Problems with 2002 Ford Windstar SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Leaking brake fluid on my 2002 ford windstar van. the minivan has been recalled due to leaking scds. and was rectified by ford dealership. over past few days i have had to put in brake fluid and have noticed fluid under the master cylinder. *tr

Abs anti-skid and brake lites suddenly appear on the dash monitoring system without anything being wrong. keeps on occurring when brakes get hot. *tr

I own a 2002 ford windstar minivan and have had issues with the brake light and abs light staying on. i have had the vehicle to the shop for recall work and the light remained on. i had the abs module replaced and the light still stays on. the vehicle smells like burning fluid after being driven and the brakes have gone out twice now for short periods of time. this is a safety hazard. this has been going on for over a year and no one can seem to figure out the problem. *tr

Brake light (red) speedometer and odometer stop working cruise control will not activate or deactivates without warning abs brake light (yellow) ford trouble code c1185 problem codes p0171, p0174, p0401 171,174,401, egr or system too lean issue. *kb

I was driving to reno nevada from calfornia when i started to smell smoke, i pulled over and open the hood and i seen that my plug that goes under the brake fluid box was smoking really bad. i let it cool down and i drove for another 10 min into the road and i notice that my fuse had burn out , at the same time i started to smell something burning. when i notice more smoke coming from under my hood i pulled over. i open the hood and i notice it was from the same plug the abs plug that is. well it was melting. i call a friend to make sure it was alright to unplug the abs plug off he said yea. well im just writing this cause i notice also that brake fluid was dripping into the plug .. to me it seem that it was shorting it out. so please for our safety keep this in mind that this could start a fire.. *tr

Abs and brake lights keep coming on. cruise control not working. speedometer, odometer and airconditioning have also stopped working. due to short in the cruise control disable switch aka brake pressure differential deactivation switch located under the master cylinder caused from brake fluid leaking onto it. this in turn blew the #10 fuse. this switch is covered with brake fluid and could start a fire at any time. i have stopped driving it until i can replace the switch and clean off the brake fluid. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased without warning. abs warning light, brake warning light, and traction control off indicators all lit, along with "check traction control" message on dashboard message center. stopped hard suddenly for a child who darted into the street and almost hit her as the wheels locked up and the car skidded. since that time, the warning lights reset each time the car is started, but return after a short period of driving. *tr

I took my van in to do the recalls. well they said they saw nothing wrong with the most last 2 recent recalls. 2010 and 2011 dealing with front end and rear end. my question is if it doesn't look broken they don't have to fix it? i thought these parts were manufactured wrong, right? now how often should i take my van in to be inspected? at any given moment it could break and my 4 kids and i could go tumbling down the highway. they did do the speed odometer (which i'm watching closely for abs/brake light to come on) and in process for child safety attachments. the anderson ford dealership in cleveland tx will not do the other 2 recalls because it does not look broken, is this right? anyways abs/brake light remains on and off all the time on my ford windstar. will have it check for brake fluid leakage running down to components.

My abs and brake lights continue to come on intermittently even after the recall was performed. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased due to abs ecm intermittent failure. intermittent abs and brake light. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. while driving approximately 40 mph the contact began to see smoke coming from the rear wheels. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where he was informed that the entire braking system needed to be replaced. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure and current mileages were 150,000.

Attempted to change lanes, motorist from behind sped up, applied brakes, abs lights flashed on dash, car did not slow, pressed brakes harder and rear brakes locked up, causing me to side swipe guard rail. *tr abs lights and brake lights have remained on for over 2 years. have spend thousands of dollars attempting to repair this problem, to no avail. brakes are intermittent at best. abs and brake lights are still on.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact parked the vehicle and turned the engine off; suddenly smoke emitted from underneath the hood and massive flames erupted from the vehicle. the fire department extinguished the six foot flames and informed that the fire was related to an excessive amount of brake fluid leakage. a police report was filed. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the failure mileage was unknown.

