2003 FORD WINDSTAR Power Train Problems
112 NHTSA complaints on file
All Power Train Complaints — Page 3
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TACOMETER BEGAN TO DISPLAY A HIGH READING. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 46,988. UPDATED 10/27/11*BF UPDATED 3/27/12 *CN
TRAVELING 65 MILES AN HOUR ON I-96 EASTBOUND , OUTSIDE OF THE DETROIT AREA. SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL POWERTRAIN FUNCTION. ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. ENGINE RUNS FINE, AND WILL GO INTO PARK.
TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING UP A HILL. LUCKILY WE WERE FAR ENOUGH UP THAT IT COASTED TO THE TOP. ALL GEARS FAILED ON THE TRANS, D/2/1/R. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION OR WORSE.. I HAVE FOUND THAT GREAT AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, IT IS ALMOST A GIVEN NOW THAT THE TRANS ON THIS VAN WILL FAIL. FORD SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM. COST TO ME FOR REPLACEMENT IS $3000.00.
TRANSMISSION REVERSE FAILURE. I NOW HAVE NO REVERSE. COST TO REBUILD IS $2,200.00 FROM DURABILD TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION FOR I DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO REPAIR IT AND HOPING THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART ALSO, SINCE THERE IS 5 OTHER RECALLS ON THE 2003 FORD WINDSTAR MINI-VAN. SINCE THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE, I'M USING IT CURRENTLY WITH NO REVERSE. I HAVE FOUND OVER 100 OTHER TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR LOCATED AT THIS LINK... HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/WINDSTAR/2003/TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION_FAILURE.SHTML I HAVE FOUND ON-LINE THAT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED WITH PREVIOUS WINDSTAR MODEL YEARS AND SEEM TO BE STILL HAPPENING EVEN THOUGH CORRECTIONS WERE ATTEMPTED. BELOW IS A LINK TO WIKIPEDIA AND TRANNY PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND LISTED UNDER PROBLEMS... HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/FORD_WINDSTAR I CURRENTLY HAVE MADE A RECALLS APPOINTMENT FOR THIS COMING THURS. WITH A FORD DEALER. I BELIEVE THESE WINDSTARS WERE LEMONS AND GLAD FORD...
COMPLETE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION WITH NO VISIBLE OR AUDIBLE WARNING. TRANSMISSION CHANGED PER FORD SPEC AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE FLUIDS. THERE IS A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT ACCORDING TO A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT REPORTING AGENCIES VIA THE WEB. THE TRANSMISSION IN A 2003 WINDSTAR SEEMS TO BE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO VERY EARLY AND UNACCEPTABLE FAILURE. I AM EXTREMELY THANKFUL THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT STOP AND NOT DURING OPERATION WITH MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS IN IT. FROM OTHER REPORTS VIA INDEPENDENT REPORTING AGENCIES, WE WERE FORTUNATE.
I TOOK MY CAR IN TO FORD DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MY SPEEDOMETER WAS SPINNING AND "STUCK" IN AN APPROXIMATE 5:00 O'CLOCK POSITION...IN ADDITION, MY PRNDL NEEDLE "STUCK" IN THE PARK POSITION AND WOULD NOT MOVE. ON TOP OF THIS, MY ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS WERE COMING ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY AND OCCASIONALLY SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING BURNING. THE FORD DEALER REPLACED MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. THE "FIX" DIDN'T LAST MORE THAN TWO WEEKS...THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHT IS BACK TO GOING ON AND OFF. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION THAT THEY GAVE ME, THE PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHT REPAIR...THEY ASSURED ME THAT MY SERVICE BRAKES STILL WORKED. IN THE PROCESS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT RECALLS TO THE 2003 FORD WINDSTAR FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN OTHER VEHICLES, HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THAT THESE RECALLS DIDN'T PERTAIN TO ME. IF...
2003 FORD WINDSTAR REAR AXLE READY TO BREAK. FORD SAYS IT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL EVEN TOUGH OUR DEALER DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM. *TR
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...
MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR KEEP SHOWING SYSTEM INFORMATION ERROR AND ABS, BRAKE LIGHT,OD OFFLIGHTS STAYS ON. THIS NORMALLY STARTS AFTER ABOUT TWO TO THREE MINUTES INTO DRIVING. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR THAT I PURCHASED AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2008 FROM A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. IN NOVEMBER, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT STARTED INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON THE DASH. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE VAN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A TRANSMISSION REPAIR AND HAD THEM LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC MODULE IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE SEEN THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD AND THEY HAVE YET TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE BRAKES STILL FUNCTION LIKE NORMAL, BUT THE ABS SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX THIS SINCE THE BRAKES WILL STILL TECHNICALLY WORK, BUT AS THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD I AM SHOCKED THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I WAS QUOTED $1,200...
