Problems with 1999 Ford Windstar ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that the entire instrument panel illuminated and then turned dark. afterwards, the vehicle failed to start. klaben ford lincoln of warren, inc (i3853 youngstown rd se, warren, oh 44484, (888) 428-3823) stated that the anti-theft system may have prevented the vehicle from starting and affected the electrical system. the contact was informed to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 82,000.

Dancing speedometer needle, and other gauges in the cluster while in motion. can also malfunction while the vehicle is stationary while the engine is running.

I bought a 99 winstarr a few months ago and just recently the instrument cluster started dancing, and there is no power t the radio or the cigarette lighter underneath it. i also sprung a trans leak and fixed it but the car sputters then shuts off and i have to restart it

Too make a long story short.i had about three recall on my ford windstar and now my whole van shut down on me.my computer i guess got it on auto theft lock and i can't even turn over now.it's just sitting in my parking lot just helpless.i have another recall but i cant take it to the ford dealership because i cant turn over.oh yea.it kept cutting off while im driving,don't let me stop at a light it will cut off on me there alot.it does that alot.i bought it from a car lot but he doesn't want to do anything about it.so i lost out of my money.when i turn it also cut off.

Abs light came on continually for the last 6000 miles. brought the vehicle to ford in plainville, ct and they told me there was no recall and the cost was to include a new computer for an unreasonable dollar amount. still not corrected and i understand that the abs system is not working. have checked other owners and they have the same problem. also have a cruise control system that is not working. have been told that i need a new harness for a cost of over #300. still not activated. *tr

While driving the electrical system went crazy i had no turning signal no lights the speed odometer levers went back in forth. very scary when your a mother of three and carrying children in the van. *tr

Tl* the contact 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate to accelerate and stalled without warning. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the alternator needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. the manufacturer was not aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

Abs light keeps coming on. replaced all speed sensors and front axle tone rings even rebuild the abs control module. this is costing me allot of money and the abs light still come on even after i have completed all the necessary repairs. ford needs to recall these windstars to make the necessary repairs for these vehicles. *tr

Tl - the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that while at a stop traffic light, the vehicle stalled and the check engine warning light illuminated. additionally, the contact stated that the air conditioner was leaking and admitting smoke. a private mechanic repaired the vehicle, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 100,080. the vin was not available. djr

Van is jumping at stop light with brake on, started making a clunking sound around 55 (unknown) power windows stopped working on right side. only 92000 miles on van everything going wrong at once. van feels unsafe. do not have enough money to replace. is there any recalls for this stuff? knocking noise in rear. *js

I have a 1999 ford windstar mini van . my instrument cluster goes crazy all gauges just go up and down uncontrollably. i never know how much gas i have or how fast i am going and my abs brake lite stays on always. and my front lower control arm is bending. *tr

Abs light traction control light and battery light on cause abs hcu and ecu bad. *tr

My battery has been dying due to bad sensors, when i did get it started it became stuck high revving ,the car accelerated and smashed into the curb in front of me, and the brakes wouldn't work so even when i stepped on the brakes to put in reverse the car went flying into the curb behind me, i finally got the vehicle to a complete stop by pulling up the emergency brake. then i had the car towed to my house. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked when he noticed that the rear passenger's side door was smoking. the contact assumed that he door was smoking due to an electrical failure. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnosis. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 168,000.

All the gauges on the instrument panel begin erratic behavior. they click back and forth independently. sometimes they all just stop working, and sometimes they all jump back and forth, but it happens every time i drive the car. *tr

Gauges randomly start swinging all over the place. tachometer jammed into parking indicator and both the tachometer and parking needles are now broken off. it is hard to tell what gear the van is in without counting the clicks. i am going to have the gauge cluster rebuilt. i will do the removal and installation myself to save money. i will also have to install a new shift indicator. this seems to be a very common complaint with this car, and though it is quite old now, it is a safety issue that should be addressed by ford. *tr

Abs light comes on and goes off as one drives. it stays on when it is hot outside but does not when it stays cold outside. when light is on there is no abs brakes. one would think there is a short in the system or a ground issue. *tr

Abs lights been on and off intermittently for a very long time since i've owned this van ford need to fix these. *tr

