2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE REAR AXLE ON MY 2003 WINDSTAR CRACKED AND SPLIT ABOUT 10 INCHES FROM WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE WHEEL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VAN. WHILE LOOKING INTO HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT EXACT PROBLEM. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WOULD HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AND COULD TAKE ABOUT A WEEK. I HAD IT TOWED IN AND WAITED FOR A RESPONSE. A WEEK WENT BY AND WHEN I CALLED, THE RECEPTIONIST TOLD ME THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WAITED A FEW MORE DAYS AND CALLED AGAIN BUT THIS TIME I ENDED UP SPEAKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THE VAN HAD ACTUALLY BEEN "REPAIRED" ONCE BEFORE THROUGH A PREVIOUS OWNER/RECALL AND THAT THE ORIGINAL SERVICING DEALERSHIP DID NOT PERFORM THE WORK PROPERLY. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS FIXED, THEY SOMEHOW REINFORCED THE AXLE BUT APPARENTLY DID NOT PUT THE "REINFORCEMENT" IN THE RIGHT PLACE. THAT BEING THE CASE, HE SAID THAT THE CURRENT DAMAGE NOW DEFAULTED BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY SERVICED. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE FRONT OF THE VAN WAS RUSTED UNDERNEATH BUT I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING EXCESSIVE AND I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS IS UNUSUAL FOR A 12 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT A HIGH MILEAGE VEHICLE AND IT IS IN REALLY NICE CONDITION OTHERWISE. CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN DOCUMENTED DEFECT, I SIMPLY WANT IT FIXED PROPERLY AND QUICKLY. *TR

APRIL, NOTICED THAT CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING 100% OF TIME - NOT ENGAGING AND NOT DISENGAGING!! OPTED NOT TO USE IT ANYMORE. JULY, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ON AND DIDN'T SHUT OFF WHILE IN HOME GARAGE. SHUT VAN OFF, RESTARTED IT, LIGHTS OFF. AUGUST, LIGHTS SEEM TO BE COMING ON WITH MORE FREQUENCY. DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SPEED RELATED. SEPTEMBER, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON MORE FREQUENTLY. SEEMS TO RESET (FOR SHORT TIME) AFTER SHUT VAN OFF. OCTOBER, HAD BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED. DISC ROTOR - R&R; CONTROL ARM W/ BALL JOINT - LOWER - FRONT SUSPENSION; REAR BRAKES SERVICED; BRAKE FLUID FLUSH. THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE "FIXED" EVERYTHING HOWEVER LESS THAN 10 DAYS LATER, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE COMING ON AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. TURN VAN OFF, TURN BACK ON - LIGHTS RESET - UNTIL NEXT TIME I DRIVE IT!! AFTER READING THROUGH, REALIZE THAT THE TWO MIGHT BE RELATED. SAFETY IS A MUST!! *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON, AND STAYED ON UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE LIGHTS ARE OFF UNTIL DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE, WHEN THEY WILL BOTH COME ON AT THE SAME TIME. MY MECHANIC CLAIMS THAT ALL SENSORS ARE GOOD, AND THAT THE ABS CONTROL UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD, IT TAKES LONGER FOR THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. *TR

MY BRAKE WARNING AND ABS LIGHTS ARE ON I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEY ARE OFF I DRIVE LATER THEY COME BACK ON , MY BRAKES WORK FINE THE FLUID IS FULL. *TR

ABS AND DARK BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WHILE DRIVING THEN RESET THEMSELVES WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THEN COME ON AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ONCE VEHICLE WARMS UP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

A DASH INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID, "CHECK YOUR TRACTION CONTROL." AT THE SAME TIME THE ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ARE ON CONSTANTLY. BRAKES (ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS) HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *TR

DRIVING EAST BOUND AT 35 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF ME AND I HAD A DIRECT HIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS VEHICLE. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME BACK AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *TR

BRAKING DISTANCE SUDDENLY INCREASED. ABS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. *TR