2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

ABS, BRAKE WARNING LAMPS LIT, SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T SHOW THE OPERATING SPEED. *TR

WE WERE ON VACATION GOING THRU MOUNTAINS IN W VA WHEN THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. WE PULLED INTO A FORD DEALER IN STATESVILLE, NC. THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AS IT WAS NOT OCCURRING ALL THE TIME. THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND COME BACK ON. RECENTLY WE TOOK THE VAN INTO A MIDAS REPAIR SHOP. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE WHEEL SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. WHEN THE PROBLEM CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD BEARING ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AND WE REPLACED IT. TODAY THE LIGHT IS BACK ON AND AFTER TAKING IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP AGAIN THEY ARE NOW TELLING US IT IS THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. WE HAVE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. LIGHTS GOING OUT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME ONLY TO COME BACK ON. TODAY WE CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER TO SEE IF THEIR WAS A POSSIBLE RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE READ ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THESE SAME ISSUES. WE WERE TOLD THAT THEIR WAS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. *TR

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATE INDICATING AN ABS FAILURE. LIGHTS TURN ON ANYWHERE FROM IMMEDIATELY TO 15 MINUTES UPON STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN ASSESSED BY MECHANIC, MECHANIC STATED THAT COMPONENT REPLACEMENT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY 1000.00. ABS PARTS ARE FAULTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAVING AN INSPECTION PERFORMED, THE TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED HER THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE AXLE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 10V385000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,151.

THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT COME ON DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS NOT IN THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS. *TR

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERING ALL THE TIME. I KEEP THE INTERIOR LIGHTS OFF SO THEY DON'T FLICKER. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE 'CHECK ADVANCE TRACK' LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND FOR COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW. CHECK WITH A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD MIGHT BE A ABS SENSOR. *TR

MY WIFE DRIVING TO WORK THURSDAY 40 MPH AND REAR AXLE BROKE. LEFT REAR TIRE FORCED AGAINST WHEEL WELL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT SMOKE AND TIRE DAMAGE. PASSING CAR FLAG MY WIFE DOWN AND GOT HER TO PULL OVER. WHEN I CHECKED IT OUT LATER IN THE DAY FOUND THAT REAR AXLE WAS BROKE AND NOT DRIVABLE. COST TO FIX AT MY TOTAL EXPENSE 1030.00 PLUS TAX PLUS NEW TIRE. RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN 2011 AT KISTLER FORD TO INSTALL SOME KIND OF REAR AXLE SUPPORTS AND ALSO SOMETHING DONE TO REINFORCE FRONT SUBFRAME. AXLE IN BACK LOOKS LIKE IT BROKE INSIDE THE REINFORCEMENTS ON OR NEAR THE LEFT SIDE. KISTLER FORD SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES AFTER RECALL REPAIR AND FORD NOT WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF ADDITIONAL ISSUES AFTER THE RECALL. THAT DOES NOT SEEM ACCEPTABLE TO ME. SEEMS THEIR RECALL REPAIR NOT SUFFICIENT. KISTLER FORD SERVICE MANAGER NOR MYSELF A(54YR OLD) HAVE EVER HEARD OF AXLES FAILING UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES EVER. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN. THIS WILL KILL AND INJURE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE. WHAT IF MY WIFE DRIVING 70MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED? WE WERE PLANNING ON TAKING MY FAMILY OF 5 TO THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS END OF THIS MONTH. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE DISASTER. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2003 KEEPING IT WELL MAINTAINED WITH INTENTION OF PASSING IT DOWN TO OUR 20,19 AND 16 YEAR OLD. THERE ARE REPORTS OF ACCIDENTS AND AT LEAST 1 DEATH AS THE RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. I ALSO RECOMMENDED THEY EXAMINE THE FRONT SUBFRAME SINCE THERE MAY BE ISSUES WITH THAT REPAIR FROM REPORTS SEEN ON THE INTERNET. DO NOT WANT TO FIX THE REAR AND HAVE THAT GO BAD ALSO. SOUNDS LIKE THEY NEED TO TAKE THESE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. I HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THE REAR AXLE. *TR

THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WILL RANDOMLY COME ON AND STAY ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THIS HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOT EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. IT HAPPENS ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS, NOT JUST ONE SPEED ZONE. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE I FOUND OUT IT IS BECOMING A COMMON ISSUE FOR MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICE. *TR

DASHBOARD INDICATED FAILURE OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. CODE READER REPORTS C1185 AND CANNOT BE CLEARED. ABS SYSTEM COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. REPAIRS WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ANTI LOCK BRAKE CONTROLLER/COMPUTER. *TR