Problems with 2002 Ford Windstar SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Approx., a year ago my abs module went bad and i had it checked by a mechanic to verify that fact. just recently my speed control deactivation switch went bad and leaked,. now i found out there is a connection between both the switch and the abs bad module. ford does not have a recall on the abs system, but they do on the above switch. very possibly the high cost of the module has kept them from having a recall!!! i have read complaints about the same problem from another ford van owner. also the switch was changed approx. 5 years ago and it went bad again.( per a ford recall then) there should be a definite recall on windstar van abs systems and as a safety issue---ford should replace the switch and wire harness again! ..updated 08/12/14 *bf

The van had the abs and brake lights on intermittently since purchased by my parents in july 2003. parents were told by dealer that there is no mechanical problem and ignore the lights. there have been no incidents, luckily they had no emergency to avoid by hard braking. now, as i prepare to sell the vehicle, i did some basic research into the issue and found many references to report it here and an option for a relatively inexpensive fix, to rebuild the abs ecm module due to loose or poor solder joints on the electronics board. hopefully enough reports will get this recalled properly to avoid any incidents for others.

My speedometer, abs light, and o/d off light all are on. the master cylinder was leaking brake fluid everywhere. i replaced the bottom part with a factory ford part. the leaking has stopped, however the brake fluid leaked all over and has caused severe damage to the vehicle. i believe ford should be held liable for this and replace all computers and parts that were affected by . *tr

False abs activation; seemed to have no brakes for a bit. ford dealership replaced wheel sensor. also, abs and brake light on at times. comes on for awhile, then off for days. then comes back on. may be issue with abs unit, hydraulic control unit.

At times when is col,d the abs and brake light is off while driving, when it gets hot the abs and brake light turns on and the abs fails to work. code c1185 abs power relay output circuit failure. i got to a stop sign and the road was wet and the van skidded , the abs did not work. no one was hurt and i have seen all the complaints that ford owners are having. i don't know if my 2002 ford windstar had all the other recalls done, like the brake pressure differential deactivation switch (scds) and the rear frame welds that are breaking up on the chassis of many ford owners. i would like to verify what has been done to my ford windstar that i bought two months ago. i just had the inner and outer tie rod ends done along with the sway bar links at the front suspension.

Every since i purchased my '02 windstar, i have had problems with the abs and brakes. i've had the brakes fixed numerous times and both lights still comes on while i'm driving. i had a brake fluid leak from the rear. my dvd and stereo both short- circuited on a month or two after they were installed. sometimes if i come to a light to stop for a while, when the light turns green, i'll try to give it some gas but it becomes real hesitant and takes a while to pick up speed. the drivers behind me would start to get frustrated with me holding up traffic. also, when i cut the ac on it takes power away from my vehicle and it threatens to cut off, so i don't turn it on. i also have to replace two oxygen sensors on it. i believe that my abs module is bad as well. i feel that i am putting more money into it than it's worth. please help me. *tr

My abs and brake light come on and off. when it comes on if i pull over and restart the car it goes away. after seeing several complaints with the same issues i am worried about our safety. *tr

Brake lights come on randomly and stay on for some time until the brake pedal has been cycled through 5 or 6 times then lights go off for a while then comes back on again. smell of burning plastic or wires permeates the vehicle when the lights have been on for any length of time. *tr

Losing brake fluid unable to detect where is leaking. no leakage on the ground. had brakes changed twice in 12 months. braking distance increases sporadically. abs and brake light comes on intermittently - more quickly during the summer months than winter months. *tr

I have been having problems with the abs light and emergency brake light being on intermittently. sometimes they are both on when i turn the car on. at times they stay on and there are times when it goes off. there are also instances where only the brake light is on and stays on even though the emergency brakes are disengaged. my husband recently changed some sensors and said he notices some break fluid leakage. i am scared to drive my car and fear for my safety and that of my family. i do not want to have a car fire. please look into this situation as soon as possible. after reviewing your database, i see that i am not the only person having this issue. *tr

Anti-lock brake light comes on intermittently, and while on, the anti-lock brakes do not work. often the light just comes on for just a short period, then goes back out. repair shop can't identify problem unless the light is on. i'm told this is a common problem with this make and model, probably the anti-lock brake sensor. typically, when starting the car, the anti-lock brake light is not on, and the brakes work correctly. the light will come on and the anti-lock feature of the brakes will not work suddenly as you're driving. bad situation in cleveland, ohio in the winter. *tr

