2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS A POTHOLE ON THE ROAD, WHICH WAS DRIVEN OVER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL FRACTURED AND WAS DETACHED FROM THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V193000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE RECALL REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000. UPDATED 4/15/15*CN

SIDEWALL SPLIT ON BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SE 200, SIZE 215X70R15, DOT # WBM3 E20 0210. MILEAGE ON TIRE 39K, STILL GOOD TREAD DEPTH. I STILL HAVE TIRE IF ANY AGENCY WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT. DIDN'T TAKE IT BACK TO BRIDGESTONE B/C FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THEY WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLES REAR AXLE SNAPPED CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND ALL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLES AXLES WERE ROTTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.

THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COME ON INTERMEDIATELY. WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, IT IS OFF, BUT THEN OUT OF NOWHERE, THEY COME BACK ON AND IT SEEMS IT IS A SOLDERING ISSUE WITH SOME MODULE. *TR

I HAVE RANDOM OCCURRENCES OF THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS TURNING ON MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT AROUND 2009. THEY ARE OFTEN OFF WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, BUT THEN TURN ON WHILE I AM DRIVING. THE TWO LIGHTS ALWAYS TURN ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THOUGH ONLY THE ABS IS DISABLED WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS, IT TURNS ON THE BRAKE LIGHT AND HENCE MASKS ANY OTHER BRAKE PROBLEMS THAT MAY OCCUR. I RECENTLY (OCTOBER 2014) HAD A LEAK IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND IT ALMOST WENT UNNOTICED BECAUSE IT WAS BEING MASKED BY THE ABS PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS VERY HIGH (1/3 OF THE COST OF THE VEHICLE), AND BASED ON REPORTS ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE PROBABLY MANY PEOPLE ACCUSTOMED TO DRIVING AROUND WITH BRAKE LIGHTS ON BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IF THE PROBLEM ONLY TURNED ON THE ABS LIGHT IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS DANGEROUS. ALSO, GIVEN HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE ABS MODULE. BACK IN 2011, MY MECHANIC TOLD ME "PULLED 8 ABS CODES DEALING WITH A POSSIBLE FAULTY ABS CONTROL UNIT." UNFORTUNATELY HE DID NOT RECORD WHAT THE CODES WERE. *TR

ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT COME ON WHILE DRIVING AT ANY KNOWN SPEED. USUALLY OCCURS AFTER THE VEHICLES HAS WARMED UP. THE LIGHTS WILL GO OUT AFTER THE CAR HAS COOLED DOWN AND IS RESTARTED. BUT WILL USUALLY COME BACK ON AFTER SOME EXTENDED USE. THERE ARE NO KNOWN FIXES BY THE EVERYDAY USER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS CORRODED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ABS, BRAKES AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V195000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. DJR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2-3 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE SHAFT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MADE THE CONTACT AWARE OF A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE SUB FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE SUB FRAME DUE TO SAFETY HAZARDS DURING THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY SPOUSE WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 FORD WINDSTAR HOME FROM CHURCH AND WHILE TURNING RIGHT ONTO OUR STREET THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, NO LONGER POWERING THE VEHICLE. SHE COASTED TO A STOP IN FRONT OF OUR HOME. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD WINDSTARS AND THAT HE HAS HAD TO PREMATURELY REPLACE MANY OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS. WE WERE VERY LUCKY DURING THIS INCIDENT. IT COULD HAVE EASILY HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND CAUSED A SEVERE CRASH, INJURIES OR DEATH. FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS INFORMED ME THEY HAD NO RECALL ACTIONS UNDERWAY FOR THIS PROBLEM ON MY VEHICLE, BUT TO SAVE ANY RECEIPTS IN CASE THERE WAS A FUTURE REIMBURSEMENT/RECALL EFFORT. *TR

THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. IT FINALLY JUST STAYED ON. THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. I REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE SENSOR AND HARNESS WITH A DIFFERENT UPGRADED PARTS OBTAINED FROM FORD. IT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM, BUT NOW THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME.THE NEW BRAKE SENSOR SEEMS TO BE DRY AND FREE OF BRAKE FLUID. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL PROBLEM AND IT WILL COST ME ANOTHER $100.00 TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT AGAIN. *TR