2000 Ford Windstar stability control problems

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MY FORD WINDSTAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. IT TURNS ON AND OFF ON THE DASHBOARD RANDOMLY. WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS ON, THE ABS IS NOT WORKING. WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS OFF, THE ABS IS WORKING. I HAD MY MECHANIC FIX THIS FOR $850. THREE WEEKS LATER, THE NEW PART STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I NEVER KNOW HOW TO BRAKE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION BECAUSE THE ABS IS ON SOME OF THE TIME AND OFF SOME OF THE TIME.

NHTSA complaint #11139679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE RADIATOR AND WATER PUMP WENT BAD AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AS I WAS DRIVING. THE ELECTRICAL LOCKS ON THE DOORS LOCKS US IN REGULARLY, WHILE DRIVING IT OFTEN SLIDES ON IT'S OWN. THERE'S A GOOD BIT OF THINGS GOING ON WITH MY CAR THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TO TELL YOU ABOUT.

NHTSA complaint #10863591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE ABS AND TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON. IF I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IT SOMETIMES THE WARNING LIGHTS WILL GO OFF BUT THIS IS INCONSISTENT AT BEST. IF I HIT A BUMP THE SYSTEMS WILL GO OFF. IT DOES SEEM WORSE AFTER THE VEHICLE WARMS UP. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS FAILURE OF MY BRAKING SYSTEM.

NHTSA complaint #10714454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE ABS LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON.

NHTSA complaint #10632106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS WILL SOMETIMES ILLUMINATE AT THE SAME TIME WITH A WARNING CHIME. UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND TURNED OFF/ON; THESE LIGHTS WILL REMAIN LIT AND NEITHER THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL WILL FUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #10606169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ABS LIGHT ON DASH AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS MALFUNCTION AT DIFFERENT TIMES ALONG WITH DISPLAYS THAT HAVE CHARACTERS IN DASH THAT ARE UN-FAMILIAR. BEEPS OCCUR THAT I FIND NO EXPLANATION IN MANUAL. HAVE HAD 2 MALFUNCTION IN ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK PASSENGER SIDE DOORS FROM OUTSIDE DOORS. REAR DOOR LATCH CANNOT BE OPENED EXCEPT WITH KEY IN EVENT OF CERTAIN TYPES OF CRASHES ESPECIALLY IF OCCUPANTS ARE NOT CONSCIOUS.

NHTSA complaint #10560132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE BRAKING ON SNOW AND ICE, ABS STOPPED WORKING AND VAN SKIDDED OUT OF MY CONTROL, PUMPED BRAKES UNTIL VEHICLE CAME TO STOP, LUCKILY DID NOT OCCUR AT NEXT INTERSECTION,OR WOULD HAVE SLID INTO BUSY INTERSECTION !! BROUGHT TO SHOP AND THEY DID SOME DIAGNOSTICS AND CAME UP WITH VAN NEEDING A NEW ABS/TRACTION CONTROL MODULE. VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. UPWARDS OF $2000.00, IF BOTH ABS MODULE AND ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL PARTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. WENT ONLINE AND HAVE READ MANY MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL OF VAN. FORD KNOWS AND THEY WONT ISSUE OR RECALL A MAJOR SAFETY / BRAKE RECALL......THIS COULD CAUSE SOMEONE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH !!! BRAKES ARE THERE TO SAFELY STOP A VEHICLES MOTION !!!!! DEALER SAYS VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE WINDSTARS.IF FORD COULD FESS UP AND MAKE PART VERY AFFORDABLE THEN I COULD FIX VAN MYSELF. REAR AXLES,SUBFRAMES BREAKING HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM. SINCERELY, [XXX] HERE IS ONE LINK TO A SITE I WAS ON HTTP://WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALL.INFO/ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10556067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, CRUISE CONTROL SET TO 60MPH. MY CRUISE SHUT OFF, MY ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. IF YOU SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND LET IT COOL DOWN, IT WILL STAY OFF FOR A WHILE, BUT USUALLY COMES ON WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS OF BEGINNING TO DRIVE. AND THE BRAKES WILL WORK, BUT I WILL NOT HAVE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL AT ALL.