The abs/brake/traction control lights began to come on every time car was driven and stay on the entire time. brakes began to squeal and then they failed completely. brakes locked when applied - had to release and apply again to get the vehicle to stop. when brakes were applied the car would keep moving. we took the car to a mechanic and was told it was the abs system. he replaced the abs module - - within one week the brakes failed again. we took the car to the ford dealership this time and was told the abs module needed to be replaced again. we told them this had just been done and we thought it could be the master cylinder but they said no it was the abs module. paid again to replace this and within one day of getting the car back the brakes failed again. we took it back and were told it was the master cylinder. we paid again to have this fixed and just got the car back yesterday - - the brakes failed again today. from research online it appears that this is a huge problem and ford should know this and be doing something about it. we have almost wrecked several times but the dealership keeps telling us that they cannot find anything else wrong even though the brakes continue to fail. *tr

The abs and brake lights come on intermittently while driving. they stay on until the engine is shut off. *tr

Leaking brake fluid with brake and abs light on. causes loss of brake fluid and is a fire hazard. *tr

The vehicle was checked by ford dealer in alamogordo, nm 88310 due to a recall for "rear axle cracks, subframe corrosion" and "brake, abs brake, cruise control, and speedometer/odometer electrical problems" on aug/16/2011. they sad there is no problem / or they fixed it. after that date, the brake/abs brake illuminated a couple of times, but went of after the engine was turned off/on again. also the cruisecontrol stopped working since and isn't currently not working. i found that the "brake pressure differential deactivation switch (scds) (2b264) located under the master cylinder (behind the air filter) is leaking!!!. it is completely wet and the fluid is dropping down slowly. pictures are available, taken today 04/04/2012. *tr

The speed control would not shut off with (off button) located on steering wheel, only with brake pedal. the brakes seemed not to stop the vehicle as quickly as other times., and on came the lights (abs & brake light) now the lights (brake and abs come on everytime i drive the vehicle shortly after starting down the road. *tr

The dash display yellow abs and red brake lights come on randomly. my mechanic tells me that when the abs light comes on, the abs system is nonfunctional, meaning the van would not have abs capability in an emergency during these random events that last for both short and long durations. the mechanic tells me that the fix for the problem requires replacement of the abs ecm, which is hard to get at and would cost close to $1000. my search of the problem on the internet shows that many other owners of this make, model and year have the same problem and that this problem is widespread, which likely means it is a defect in the engineering of these vehicles and that many lives are at stake since the abs could go out at any given moment, even during emergency braking which would cause loss of control of the vehicles. ford should fix this problem since it is a widespread defect. *tr

Abs, and service brake, come on simultaneously. i am afraid that stopping distance shall be increased, thusly causing personal & property damage liability. fear of braking distance suddenly increased, when driving, on a personal daily basis. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the harness connected to the anti-lock brake computer melted and caught on fire. the abs warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 115,000.

The abs warning light and brake warning light on. resets after car cools down then lights will illuminate after driving and temperature increases. when lights are illuminated braking distance suddenly increases and brake pedal feels soft. had the brake system serviced and flushed with new brake fluid and it did not solve the issue of the abs and brake warning lights coming on, or the increased braking distance. all the brake pads have been checked and are in serviceable condition. front calipers and rear brake drum clynders have been checked and all are working correctly. wheel speed senors have been cleaned and checked with a meter and all four are working correctly. the recalls for the brake pressure differential deactivation switch was done in 2010 and there is no evidence of fluid leaking at this time. suspect problem with abs electronic control module. *tt

The abs and brake warning lights go on randomly for no reason, also cruise control will stop working. *tr

While driving down my hill, my brake light came on. now my abs light comes on with my brake light. brake fluid is present, brakes are almost a year old. for over a year now, my van after it being turned on and off (errands, shopping etc), it does not want to start. once it does start, as i turn the wheel while in park, it stalls. now that my brake and abs lights come on, as i turn the wheel it wants to stall while driving. when i am turning my vehicle off, i turn the key down very slow and all the way down, that seemed to only help it restart a few times. i had my vehicle at the ford dealer for the recall in 2010 dealing with the cruise control issues. my od light has been off for over a year now as well. while driving my vehicle, when i am stopped, i notice a white colored smoke coming out from under the hood, and no one can find where it is coming from, especially happens when it is damp or raining out, and engine temp is normal.(i can not take my van to an auto car wash due to the fact it starts shaking, smoking and won't run or stay started when the under carriage is being sprayed) fuel pump, starter and ignition coil are fine. has new plugs and wires. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs warning light would illuminate when the brake pedal was depressed. the manufacturer was contacted and denied any assistance with repairs to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 132,500 and the current mileage was 133,000.

