2003 Ford Windstar Visibility Problems

STARTED HAVING WIPER ISSUES (INTERMITTENT DID NOT WORK) RANDOMLY FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, THEN HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT ON HIGHWAY AT NIGHT WITH NO OTHER CARS, FIRST FOR A COUPLE SECONDS OFF THEN ON THEN OFF FOR GOOD AFTER A FEW MORE SECONDS. AFTER ANOTHER 10 MIN OR SO THEY WENT BACK ON AND STAYED ON. ALSO WIPERS DID NOT WORK, OR RADIO, WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS. ANOTHER TIME DURING HEAVY RAIN IN DAYTIME THE SYSTEM FAILED AGAIN, WIPERS WENT OFF. THIS WAS ON BUSY HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THEY WENT ON AGAIN AFTER 10S AND I WAS ABLE TO SEE AND PULL OVER. VERY SCARY. HAPPENED OFF AND ON AGAIN. TURNED OUT FORWARD CONTROL MODULE WAS BAD. DEALER REPLACED ONE I GOT FROM JUNKYARD, NO MORE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11165003

Incident

Oct 23, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

BATTERY WAS DEAD ALL OF A SUDDEN... JUMPED IT AND ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING... DOME LIGHT DASH LIGHTS... WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND THEY WERE TURNED OFF... DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN UNTIL THE GAS WAS PRESSED AND THEN IT ALL CAME BACK ON... CALLED SEVERAL PLACES AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG.

NHTSA ID

10512135

Incident

Apr 27, 2013

Mileage

195,000 mi

LIGHTS TURN ON AND OF INSIDE THE CAR. THE ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT ON AND OFF. WINDOWS STOP WORKING GET STUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10471919

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

2003 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN TO A WORKPLACE AND PARKED FOR THE DAY. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL HOME, DRIVER STARTED VEHICLE NORMAL AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR TO MOVE FROM THE PARKING SPACE. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO EITHER DRIVE (FORWARD) OR REVERSE (BACKWARD). VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND THEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION EXCEEDS $2500. THE TRANSMISSION HAD SHOWN NO SIGNS OF SLIPPAGE OR OTHER VISIBLE, AUDIBLE AND/OR SHIFTING ISSUES. SINCE THE INCIDENT, I HAVE DONE ONLINE RESEARCHED AND FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND INCIDENTS ON THIS VEHICLE MODEL. WE HAVE ALSO HAVE REPEATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VAN. INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AND GO OFF FOR NO REASON. INTERIOR LIGHTS BLINK WHILE DRIVING IN DAYTIME OR NIGHTTIME. SOMETIMES THE REAR POWER WING WINDOWS OPEN...SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT. SERVICE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INCLUDING BRAKE AND ABS SYSTEM LIGHTS, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS, AND OTHERS. WE ARE THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10452615

Incident

Mar 12, 2012

Mileage

115,540 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT OPERATE, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SHUT ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE POWER WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN OR CLOSE, AND THE POWER DOORS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL INSTANCES WHEN CHILDREN BECAME LOCKED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS INOPERABLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HOWEVER, DID NOT EVALUATE THE VEHICLE FOR THE OTHER FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10433823

Incident

Jul 1, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

THERE IS SOME KIND OF MALFUNCTION IN THE 2003 FORD WINDSTARS. THE WINDOWS WILL STOP WORKING ALL AT ONCE OR AT RANDOM TIMES. THE LIGHTS WILL STOP WORKING AND THEN START AGAIN. THE RADIO WILL STOP WORKING AND START AGAIN. THESE ARE ALL ON RANDOM FUSES. FORD SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM IF THEY DO NOT EXPERIENCE IT. THE PROBLEMS WILL LAST FOR A FEW MINUTES OR UP TO DAYS AT A TIME. THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO WILL NOT ENGAGE AT TIMES. THESE ARE ALL GETTING POWER AS THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL TELL YOU IT IS READY TO ENGAGE AND WHEN YOU TRY TO ENGAGE IT , IT SAYS ITS BEEN DEACTIVATED. THE RADIO WILL EJECT OR LOAD CD BUT WILL NOT COME ON. WE HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION YET BUT FEEL THIS CAN BE A PROBLEM IF THE LIGHTS GO OUT AT THE WRONG TIME. EVEN THE WINDOWS NOT OPENING CAN BE A PROBLEM. IF A BEE OR SOMETHING ELSE GETS STUCK IN THE VAN YOU CAN NOT ALWAYS STOP TO GET IT OUT. AS MY HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER ARE VERY ALLERGIC TO THEM IT IS A DANGER NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THEM. IN LOOKING UP SOLUTIONS I HAVE NOTICED A GREAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10422759

