Problems with 2003 Ford Windstar ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. while the vehicle was parked the contacts child accidentally pushed the close button for the rear drivers side automatic sliding door while standing in between the door. the sliding door did not detect the child and closed. the child sustained bruises and scrapes to her left shoulder. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician removed the fuse to deactivate the automatic feature. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

Abs and brake dashboard lights warning that abs system is inoperative, speed control system also inoperative. break pressure deactivation switch leaking oil. this leaking oil has traveled down abs wiring harness all the way to the abs controller. unsafe condition. ford dealership has refused to repair this dangerous condition as a manufacturing/design defect and stated there currently is no recall issued for this very serious problem!! *tt

The yellow abs light is on all the time and my speedometer is jumping around erratically. the vehicle also surges when the cruise control is on. this only started happening after the vehicle was in for repair of the rear axle and front sub-frame recalls. *tr

As i was driving from portsmouth nh to somersworth nh i noticed that the speedometer stopped working,the odometer had nothing but lines, no numbers, the overdrive light started blinking and the abs and brake lights came on. i also noted that smoke has been coming from under the hood when i stop at a light or stop sign. these symptoms match what has been recorded on line as follows, the brake pressure differential deactivation switch (scds) (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 if the engine is on. this leak also causes brake fluid to wick down two wires to the abs brake module (2c219). the fluid accumulates on the (always on) power connectors for the abs brake system which are powered by fuses 101 and 102 and are both 40 amp. the fluid attacts 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. i will not allow other family members to operate this vehicle and it appears that the ford motor company will not fix this issue even though there was a recall for this exact issue, recall #09s09 because they indicate that my vehicle is not covered under this recall. the recall states clearly that this issue can cause a vehicle fire with or without the vehicle running.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. while driving approximately 20 mph, the abs light illuminated and of the insrument panel gauges began to fluctuate erratically. the contact stated that the abs light remained consistently illuminated. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostics. the vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed for the failure. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

The brake light comes on at speeds 35mph-40mph for no reason and stays on until vehicle stops and computer reboots. the brakes have been replaced and and brake control module replaced. everything possible has been done according to what the tester says may be wrong. it did not pass a state inspection for this and nothing can be found wrong with the van to cause the light to come on like this. this appears to be a non-fixable, but costly problem due to the fact that everything has been tried that might be causing it. in the end a repair shop charges a substantial amount to reset the computer and send you on your way. it is my opinion that the company needs to do a recall, if they know what causes it, and correct the problem once and for all.

Interior lights have been intermittent for several years, drivers side auto lock stopped working completely, constant draining of the battery, must carry jumper cables.. third battery in three years, now problem is weekly. thinking this issue may have to do with the fact that the interior lights go on and off at random unexplained times. sometimes remaining on once the vehicle is off and all doors are completely closed. problem with abs and brake light coming on at random times in addition to the check engine light never staying reset. charging system lights intermittently comes on.. sometimes they come on and off but if they remain on cause the car to hesitate or just quit on you. car is a extreme safety hazard at intersections because of hesitation and stalling. my wife (her primary vehicle) has been stranded in two intersections where the car died completely. my wife is terrified for her safety everytime we are in this vehicle. i have finally had enough and am filing a complaint since i have read from numerous sources that i am one of thousands and thousands having this same issue. please consider the safety of the drivers of these vehicles and subsequently any innocent motorist or pedestrian who may become injured from these safety issues. thank you. ford is obviously aware of these problems and reports and it appears is unwilling to research a fix, or initiate a recall until enough bodies pile up on the side of the road in vehicle accidents, having a vehicle fail completely twice in 3 months in the middle of omaha nebraska intersections is very dangerous, and should be evaluated or recalled. i have replaced batteries, and alternator, fuses, and many dollars in diagnostic fees to family ase certified mechanic who is shaking his head. does ford know what the problem is and just does not want to admit it and complete another factory recall on this vehicle. *tr

Our 2003 ford windstar continues to have intermittent abs & brake lights activated on the dashboard. upon an internet search, it was recommended to forward such problems to nhtsa for documentation. the following codes were retrieved from the windstar: c1185 and u1262. it appears that the abs control module will need to be replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, all of the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle stalled and the steering wheel also seized. the contact was unable to maneuver to the shoulder so the vehicle was stopped in the middle of the road. the contact was able to restart the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. the dealer stated that the electrical system was defective and needed to be replaced. the dealer replaced some unknown electrical components, but it did not remedy the failure. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. the failure mileage was 99,000.