I never knew about ford's recalls until last march. before calling ford i did research and found numerous people have the same problems as me. mine started in 2012 when out of the blue the front windows would no longer open. next when you tried to put the heat on in the rear there was strange noise and now i'm to afraid to use it. the past 3 yrs the gauges go haywire. sometimes if you hit the dash it'll stop but locks up and you don't know what your speed is. if i leave it alone sometimes it will stop on it's own but locks up to wherever it stops at. on numerous occasions the abs light will come on. for over 2 yrs now the check engine light has been on. i had it checked & was told it was the o2 sensors for which i replaced, 3 days later the engine light came back on again they said it was the o2 sensors. in the past 2 1/2 yrs i've had to replace the battery because while driving the battery light will come on. if i accelerate it goes off but nobody knows why the battery keeps dying. some say its an electrical problem draining the battery. the interior lights will come on for no reason so i had them removed as i thought it might be draining the battery. last summer out of the blue the a/c started making a noise and just quit just like a month ago i heard this clicking noise only to find out i had no heat. i spoke to ford about the gauges, the electrical problems, the a/c and some of the other issues and their response was it wasn't on their recall list and would only fix the rear axle, cruise control and the front if there was anything wrong. when i mentioned all the info i found on nhtsa's site about this vehicle i was told they have no control over what is fixed. i am disabled and am living in a place for the homeless & with all these problems how does ford expect me to fix their defects? every time i have to drive which isn't often i pray i make it to & from safely. *tr

The windstar was parked in our driveway outside. engine cold and turned off. our son saw smoke outside coming from the engine compartment. we raised the hood carefully and put fire out with fire ext. and garden hose. fire was under the brake master cylinder on the drivers side engine compartment. wiring harness burned and other components by speed control deactivation switch catching fire. we had this switch replaced in a ford recall, but appears the repair was done incorrectly (fuse installed on wrong side of wiring harness, allowing the switch to remain hot). so fortunate that the car was not parked in the garage, for i would not be writing this review today! *tr

I start my 99 ford windstar with my wife inside the vehicle and my two daugthers and my son when i saw smoke comming true the hood then i open the hood and my surprise was the brake pressure differential deactivation switch on fire i was so scared then i just take my kids and wife out of the vehicle and comback to stop the fire thanks god i have fire extinguisher close but we have to stop this from happening to someone else. *tr

1999 ford windstar: the brake pressure differential deactivation switch (scds) (2b264) located under the master cylinder (behind the air filter) has leaked an excessive amount of brake fluid. 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 cruise control has failed and we are fearful that this leaking brake fluid will cause a fire. *tr

After purchasing van, not even one month later all lights started to turn on engine, abs now n and its a rear light on gauge panel also we are in the middle of trying to get decent price for the freeze plug which also needs to be replaced because there is a leak of coolant from the bottom of van. other wise its ok to drive. one i thing i didn't mention is the seat its struck it wont move back or forward with the electrical button. *tr

Starting about a year ago, the speedometer, rpm meter swings around. odometer light doesn't come on when you start the car and little while later odometer light comes on. fuel guage also shows incorrect amount of fuel. i think the whole odometer control panel is non-functional. *tr

Abs and trac failure lights come on, windows won't go up and down, cruise control cuts in and out and the check engine light flashes when cruise is on. ford refuses to deal with this situation and stand by their product. *tr

Abs light is on continuously. overdrive jumping in and out of gear after driving it 30 minutes or more. i read the recall and safety report that brake fluid leaks on the abs switch connected to the master cylinder which can cause a catastrophic fire. i didn't receive anything in the mail from ford on my vehicle on this problem as of yet. also the coolant line that ran under port injection was welded leaking water where it connects to the thermostat housing. *kb

Van purchased used. okay at first, then without warning the gauges (speed, fuel, tachometer, temperature) would start jumping wildly or top out and stick at max. happened multiple times. could sometimes clear by disconnecting and reconnecting battery cables. have replaced battery twice. replaced the gauge console. the o/d light (for the transmission) started coming on but does go off when you depress the o/d button - mechanic said that would indicate electrical problem. now with key in the ignition, won't start but all the gauges jump wildly. you really can't rely on the gauges to be correct - i'm going 120 mph and i'm sitting still! ford did replace the rear axle that was recalled. i don't know what to expect next. is there any recall that i missed on the electrical system or a real fix for this problem? *tr