Incident

Apr 10, 2011

Mileage

136,789 mi

BLEND DOOR BROKEN AND MOTOR CLICKING ON HEATER. WON'T DEFROST AND NO HEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384086

Incident

Feb 19, 2011

Mileage

135,000 mi

I HAVE ROUGHLY A 40 MINUTE DRIVE TO WORK. IT WAS A COLD DAY AND DROVE WITH THE HEAT ON AND THE ROADS WERE FINE AFTER A SNOW THE NIGHT BEFORE, BUT THERE WAS NO SNOW LEFT ON THE VEHICLE. I CAME OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY TO FIND THE REAR WINDOW MISSING ABOUT SIX-EIGHT SQUARE INCHES AND SHARDS OF GLASS BELOW IN THE SNOW. THE GLASS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN HIT FROM THE INSIDE, BUT I THINK IT EXPLODED FROM WITHIN (NOTHING ELSE HAD BEEN BROKEN OR MISSING FROM THE INSIDE). I'D HAD NO TROUBLE WITH THE REAR DEFOGGER OR WIPER. I FOUND OUT THAT A CO-WORKER NOTICED IT AT LUNCH, SO SOMETIME BETWEEN 8:00 AM AND 1:00 PM THIS HAPPENED. NO ONE SAW ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376453

Incident

Jan 12, 2011

Mileage

118,328 mi

DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM LOOSENS ABOUT ONCE A MONTH IN WINTER LESS IN SPRING CAN DO IT WHILE DRIVING NEED 15MM WRENCH TO TIGHTEN WILL NOT STAY TIGHT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE NEW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10370282

Incident

Dec 11, 2010

Mileage

1,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE ALSO LEAKED BRAKE FLUID FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE MASTER CYLINDER. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. OCCASIONALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT OPEN. THE TWO BENCH REAR WINDOWS WOULD ALSO OPEN INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,289. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,279.

NHTSA ID

10348439

Incident

Jul 22, 2010

Mileage

113,279 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE PARKS WIPERS IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD AND OBSTRUCTS VISION SIMILAR ISSUE AS THE RECALL FOR PREVIOUS YEAR FORD WINDSTAR MINI-VANS HAS BEEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND DEALER CLAIMS ITS A FAULTY FRONT END (G.E.M.) MULTI-FUNCTION MODULE FAILURE AND FORD SUPPLIES NO REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE THIS MODULE ALSO CAUSES THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO FLASH ON AND OFF RANDOMLY AND CAN CAUSE STALLING OF THE VAN DUE TO MODULE MALFUNCTION AND REGULATION OF THE CHARGING SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10304056

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

63,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SLIDING DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO CHILD PROOF LOCKS; HOWEVER, THE DOOR WOULD ONLY OPEN FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW ALSO FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. ONCE THE WINDOW WAS OPENED, IT WAS UNABLE TO BE CLOSED. THE VIN WAS VERIFIED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO BE ENTERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000. UPDATED 03/23/09.