2002 ford windstar abs module failure, intermittent abs / brake light on, eventually on all the time. had module sent out for repair. technician found a bad solder joint on motherboard. technician referred me to this website; http://www.fordwindstarrecall.info/ *kb

I purchased a 2002 ford windstar from genoa ford genoa ohio...with the abs light and brake light on...the salseman said that we have the car priced low because it will need brakes...we purchased the brakes and still had the problem...we then had the master cylinder replaced the next day 3 days later as we where driving the van the abs and brake light turned on and the van was not able to be started so it was towed for the second time...the day before this we had it at tireman in northwood to get radiator flushed...and new tires when we pulled away the van lost all power and then the battery was replaced...so today after this problem happened the mechanic tells us we need an alternator. in the mean time i have searched online and found that recall #09s09 deals with electrical issues as in the abs the scds the cruise control etc... so this issue obviously has not been stopped with the recall being performed on my vehicle at genoa ford on oct 19, 2009( as the mechanic [xxx] told me on the phone)...so i have come here to file this complaint. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact was driving 35 mph when the brakes were applied and there was a delay in response time. neither the dealer or manufacturer was contacted nor was the vehicle repaired or inspected. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Braking distance suddenly increased, abs and brake light on while driving abs and brake light get on. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased, intermittently. fault code shows abs ecm failure. *tt

All the time when i'm driving the abs/brake light stays on, the vehicle does not stop properly. the #10 and 15 fuse blows out regularly and causes the air, odometer, overdrive to not work. i smell burning electricity, and see smoke coming from hood while driving. some morning my van doesn't start due to battery drainage. check engine light will not stay off causing it not pass inspection. brake fluid leaking. i truly believe that the brake fluid leak is causing these problems, and it looks like i'm not the only person. with the speed control recall the abs module and ecm needed to be included. *tr

The brake and abs brake warning lights came on while i was driving and the brake distance increased before i was able to stop the windstar minivan. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased" in category "service brakes hydraulic". *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. *tr

1. none specific. the recall has been performed that replaces some wiring in order to avoid possible fire. 2. the failure is a yellow abs brake light and red brake light on the dashboard instrument cluster coming on together fairly often but not always. i understand these lights, specifically the abs light, means the abs braking system is not in operation meaning probable longer stopping distances. i suspect as others have suggested these lights are caused by a heat buildup problem in the abs module that causes the module to warp and fail. 3. the problem is ongoing. *kb

1st incident happened while driving at highway speeds. abs and brake light illuminated until car was turned off. lights now come on randomly. i took my vehicle to a ford dealership on aug. 31 2002 for recall on front and rear axles. they installed shackles on suspension and said that everything was fine. after i came home with vehicle, i noticed a clunking sound coming from the r/f wheel area and my overdrive off dash light starts flashing randomly until car is turned off. concerning the abs issue, i took my vehicle to an independent garage and they told me i needed to replace the abs control module, then he told me that they did the exact same repair on another 02' windstar earlier that week and the repair would cost $700-$800 dollars. coincidence???? *tr

We had our ford windstar brakes done all the way around and my abs and emergency brake light and traction light come on and off. the cruise control works sometimes. ford dealer in my town wont check it out without a diagnostic fee even thou a recall is said to be issued for the same complaints. *tr

On a 2002 ford windstar abs and brake light come on intermittently and render abs inoperative increasing stopping distance in emergency situations. problem has been recurring on and off since i purchased the vehicle in 2006. when purchased vehicle had approx. 36,000 miles currently 100,000 and still having same safety issues. *tr

The abs light turned on as well as the brake light turns on and stays on. this started to happen about a month ago after i had other repairs done as well as two recalls that were looked at. when i went back to the dealer and told them about the abs light, they told me that it was not part of the recall and it would cost me approximately $700 for the repairs. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the anti lock brake and brake lights were constantly illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, but a test was not conducted to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 82,000. the vin was unavailable.