I have 2002 ford windstar the abs light and brake light was lit, and not the only ones, i living in bc canada. *tr

We have a 2002 ford windstar. the brake lights and abs lights and the check engine light have been on for some time now. i recently had the recall work done on the vehicle for the scds switch. the first day of driving the vehicle after the recall work was completed i lost all braking ability on my way to work on a highway. i called the dealership that completed the recall work and was told they did the recall work and it could not have possibly caused the brakes to go completely out. i have read on countless websites and forums that many owners of this model year have had similar issues with the abs lights and brake lights in their vehicles. every time i have it looked it i am told it is something different. the transmission is also going in this vehicle. i feel it is too low in miles (90,000) to be having this many issues and such costly repairs. i hope that ford does something about these issues before someone is seriously injured as i could have been this morning. *tr

I am having problems with my ford 2002 windstar antilock brakes and traction control system resulting in intermittent shutoff of the system and an increase in braking distance. the problems are increased in higher temperatures. *tr

I have a 2002 ford windstar that due to defective parts almost cause my wife to have a potentially serious accident. a day after having the scds switch replaced due to the recall, the brakes failed while my wife was driving to work. without quick thinking she could have potentially hit a young child crossing the street. the abs light and the brake light continue to stay on despite having the recall work done. according the following website this has been an issue for many owners of this vehicle. http://www.fordwindstarrecall.info/#problem2. i had my van towed to mechanic who i have known for years and two weeks later they are unable to figure out what is wrong with my mini van. they have stated that they have seen this in other windstars in the past. i hope someone investigates this problem with the ford windstar before someone is seriously injured. since this issue has been raised by many people on many websites why has this not being fixed before someone has a terrible accident. this module apparently has caused many issues for many owners. ford should be held accountable. *tr

2002 ford - brake and abs warning lights come on randomly while driving the vehicle. this occurs generally in warmer temperature environments, but occurs year round. a ford dealership completed recall 09s09, but this problem continues to exist and the recall did not remedy the situation. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that after the vehicle was inspected by a dealer they informed him that his abs system failed and needed to replace the module. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 82,000. updated 01/26/11*lj the consumer stated the abs and brake light would not clear on the dashboard. the consumer was informed the abs module needed to be replaced. updated 03/23/11*jb

Abs and brake light problem. *tr

Abs light and brake light problems. *tr

Abs brake light and emergency brake lights are coming on intermittently even after the vehicle speed control recall was taken care of. braking distance has suddenly increased in the last month coinciding with the warning lights. *tr

Red (brake) light and yellow (abs) light illuminate on instrument panel while driving. in this condition, the abs does not work and hard braking results in rear wheels locking up even on dry road and partial loss of vehicle control. my mechanic says the abs module is going bad and it is a common problem with windstars. this vehicle was supposedly repaired in the 2009 cds recall. so far, lights come on about every 300 miles and are cleared (go off) once the vehicle is switched off and restarted. i think ford should replace the abs modules that are failing. also, prior to the 2009 recall, the cruise control resume function stopped working and is still out. i understand that may well be a symptom related to the leaking of brake fluid from the cds. *tr

The anti lock brake light and the regular brake light come on together when the vehicle is driven in the summer heat, this is intermittent and happening more frequently. because of this my braking distance has increased when the light is on and the vehicle will not brake as designed by ford which could lead to an accident. *tr

The abs light continues to stay on at all times. periodically, the brake light also lights up and simultaneously, the speedometer doesn't work. the brake light and speedometer malfunctioning occurs about once a month. i've taken my car into a ford dealership to check the abs light. they say the entire module needs replaced, but there's nothing wrong with the car mechanically. the recall for the scds has already been performed on my car, but the abs light error has never been corrected. to replace the module, the dealership told me i would have to pay $1800. i have come to understand that there are many ford windstar owners who have the exact same problem and i believe that this problem is due to faulty materials or wiring. i have three children and one on the way and don't feel safe driving this vehicle without the proper safety features i was promised - including anti-lock brakes. *tr

I own a 2002 ford windstar. i had the 09s09 recall completed 12-09. in the last few months, the abs light and the brake light have come on several times for no apparent reason. the lights go off when the engine is turned off. i have owned the van for more than 3 years, and i don't remember this happening prior to the recall. *tr

Abs dashboard light -- for over a year now we have been dealing with a abs dashboard light which comes on and off. the majority of the time it has been on. we have had computers hooked up trying to diagnose the issue with false diagnosis. in addition to the abs light the engine light also will come on and off with the same outcomes, sometimes vehicle will show hesitating during cold weather and then light will emerge. in the past few months we have started having an issue with the right tail light remaining on after the vehicle has been turned off. we tried several different remedies with this problem too but eventually it too returns. if left alone the light will eventually shut itself off but makes the red tail light shield very hot to the touch. we have been told that all of the above problems it may be related and may be a relay problem . this has been a very frustrating problem and i worry about the abs problem being a safety problem. i have two children who ride in this vehicle constantly with me, one of them has heart problems and is on coumadin therapy and even a minor incident could be major and life threatening to him. i ask you to please look into this problem. i am aware that there are many others experiencing the same problems with their ford windstar minivans too, a simple search on the internet shows many frustrated consumers. thank you in advance for your help and investigation into this matter.. take care. *tr