There is some kind of malfunction in the 2003 ford windstars. the windows will stop working all at once or at random times. the lights will stop working and then start again. the radio will stop working and start again. these are all on random fuses. ford says they can not fix the problem if they do not experience it. the problems will last for a few minutes or up to days at a time. the cruise control also will not engage at times. these are all getting power as the cruise control will tell you it is ready to engage and when you try to engage it , it says its been deactivated. the radio will eject or load cd but will not come on. we have not found a solution yet but feel this can be a problem if the lights go out at the wrong time. even the windows not opening can be a problem. if a bee or something else gets stuck in the van you can not always stop to get it out. as my husband and daughter are very allergic to them it is a danger not being able to open them. in looking up solutions i have noticed a great many other people with the same problem. *tr

Abs light and brake light come on and off. *tr

Vehicle passenger headlight would come on in the middle of the night by itself and now passenger headlight would not work on dim. they said there was a problem with the wiring harness. so i had to pay for them to take the same materials again. i'm deciding if i should cut my losses and sell. my husband said we should never have bought a ford. i'm disabled and can't afford to be sticking this kind of money monthly into it. *tr

My sensor lights are flashing, abs light, o/d light trac light, check transmission light is on. also my speedometer stopped working, and my backing warning signal stopped working all of a sudden without any type of warning. *tr

Car quits running while in motion. the interior lights flicker, the abs light comes on and the car dies. i have replaced the alternator and they say the battery is ok, but it will not run for more than a few miles at a time. i have to repeatedly get a jump start. i just replaced the transmission with only one hundred thousand miles on the car. *tr

My 2003 ford windstar limited edition has major electrical problems. the hazzard lights will not go off therefore draining my battery. i have to disconnect it whenever i shut it off. it is currently at bay ridge ford for the recall involving the rear axle. however it has failed emissions for code 171 and 174. i believe there is a major flaw in the design of the windstar van. *tr

After driving vehicle short time the warning light for abs malfunction lights along w/ brake warning light. this happens intermittantly. likely brake warning light problem is low fluid in mastercylinder yet fluid level in every case was ok. this problem is ongoing. scan code was c1185. *tr

I have a 2003 ford windstar se model that has cost well over a thousand dollars in repair. i have replaced 2 batteries and two alternators, and the problems still have not been fixed. i now have no way of knowing how fast i am going or how much gas is in my tank. the electrical systems need to be recalled on these vans. people on line are complaining about the problems and their vans failing because of faulty electrical. i use my van to transport my family and do not feel safe on this van. i have had all the necessary recalls taken care on it. when i drive this van the speedometer is not correct, i think i am doing a certain speed but when compared to other vehicles it is clearly not the speed intended. my gas gauge is always wrong i fill up on gas and it stays full one day and the next it's almost empty. i now have to keep and eye on my mileage to know how much fuel i have. the doors never close properly and my liftgate ajar signals always on. the doors do not lock or unlock when i need them too, which has become a hazard, because i can't leave anything in my van for fear of it being stolen. this van has had been to the local dealership and cost me well over 400 dollars to replace an already brand new alternator and new battery which cost over 80 bucks, plus the two hundred dollars for the first alternator and another 100 for the first battery. the heat doesn't work properly either. this van is a nightmare of electrical problems that need to be addressed by ford asap. this van has left me and my children stranded on the side of the road in the country and i will not put up with it any more!!!!!!! *tr

I just brought a 2003 ford windstar an the same day i got it the window on the driver side does not work.. so i started looking online to see if anyone else had this problem. an sure enough 1000s of people have with the ford windstar. i heard lots of bad things about this van an now i scared to even put my kids in it. i have 5 kids an don't wanna take the chance of it catching on fire are axles braking or anything like that. i don't know what to do know. *tr

