2000 Ford Windstar Driver assistance Problems

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 ID

11139679

Incident

Jan 2, 2015

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS REPLACED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ID

10908693

Incident

Sep 6, 2002

Mileage

19,000 mi

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 ID

10863591

Incident

Apr 29, 2016

Mileage

187 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714454

Incident

Apr 10, 2015

Mileage

124,000 mi

THE ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN DRIVING CAR OVER 45MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER STARTS JUMPING ALL OVER THE METER AND THE ODOMETER IS NO LONGER READING MILES. THIS IS THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V399000. APPARENTLY, EVEN THOUGH FORD RECALLED WINDSTARS, OUR WINDSTAR WAS SOMEHOW NOT QUALIFIED EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10705058

Incident

Feb 4, 2015

Mileage

85,000 mi

DURING A TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 70 MPH THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON AS LONG AS VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN UNTIL ITS RESTARTED AGAIN AND CYCLE CONTINUES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649962

Incident

Jul 12, 2010

Mileage

110,000 mi

FOR SOME REASON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL CUSTARD NEEDLES STARTED,TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN FOR NO REASON AND SOMETIMES ITS OK.THAN YOU BE DRIVING AND EVERYTHING ITS OK, BUT THAN THERE GOES THE NEEDLES BOUNCING UP AND DOWN AGAIN AND THAN IT STOPS OR IF I STOP AT STORE OR GAS STATION AND START THE IGNITION AGAIN IT DOES IT AGAIN.PROBLEM 2, BEFORE THE FIRES ON THE FORD VEHICLES ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH MINE HAD ALREADY BURNED OUT AS I WAS AT THE STORE PARKING LOT I PICKED UP MY HOOD AND THERE WAS THE SMOKE AND SHORT WIRES BELOW THE BRAKE FLUID HOLDER I FIXED IT,ON MY OWN THAN SEE ALL THE PROBLEMS ON THE DAILY NEWS. THIS HAPPEN WHEN I ONLY HADABOUT 85000 MILES.PROBLEM 3, FOR SOME REASON I'M HAVING WITH MY ABS,THE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND MY BRAKES DON'T WORK RIGHT,BUT WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS OFF MY BRAKES WORK FINE, I TELL YOU FORD CAN REALLY MAKE SORRY VANS LIKE THE WINDSTAR LX MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649538

Incident

Sep 4, 2014

Mileage

186,888 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10632106

Incident

Sep 10, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

I HAD STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN. WHEN IT WAS CLEAR FOR ME TO GO, I ACCELERATED AND WHEN I GOT TO THE NEXT STO SIGN AND SLOWED OWN, MY CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES, HEARD A LOUD VROOM AND THE CAR KEPT GOING. IT'S HAPPEN 3 MORE TIMES. ONE TIME, I WAS AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT DRIVE THRU. I WAS SLOWING DOWN AS I GOT IN LINE AND WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKES, THE CAR MADE A LOUD VROOM SOUND AND KEEP GOING. I KEPT PUSHING ON THE BRAKES AND IT FINALLY STOPPED. I CANNOT REMEMBER IF I PUT THE CAR IN PARK OR NOT BUT I THINK I DID THAT TIME. I WOULD HAVE TAPPED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. I READ ONLINE ABOUT A SON WHOSE MOTHERS WIND STAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT MAY NEED TO BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10629401

Incident

Nov 21, 2013

Mileage

140,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10606169

Incident

Feb 11, 2014

Mileage

127,000 mi

THE BRAKE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS) (2B264) LOCATED UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER (BEHIND THE AIR FILTER) OVER TIME DEVELOPS A LEAK. THIS CAUSES A SHORT AND A FUSE TRIP, FUSE #10 IF THE ENGINE IS ON. THIS LEAK ALSO CAUSES BRAKE FLUID TO WICK DOWN TWO WIRES TO THE ABS BRAKE MODULE (2C219). THE FLUID ACCUMULATES ON THE (ALWAYS ON) POWER CONNECTORS FOR THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH ARE POWERED BY FUSES 101 AND 102 AND ARE BOTH 40 AMP. THE FLUID ATTRACTS MOISTURE, ROAD SALT AND LEADS TO A FIRE WHEN THE FLUID AND MOISTURE ACT AS CONDUCTOR BETWEEN THE HOT LEADS AND GROUND. THIS SWITCH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF OTHER FORD RECALLS, JUST NOT MY WINDSTAR VAN YET. MY WIRING HARNESS WHEN INSPECTED WAS WET WITH BRAKE FLUID, INCLUDING THE CONNECTIONS AND THE INLINE FUSES, WHICH BASICALLY PERMITS ELECTRICITY TO JUMP PAST THE INLINE FUSES AND CONTINUE TO HEAT UP THE WIRING HARNESS. THE FUSES BODIES CRUMBLED WHEN INSPECTED. SINCE MOST DOUBLE SIDE DOOR VANS ARE PREDOMINANTLY DRIVEN BY LARGE FAMILIES, THE POSSIBILITY OF MULTIPLE FATALITIES PER VEHICLE DUE TO A HORRIFIC DEATH FROM BEING BURNT ALIVE IS A VALID POINT TO CONSIDER. MOST VEHICLE FIRES SPREAD SO FAST THAT UNSTRAPPING MULTIPLE SMALL CHILDREN FROM RESTRAINT SEATS WOULD TAKE AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH SMOKE INHALATION AND THE HEAT OF FLAMES TO PROHIBIT RESCUE. THANK YOU FOR INVESTIGATING THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10597232