NHTSA complaint #10553945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL MY INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDLES (GAS, RPM, MILEAGE, TEMPERATURE) WERE ALL JUMPING AROUND. THIS WENT ON ALL THE WAY HOME. I PARKED THE CAR BUT THE RPM NEEDLE WAS STUCK AND I COULD NOT SHIFT THE CAR INTO PARK (P) AND COULD NOT TURN OFF THE CAR. I CALLED A LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE CAME OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL (N) AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE MECHANIC TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CHECKED. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE RPM NEEDLE SO THAT I COULD SHIFT THE CAR BUT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUES TO SPORADICALLY GO FROM WORKING, TO NOT WORKING AT ALL, TO ALL THE NEEDLES JUMPING AROUND. THE MECHANIC WAS AWARE THAT I HAD THE TRANSMISSION DONE 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN SEPT. 2003 AND TOLD ME THAT THE MALFUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES.

NHTSA complaint #10522850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

VAN WOULD/RUNS FOR OVER AN HOUR, SHUT OFF FOR 15 MINUTES AND TRY TO RESTART, AND IT WON'T. AFTER MULTIPLES ISSUES WITH THIS, AND BEING ABLE TO TEMPORARILY REPAIR, SPEEDOMETER AND RPM METERS ARE NOW STICKING PERMANENTLY AND ARE NOT SHOWING SPEED OR RPM'S ACCURATELY AT ALL! MORE ISSUES TOO...

NHTSA complaint #10461984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MASSIVELY ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ALL OF THE GAUGES; THE SPEEDOMETER AND RPM GAUGES, HEAT AND ALL JUST JUMP RAPIDLY UP AND DOWN. SOMETIMES THEY GIVE FALSE INDICATORS. THE HEAT METER ARM GOES UP WHEN IT IS NOT HOT. IT'S REALLY SCARY. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR WEEKS. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN AND I AM NOT SURE WHY IT HAPPENS. THIS IS A MINIVAN I.E. A FAMILY CAR. I CANNOT WAIT TO GET RID OF THIS CAR. I'LL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10458482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

I OWN A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE QUIT WORKING FOR THE THIRD TIME. THIS ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHILE I AM DRIVING IN THE RAIN, WHICH IS NOT SAFE AT ALL, BUT YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED DURING A VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH! IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WIPER MOTOR FAILURE AND THE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE SEEN A RECALL IN THE PAST ON THE 2000 FORD WINDSTAR FOR THIS SAME COMPLAINT. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT MY WINDSTAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. AS MUCH OF A HASSLE AND AN EXPENSE IT IS TO HAVE THE WIPER MOTOR REPLACED, IT'S STILL NOT AS MUCH A HASSLE AS IT IS DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT NOT ONLY DO THE WIPERS RANDOMLY QUIT WORKING WITHOUT ANY WARNING BUT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WILL KICK OFF ALL THE TIME AND FORD WON'T FIX OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE FAILURES THAT SO MANY OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS CONTINUE TO HAVE. HOW MANY RECALLS ON SAFETY ISSUES DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE BEFORE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS RECALLED? THE FRAME, THE SUSPENSION, THE WIPERS, THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM, ALL THE THINGS THAT A DRIVER TRULY NEEDS TO SAFELY TRANSPORT THEIR FAMILY AROUND HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON THE WINDSTAR. THIS DOESN'T EVEN TOUCH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE LEAN SYSTEM BANK 1 & 2 ERROR CODES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON FOR THE SAME CODE. I'M SURE THIS HAS A LOT TO DO THE TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE THAT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT THE ORIGINAL STICKER QUOTED!. OR THE TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUES IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT. A LOT OF THE WINDSTAR'S ISSUES STARTED WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND JUST CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. IF WERE UP TO ME I WOULD DEFINITELY CALL THE VEHICLE A LEMON. P.S. AFTER TALKING TO MY NEIGHBOR, HE ALSO HAS REPLACED HIS WINDSTAR'S WIPER MOTOR THREE TIMES. SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO MORE VEHICLES THAN JUST MINE.