Recently issued recall of 2004 ford co. minivans for input shaft failure, all ford windstars including 2003 models have the same issue. freestar van is nothing but a name change for the same poor unsafe vehicle. along with the many safety issues, owners should be compensated for the repairs made on substandard vehicle. including the frame issues, brakes issue, electrical and engine quality. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact attempted to start the ignition repeatedly however, the engine failed to operate. and the battery required a jump start. the failure recurred numerous times on separate occasions. the vehicle had not been diagnosed. there was a technical service bulletin pertaining to the defect under nhtsa item number: 636000(electrical system:battery). the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the front end of the vehicle was covered with rust and shaking violently while driving. the brake pedal also extended to the floorboard when it was engaged. all of the gauges on the instrument panel fell below zero, the brake light illuminated while all of the lights on the instrument panel began to shut on and off. the rear axle was cracked on each end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who added two plates on each side of the axle. the contact referenced recall 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) & recall 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) but was concerned with the remedies and stated that they were inadequate. the contact asked the dealer if they could guarantee that the axle would not break with the two plates but received no guarantee. the manufacturer offered no assistance. the current mileage was 127,000. the failure mileage was unknown.

Abs light came on and won't go off. mechanic can't figure it out. last month the brake light came on and now it won't go off either. i did some research and discovered this is a fairly common problem, leading to a potential fire. *tr

2003 ford windstar van dash gauges all crazy. wave right to left, speed go to 120 but gas empty, bell ringing noise will not shut off, have to unhook battery because after i take the key out still rings, all lites stay on, fuel computer error, mileage flashes, transmission stop over drive, abs and brake lite is on, no sign lites, all gauges go off no reading. *tr

Interior lights come on randomly and blink while driving. sometimes they stay on after turning off the vehicle draining the battery. the door ajar stays on when the door is closed. all contacts cleaned and it still does this. driving with a flashing light in the vehicle is distracting and could cause an accident, this seems to be a problem in all ford windstars and should be investigated. *tr

Driving down the road and all of sudden dome lights start flashing on and off. try to turn them off with the switch and they still keep coming on. sometimes my automatic windows won't work. first it's one side and the next time it could be the other side. *tr

System failure, speed control, speedometer, odometer, heater/airconditioner after looking up online what caused my systems to fail, i went to sinclair to purchase the part. i was told by parts mngr that it was on re-call for that and i would have to have it fixed by their service dept. they confirmed this was on re-call and had me return later that afternoon. after four and a half hours i was asked to come back that they were having difficulty fixing the problem. i attempted to make an appt later the next day and was told it was too late that i did not bring my vehicle in in a timely manner and they will no longer fix my vehicle. their are no expiration dates on this re-call. i have received a customer service receipt explaining what they did and stating that they strive to give the best customer service. what a joke, they left me with a vehicle that is not safe to drive in this condition, after taking up my whole afternoon. i responded with a very disheartened lack of satisfaction and was referred to ford headquarter. i was told that this was never a re-call item by ford. if this was handled acurately the first time, my car would already be fixed. dave would never have let this happen, he built this dealership on the concept of good customer service. if his team made an error, he would fix it on principal even if it meant he ate the cost. i guess his reputation was buried with him. i will be looking to purchase a vehicle in january and i will purchase from someplace else. [xxx] please help us get our van fixed. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Sit down, get a coffee, because you will be reading a book. i purchased a 2003 ford windstar, with 20,000 miles, in 2005. i've had nothing but major problems. in 12/2008 with 87,205 miles the transmission went,that was 2013.00 , then in 3-2009 check engine light, had to replace gaskets, that cost 500.00,. then in 10/15/2010 i had to bring van in for different sensors, and abs light, and emergency brake light kept coming on. that was . that was 232.00. then on 10/19/2010 brought van in to the ford dealer, because none of my gauges work, letting me know how fast i'm going, or how much gas i have. they say it is the gauge cluster, that's 500.00 alone not including labor, they inform me i have a hole in the left rear axle, and i have to leave the van there, and i may also need a new alternator, and it may takes weeks for the part to come in. that's not including other miner repairs along the way. the best part of all. i still have 6 payments left. what rights do i have? i can't believe all the major issues. they should take this van, and give me a different one. not a ford. i told you, that you were reading a book. *tr

