2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

THE 2003 FORD WINDSTAR HAS A 'BRAKE LIGHT' AND A 'ABS LIGHT'. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WILL BOTH COME ON (BUT THE CAR'S BRAKES ARE NOT IMPACTED). AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE TWO LIGHTS WILL GO OUT. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON-LINE THIS IS A FAULT IN SOME MODULE. THE BRAKES THEMSELVES ARE NOT AT ISSUE BUT IT PROVIDES FALSE WARNING LIGHTS. A WEB SITE THAT TRACKS FORD WINDSTAR ISSUES SAYS: "THE (MOSTLY UNSERVICABLE) ECU MASTER RELAY HAS A BAD SOLDIER JOINT WHICH FAILS PREMATURELY AND CAUSES THE ABS LIGHT AND DTC C1185. IT ALSO CAUSES THE ENHANCED ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERABLE. IF YOUR ABS LIGHT IS ON. REPORT THE PROBLEM AT NHTSA - SAFERCAR.GOV. USE THE CATEGORY BRAKES, THE MORE REPORTS THE BETTER A CHANCE OF CONTINUED ACTION." SO, I AM REPORTING THIS FLAW. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES WENT CRAZY AND THE ABS / BRAKE LIGHTS WENT ON. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE NEEDLES WENT BACK TO NORMAL AND THE ABS/ BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON. WE CHANGES THE SENSORS THAT GO TO ALL 4 TIRES AND THE LIGHTS REMAIN ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND THE SUBFRAME LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS CORRODED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE AND SUBFRAME LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V195000 (SUSPENSION) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V194000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

MULTIPLE EPISODES OF THE ABS TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON AT THE SAME TIME..IF YOU SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTART THE WARNING LIGHTS GO AWAY. STARTED LAST YEAR THRU PRESENT TIME. HAVE HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND THEY HAVE TRIED TO RESET THE ERROR CODES WITH OUT SUCCESS SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN ITS WET.SUSPECT THE ABS COMPUTER IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AND STAY ILLUMINATED. INVESTIGATION SHOWS A FAILURE TO THE ECU UNIT CAUSING THE ABS ON MY VEHICLE TO BE INOPERABLE. WHEN I HAVE TO AGGRESSIVELY BRAKE MY FORD WINDSTAR IT PRODUCES A SKID INSTEAD OF A CONTROLLED STOP. *TR

ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. MIDDLE SEAT WON'T GO BACK UP AND THE DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME. *TR

MULTIPLE EPISODES OF THE ABS TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON AT THE SAME TIME..IF YOU SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTART THE WARNING LIGHTS GO AWAY. STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO THRU PRESENT TIME. HAVE HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND THEY HAVE TRIED TO RESET THE ERROR CODES WITH OUT SUCCESS SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN ITS WET. *TR

THE RED BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AS WELL AS THE YELLOW ABS LIGHT. THE LIGHTS TYPICALLY COME ON AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS AS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR SOME TIME AND HAVE HAD BRAKES SERVICED NUMEROUS TIMES. *TR

THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, FOLLOWED SOON AFTERWARDS BY THE POWER RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW FAILING TO GO AND DOWN, FOLLOWED BY THE TRANSMISSION O/D OFF LIGHT FLASHING. THESE WOULD OCCUR UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN, THEN MOST OF THE TIME THE SYMPTOMS WOULD GO AWAY, ALWAYS TO RETURN. WHEN THE O/D OFF LIGHT WOULD COME ON, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD FAIL TO PERFORM AT SPEED AND WE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE OUR SPEED TO UNDER 50 MPH IN ORDER TO NOT REV THE ENGINE ABOVE 3500 RPM. WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON, YOU CANNOT GET TO 60 MPH WITHOUT REDLINING THE ENGINE. I HAVE HAD DEALERS AND MECHANICS LOOK AT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

HEARD A LOUD CRACK NOISE FROM MY DRIVEWAY WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FOUND THE LEFT FRONT STRUTS COIL SPRING TO BE BROKEN IN THREE PIECES. I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO BE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME DUE TO THE FACT THE SPRINT WOULD HAVE PENETRATED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. I REPLACED THE ENTIRE LEFT FRONT STRUT WITH A COMPLETE NEW STRUT THAT MEETS OEM SPECIFICATIONS. I WAS A BIT LEARY ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY TO TAKE MY WIFE TO WORK, I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT COIL SPRING AND SAW NOTHING VISIBLY WRONG WITH IT. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT SPRING BROKE WHILE I WAS PULLING FORWARD LATER TODAY AT 151,725 MILES. THE BROKEN PIECE IS NOW PRESSING AGAINST THE TIRE. I WILL NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT WITH A NEW UNIT THAT MEETS OEM SPECIFICATIONS. I'M WORRIED ABOUT OTHER DRIVERS HAVING THIS ISSUE IF ONE BREAKS WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND HAVING THE BROKEN COIL SPRING PUNCTURE THEIR TIRE. *TR