Problems with 2003 Ford Windstar SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Our 2003 ford windstar has been having mechanical failures for about 3 years. we have heard a loud grinding noise from the rear passeners side of the car that neither our local mechanic nor ford could fix. we replaced shocks and most recently the tire rods on 9/24/10. we have had numerous electronical "bugs" inclluding abs lights flashing on and off for 2 years requiring multiple fuse changes and electrical testing. our transmission was replaced in 2009 at 59,000 miles. the power locks on the passenger side door and rear passenger doors do not open remotely or with power locks, only key or manual lifting. needless to say, although we have not had any person injuries, we have spent a fortune to keep this car running in what we thought was safe manner. *tr

The abs and brake lights comes on intermittently. i brought it in for repair and they replaced both front wheel speed sensors. the warning lights still come on intermittently. *tr

Randomly, but with increasing regularity, the abs and brake lights come on simultaneously and stay lit. only way to "correct" issue is to turn off vehicle for a period of time(more than 10 minutes) and then start up again. no "noticeable" effects occur when lights come on, but i haven't had to "use" the abs system as it is summertime and road conditions are optimal for braking. also, not sure if it's related but, recently used the parking brake and even though it is "fully released" inside the vehicle.....the rear brakes appear to still be locked due to the fact of visual evidence of smoke and accompanying burning smell after driving for any distance. *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

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

Intermittent abs & brake lights on dash coming on. while these lights are on the braking is harder than normal and there is no abs. this has been on & off for about 100,000 miles or so. during the warm weather/summer months, it appears to be on most of the time. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. *tr

Brake light and abs light come on intermittently- braking distance increases. dealer states that this is a well known problem with the circuit boards in 2003 windstar. this should be a recall. *tr

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

The brake warning light on my 2003 ford windstar comes on intermittently. i have gone to the dealer, but they can't find the problem. they only keep charging me for diagnostic services. however, i've recently noticed that i'm not the only one who is posting this problem online. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs system warning light illuminated while driving 5 mph. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic shop who ran a diagnostic test and informed the contact that two out of the four abs sensors failed. the manufacturer was contacted and she was advised that there were no recalls for the vehicle and offered no further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 86,000.

Braking distance suddenly increased. *tr

Abs light keeps coming on! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the anti-lock braking system (abs) warning light remained illuminated. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure and advised the contact to leave the vehicle for further testing. the manufacturer would not provide any assistance. the failure mileage was 62,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. while driving approximately 65 mph the abs light and the brake light illuminated. the light illuminated intermittently and turn off when the ignition was turned off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technicians stated that the brake module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 88,000. updated 02/23/11 *bf the consumer stated the abs and brake light illuminated frequently and stopping distance wa increased which caused the tires to lock up. the electronic brake module was bad. updated 02/28/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the brakes would fail sporadically without warning. the failure recurred several times. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 125,000 and the current mileage was 140,000.

Anti skid failure, the abs and associated brake warning lights come on when warm. dealer code says c1185. lights stay on while driving. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the brake and abs lights remained illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle also leaked brake fluid from what appeared to be the master cylinder. he also stated that the dome lights flickered on and off intermittently. occasionally the passenger side window would not open. the two bench rear windows would also open intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer but the dealer could not duplicate or diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact had not spoken with the manufacturer. the current mileage was 113,289. the failure mileage was 113,279.

In 2009 our brake and abs light came on and has stayed on. we received the ford windstar recall for the leaking cruise control switch. we had this done in feb. 2010. we went back to ford on july 7 2010 because of smoke and leaking brake fluid. they did nothing. i did not replace the switch right away and on august 1st we took a trip over a mountain pass. it started leaking very bad on this trip. so bad that the low brake fluid light came on. we got home i replaced the switch and removed there jumper due to the jumper was soaked in brake fluid. also topped off fluid. still brake lights are on, and having a family in a van over mountain passes, this should have been taken care of by ford. *tr

Abs and brake light come on intermittently, more often in hot weather. this tells me the abs would not work in emergency situation. *tr

