and then after this problem did not go away i put a 2nd set of pads on the front. ford want over $2000.00 to fix what they say is the abs module. the brake gauge lights continue to come on and off at all times and ford said it was due to this switch but it would not affect the brakes although at times the brakes will start skidding like the abs is working on dry roads and some times the brakes seem to work hard. checking the internet out for parts i found several complaints about this same problem and even some vans catching fire due to this abs module switch catching fire. ford has recalled several other vehicles for the same problem but will not acknowledge a problem with the 03 vans. i should not be forced to pay for a repair that ford knows is there fault. the manufacturer of this abs module made them defective but ford still uses them. check this websight for proof: http://www.2carpros.com/forum/1-vt49767.html?postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0. i am not alone in this problem. ford states they found about 8 error codes but did not tell me what they were, although i remember seeing one they wrote done as i believe to be c1185. i feel ford should admit there at fault and recall these vans. as of know i drive my back p truck as much as possible but the whole family does not fit in the truck so we are forced to drive an unsafe van when the whole family is in it. the extended warranty ran out and that is when the problems started. i had no problems until after the 1st brake job on the van. *tr

Gas gauge doesn't read correctly. all gauges stops working while driving. abs and tcs stopped working correctly in 2008. lights have been on warning of them not working. drivers side passenger door will not work correctly. check advance track warning light stays on. this has been checked, but light stays on. rpm gauge stays at maximum. often while driving, it feels as if we have the emergency brake on. we have to change tires often. when i apply the brakes the vehicle will either not stop, or makes a grinding sound before it does. i have had the brakes checked and the brake pads are fine. *tr

2003 ford windstar brake warning light and abs warning light on constantly. numerous electrical problems, i.e, doors not unlocking, locking for no reason. blend door sticking, not allowing for heat or defrosting. *tr

Abs and brake warning lights intermittently go on and off for no apparent reason. it only happens when the engine is warm, or it is hot outside. no problems on cold days. brakes appear to work fine. there also appears to be some leaking from the master cylinder, which continues to cause a short with the #10 fuse inside the cabin, causing the speedometer, odometer, transmission control, etc to stop functioning. *tr

Abs and brake warning lights are lit on dash. dealer says that the abs ecu has failed and that the antilock brakes will not work until this is replaced. at the same service visit the dealer found that the cruise control deactivation switch was leaking brake fluid and had failed and needed to be replaced due to a fire hazard caused by leaking brake fluid. the cruise control deactivation switch is connected directly to the brake master cylinder and the cable from the switch connects directly to the abs ecu, when they showed me the defective switch before replacing it i observed brake fluid running down the switch cable to the abs ecu. i feel there is a direct relation to brake fluid draining on to the abs ecu and its subsequent failure. this is a sealed electronic module that should not fail during the life of the vehicle. the dealer does not see it that way of course. *tr

In my 2003 ford windstar van for the last 20 30 thousand miles the abs and brake light come on intermittently and randomly. had it checked at repair shop. they could not detect or simulate problem. quoted $800.00 - $1200.00 to replace switches/wires as possible solutions. in checking with complaint department, this is a very common issue with this vehicle, leading to engine fires. i believe ford should issue a recall for the issue before more vehicles catch fire, and secondly before the owners of this vehicle pay over $1000 to fix something that is a defective system in the car. *tr

I would like to request an investigation on my 2003 ford windstar van. my abs and emergency brake light randomly come on, for no apparent reason. i can sit and let my car idle, and the light will come on. this has happened since i bought it, and since i bought the car used, the dealership (ford dealership) won't repair it for me. can you look into this for me, and see if they will do a recall of the problem. thanks! the dealership told me if the light is on, then i will not have antilock brakes. this was a feature that made me buy the vehicle. please help me. *tr

I have a 2003 ford windstar. the brake and abs lights are on almost all the time. in cold weather the lights don't come on until the engine is warmed up. i had a ford dealer run a diagnostic on the vehicle and they said the abs brake module and hydraulic control unit must be replaced. the cost for parts only is $1645. *tr