I have a 2002 ford windstar mini van. at 56,xxx miles i had to replace the transmission. about 6 month after that i started experiencing a blizzard of lights on my dash indicating the following alerts for abs/brakes, trac off & check traction control. this light blizzard appears each time i drive my van for a short period of time and remains on the dash until i stop the van and restart. went to the transmission shop and they said it was not related to the tranny replacement. took the van in to ford dealership for the 2009 recall jumper and they said the abs/traction control was not related to the leaking brake cylinder so they wouldn't fix it. a short time ago i started getting a check engine light too. tried to go thru deq but the van failed emissions test. went to a mechanic and he couldn't locate the problem but the check engine light is off so i went to deq and passed but i still an having a problem with the original light blizzard (abs/tc). i had not experienced any problems with the braking system to date but i haven't had to slam them either. next week it's off to the ford dealership since no one else can determine a problem resolution. i've searched this problem on the internet and there seems to be quite a few windstar/gm products with similar problems. it really points back to a poor quality product! *tr

2002 ford windstar. abs/brakes fail. loud whirling sound and then no brakes. the car seems to accelerate. no brakes. ford said that my abs computer went out. it has been in the ford dealership 4 times and they can't fix it. now my stepson has the vehicle and it happened to him yesterday and he almost ran into the garage. nhtsa has been notified by several ford owners. recall this vehicle before it is more than a fender bender. *tr

Re; recall 09s09, ford dealer carry out this recall on ford windstar 2002, change the deactivation switch and wire harness. however ,when start the engine the abs & brake light goes off as normal, after driving on the highway for a while,i will say when things got heated/hot these two lights comes on back,( abs & brake light) if i stop and started the engine up ,these two light goes out, after driving for a few miles again the abs& brake light comes on back ,and on and on like this. this is causing my breaking distance to suddenly increase. this matter need urgent attention so the problem can be corrected by ford or further recall is needed. ( e.g electronic control module problem) etc. thank you. *tr

Anti-skid and brake lights come on at random. *tr

My abs light is on in my minivan. the dealership wants me to change the abs ecm which is not cheap, however after doing some research i see this is a major issue with these model ford windstars, 1999-2003, see www.fordwindstarrecall.info. i drive with my grandson in the van on a daily basis and the fact that i live in massachusetts, i rely on the abs system to work properly in the winter time due to our harsh climates. please do what is right and issue a recall for this defective part and help ensure the safety of myself and my family. if this was simply a maintenance item, such as brakes or oil changes, i would be completely understanding, but this is a major system on this vehicle and now i am scared to drive this in the winter time during any ice or snow as the braking system will not work properly. thank you for your help in resolving this matter as promptly as possible and helping ensure the safety and well being of myself and my family. *tr

Extended braking distance and abs system failure indication. when warm and without warning abs failure warning indication is activated sometimes with a increase in braking distance. dealer has not been able to pinpoint a cause. warning will always clear when the car is turned off and restarted and sometimes during normal driving. this is on a 2002 ford windstar limited with traction control. *tr

Abs brake light intermittently illuminates. apparently the ecm module needs to be replaced. *tr

Abs and brake lights coming on for no apparent reason. had recall service on cruise control and the warning lights for the abs and brake lights have been coming on intermittently since that service was done. talked with the local ford service department and they are aware of this problem. said that the previous recall on the cruise control didn't have anything to do with my warning lights for abs and brakes (but they have had more issues with this problem than the cruise control recall). if i remember the correctly, the cruise control recall - it had something to do with brake fluid contact and potential for fire, my cruise was shorted out and not working - must have been from brake fluid. i am thinking that this flaw has something to do with electrical components connected from the brake and abs system to the warning lights being shorted out in a similar way; it is just a guess, i am sure that the real mechanics know what is going on.... this is a safety issue and ford needs to recall this design flaw; the warning device is not working as designed. i am sure that the $1,600 to fix the problem is an issue for ford. sometimes the lights turn on when i start the vehicle, sometimes i may be driving and they will turn on, at times the warning lights do not come on at all. the brakes are not effected from what i can tell and my fluid levels are normal. i hope that my brakes don't really experience a problem.