Abs and brake light on. *tr

First of all there is a short located by the steering wheel around the air bag. i thought it was the battery so i changed it and a couple of days later my van would not start. i took it to the ford dealer and they couldn't find the problem, so i took it to an old man that just did electrical problems on automobiles. he said it was a bad wire in the steering column and he said to repair it would cost a lot of money, so he bypassed some wires and i have not had any problems since, but when you open the driver side door, the door chimes, like when you leave the keys in the ignition. he only charged me $75. also i would be driving and the interior lights would turn on and off by themselves. this has been happening for a long time. also the abs warning lights have been on for a while and my mechanic said it is a bad abs steering box. to replace it would cost around $1000. i have had also the head gasket replaced because the ford dealer could not find what was wrong with it while it was still under warranty. it was idling very rough while stopped at a light, also when in parked. it cost me about $600 to replace it. i took it to pep boys and they found out what was wrong with it. i also had the fuel pump replaced, because it kept shutting off while at the grocery stores and had it towed by aaa 3 times in about a year. bottom line, i will never buy another ford vehicle while i am alive. they are good for the first couple of years, then they start failing. so sad, because i have been a ford guy for over 35 years. *tr

My 2003 ford windstar's abs and brake lights come on intermittently. also the dome light needs to be off otherwise it flickers on and off. *tr

Lights turn on and of inside the car. the abs light and the brake light on and off. windows stop working get stuck. *tr

2003 ford windstar's brake light keeps staying on within 2-3 minutes of car heating up. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the anti-lock brake module burned out on the vehicle and caused the fuse to burn out as well. the wiring harness burned and now the air conditioner and speedometer have failed. the vehicle had not been inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileage was 123000.

Abs and brake light came on. brought 2003 ford windstar lx to ford repair shop. 1,825 later, im reading these complaints. very expensive considering i only have 45,000 miles on the van. im very disappointed in the ford company for not addressing these issues. *tr

Abs brake light is on due to faulty abs ecm. replaced the abs ecm. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that he coasted to the side of the road. when he waited a few minutes after the vehicle stalled and turned it back on, it would perform correctly. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. the local mechanic advised him to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. the vehicle was eventually taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the intake manifold casket needed replaced. the dealer replaced the intake manifold casket, installed a throttle body spacer and throttle air valve assembly and re-flashed the pcm to the computer and the iac valve. the contact stated the failure occurred again while driving from the dealership. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the vehicle stayed for two weeks. the dealer then installed a crank shaft sensor and a wire assembly. the vehicle had not been repaired fully as the contact picked the vehicle up before final repairs were performed. the failure mileage was 90,252 and the current mileage was approximately 91,000. updated 12/29/10 *bf updated 01/03/11

I have a 2003 ford windstar and have had nothing but problems with it. since purchasing the car i have had issues with the electrical system or something which ford claims they can not figure out what the problem is- all they kept saying is you need to pay $ for diagnostic tests which will probably not even tell them the answer to the problems because in order to catch the problem they need to catch it just as it happens which is near impossible. long story short-i have put nothing but $ into this van which i feel should be recalled because after doing research on all the problems there are alot of people that are complaining about the exact same issues for the exact same year and model van. as of now i am stuck with no car to get to work and to get my kids to school because the van won't start and it had to be towed to the shop once again. events leading up to the failure- domes lights flickering on and off at random while driving even with the switch in the off position, fuses getting blown from opening windows, automatic door locks only working when it wants to, alternator and battery failure, transmission failure, and now they have no clue why it is not starting. failures happen every year since i have had the van. i have had the alternator and battery replaced every year and had the transmission replaced as well. i have had problems with the ac and heat and the brake and abs lights coming on and off at random. i have been stranded on the side of the road with my children and just can't afford to do this anymore. *tr

I took my car in to ford due to a failure in the instrument panel. my speedometer was spinning and "stuck" in an approximate 5:00 o'clock position...in addition, my prndl needle "stuck" in the park position and would not move. on top of this, my abs/brake lights were coming on and off sporadically and occasionally smelled like something burning. the ford dealer replaced my instrument cluster and attempted to fix the abs/brake light problem. the "fix" didn't last more than two weeks...the abs/brake light is back to going on and off. according to the information that they gave me, the parts are no longer available for the abs/brake light repair...they assured me that my service brakes still worked. in the process, i have been told about recalls to the 2003 ford windstar for similar problems in other vehicles, however, i was told that these recalls didn't pertain to me. if i am experiencing the same problems that others are having and they are getting their repairs fixed at no charge to themselves, why am i paying for repairs for the same problem items??????? the sway bar links on my windstar were also repaired along with the bushings...again...another recall that seems to have been issued but i was told that "it didn't apply to me". now i have my windstar in the shop, again, because the transmission pump exploded and damaged the transmission. no warning, no check engine light, nothing. how much of an additional expense is this going to be???? oh, i did receive the recall notice for the rear axle...that will be checked right after i get my car back from having the transmission repaired. why are some vehicles covered and others aren't??? if it affects a 2003 ford windstar, it should be all of them, not just some of them. *tr

