2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WAS BENT IN TOWARDS THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V193000 (POWER TRAIN), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR TIRE WAS LEANING INWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

REAR AXLE IS CRACKED AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. FORD RECALL IN 2011 FOR ISSUES WITH THE REAR AXLE - DEALER INSTALLED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BRACKETS IN LIEU OF REPLACING THE AXLE WITH A NEW AXLE OF CURRENT DESIGN. IF THEY WOULD HAVE DONE THE REPLACEMENT WITH THE CURRENT AXLE DESIGN AND NOT ADDED A TEMPORARY FIX TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF A DEFECTIVE AXLE, TODAY I WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINANCIAL REPLACEMENT. I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOTICED AN ISSUE AND BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF MY DEALER WHO DISCOVERED THE CRACK. I DO HAVE A CONCERN THOUGH WITH THE FORD DEALER - THEY KNOW ABOUT THE AXLE ISSUES, FAILURES AND RECALL. THEY RECENTLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, REPLACED VARIOUS PARTS, ETC. AT A COST OF $2,800 INCLUDING BRAKES, DRUMS, ETC. THEY SAW THE CONDITION OF THE AXLE - THEY HAD TO KNOW IF WAS DUE TO FAIL SOONER THAN LATER - VERY CONCERNING. FORD IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DESIGN FLAW AND LACK LUSTER RECALL WHICH AMOUNTED TO ADDING SOME BRACKETS TO CAUSE THE AXLE TO BREAK IN A CERTAIN AREA TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF A COMPLETE FAILURE / FATAL ACCIDENT.

I HAVE A 2003 WINDSTAR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT COME ON AT THE SAME TIME QUITE OFTEN. IT WILL NOT GO OFF UNTILL YOU TURN OFF THE VAN AND RESTART AND EVEN THEN THEY OFTEN STAY ON.

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON OCCASIONLY. BRAKES CONTINUE TO WORK. I AM TOLD IT GIVES A 1185 CODE MEANING A BAD MODULE.

ABS INDICATOR KEEPS TURNING ON AND OFF RANDOMLY AT INCREASING INTERVALS AND IS NOW STAYING ON MORE OFTEN. THE SPEEDOMETER'S NEEDLE IN THE DASHBOARD ALSO FAILS TO REGISTER THE SPEED THAT THE CAR IS GOING AND MOVES WILDLY BACK AND FORTH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE AXLE WAS SEVERALLY CORRODED AND CRACKED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND EXPLAINED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,675.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKED ERRATICALLY AND THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,415.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP, THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES, ABS, ENGINE, AND DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHTS PREVIOUSLY ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS ELECTRICAL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,190.