Abs/brake light comes on intermittently. (red light) *tr

Ford windstar 2003 recall was completed for abs along with replacement of abs module. now car is worse than before. the brakes squeal and activate the abs on just a normal stop. very unsafe to drive. returned to dealer and they do not know what to do. *tr

Abs and brake light failure warning, 2003 ford windstar instrument panel lights come on and go off indicating an abs & brake (separate lights for each) issue. in researching this issue on the internet and with local mechanic, i've learned that this is a known and common problem with this make, model and year vehicle which has yet to be acknowledged by the manufacturer. i am also told that this could result in failure of the abs braking system and/or the standard braking system itself if not repaired. the failure "code" is 1185 according to my mechanic, which is apparently a control or power module? i've already replaced all the brake pads, resurfaced the rotors and have had all fluids and lines inspected for leaks, etc. - it appears that ford is now going to make me pay another $700 - $1,000 to fix this issue with the abs (which, in my opinion, they should be doing for free as this is a safety issue that may cause increased risk of crash or injury stemming from their poor design and/or parts. what ever happened to ford's slogan "quality is job 1"? *tr

2003 ford windstar was taken in for recall on cruise control switch and service writer was told the abs and brake warning lights had come on just 2 days before appointment. now abs and brake light come on intermittently and stay on until key is turned off and vehicle is restarted. the recall was supposed to prevent this problem but did not. *tr

2003 ford windstar - we brought the car to the dealership because the "brake" and "abs" lights remain on. this is a failure of the anti-lock braking system. this is very unsafe to have a failure in the brake system. when we brought the car to the dealer today we had to pay over $1,200.00 to have the brake system fixed. when you purchase a vehicle, you expect the brake system to be safe. we have seen many others with the exact same problem. this is a systemic problem with the brake system of 2003 ford windstars and the vehicles should be recalled. *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

Brakes on 2003 windstar needed to be changed. after changing brakes and bleeding lines, abs and brake line would come on during driving intermittently and remain on. brake pedal would either be at acceptable level or have very little pedal (almost to floor. changed master cylinder, rebled the lines. still having intermittent abs and brake light come on (usually once a day and continuing to remain on) car has acceptable brake pedal, but cannot figure out why abs and brake light come on. have had car put on and scanned by computer 3 times...no faults show. this is a major concern as the brakes have remained fine for stopping, but will it continue or will i find myself with serious issues in the future??? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. while driving at 45 mph, the abs warning light illuminated. the dealer made repairs to the braking system. the warning light re-illuminated within one week. the vehicle was not taken back to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were 81,286.

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

Braking distance suddenly increased. anti-lock brake system is only intermittently functional. defective abs ecm. well known issue per the ford dealer. after a few minutes of driving, the abs becomes non-functioning. this happens 90+% of the times that the vehicle is driven. *jb

Brake warning light and abs warning light are frequently on, even though the brakes are mechanically in excellent shape. i am thinking that the abs controller's circuit board has a cold solder connection. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased. the abs system failed. there was an intermittent electrical connection. the abs warning light would come on and stay on intermittently. the unit was replaced and the replaced unit failed at approximately 88,000 miles. there appears to be an issue with the abs control unit.

Vehicle readied for extended road trip -- all fluid levels checked, motor oil changed, tire pressure, etc. normal driving does not reveal failure. the failure is the yellow abs light and red brake light illuminate but the braking system (including abs) continues to function without any noticeable degradation. this failure appears to occur after an extended period of highway driving, ie. 3+ hours. after the initial failure, the yellow and red lights will both illuminate intermittently, some trips at the beginning others by the end (these are local and not extended). when the lights are illuminated (intermittently), they are both on for the entire trip -- just some trips they are on and others they are not. brake fluid levels are normal and there appears to be no adverse affects of the braking system operation. however, if there is an actual failure, it cannot be distinguished from this apparent malfunction. nothing has been done so far to correct this issue for the simple reason the vehicle is out of its warranty period and i cannot afford to have a vehicle repair bill since there is no guarantee ford will make this right. this has not caused any accident but could potentially if left unchecked. i am leaving the possibility of visiting the local ford dealer to question them about it but am reducing my use of the vehicle until i am able. *tr

