The ABS light, advanced trac control indicator light, and dash lights are flashing on and off intermittently for several seconds. Alarms beep and the engine loses power. This has occurred multiple times over the past several weeks. Then coming onto the freeway this morning it occurred again and the engine shut off. It would not restart. After almost getting hit by another vehicle as a result of the engine shutting off, I was able to pull over and turned off the key. Tried to start the van several times and after a few tries it started and I was able to get off highway without getting hit. This is a recurring problem many 03 windstar van owners are experiencing. Called ford and they said it is not a documented problem with them. I have read hundreds of comments from other owners experiencing these same problems. Ford dealerships have repaired/replaced various components to correct this problem but it keeps recurring. Something needs to be done. It is a design thing.
2003 Ford Windstar engine complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 69, newest first, as owners wrote them.
As the drivers of ford windstars we all got treated unfair ford wont even help its current ford windstar drivers I've met alot windstar owners and they are agitated,, first off only had this since last year and after the last 6 months of this it has been a terrible van to drive, first changing the alternator 3 x's and the battery 4's really would get a person violent, whatever happened to customer service beyond the mile of service as ford always talks, don't get me wrong the van can go miles til empty, also, the back windows the driver side doesn't open, it gets hot back there, oh wait the AC don't work in the rear either, don't go to far on a hot ride 4 hours away, you'll be sweating within the 10 miles you'll be drenched, when you open a car or van , big rig,limo, bus, the lights come on , not this mean pup, if you drop money, better wait til morning you'll be searching all nite, it doesn't matter who the current driver the vehicle is you should proceed to bring them in for adjustments, there cost, oh wait you just put $500 in it, here we go again, another $200, by the time it hits 6 months you just spent money you needed for groceries, oh wait $5.00 is all you got, now you gotta beg for food, and don't have no money to do squat, ford I hope this reaches you, so you see I cant tolerate a non honest company, I should have bought that honda or that acura, pure smooth running cars right there, quality built is there name and I stand behind them, ford you get 1 star, honda 10 stars...a driver of the unwinning 2003 ford windstar se, ford you got that buyback program still, she really needs a new home, a home worth big bucks to dump into her, anyone reading this out here, if you here of any help for this sick 2003 ford windstar se, ford is it about time you , demote and let a new car maker come to town.
The vehicle stops in the middle of traffic. It will stall out when stopped. The car will not restart. It is not anything that pertains to a tune up or oil change or transmission fluid. The radiator got low a;little but that was not the problem. There was a recall on 2003 ford windstar limited edition but mine was not in this recall. I feel that my car should be fixed because it his a safety hazard. Plus the front wheel bearings are bad, which causes my tires to go bald. Ford will not fix the life threatening situation.
Purchased a 2003 ford windstar on 10/14/13,drove vehicle to south carolina from new jersey on 10/15/13,about halfway there noticed a loud clunking while braking, or turning vehicle left or right.had vehicle looked at by mechanic on 10/24/13.it was diagnosed as having a completely rotted subframe and motor mounts.I looked into recalls on the vehicle and found one for the subframe ,number 11s16.I called ford motor corporation on oct30,and 31st about the recall.I was told it was repaired back in apr18,2011.repairs done were an inspection of subframe,and all looked well.subframe was never replaced ,now 2 years later,ford has wiped it's hands clean of the recall saying it was satisfied on apr18,2011,by a mechanic claiming the subframe looked ok at the time.how does a faulty part that could cause a major accident,become ok because it looked good at the time of inspection?I am appalled and dishearten that a major corporation such as ford would take the easy way out and say it's not responsible for a part that they recalled initially,and now say that because it was inspected,it now is fine.I thought a recall was in place for public safety,and if so,how does it expire?
I was driving home from whitefish montana which is about 20 miles from my home when the van just stopped, it kept running but would not move so I shut the van off and it wouldn't start unless it was jumped, so we jumped it all the way home. We ended up replacing the battery and the alternator the van ran good for one day and than my o/d light started flashing and the van was running really rough and would not shift our of first causing me to only go 35 MPH in a 70 MPH, not fun at all. Got it home and looked up some information on line and they told me to check the #19 fuse in the fuse box under the hood and sure enough the fuse was blown so I drove it around the block and it blew again. So we put in a 20 amp fuse and I made it home but this morning I went out to go to work and it started and it drove but than just stopped there was nothing there, I turned the ignition off and tried to restart it and nothing, no noise no nothing so I had to push the van to my house, just imagine what could of happened if I would of been in heavy traffic and my van did this. I love fords but this is ridiculous I can not afford to fix all these issues that continue to arise what next a fire under the hood. Please someone help me with this.