NHTSA ID

10256597

Incident

Jul 10, 2007

2003 FORD WINDSTAR BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND ABS WARNING LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY. NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, I.E, DOORS NOT UNLOCKING, LOCKING FOR NO REASON. BLEND DOOR STICKING, NOT ALLOWING FOR HEAT OR DEFROSTING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249048

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

FAILURE OF THE HEATER BLEND DOOR. VAN HAS NO DEFROSTER AND IS UNDRIVABLE IN WINTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207013

Incident

Sep 7, 2007

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR FOR THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BECAUSE IT HAD NOT BEEN WORKING AT ALL. THE REAR WING WINDOWS WORK SPORADICALLY. HE ALSO STATED THAT ALL OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATE FOR NO REASON. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 30,515. UPDATED 12-12-07. *KB UPDATED *JB

NHTSA ID

10206309

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

Mileage

30,515 mi

PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW INPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE. POLICE REPORT INDICATED NO SIGN OF VEHICLE BEING HIT BY OBJECT.THERE WAS NO SIGN THAT WINDOW WAS CHIPPED OR CRACKED. AK

NHTSA ID

10148514

Incident

Jan 24, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT FRONT POWER WINDOW CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER. THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL WAS REPLACED, BUT FAILED THE NEXT DAY. DEALER REPLACED MASTER SWITCH TO WINDOWS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10148438

Incident

Jan 24, 2006

Mileage

25,540 mi

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE MOST STATES HAVE PASSED A LAW REQUIRING MOTORISTS TO TURN ON THEIR HEADLAMPS DURING RAIN STORMS. I AM ASSUMING THIS PRACTICE IS TO ENSURE VISIBILITY OF VEHICLES. THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ONE OF TWO WAYS: 1ST-WHEN THE MOTORISTS ACTIVATES HIS WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HE ALSO ACTIVATES HIS HEADLAMPS TO ILLUMINATE. OR 2ND REQUIRE DRL ON ALL VEHICLES, THUS HIS VISIBILITY IS ALWAYS PRESENT. I AM ALSO OF THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT REQUIRES ALL VEHICLES SOLD IN CANADA BE EQUIPPED WITH DRL. THE COST OF MAKING IT A REQUIREMENT SHOULD NOT BE THAT EXPENSIVE THAT SALE OF VEHICLES IN THE USA WOULD BE EFFECTED.

NHTSA ID

10130135

Incident

Jul 26, 2005

WE'RE WRITING THIS LETTER TO INFORM YOU OF WHAT WE SEE AND FEEL IS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE 2003 FORD WINDSTAR AND A SAFETY HAZARD. WE TOOK OUR 2003 WINDSTAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH WE BOUGHT IT, " PRAIRIE FORD" LOCATED AT 601 WEST ROOSEVELT ROAD, WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60185 BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE DUAL SLIDING PASSENGER DOORS WINDOWS FOGGING UP WITH OR WITHOUT PASSENGERS. THIS WAS CAUSING A VISION PROBLEM FOR THE DRIVER BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT SEE OUT THOSE WINDOWS FOR THE PURPOSE OF; BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT OR WHEN CHANGING LANES DUE TO THESE WINDOWS WOULD NOT CLEAR DURING COLD OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES. THERE ARE FOUR CEILING VENTS (2) IN THE MIDDLE AND (2) TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WE NOTICED THAT THE (2) MIDDLE CEILING VENTS DID NOT WORK WHETHER YOU USED THE FRONT CONTROLS OR YOU USED THE PASSENGER COMFORT CONTROLS ASKING FOR HEAT. THE (2) FAR BACK CEILING VENTS DID WORK AND DID PRODUCED HEAT AND WERE VERY LOUD TO THE PASSENGER TO THE POINT THEY COULD NOT HEAR CONVERSATION TAKING PLACE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WE BELIEVE IS NOT VERY PASSENGER FRIENDLY AND THE COMFORT CONTROLS DO NOT PROVIDE COMFORT FOR YOUR PASSENGERS. THE PASSENGERS SEATED BEHIND THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WERE NOT COMFORTABLE BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS COLD AND COULD NOT SEE OUT THEIR SLIDING DOOR WINDOWS, BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT DEFROST OR CLEAR. WHEN YOU ASKED FOR HEAT A RELAY SHUT DOWN THE (2) VENT TO THE MIDDLE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CEILING VENT AND ONLY THE FAR BACK UNIT PROVIDED HEAT. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE ARE THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BY OUR SALES PERSON. WE WERE FURTHER INFORMED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY THE DEALERSHIP HAD NO ANSWERS ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062356

Incident

Jan 25, 2004