Have a 2003 ford windstar lx with 36,900 miles on. abs & brake lights on continuously for a few months after intermittently a couple months. this started in the spring of '07. the number of failures indicated is an estimate as it would be impossible to account for all the failures. for example, ran the van 6 times alone counting for 6 failures. there is no abs working. total failure. confirmed on date indicated by near miss of deer and locking up the brakes. told by ford dealer abs control module needs replaced. *tr. updated 01/09/08. *lj updated 12/12/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the brake and abs lights illuminated approximately four or five times. on four separate occasions, the vehicle was taken to an auto mechanic shop and they discovered nine codes. the contact was informed that the abs was no longer functioning when the light illuminates. as a result, the contact rear ended another vehicle. there were no injuries. the vehicle sustained minor damage. the contact was becoming frustrated due to misinformation. the vin, engine size, number of cylinders, and purchase date were unknown. the current mileage was 59,290 and failure mileage was 58,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the abs light illuminates intermittently or either remains lit when the vehicle was started. the failure began in july of 2007 after the vehicle had been serviced. the contact has not taken the vehicle back to be inspected. the current mileage was 32,000 and failure mileage was 28,000.

Abs/brake light stay on constantly. started intermittently about 2 years ago. now it is always on. took it to the mechanic and he pulled so many codes i can't list them all. however, some of the codes: c1185; c1446; b1318; c1235 just to name a few. *tr

I own a 2003 ford windstar that about 80 percent of the time displays the abs and brake warning lights on the instrument panel. the problem was diagnosed (for $100) at a local ford dealer as a defective abs ecu, which costs approximately $750.00. this problem has been recurring since the vehicle passed the 50,000-mile mark, and even though i bought the vehicle used, it had a ford exp warranty to 60,000 miles. the dealer and the ford rep i contacted both said this problem was not covered by the warranty. further research on the internet has revealed that this is a very common problem on these vehicles that may be caused by a leaking pressure switch at the master cylinder reservoir which wicks brake fluid down to the ecu, creating a possible short circuit and chance for a fire. others suggest that the ecus fail because of delamination of the main circuit board due to incompatible expansion and contraction rates of the materials used. the failure of the ecu appears to stem, in either case, from design flaws. the abs is rendered inoperative in both cases, creating an unacceptable safety hazard in these 4200-lb. family vehicles. *tr

We have a 2003 ford windstar, the brake and abs light keeps coming on after a short period of time after the car is started. we took it to a mechanic but he was unable to fix the problem. personally i think it should be a recall issue. *tr

Braking distance has increased significantly. *tr

Brake and abs lights go on intermittently on 2003 ford winsdtar. the lights go off after shutting car off. brake pads have been replaced recently. no visible signs of brake fluid leakage. *tr

Abs light and red brake light on the dashboard go on and off at different times, different speeds and different temperatures. *tr

My automobile keeps getting multiple emergency brake and abs errors. the lights come on multiple times daily. upon researching this problem it appears to be a wide spread issue with ford windstars 2001-2003. the issue appears to be a faulty brake system including the abs system. brake fluid leaks from a faulty sensor into electronic connectors causing the potential for fires. there are documented cases where this failure has caused fires. *note please review the following websitehttp://www.2carpros.com/forum/8-vt49767.html?postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=140 please review this safety defect soon! 8tr

Abs (yellow) and brake warning lights (red) turn on intermittently when the temperature is hot or the vehicle (2003 ford windstar) is hot. i have replaced front brake pads and rotors and i have had the rear brakes done as well. however, the warning lights continue to turn on. based on information found on the following webpage (http://www.fordwindstarrecall.info/), i'm not the only one with this problem. *tr

Abs light and brake lights stays on, cruise control never has worked, have fixed the brakes and the lights are still on. now i think the 02 sensor i guess it may be the oxygen sensor is out also i think it keep on burning up my alternators, i put a new last year and just had to put another one and i think it is about gone also. *tr

