2003 Ford Windstar Fuel system Problems

PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND YET WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT WE HAVE TO EAT THE FINANCIAL BILLS INSTEAD OF FORD. FROM SENSORS FAILING, TO INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHING AT US, AND THE VEHICLE SPUTTERING WHILE WE DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD. FORD KNOWS THAT THE 1999- 2003 WINDSTAR HAVE SERIOUS SAFETY AND ELECTRICAL FAILURES, YET THEY DO NOT WANT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT THEIR COST. FORD WOULD RATHER PASS ON THEIR PROBLEMS ONTO THE CONSUMER AND AT THE CONSUMER'S COST. 2013 AT OUR COST OF $1,000.00+ WE REPLACED THE COIL ASSEMBLY PACK, EGR SYSTEM WITH BRACKETS, OXYGEN SENSORS, SPARK PLUGS, AND WIRES. NOW WE ARE REPLACING THEM AGAIN. THE ABS SYSTEM, THE TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL ALL INTERWOVEN AND ALL FAILED IN 2009 AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT IS NOT IMPORTANT BY THE DEALERSHIPS. WE PLACED OUR OBD SCANNER ON OUR VEHICLE AND THIS IS WHAT WE PULLED. P0302, P0305, P0316, C1235, C1185, C1198, C1194, C1254, C1246, C1250, C1242, C1214, C1210, C1103, C1410, C1404, B1318. WE WERE TOLD BY MANY "SERVICE DEPARTMENTS" A WHILE BACK THAT THESE CODES WERE NOT IMPORTANT. THEY CLEARED THE CODES EVERY TIME. THEIR RESPONSE TO THESE CODES WERE TO CLEAR THEM EVERY TIME. WHY ARE WE HAVING TO REPLACE THE COIL ASSEMBLY PACKS, WIRES, EGR SYSTEM WITH BRACKETS, OXYGEN SENSORS,AND PLUGS SO OFTEN, WHEN WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THESE PLATINUM PLUGS AND WIRES SHOULD LAST 150K? WE HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS VEHICLE YEARS AGO. FORD SHOULD COMPENSATE US FOR OUR TROUBLES, INSTEAD THEY INCREASED OUR FINANCIAL BURDEN, AND FORD SHOULD HAVE PLACED US INTO A SAFER VEHICLE ALL AT THEIR COST. THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE. WHEN IT FAILS, WE HAVE TO PAY THOUSANDS TO GET IT REPAIRED AT OUR COST. FORD SHOULD TAKE ON THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS THESE ISSUES. MAJOR REPAIRS= 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, AND NOW 2015. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702303

Incident

Jun 1, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10552786

Incident

Nov 17, 2013

Mileage

138,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, SHE NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10524125

Incident

May 15, 2013

Mileage

200,000 mi

MY ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN COMING ON WHILE DRIVING. LEAN CODES P0171 AND P0174 ARE SHOWING. ALSO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, MAINLY LOCKS HAVE BECOME INCONSISTENT. WHEN USING REMOTE TO OPEN LOCKS, SOMETIMES A DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN ON DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE. ALSO, INTERIOR LIGHTS SOMETIMES DON'T SHUT OFF WHEN SUPPOSED TOO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10501002