NHTSA complaint #10418314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

I OWN A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. I HAVE RECENTLY HAD MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT GO ON AND STAY ON, ALONG WITH MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ALSO STAYING ON AND FINALLY, MY SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER WORKS ABOVE 40 KM PER HOUR. ALL OF THESE HAPPENED EXACTLY THE SAME TIME. I TOOK IT INTO FORD AND THEY ARE SAYING I NEED A NEW ABS MODULE BUT AFTER READING ABOUT THEIR ABS RECALL ISSUES AND MUCH WRITTEN ABOUT HOW THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON, I AM INCLINED TO THINK FORD SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM. HENCE MY COMPLAINT TO YOU GUYS.

NHTSA complaint #10373759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON DURING OPERATION FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE DAYS. AFTER THAT TIME, BOTH LIGHTS ARE CONTINUALLY LIT.

NHTSA complaint #10355536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON DURING OPERATION FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE DAYS. AFTER THAT TIME, BOTH LIGHTS ARE CONTINUALLY LIT.

NHTSA complaint #10355536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

2000 FORD WINDSTAR ECM CONTROL FAILURE LEADING TO INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCE. RELATED TO FORD RECALL 09S09, BUT ECM NOT REPLACED UNDER RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10354793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. WHEN THE ENGINE HEATS UP A LITTLE THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON INDICATING THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER WORKING. IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED THE LIGHT ARE OFF FOR AWHILE UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS HAD TIME TO HEAT UP.

NHTSA complaint #10353840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

2000 FORD WINDSTAR WITH 131,800 MILES ON IT CAME TO A HALT AFTER GOING OVER A ROUGH PIECE OF ROAD THAT IT NAVIGATES ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE BACK AXLE BROKE IN HALF CAUSING THE TIRES TO POINT INWARD AND RUBBED ON THE FENDER WELLS. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS REPAIR WILL COST US!!!

NHTSA complaint #10343540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ABS ECM FAILURE - DURING RECALL REPAIRS TO THE ABS SWITCH, TROUBLE SHOOTING DISCOVERED A MALFUNCTIONING ABS ECM MODULE. CUSTOMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT A RESULT OF LEAKING BRAKE SWITCH.

NHTSA complaint #10340360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

NOT WORKING CRUISE CONTROL, DEFECTIVE ODOMETER STARTED WHEN I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT ALL THE GAUGES IN MY DASHBOARD (FUELGAUGE,RPM GAUGE,ODOMETER,AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE SWUNG BACK AND FORTH. THE OTHER GAUGES RETURNED TO NORMAL WHEN I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE BUT THE ODOMETER WAS STUCK AND THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING.

NHTSA complaint #10288656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

AROUND THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, 2009, MY 2000 FORD WINDSTAR BEGAN HAVING ITS ABS WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATE ON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THIS WOULD OCCUR SEEMINGLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THOUGH ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2009, I NOTICED THAT AFTER ENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THEREAFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE LAMP APPEARED. THE LAMP WOULD USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, CEASE ILLUMINATING AFTER I HAD STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10283846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WE LOST OUR ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, CRUISE CONTROL AND AIR CONDITIONING ON A RECENT TRIP FROM VA TO NC. AT FIRST, REPLACING THE #10AMP FUSE TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM. WITHIN ONE WEEK, THE FUSES BEGAN TO BLOW AS SOON AS THE CAR IS TURNED ON. NOW, IT BLOWS THE FUSE EACH TIME A NEW ONE IS REPLACED. THEREFORE, NO ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, COOL AIR, CRUISE CONTROL, ETC. AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH ON LINE, WE HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS SOURCES WITH INCREDIBLE DOCUMENTATION AND CONSISTENCY SHOWING THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERVASIVE ACROSS FORD WINDSTAR PRODUCTS IN THE AGE RANGE OF OUR VAN. WE HAVE NOT HAD A FIRE, BUT THERE IS ENOUGH OF A RECORD ON THIS, THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT WITH FORD BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A FIRE THAT CAUSES DEATH OR INJURY. THANKS FOR A RESPONSE ON WHAT WE CAN EXPECT NEXT.

NHTSA complaint #10232378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.