The speedometer, odometer & cruise control did not work & abs pump ran continuously. abs & brake light stayed on. this only happened when the outside temp. was around 80-85 deg.f & lights shut off once the engine cooled. diagnosis was defective brake control mod. pulled fuse 101 to keep pump from running. in 2012 the lights remained on with fuse in and the speedo & odo would go out intermittently. nov. 2013, lost speedo & odo all together. *tr

55000 miles. original owner 09s09 recall. brake switch leaking-repaired before recall.paid 250.00 abs/brake lights intermittent, occasional burning smell, rear tail light remain on. battery dies (on#3) flashing interior lights, radio go out upon braking. dealer performed recall (wire thing) said need new ecu and hcu at cost of 1800.00. have had car in and out of service many times for strange electrical occurrences and warning light problems. always said can not duplicate. have seen hundreds of complaints on message boards www.fordwindstarrecall.info, www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2003/ford/windstar/abs+warning+light, www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2003/ford/windstar/electrical+system. from consumers with similar complaints. feel car is not safe. low miles, always had scheduled maintenance. *tr

The abs and brake light come on intermittently. this just started in our 2003 windstar with 60000 miles on it. this happens from once every time we drive the van to once every couple of weeks. *tr

Warning lights in dash come on and go off, abs and brake light stay on, cruise control don't work every time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that when starting the engine, the abs, brake, and over-drive warning lights illuminated. in addition, the speedometer and air conditioner became inoperable. the contact reviewed recall (nhtsa campaign id number 09v399000: vehicle speed control) but could not confirm if his vehicle was included in the recall or if the recall was related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 121,000 and the current mileage was not available. updated 11/03/10. *lj

Engine revs and car accelerates while driving. engine light stays on. abs light goes on and off. door locks click open and close while driving. interior lights go on and off while driving. *tr

The abs & emergency brake warning lights come on simultaneously @ intermittent intervals, but not during braking. they usually come on after hitting a bump in the road. there are no issues w/ the vehicle's actual braking @ this time, or @ any point since the problem was 1st noticed. *tr

Electrical issues. i just bought the 2003 ford windstar ex, and we've experienced the brake light, engine light, interior lights flickering off and on. this is dangerous !! how do we know if there really is a brake problem if the brake light resets and turns back on while driving ? it is very distracting when the interior lights flicker off and on while driving. we are finding out the extent of electrical problems associated with this model. the electrical problem is draining our vehicle battery every night ! i've filed several of the issues with your department, and have seen the complaints on line. what a shame that we have to wait for a serious incident to happen before ford is held accountable for their bad product !!! i hope you can help. thank you. *tr

I am an owner of a ford windstar sport which i purchased new in 2003. i've recently had the scds replaced under recall number 09s09 ( october 2009) and am now experiencing another possible error which might be linked to this recall. for no reason at all, during the cars movement the abs and warning lights illuminate. this worries me that there is still a serious fault with the braking system on this vehicle. to date i have not replaced any parts as i've discovered through many internet chat rooms that this may be a faulty ecm main circuit board,which i am informed is a very expensive part to replace. money is very tight right now so i will have to continue driving this vehicle until i can afford the repair or ford decide to replace this defect as a safety issue. *tr updated ivoq 11/24/10

This van keeps draining our battery. we have tried to figure out why the van's electrical system keeps draining the battery. it has drained our battery several times. *tr

My 2003 ford windstar is experiencing problems with the brake light and abs light continuing to turn on intermittently. i have had an issue with my van battery being drained over night. i called sunset ford in peoria arizona and the service advisor told me it was recently repaired in nov of 2009. i hope that you can help since i believe there is still a problem . *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the interior light switch would sporadically switch on and off. the computer system light would also sporadically illuminate and give a false reading while the vehicle was in motion. the dealer was called and the contact was awaiting a return call from the dealer. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 80,000.