The ABS and engine lights have been on my 2003 ford windstar for years. However, they were electrical misfires and did not affect the operation of the vehicle. It does now seem that the ABS is failing. The car brakes normally at low speeds. However, over 30 MPH it now seems that the brakes lock up and the car pulls to the right. I do not feel that the car is safe to drive, as it screeched and locked up when I was stopping at a red light.
We have not been properly informed about all of the recalls or other issues with our vehicle. The vehicle does have a lot of problems from the electrical, structure, engine lights are always throwing codes needing a lot of sensor replacements at our cost, the rpms seem to run fast sitting at a light(we have to turn off the engine and then restart), and the engine seems to run hot, brakes, cruise control(cannot use), traction control(cannot use), interior light are always flickering, passenger windows(cannot use) and door locks(cannot use), both rear windows(cannot use), leaks from roof, rear door and sliding doors, the cruise control, brake and traction control lights stay on while driving(we were told by a dealership that we can still drive the vehicle, but we won't have anti-lock brakes.), the AC is always having trouble staying charged, the AC/heat control switches have malfunctioned(it has to be set away from the cold and the speed to 3/4 speed to work right), the battery keeps losing charge, the brake tail lights stay on draining the battery and had to get repaired by us because the dealership could not locate the problem, driver seat has malfunctioned(cannot use per dealership's request), cruise control and traction control does not work, suspension seems to have a lot of squeaks and popping sounds, alternator and starter had to be replaced several times, the coil packs need constant replacements, all spark plugs and wires had to be replaced before their time, cannot use the rear wiper because it goes down onto the paint and starts wiping the paint and not the rear window, constantly replacing exterior lights all around, the engine constantly cuts out, we told the dealership for several years that there was an antifreeze smell and they could not locate it until 5-28-13, replaced bad front and rear axles on 5/28/13 and many others. 12k-18k to repair everything.
Our van was fine until it was having a hard time shifting. We took the van into a transmission specialist and had to replace the transmission due to water. And also had the water to the radiator completely bypass the transmission. Everything was fine until months later it was having a hard time shifting. Somehow a lot of water had gotten in there. There's no way it's from the radiator since like I said it bypasses the tranny and has a different cooling thing?? Now he thinks it's from the A/C. So now it's in the shop again and I already spent $300 for a complete flush. Now I might have to do it again. Plus he's going to make a shield for the A/C. This is crazy.
Bought used vehicle from dealer and noticed the ABS/brake light was constantly on. It was "fixed" before completing the purchase. Lasted for a few days before lights came back on and stayed on. Was told it not a big deal, so I didnt worry about it. Was not experiencing any other issues until 1.5 years later when I turned the defrost fan on and it stalled the motor as I was traveling. The next weekend my husband wanted to look at it and after the van idled for a few minutes, turned on the defrost and it did not stall, called it a fluke until we popped the hood and had smoke coming out!
Pot hole was hit and consequently, the engine had to be replaced. Damaged the engine.
Both the emergency brake light and anti-lock braking light on instrument panel were illuminated within 5 minutes of having started the car. After approximately 10 minutes, all electrical appliances failed, including directionals, brake lights, etc. The engine continued to run, however it struggled on uphill climbs.
Abs light will not turn off. Also the check engine light blinks on and off and the car will not take any gas.
I was driving down the road and all of a sudden I had to acceleration or reverse or anything. It was like I was out of gear. I drifted over to the side of the road and called a tow. I needed a new transmission. That was feb. 2011 I just had the same incident happen again to me dec. 2012- transmission needs rebuilt again! Mileage is 82000 are you kidding! 2 transmissions in less than 2 years! The torque converter both times!
Abs brakes dashboard light and check engine light is always on. Dealer has reset many times with no success.
I have had multiple problems with my 2003 windstar sel to include complete failure of the vacuum system where brakes, power steering didn't work had to have towed. The dealership could not fix and did not have a recall. Hoses in this system kept coming off. Interior lights kept flashing on without any being turned on. Also the "passenger door is open" light stays on. Along with ABS/brake light stays on. I have taken my van in to have brakes checked. There was no problem with brakes. I have maintenance done on regular basis. Problems started with 50,000 miles. I am a single woman and need reliable transportation which this van is not. When is ford going to recall for electrical problems? Dealership is of no help, only want to charge for something they can't fix. I took to dealership when front passenger window didn't open. Dealership stated that it needed a new motor. I knew better as this had happen before. Took home and after a little bump in the road window started working again. Part of the crappy workmanship ford used to put together. Also dealership stated there was no recall for the problem with vacuum system which I was told was a design problem. Ford needs to address all the problems associated with this model. I wonder how many others have this same problem?