WE OWN A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR VAN. EVER SINCE WE HAVE HAD THE VAN AFTER RUNNING AT CRUISING SPEED THE ENGINE WILL NOT IDLE DOWN. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. BEING A FORMER FORD TECH. I TRIED TO FIX IT MY SELF AND REPLACED THE TPS SENSOR WITH NO LUCK. NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET THE IDLE SPEED THE PROBLEM WILL COME BACK. WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH PROBLEM FOR THREE YEARS NOW AND ARE GROWING VERY TIRED. NOT ONLY IS THIS DANGEROUS IT IS WEARING OUT BRAKES FASTER. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM WHERE THE COMPUTER WILL NOT LOWER THE IDLE. I HAVE CHECKED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND THROTTLE VALVE AND NOTHING IS BINDING. I CAN'T BLAME THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP, I BLAME FORD. I HOPE THIS CAN BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I BOUGHT...
PURCHASED VEHICLE 10/17PM WITH 50 MILES REGISTERED ON ODOMETER. DRIVING THE CAR HOME FROM KING'S FORD, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SHIFTING WAS ROUGH UPON STARTING AND STOPPING THE CAR. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS ALSO FLASHING ON AND OFF. 10/18 AM, THE WINDSTAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO KING'S FORD SERVICE WHERE 2 DIAGNOSTIC CHECKS SHOWED TRANSMISSION TROUBLE.
Other 2003 FORD WINDSTAR Problem Areas
Service Brakes
296 complaints
Electrical System
262 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulic
209 complaints
Suspension
183 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmission
94 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
75 complaints
Service Brakes Electric
69 complaints
Suspensionrear
48 complaints
Structurebody
45 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slipabs Warning Light
36 complaints
Unknown Or Other
36 complaints
Steering
34 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling
32 complaints
Structureframe And Members
32 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip
27 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
25 complaints
Exterior Lighting
24 complaints
Interior Lighting
24 complaints
Air Bags
22 complaints
Engine
22 complaints
Latcheslockslinkages
18 complaints
Parking Brake
18 complaints
Wheels
18 complaints
Structure
17 complaints
Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields
17 complaints
Structurebodydoor
16 complaints
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch
15 complaints
Power Trainaxle Assembly
15 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slipcontrol Unitmodule
12 complaints
Suspensionfront
10 complaints
Suspensionrearaxlenon Powered Axle Assembly
10 complaints
Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel
9 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingengine
9 complaints
Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal
9 complaints
Exterior Lightingbrake Lights
7 complaints
Traction Control System
7 complaints
Equipment
6 complaints
Visibility
6 complaints
Visibilitypower Window Devices And Controls
6 complaints
Air Bagssidewindow
5 complaints
Fuel System Gasoline
5 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmissiontorque Converter
5 complaints
Seat Belts
5 complaints
Seats
5 complaints
Tires
5 complaints
Air Bagsfrontal
4 complaints
Electrical Systemwiringfuses And Circuit Breakers
4 complaints
Parking Brakeindicator Light
4 complaints
Suspensionfrontspringscoil Springs
4 complaints
Tirespressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
4 complaints
Electrical System12v24v48v Battery
3 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
3 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicpedals And Linkages
3 complaints
Steeringhydraulic Power Assistpump
3 complaints
Visibilityglass Siderear
3 complaints
Electrical Systemalternatorgeneratorregulator
2 complaints
Electrical Systemwiring
2 complaints
Electrical Systemwiringinteriorunder Dash
2 complaints
Electronic Stability Controlautomatic Asc
2 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System
2 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline
2 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust Systememission Control
2 complaints
Exterior Lightingbrake Lightsswitch
2 complaints
Seatsmidrear Assembly
2 complaints
Service Brakes Air
2 complaints
Service Brakes Airantilockabs Warning Light
2 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsmaster Cylinder
2 complaints
Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac System
2 complaints
Air Bagsfrontalsensorcontrol Module
1 complaint
Back Over Prevention Warnings
1 complaint
Child Seat
1 complaint
Electrical Systemignitionanti Theftcontrol Module
1 complaint
Equipment Adaptivemobility
1 complaint
Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner
1 complaint
Equipmentelectricalradiotape Deckcd Etc
1 complaint
Equipmentmechanicalaccessory Scissorscrewbottle Jacklift
1 complaint
Exterior Lightingheadlights
1 complaint
Exterior Lightingturn Signal
1 complaint
Power Trainmanual Transmission
1 complaint
Seat Beltsfront
1 complaint
Seat Beltsfrontretractor
1 complaint
Seatsfront Assemblypower Adjust
1 complaint
Service Brakes Airantilockinterconnecting Assemblywiring
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicbrake Fluid Low Warning Lamp
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Components
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdisc
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdiscpads
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdrumwheel Cylinders
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicpower Assist
1 complaint
Steeringcolumn Lockinganti Theft Device
1 complaint
Steeringelectric Power Assist System
1 complaint
Steeringlinkagestie Rod Assembly
1 complaint
Suspensionfrontcontrol Arm
1 complaint
Tirestreadbelt
1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Controlcruise Control
1 complaint
Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac Systemwindshieldelectrical Heating Element
1 complaint
Visibilitywiper
1 complaint
Wheelshub
1 complaint
Wheelslugsnutsboltsstuds
1 complaint
Wheelsrim
1 complaint