Intermittent problem: problems indicated by on board message center reads "check brake lamps", "check tail lamps" check head lamps" check rear turn lamps", "check front turn lamps", noticed that interior lights will not work, auto locks will not work, key remote will not lock or unlock vehicle or open doors. get no codes from o b d ii. scanner. have replaced battery because it was 6 years old and wasn't putting out proper amps. thought would solve problem. it didn't. thought disconnecting battery for 30 min. would reset computer. seamed to work a couple of times, however, now believe it was just coincidence. sometimes when i start the vehicle everything is fine, however while driving, the message reappears and none the above mentioned, no longer work again. this is a driving hazard. *tr

Abs light on/off intermittently. module replaced by ford dealer twice. light still keeps coming on.

Erratic behavior of the instrument cluster. all of the gauges; e.g, the speedometer and rpm gauges jump rapidly from 0 mph all the way as far as it will go, the gas gage jumps rapidly from empty to full and back again, temp from cold to hot etc. this happens often and then resumes normal activity again for a uncertain time. it;s really frightening when occurring. the ford dealer here, yukon ok, states the only cure is to replace the whole thing at a ridiculous cost of $ 632.00. the problem started in april of 2011 and continues today. we try not to drive it when this is going on.

My vehicle was running (while parked) and quit. the lights were still on, the radio still worked, and the heater was still blowing. the ignition key was off and out. i had to unhook the battery to shut the three off. replaced: ignition switch, pcm, control module under the dash and nothing has changed the outcome. this is a 1999 ford windstar. *tr

Intermittent abs light coming on and no cruise control functionality. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that when trying to insert the key into the ignition, it failed to start. the security warning light would illuminate on the instrumental panel while trying to start the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected by a independent mechanic who informed the contact that she needed to replace the chip in her key and to contact ford. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that the cruise control, speedometer, odometer, tacometer and the fuel gauge were inoperable. the contact also stated that the anti lock braking light was constantly illuminated. in addition, the contact had to replace the brake fluid numerous times. the vehicle was not taken to have the failures diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 40,000.

The abs and traction control lights go on and off intermittently. turning off vehicle usually resets. they will come back on when driving after a while and many time after hitting a bump. *tr

99 ford windstar has been having numerous battery problems in the last 6 months. went through 3 batteries and 1 alternator. took to ford dealership who couldn't find a problem. told me there were no recalls for speed control deactivation switch. my 99 windstar was not included in this recall. turns out car died today on major highway with electrical problem. burning smell under hood. i am complaining because i deliberately asked about the speed control deactivation switch recall 2 weeks ago at ford dealership and was told by dominick that my car was not included in that recall. on oct. 13 2009 my car was included in that recall. my abs light has been on for ages... my car has not been at ford dealership since oct 13 2009 so i know the recall was not previously performed. the dealer is courtesy ford in sanford florida... the car was towed to that location. it is sunday so the dealership is closed.... *tr

I own a 1999 ford windstar se - i have had major ongoing electrical issues with it for the past 6 months. i have seen 2 different ford dealerships and 3 different mechanics and no one can relieve the issue. my abs break light keeps coming on and off. when this began, i also began to loose other electrical components one by one, my power windows went out, my power mirrors no longer work, and my dash board needles jump all over the place. i've spent 1,700 in repairs and still this problem remains unsolved. just last month it sat at the ford dealership for 2 weeks for them to still tell me they have no idea how to fix it or what is causing the issue. please help! *tr

Tl*the contact owns 1999 ford windstar. the contact was driving approximately 50 mph when the interior dome lights remained in the on position. the contact made several attempts to turn them off; however, the automatic door locks also failed to lock immediately upon activation of the ignition. the brake and anti-lock brake system warning lights illuminated on the dashboard until the engine was turned off. in addition, the radio would not function properly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer four times for the same failure, and they were unable to detect the problem. the failure mileage and vin were unavailable.

