2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE ANTI-BRAKE SYSTEM AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO SWITCH OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE COOLING INDICATOR BECAME TRAPPED IN THE SPEEDOMETER AND GEAR SHIFTER AREA, CAUSING THE GEAR SHIFTER NOT TO ENGAGE IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNT RUBBER ODOR AND THEN AN UNKNOWN REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE, TIRE LINE, AND THE REAR TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED NOT LONG AFTER THE RECALL REMEDY WAS PERFORMED. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE REMEDY WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT BRAKE FLUID NEEDED TO BE ADDED IN THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN ADDED BRAKE FLUID TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BRAKE FLUID STILL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE TRACTION CONTROL TURNS ON AND OFF WITH SWITCH IN OFF POSITION. ON A CLEAR DRY DAY THE SYSTEM WILL TURN ON WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT . THE CAR MUST BE IN MOTION FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. THE CAR DOES THIS VERY OFTEN. WE CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT HEAR A HUM. IT HAPPENS ON ALL TYPES OF PAVEMENT AND BOTH DAY AND NIGHT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE TAKING THE VEHICLE FOR A ROUTINE CHECK, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AXLE WAS FRACTURED IN TWO PLACES ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRACKETS WERE PLACED ON A FAULTY AXLE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR LONG LENGTHS OF TIME. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION). ONCE THE REPAIR PART AND COST WAS DECIDED, THE CONTACT WOULD BE INFORMED AND A REPAIR WOULD BE MADE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 04/21/2016*LJ UPDATED 05/14/18*JB *TR

MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD COME ON AND OFF AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SOMETIMES THEY STAY FOR A WHILE (DAYS) AND THEN GO OFF FOR (DAYS). ALSO, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE GAUGE ARMS ON THE DASHBOARD ALL OF SUDDEN WILL GO BACK AND FORTH IN A QUICK MOTION. THEN SOMETIMES STICK IN ONE POSITION AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL AND THEN SOMETIMES NOT MOVE AT ALL FOR A WHILE.

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR ONE WEEK AGO WITH 96000 MILES ON IT. BECAUSE I PREVIOUSLY GOT A 1995 WINDSTAR WITH AX4S TRANSMISSION, RUNNING OVER 190000 MILES WITHOUT ANY TRANSMISSION ISSUES. I THEN BOUGHT THE 2003 CAR WITH RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE AND HOPE IT WOULD LAST THE SIMILAR LENGTH. THIS 2003 CAR IS WITH 4F50N TRANSMISSION. BOTH AX4S AND 4F50N TRANSMISSION ARE SIMILAR IN DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS BUT THEY PERFORM TOTALLY DIFFERENT. EVERY TIME DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF DRIVING THE 2003 CAR, THERE WERE ALWAYS A HARSH REVERSE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS WARM AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES. I HAD TO PUMP THE GAS TO REACH A HIGH RPM JUST TO GAIN A LITTLE REVERSE ACTION. THAT MAKES ME TEMPORARILY TO PARK THE CAR WITH THE FRONT FACING THE DRIVING LANE AT SHOPPING PLAZA. BUT I COULD STILL CARRY OUT THE REVERSE ACTION ON THE DRIVEWAY DURING THE MORNING WHILE THE ENGINE IS COLD. IT MAY NOT BE THE MECHANICAL PROBLEM BUT THE HYDRAULIC ISSUE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION.THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH SOME NOT-UP-TO-THE-SPEC INTERNAL TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS THAT ARE TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE WITH WARM TRANSMISSION FLUID, THUS AFFECTING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS FOR THEIR INTENDED PERFORMANCE. I WILL BRING THE CAR FOR THE MECHANIC CHECK UP SOON. FORD DESIGNS, BUYS PARTS FROM SUPPLIERS, MANUFACTURES, FABRICATES, SELL, AND SERVICE THIS CAR. FORD SHOULD BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND INITIATE SOME ACTIONS SUCH AS NOTICES, WARNINGS, OR RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND GIVE CONSUMERS THE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR PRODUCT.

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR THE REAR AXLE, HAD 2 (TWO) FORD DEALERS LOOK AT THE AXLE. FIRST DEALER NOTED CRACKS, OFFERED TO REPLACE AXLE FOR $700. FIRST DEALER DID NOT ENTER RECALL/INSPECTION INTO FORD DATABASE, NO RECORD. SECOND DEALER PERFORMED INSPECTION, SAID AXLE WAS "GOOD TO GO". I INSPECTED AXLE MYSELF, EVIDENT THAT THERE IS NO ADHESIVE UNDER THE BRACKET WHERE THE CRACK PROPAGATES. WE RELY ON THE AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS TO MAKE AND KEEP OUR VEHICLES SAFE. NOW, WE CANNOT TRUST THE DEALERS TO PERFORM THE RECALLS AS THEY SHOULD. THIS IS NOT A SAFE VEHICLE.