While driving on the highway on a trip from chicago to north caroline, my car suddenly lost power. It was as if I just put it into neutral; I could hear the engine rev when I applied the gas but nothing else happened. Luckily, I was near an exit ramp and pulled to the side of the road without incident. I tried putting the car into another gear, but there was no change. We ended up getting the car towed to a garage, where they determined it was an issue with the transmission. Later, after pulling the transmission apart, they determined it was specifically the torque converter which had failed. My family and I (including 4 children and 4 dogs) had to stay in a hotel for 3 days until the car was repaired. During that time, I investigated this particular vehicle problem (via the internet) and found that it is common in windstars and freestars. There is a recall in place for the freestar but not enough complaints have been filed for the windstar yet. This needs to be rectified asap!!!! I was lucky that I was driving in conditions that allowed me to safely maneuver my car to the side of the road without causing or being involved in a accident. The safety of myself, my children and the other people on the road with me, a windstar owner, should not be put at risk because of a known torque converter defect. The windstar needs to be added to the ford recall for torqued converters immediately.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that after receiving notification of a manufacturer's recall for the motor brackets, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs. Months after the recall repairs while the contact was driving approximately 5 MPH, the engine began shifting abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised the contact that two motor mounts were fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The mechanic advised the contact that the failure may have been caused by the previous recall repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 186,000. The VIN was unavailable. Updated 02/09/12*lj updated 04/18/12
I have had no transmission issues with my 2003 ford windstar van. I drove home from work early this morning (3:30am.) I went to leave for an appointment at noon on the same day, and nothing. I started my van, attempted to put it in gear and nothing!! No warning, no nothing!! I have never towed with this vehicle (it doesn't even have a hitch,) the total weight of people riding in it has been 350 pounds. There has been no stress on this engine as I don't live in mountainess areas. I am a single mom of 4 little kids, receiving no child support, working pt, just able to pay the bills, and ford needs to fix this issue!! I have also had numerous other 'problems' but nothing so major the vehicle couldn't be driven (interior lights flashing, blender door actuator going out 3x in a year, rough ideal especially when cold, back door handles not working from inside, back doors so hard to open and close, I can hardly do it, back wiper worked one day then just stopped and hasn't worked since, one back window opens and closes only when it feels like it. I also just put $70 in gas in this vehicle! Ugh!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact was driving 30 MPH when flames emitted from the engine. The contact also mentioned prior to the failure that a loud noise was heard from the engine after the start of the ignition. The fire caused no injuries and both the police and fire departments were contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and the current mileages were 103,000.
2003 ford windstar 71,000 miles - bought new for $35,000 in december 2003, I purchased a new 2003 ford windstar. I am the only driver of this van, to and from work and a few road trips. In the beginning a few things went wrong but I wasn't too concerned at the time. Since then, here is a list of things that has gone wrong with this van: 1.no heat - blender actuator 2.driver's side window wouldn't roll up or down (fixed) 3.passenger side window and back windows do not work 4.interior lights go on and off 5.gasket replaced on engine because car was dying when I came to a stop. ($450) 6.rear window defroster doesn't work 7.rusting out by back tires 8.transmission failure $2,800. Fluid from the radiator got into the transmission fluid! (now how did that happen other than being defective) 9.2 safety recalls I am lucky I haven't been killed in this vehicle! The transmission failed with no warning! You would think when I had my car serviced they would have noticed that my transmission fluid did not look right. I am so frustrated with this van that I have worked hard and struggled to pay for, but I did it. My entire family has always stuck by ford and I have always defended them. I can't afford another vehicle right now so I had to dig deep to pay for these repairs. I have done quite a bit of research on this vehicle and I cannot believe there hasn't been a recall on the transmission. Now I am stuck with driving a $35,000 van that I don't feel safe driving! [xxx] copy to: the federal safety agency (the federal safety agency) missouri attorney general (consumer protection) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I was parked outside my home.I went out to my van to go pick up dinner and to my distress, the van wouldn't reverse or go forward. After some investigation from online source and auto mechanics, this is an ongoing problem with ford's transmissions. No warning of a problem.in the past weeks,my interior lights would come on while im driving. This van is a hazard. You really need to investigate this please.
Abs light is on as well as check engine light.car is idling rough. Checked with numerous car repair places with no success. Also, van is pulling to the right even after I changed tires and did alignment check !