Abs dash light is always on and there is no abs function on ice. brakes function okay otherwise. the loss of the abs feature is troubling as i have to drive on the interstate as well as rural roads which don't get cleared quickly in the winter. local ford service writer indicated approximately $99.00 to hook up to tester with no guarantee of repair, just cancellation of the code!!! i have run into numerous problems with faulty ford connectors, (cruise control malfunction, fuel gauge giving incorrect reading, running out of gas with gauge showing 1/4 tank, requiring a tow!). *tr

Abs light is on, cruise control stopped working suddenly, three of the windows stopped working suddenly. power locks stopped working also. *tr

99 ford windstar, scds switch replaced,no brake lights, cant get shifter out of park, blower wont shut off with key removed, headlights come on when you shut the door with key removed and switch off. no speedometer or tach. *tr

I took my 1999 ford windstar in for recall work . they just put in a fuse link. since then my speedometer and tech have been going wild and i am getting and my abs light always comes on. my cruise control don't work right either among other issues like lean codes! *tr

Smoking from under hood, leaking fluid, non-working speedometer, odometer, gas sensor, and oil sensor. flickering dome lights while driving. scds is under recall, but the fluid that was leaking from this malfunctioning sensor has caused all sorts of issues. fluid leaked on to abs box and the wires causing shorts and blown fuses. all damage has been said to stem from the original recall, but the recall doesn't cover the full damage that has been caused by the faulty scds's. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact was driving approximately 65-70 mph when she noticed that all of the instrument cluster needles were fluctuating including the speedometer, fuel level gauge and rpms. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the failure where the dealer advised that the parts needed for repairs were no longer being manufactured and the cost to repair the instrument cluster was $900. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that they would not be able to assist with the repairs. the failure mileage was unknown and the approximate current mileage was 133,000. updated 06/01/11*lj updated 06/02/11

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar sel. the contact was driving 50 mph when he noticed that the instrument cluster and all the gauges where fluctuating back and forth including the speedometer, fuel and temperature gauges. he stated that the failure was intermittent and persisted for eight months. on occasion, the contact could correct the failure by striking the dashboard with force. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and the contact was advised that the abs electronic stability module unit would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact was advised by an authorized dealer that there were no recalls for the vehicle. the failure mileage was 78,000 and the current mileage was 79,119.

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford windstar. the contact stated that the gauges on the instrument panel did not function properly. the failure continued to occur on a regular basis and the contact was concerned with the hazard of not knowing how fast he was driving. the vehicle was repaired according to a recall (not listed in the nhtsa database) in march 2010 but the failure continued to occur. the contact called the dealer and stated that they could not assist him. the vehicle was not repaired when the complaint was filed. the contact had not spoken with the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were approximately 113,000. updated 10/26/10. *lj updated 10/26/10*jb

On december 17, 2009 we took our 1999 ford windstar in to the cerritos ford dealership in ca. we received a letter from ford that our vehicle was being recalled (recall # 09s09) and as it turned out the van was leaking and they replaced the leaking switch and harness. before the work was even done, i told them that we were concerned about the abs light that was on our dashboard. the recall summary states that the "with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. repairs will be completed free of charge." on our invoice, the dealership failed to note our concern regarding the abs and never stated whether or not they inspected the abs control module connector. although i am aware that there could be other factors causing the abs light to show up, i am deeply concerned that the recall was not fully completed. i am aware that the issues we are having could result in a car fire. i just want confirmation that the inspection was done and if the connector needs to be repaired, that ford takes care of it with no out-of-pocket from me. i have contacted both the service manager at cerritos & ford co. directly. i was told the recall was completed although they cannot say whether or not the inspection of the abs control module connector was performed. they said i could pay for an expensive diagnostic test through the dealership where they could determine if there are issues with the abs that were a result of fraud or poor workmanship. either way, all of this will cost me a lot of money for something i asked to have taken care of at the time i brought the van in for the recall. i'm really frustrated and concerned about this as well as other issues pertaining to this van that i believe are recall related. our tail-lights won't work despite new bulbs, our brakes sometimes sputter and don't always stop immediately. we've had 4 close calls related to our brakes and i wonder how much of this is recall-related. *tr

I was driving my car when the wires behind the motor started a fire, no repairs were done. *tr

Speedometer and rpm gauges intermittently go 'haywire' - sweeping back and forth for up to 20 seconds at a time. *tr

Van caught on fire. *tr