Abs and brake lights come on daily, usually after a few minutes of travel. ford garage was unable to find a problem. this has been an ongoing occurrence for at least two years now. i, also, had an ongoing problem with the brakes going out at speeds under 5 mph. the brake pedal would go to the floor. i had to pump the brakes to get them to work again. the garage checked the brakes and did not find any bleeding or other problems this would happen about once every month or two and was impossible to replicate for the ford dealership. after numerous visits to the ford garage they told us they recognized there was a problem with our van and would no longer charge us the initial inspection fee since they had been unable to find the problem. the fusible link recall work was done on my van a year or more ago. the frequency and potential for injury or death should be addressed to ford and the proper recalls should be made. *tr

Red brake light and yellow abs light came on while driving. it suddenly decreased in its braking power and resulted in a minor bumper to bumper crash at a traffic light. luckily no major damage was done and no one was injured, only small stretch marks on my front bumper. the other persons car was ok and we went on straight back home shaken and afraid the whole ride back. this vehicle has already had the company friendly (not consumer friendly) recall nhtsa campaign id number: 09v399000. this seems to have made the problem worse though. the dealer says it is a common problem with the windstars and there is no recall for the abs system and could cause braking distance to decrease and advised me to have it repaired immediately as it is a safety hazard!!!! the government and odi got right up on toyotas for not being able to stop and not fords!! this must be recalled and fixed immediately! *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. wiring replaced as part of a october 2009 ford recall. before this, in warm weather, yellow abs and red brake light on dashboard both come on intermittently. after the recall the same is happening and more frequently - every day in hot weather this summer. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. *tr

Ford windstar 2002, service brakes, hydraulic - abs and brake lights on, and braking distance suddenly increased. *tr

While operating on an urban arterial road at approximately 35mph, the abs and brake system warning lights came on. brake pedal travel when stopping seemed to be excessive compared to previous experience with the vehicle. weather at time of the incident was clear and dry with temperature in the mid 80s. abs and brake system warning lights remained on until vehicle was shut down. at next startup, approximately 1.5 hours later, the warning lights did not come on, and brake operations seemed normal. vehicle has been inspected and serviced under ford motor company recall no. 09s09. however, i am unaware of the specific extent of service work performed by the dealer on this particular vehicle under that recall. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. *tr

Sudden increase in braking distance. this happens intermittently but always seems to happen when abs, traction control, and brake light come on. occasional slight smell of burning usually on hotter days. longer braking distance has almost cause me to rear-end a car and/or stop for a pedestrian in a cross-walk. only because i always leave plenty of distance away from cars in front of me and watch closely for pedestrians has an accident been avoided. i have not had the problem repaired because our ford dealership told me it would cost $800 just for abs electronic control unit and 8 hours(@$125/hr) to install the new unit. also, i was told a new speed control unit would need to be replaced. i am simply not in a financial decision to get these items fix. i am concerned that these issues may result in an accident or a fire or both. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs, brake and traction control lights illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but the vehicle was not inspected. the vehicle had not been repaired. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance as there were no related recalls. the current mileage was approximately 63,000. the failure mileage was approximately 62,800. updated 01/11/2011*lj updated 02/07/11

Braking distance is suddenly increased. abs and brake lights on intermittently. ford recall 09s09 was performed 7/10/10 but light and braking issue not resolved. *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

Braking distance suddenly increased abs problem. *tr

I, being the register owner, of this 2002 ford winstar lx, have been driving this vehicle,for two months. i have driven approximately 4500 miles. i have replaced the front and rear brake linings. but still, the yellow abs light, and the red brake light, keep coming on. i am afraid, that the vehicle braking distance will be suddenly increased,because of the ford designed ecm, hcu, and scds switches. i am hoping that ford will correct this vehicle problem, so that the fire threat and increased breaking distacethreat, may be resolved, before there could, or might be any accident, thusly, causing bodily injury, and or property damage to anyone or anything. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. speed control deactivation switch (scds) is leaking. i smelt something burning, and when i went to stop the braking distance was suddenly greater than usual. that's when i notice brake fluid leaking from the scds. this component should have been replaced as part of a recall (09s09) done in january 2010, however most of the time ford is not replacing this part. i'm forced to pay to replace this part out of my own pocket. if not brake fluid will continue to leak causing lose of brakes and also the possibility of a fire. *tr