I am also having an ongoing issue with the abs light showing on the dash while driving. i have had computer diagnostics and received the following error codes: c1236 lr wheel speed sensor input missing; c1235 rr wheel speed sensor input missing; and c1185 power relay output circuit fault. i have been told that the abs is not affected and in fact have noticed that the abs does engage in snowy/wet road conditions while the warning lights are on. my mechanic has advised that the last error code could be the global cause of the error. i have yet to replace the sensors as the brakes are unaffected and have been told that further trouble shooting could be of significant cost for brakes that are currently functioning normally other than the warning lights. the lights do seem to be more affected by wet/damp driving conditions. *tr

My abs, emergency brake lights randomly come on while driving. they stay illuminated until i turn the car off. there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason as to when they come on. the one time i had it looked at, they could find no error and i was told i needed to bring it in while the lights were illuminated. my concern is that while the lights are on, that the abs system is not activated. *tr

I have a 2003 ford windstar that the abs and brake light have been coming on for years. i had to the ford garage when it was still under warranty and the lights didn't come on. i had the sensor replaced a month ago and the lights still come on. i'm now advised that i need to replace the abs module (upwards or $700 dollars as it has to be done by a ford garage. i'm furious. this should have been repaired when it was under warranty. *tr

I own a ford windstar '03. starting in may 2007, at about 45,600 miles, my brake light and abs light are illuminated. the code read by the mechanic from the computer is c1185. nearly every time i use the car since, the lights come on within a few minutes of turning on the ignition. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the abs light continues to illuminate on the instrument panel. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but they were unable to diagnose the failure. he has spent over $2,000 in repairs. the dealer stated that this was a common failure. there were no recalls available. the failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 80,000. updated 03-11-08 *bf

First and only owner of 2003 ford windstar. the red brake light and the yellow abs light keep coming on on the dashboard during warm weather. no lights are lit during the colder months. i have read that this can lead to fire. *tr

Abs lite and brake lite not go off. had all brakes serviced the abs lite stays on. *tr

Severe braking distance increase because of loss of abs brake system. *tr

My automobile keeps getting multiple emergency brake and abs errors. the lights come on and remains on until turned off. upon researching this problem it appears to be a wide spread issue with ford windstars. i've also read that one person had a fire come from this issue. is there any motion for a recall. *tr

Both the abs light and the emergency brake light come on in my 2003 ford windstar once the vehicle gets warmed up. i have conducted extensive research after having a mechanic give me the code that the van is throwing (c1185) and found the following: the brake pressure differential deactivation switch (2b264) located under the master cylinder (behind the air filter) over time develops a leak. this causes a short and a fuse trip, fuse #10. this leak causes brake fluid to wick down two wires to the abs brake module (2c219). the fluid accumulates on the power connectors for the abs brake system which are powered by fuses 101 and 102 and are both 40 amp. the fluid attracts moisture, road salt and leads to a fire when the fluid and moisture act as conductor between the hot leads and ground. this switch has been the subject of other ford recalls, just not the windstar van yet. below is a picture of the switch in question. notice the fluid that leaked on the part below it. this switch will cause cruise control problems, speedometer, odometer and abs brake system problems. 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

2003 ford windstar abs and brake lights have been on for over 1 year. mileage- 66,000. *tr

Abs light comes on intermittent. being station in europe, it is very important to have my automobile 100% with the autobahns. my windstar is a 2003 with only 60,000 miles. it has been doing this for the past two years. also the transmission went completely out. while driving it lost all forward gears and reverse. i had to pay to have transmission rebuilt. this happen feb 2009. *tr

Brake lights and abs lights often come on; and made the cruise control fail. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that after the vehicle has been driven 1 to 10 miles, the brake and abs lights illuminate and remain lit until the vehicle is shut off. the dealer has not been notified and the vehicle has not been repaired. the speed was unknown. the current mileage was 46,000 and failure mileage was 45,000. updated 12/12/07 *bf updated 12/12/07 *tr