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times while driving 25 MPH and above with the illumination of the check engine and battery warning lights. The contact would shift into park, back into drive and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and two local repair shops yet the failure was unable to be duplicated or diagnosed. The alternator and the battery were replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not further repaired and the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The current mileage was approximately 141,000 and the failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
2003 ford windstar. Consumer writes in regards to the performance of the ford motor company and two safety recalls *tgw the consumer stated the inspections and repairs were not conducted in a timely, efficient, and responsible manner. The consumer stated when he finally received an appointment for the axle inspection, it was determined the axle was cracked in three places. The dealer did not have the replacement parts and the vehicle was deemed unsafe to drive, and therefore, it was left at the dealer for over a month. The consumer stated he then received another recall relating to the subframe. The consumer contacted the dealer regarding the second recall and was informed they were aware of it and he would be contacted when the repairs for the second recall had been completed. The consumer received a voice mail from the dealer stating the parts for the axle had arrived. However, it was discovered the engine had an oil leak, the sway bar link was broken in the front, the right front tire was badly worn on the inside and the left rear shock was completely blown out.
Brought my 2003 ford windstar sel (with 78,397 miles on it) in to dealer to have it checked for subframe recall, the engine light began flashing, and the ABS, brake light, and trac off lights had all gone on. During the diagnosis, they found that the subframe was fine, the spark plugs needed to be replaced, the ignition coil needed to be replace (causing cylinder 3 to misfire), and the PCM needed to be resealed for moisture. (march 3rd, 2011) they found no hard code for the brakes. We get the necessary work done, drive the van home, and within a day the ABS light, brake light, and trac off light come back on. Call and have the dealer look at van again, they now find code 1185 (pin point test found ABS module not responding). The dealer replaced the ABS module and rescanned with no codes and was road tested. Everything seemed fine (march 7th, 2011), I pick up van, within 4 hours, the ABS light, brake light, and trac off light are back on. As of right now, the van is back at the dealers being checked again. This is very disappointing. In the last week, I have had to bring this particular van in 4 times due to problems. This all comes after having work done on this van in december. In december 2010, they performed system diag,, dtcs, po174, po174, lean on both banks, inspect for vacuum leaks, found leaks at intake manifold runner control shafts, required intake manifold replacement to correct, replaced intake manifold and required parts, including cleaned fuel injector, changed oil and filter cleared dtcs, retested verified proper operation. Manifold, 2 seals, 5 gaskets, isolator, thermostat, anti-freeze, coupling, fuel system, filter, engine oil). This should not be the case with a van that has less than 80,000 miles on it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. The contact was driving 50 MPH when the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. The dealer was not contacted in regards to the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 157,000.
Engine light comes on every few weeks after being reset. Codes are for lean bank 1, 2. Vehicle was diagnosed with an intake leak. Mechanics have said that this is a long standing issue with the 3.8l engine in the windstar. Cost of repair is $600+. Vehicle will not pass emissions without being repaired.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. While driving approximately 50 MPH the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where she was informed the alternator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure has since recurred 5 times. After each failure, the vehicle was towed either to her home or to an authorized dealer where it was repaired. The failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 171,000.
Sit down, get a coffee, because you will be reading a book. I purchased a 2003 ford windstar, with 20,000 miles, in 2005. I've had nothing but major problems. In 12/2008 with 87,205 miles the transmission went,that was 2013.00 , then in 3-2009 check engine light, had to replace gaskets, that cost 500.00,. Then in 10/15/2010 I had to bring van in for different sensors, and ABS light, and emergency brake light kept coming on. That was . That was 232.00. Then on 10/19/2010 brought van in to the ford dealer, because none of my gauges work, letting me know how fast I'm going, or how much gas I have. They say it is the gauge cluster, that's 500.00 alone not including labor, they inform me I have a hole in the left rear axle, and I have to leave the van there, and I may also need a new alternator, and it may takes weeks for the part to come in. That's not including other miner repairs along the way. The best part of all. I still have 6 payments left. What rights do I have? I can't believe all the major issues. They should take this van, and give me a different one. Not a ford. I told you, that you were reading a book.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford windstar. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that he coasted to the side of the road. When he waited a few minutes after the vehicle stalled and turned it back on, it would perform correctly. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. The local mechanic advised him to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. The vehicle was eventually taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the intake manifold casket needed replaced. The dealer replaced the intake manifold casket, installed a throttle body spacer and throttle air valve assembly and re-flashed the PCM to the computer and the iac valve. The contact stated the failure occurred again while driving from the dealership. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the vehicle stayed for two weeks. The dealer then installed a crank shaft sensor and a wire assembly. The vehicle had not been repaired fully as the contact picked the vehicle up before final repairs were performed. The failure mileage was 90,252 and the current mileage was approximately 91,000. Updated 12/29/10 *bf updated 01/03/11
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2003 Ford Windstar?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history