Abs warning light comes on at various times. sometimes resets with restart of engine, sometimes not. vehicle experiences extended braking distances when abs light is illuminated. *tr

Cruise control switch recently replaced brake fluid was leaking may have faulty switch or master cylinder damaged during installation causing fluid leak that is highly flammable causing fire or smoke from 2002 windstar master cylinder and brake booster were faulty. *tr

Abs light, trac active light, alternator, check traction control light. *tr

Brought my van in because the brake lights on the dash would come on intermittently while driving. also the rear brake lights would come on while driving and when vehicle was parked and non-operational. a burning smell could be noticed once the brake lights were stuck on. had the shoes, drums and wheel cylinders replaced/repaired. brought vehicle back the next day because the same problem with rear lights staying on and the burning smell. shop replaced the brake switch, claiming the brake pedal must be sticking. this still did not stop the problem. many mornings i go to start my vehicle and find the brake lights are on or the vehicle will not start because the lights have been on overnight. took my van to another auto shop and they could not find what the problem was. they too suggested a brake switch. currently i am still dealing with the rear brake lights coming on and staying on while driving or coming on while parked in my garage. i also have the brake lights coming on intermittently on the dash while driving. *tr

After reading all these complaints, i am literally in shock! not to mention scared to death not only for my child's lives, but for myself/husband and other close family member's & friends that have also traveled with us past/present! this is a shame, that this many windstars have all had this many/relative problems! i for one could not believe how every review from so many states were all linked! as i read many of these reviews/complaints i honestly had to ask myself have i posted here before? -as you can tell my windstar is yet another victim added to the list. i took my van in yesterday to a ford dealer for the recalls, picked it up today. i was given a inspection report card with different systems/components/tire/brake wear etc... 3 boxes along side of each green, yellow & red with the similar meaning as a stop light. green=ok, yellow=may require future attention & red=immediate attention. it was brought to my attention that my tires box were checked yellow for all 4. this seemed odd to me considering i have a receipt that shows it hasn't been a month since i had 2 brand new goodyears put on the front! however, i do agree with the remark regarding the back. but this concerned me as to what type of inspection my van had went under.?. and need i say before i got home from a 25 minute drive from the ford dealer my abs & brake lights are back on, surprise! i'm going to contact ford in the morning, in regards of hopefully getting a helpful answer/explanation or at least a another appointment scheduled for a second opinion regarding my recall inspection! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated nhtsa campaign id number 09v399000 vehicle speed control was performed on the vehicle; however, the repair did not correct the failure to the abs. the speedometer warning light remained illuminated and the odometer failed making it impossible for the contact to see the current miles on the vehicle. the dealership stated the failure was not caused by the repair. the manufacturer filed report 378860041 and advised that they would not assist with the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure miles was 161,000 and the current miles were not available.

My wife's 2002 ford windstar has had the abs & brake light on, on our dashboard for a few months now. ford dealerships seem to think it a non issue or a brake issue. all of my brakes have been replaced and the problem still exists. i have narrowed it to the abs ecm module. *kb

Can you please help me with my abs-brake light on my 2002 ford windstar? *tr

Red brake light came on along with traction control and abs light stopping distance was further than normal and van skidded on wet road. need to adjust stopping distance as it was alot further to come to a stop. light is an intermitant issue along with stopping distance. *tt

The brake light, abs and traction control lights in the instrument cluster are lit and the abs and traction control mechanisms no longer work. this results in increased braking distances and poor performance on snow and ice. this is for a ford windstar 2002. *ln

2002 ford windstar lx. consumer states problem with brake system *tgw the consumer stated the front wheel bearings, engine gasket and fuel injector needed to be replaced. the abs light illuminated. *jb

I own a 2002 ford windstar which was recalled in december 2009 for the leaking scds, ford ref 09s09. my local dealership repaired the switch by installing a jumper switch in the harness. today 20th november 2010, i have had my van back at the ford dealership as i have had a major brake fluid leak from the scds which was leaking onto my abs module switch. i assumed this was covered under the existing recall, but ford refused to pay for the repair and i had to pay for it myself. i had the service rep contact ford, canada and again they refused to warranty the repair. i am disgusted at the attitude of ford. i had to put in 500ml of brake fluid into my master cylinder over a period of 3 days, that's how bad my leak was. the service rep at ford confirmed that the scds was leaking and after i refused to drive the van from the dealership, they still refused to pay for the repair, they told me they had done all they could under the existing recall number 09s09 and that was all they were obliged to do. i would like this documented as this was a serious brake fluid leak and a potential fire related incident and ford of canada refused to deal with this very serious safety issue. thanks *tr