Incident

Dec 20, 2012

Mileage

105,000 mi

THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL INITIATED BY FORD FOR CORROSION OF THE ENGINE CRADLE - 2003 FORD WINDSTAR STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS NHTSA CAMPAIGN #11V030000. FORD REPAIRED THE LEFT SIDE ONLY, LEAVING THE RIGHT SIDE RUSTED AND NOW SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT RUST HOLES HAVE APPEARED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. FORD DISCLAIMS ANY RESPONSIBILITY SAYING THAT THEY MADE THE REPAIR PROPERLY BUT I CLAIM THEY MADE THE REPAIR INADEQUATELY. BAD METAL IS BAD METAL AND REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THE HOLES WERE DISCOVERED OVER A YEAR LATER IS INAPPLICABLE AS GOOD METAL DOES NOT RUST THROUGH TO THE POINT OF CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE ENGINE CRADLE FAILS, THE ENGINE WILL FALL FROM THE VEHICLE, POTENTIALLY WHILE MOVING. GAS WILL SPEW ACROSS THE ROAD AND A FIREBALL WILL IGNITE. OTHER DRIVERS WILL EITHER HIT THE ENGINE, SWERVE TO MISS IT AND HIT OTHER VEHICLES, AND/OR GET CAUGHT IN THE INFERNO WHICH WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, HUMAN HARM AND NEEDLESS DEATHS. FORD INITIATED THIS SAFETY RECALL BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND THE ISSUE REMAINS. SAFETY WAS NOT IMPROVED BY SIMPLY REPAIRING ONE SIDE OF THE ENGINE CRADLE ALLOWING THE OTHER SIDE TO CORRODE TO THE POINT OF SIZEABLE RUST HOLES BEING CREATED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FOLLOWING THE INITIAL INADEQUATE REPAIR. ONCE A SAFETY RECALL IS INITIATED, IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC TO ENSURE THAT THE REPAIR IS PROPERLY AND COMPLETELY MADE AND THEREFORE THAT THE SAFETY ISSUE IS FULLY RESOLVED.

NHTSA ID

10493862

Incident

Jan 5, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

FIRST OF ALL THERE IS A SHORT LOCATED BY THE STEERING WHEEL AROUND THE AIR BAG. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY SO I CHANGED IT AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER MY VAN WOULD NOT START. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, SO I TOOK IT TO AN OLD MAN THAT JUST DID ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON AUTOMOBILES. HE SAID IT WAS A BAD WIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND HE SAID TO REPAIR IT WOULD COST A LOT OF MONEY, SO HE BYPASSED SOME WIRES AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE, BUT WHEN YOU OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE DOOR CHIMES, LIKE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION. HE ONLY CHARGED ME $75. ALSO I WOULD BE DRIVING AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME. ALSO THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR A WHILE AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS A BAD ABS STEERING BOX. TO REPLACE IT WOULD COST AROUND $1000. I HAVE HAD ALSO THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED BECAUSE THE FORD DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ALSO WHEN IN PARKED. IT COST ME ABOUT $600 TO REPLACE IT. I TOOK IT TO PEP BOYS AND THEY FOUND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I ALSO HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED, BECAUSE IT KEPT SHUTTING OFF WHILE AT THE GROCERY STORES AND HAD IT TOWED BY AAA 3 TIMES IN ABOUT A YEAR. BOTTOM LINE, I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE WHILE I AM ALIVE. THEY ARE GOOD FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEN THEY START FAILING. SO SAD, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN A FORD GUY FOR OVER 35 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464561

Incident

Sep 26, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND RESULTED IN THE FUEL PUMP BEING REPLACED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,206. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 2/8/12 *CN

NHTSA ID

10395607

Incident

Oct 18, 2006

Mileage

30,206 mi

WITH NO PRIOR PROBLEMS TO REPORT, I WAS SUDDENLY UNABLE TO PUT MY VEHICLE IN GEAR AFTER STARTING IT. THE GEAR-SHIFTER FELT SOMEWHAT LOOSE AS IF I WERE PARKED AT AN INCLINE WITHOUT PUTTING THE HAND BRAKE ON. HOWEVER, I WAS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK AND INTO NEUTRAL WHERE I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND PUT IT INTO DRIVE. WHENEVER I PLACED IT IN PARK IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET IT BACK INTO ANY OTHER GEAR HOWEVER, IT WOULD RANDOMLY GO INTO GEAR AS IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. BUT ONCE PLACED BACK INTO PARK IT WOULD GET STUCK AGAIN. NOW THERE IS ALL KINDS OF WACKY ELECTRICAL STUFF GOING ON...WINDOW SWITHCHES AREN'T FUNCTIONING, NO TAIL LIGHTS, FUEL GAGE IS NOT FUNCTIONING AND THE REMOTE ALARM ENTRY ONLY UNLOCKS THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THERE IS A CLICKING IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN TRYING TO UTILIZE ANY OF THE LISTED ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278411

Incident

Jul 25, 2009

Mileage

77,971 mi