Incident

Jun 9, 2014

Mileage

115,146 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR AN HOUR WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL IN 2011, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10587455

Incident

May 4, 2014

Mileage

200,000 mi

2000 FORD WINDSTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM MODIFICATION RECALL NOTICE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HE RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IDLING CORRECTLY. THE DEALER STATED THE WORK PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE IMPROPER IDLING ISSUE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE HAD A VACUUM LEAK, AROUND THE MASTER CYLINDER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10577697

Incident

Dec 28, 2012

THE ABS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WENT ON (AGAIN, AFTER I HAD NUMEROUS ITEMS REPAIRED OR REPLACED ON THIS VAN). I WENT BACK TO MY MECHANIC WHO FOUND THAT A PART WAS NEEDED, CALLED THE C1185 AND IS PART OF THE ABS MODULE SYSTEM. I THEN WENT TO FORD DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THIS PART COULD BE REPLACED, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE MANUFACTURER FOR THIS PART HAD GONE OUT OF BUSINESS AND THE PART WAS NO LONGER MADE! I HAVE HAD THESE ITEMS REPAIRED/REPLACED ON THIS 2000 WINDSTAR SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN DECEMBER 2013: 1) FORD DEALERSHIP REPLACED TEN-SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH PER RECALL 2) MY MECHANIC THEN REPAIRED THE ELECTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM, SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER, WHICH WAS TIED IN WITH THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (REPAIRS WERE OVER $420) 3) MY MECHANIC REINSTALLED IMPROPERLY INSTALLED REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER 4) MY MECHANIC INSTALLED NEW BATTERY *TR

NHTSA ID

10564875

Incident

Feb 18, 2014

Mileage

99,505 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560132

Incident

Dec 18, 2013

Mileage

111,009 mi

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). *TR

NHTSA ID

10556067

Incident

Dec 13, 2013

Mileage

136,291 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10553945

Incident

May 16, 2011

Mileage

175,000 mi

WE WERE DRIVING ON LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN ABS AND TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. WE THEN HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS JUMPING FROM 20 TO 50 SPORADICALLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED EVERYTHING IS NORMAL, BUT RECURS SHORTLY AFTER DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549009

Incident

Oct 10, 2013

Mileage

605,000 mi

THE ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR NO REASON. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THE ONLY CODE THAT WAS AFFECTING THE LIGHT WAS THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE SPEED SENSOR WHICH WE REPLACED AND THE CODE WENT AWAY. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOSENT WORK AND THE LIGHT COMES ON AND BREAKING IS SOMETIMES MUCH MORE DIFFICULT WHEN SLICK/WET AND LIABLE TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE FORD RECALL FROM 6/2012 RELATINGN TO ABS LIGHT AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE C1185

NHTSA ID

10545052

Incident

Sep 14, 2011

Mileage

139,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522850

Incident

Jul 11, 2011

Mileage

97,000 mi

ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING, CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK, SPEEDOMETER AND RMP GUAGE GOES CRAZY AND STOPS WORKING, LEAKING BREAK FLIUD BUT CAN'T SEEM TO LOCATE PROBLEM, INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, DOOR LOCKS WILL START GOING UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING, REAR PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY AND WILL SOMETIME POP OUT BUT NOT COMPLETELY OPEN WHILE DRIVING, MAKES NOISE WHEN TURING LEFT I HAD THE RACK AND PINION CHANGED BUT THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM THE NOISE JUST GOT WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10521819

Incident

Apr 5, 2013

ABS LIGHT ON INTERMITTENTLY. INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ERRATIC SOMETIMES. CRUISE CONTROL NOT FUNCTIONAL AT TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514333

Incident

Oct 5, 2010

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. *TR UPDATED 05/10/13*LJ UPDATED 05/17/2013 *JS

NHTSA ID

10503500

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY 2000 FORD WINDSTAR VAN HAS FREQUENT AND INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON AND EVENTUALLY GOING OFF; THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING SOMETIMES EVEN AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER; AND THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER) ERRATICALLY MALFUNCTIONING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THESE ARE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH FORD WINDSTAR AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO RECALLS. (EVEN THOUGH THE MILEAGE IS HIGH, I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION AND A BRAND NEW ENGINE IN 2006 AND 2007, RESPECTIVELY. ONLY LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE SINCE 2006.) *TR

NHTSA ID

10491679

Incident

May 1, 2011

Mileage

240,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS BURNING FUMES WERE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE AFTER ENGAGING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,140.

NHTSA ID

10479395

Incident

Oct 6, 2012

Mileage

200,000 mi