I have a ford windstar 2003 with abs and brake light comes on and we have had a electrical problem since we bought the van. they want $800 just for the part to fix the abs system it now has 100000 miles on it. it should be recalled and ford responsible for the bill. it seems to be a common problem with this make and model. *tr

Abs light comes on simultaneously with the brake light. braking distance suddenly increased. abs unit was replaced. less than a week later, the lights came on again. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired according to recall 09v399000 (vehicle speed control). upon receiving the vehicle from the authorized dealer, the contact was driving at approximately 65 mph when the abs service light as well as the braking system service light illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact shut the vehicle off and upon restart the service lights turned off. the failure occurred intermittently. the contact called the manufacturer and was informed that the service light failures were not related to the recall problem. the vehicle had not been inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure and current mileages were approximately 85,000.

My 2003 ford windstar abs brake light as well as my brake warning light continue to come on intermittently, and my braking distance suddenly increased. seems to happen more in the warm weather than in the cold. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased after the other recall was done. abs and emergency brake lights come on after the car heats up. *tr

2003 windstar. the brake abs lite intermittently comes on, just bought the car, and this did not start until the weather got between 90 & 100 degrees. sometimes does not do this for a week, and then again everytime you start the car.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs light remained illuminated. the contact stated after the fossil link was replaced the abs, brake light and the light underneath the steering column are on. the light under the steering column stays on even when the vehicle was turned off. the failure was unresolved when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was 112000. the current mileage was 112500.

Braking distance suddenly increased. it occurs 75% of the time the vehicle is driven. when driving the vehicle the abs, brakes and traction lights illuminate. its intermittent when this occurs, but occurs often. occurs more often when temperatures are hot. recall 09s09 was completed and problem started happening around time of repair. *tr

Abs and brake lights began coming on my dash. they will go off periodically, and then come back on. the first date this happened was in 2010. i drive a 2003 ford windstar. i took it to the auto shop right away and was quoted over $1,000 to fix it. i asked what the part does and was told that it mostly controls the abs system. i asked him what i could do if i did not fix it, because there was no way i could afford that. he suggested to pump my brakes when braking. the system is dangerous when trying to make a fast stop. i have been hearing that it has happened to other vehicles of this same model vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated that the abs brake light illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the contact was informed that computer sensor may have been the cause of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 99,000. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000. updated 01/06/11*lj updated 03/28/11

The abs light and brake light randomly come on my 2003 ford windstar. if i turn the van off and restart it they usually reset themselves. i have not had any parts replaced, yet, but am thinking of taking the van to the shop to have it checked out. *tr

Braking distance suddenly increased, brake and abs light comes on when engine gets warm or in warm weather. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. the contact stated the anti-lock braking system (abs) warning light remained illuminated on the dashboard. the brakes would also sporadically lock while attempting to brake. in addition, the door ajar warning light would also remain illuminated while the vehicle was in motion although all doors were latched closed. the dealer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 118,000 and the current mileage was 128,000.

2003 ford windstar $58,000 miles abs module is bad per mechanic, track control light, abs, light and brake light come on while driving. it started about a year ago and did it about once a week. now the problem occurs daily. nothing has been done yet to correct the problem. *tr

Where to start? almost seem like to many problems to list. we will start with the constant draining and replacement of the battery. new battery every few months. 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 randoms times in addition tp the checl charging system light. sometimes they come on and off but if they remain on cause the car to hesitate or just quit on you. i have 3 kids and am terrified for our 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. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar lx. while the brake was applied the abs light illuminated. the failure occurred intermittently. she was also experiencing the failure with the speedometer while driving 45 mph; however, the odometer read 20 mph. the vehicle wasn't taken to the dealer. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the manufacturer will be contacted. the failure mileage was 92,000 and the current mileage was 94,450. updated 02/07/11 *bf the consumer stated the abs light stayed on most of the time. updated 03/17/11