2000 Ford Windstar Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Windstar. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start, and the rear glass was out of the frame by about three-quarters of an inch. Additionally, the front driver's and passenger’s side windows failed to go up or roll down and were inoperable. The contact also stated that the instrument panel and anti-theft system were inoperable. The service engine, anti-theft, overdrive, speedometer, ABS system, and door ajar warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V351000 (Electrical System) and 00V020000 (Visibility). The contact called the dealer and was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and confirmed there were no associated recalls with the VIN and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES CRAZY, DOESN'T WORK OR WORKS JUST FINE. THIS HAPPENS WEATHER I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN THE CITY..

ON FRIDAY, JUNE 23RD, THE 2000 FORD WINDSTAR WAS PARKED IN THE LOT OF MEIJERS AT 8650 WEST GRAND RIVER AVE, BRIGHTON, MI 48116 FOR APPROXIMATELY A DURATION OF 40 MINUTES. UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS FIRE FROM INSIDE MY VAN THAT APPEARED. BY STANDARDS CONTACTED 911 AND FIRE DEPT AND POLICE HAD RESPONDED. THE FIRE WAS DISTINGUISHED AND REPORTS WERE MADE OUT. THE FIRE INSPECTOR INDICATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT WAS THE ACCELERATE IGNITION POINT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER THAT PRESENTED A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY 9-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND ME. FORD MOTOR COMPANY NEEDS TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS INCIDENT. PLEASE ADVISE. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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.

VAN STALLED WHILE DRIVING, HAD TO BE TOWED. MECHANIC COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH COMPUTER. VAN IS HAVING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH KEEPS BLOWING FUSE #22 IN WHICH VAN CAN NOT BE STARTED OR DRIVEN. SAFETY HAZARD, FORD MUST RECALL VAN

HAVING ABS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. OVER DRIVE LIGHTS WAS BLINKING SO I HAD A FULL SCAN DONE. ABS SYSTEM SHOWS ABOUT 12 ERROR CODES AND THE ABS LIGHT WASN'T ON. CHECK THE LIGHT AND THE LIGHT WORKS. THE MECHANIC SEEMS TO NOT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY ALARMING TO ME BECAUSE THIS CAN BE REALLY BAD FOR MY FAMILY SAFETY. ALSO ANOTHER CODE PULLED FOR THE ALTERNATOR OVERCHARGING THE BATTERY WHICH NEVER TURNED THE CHECK ENGINE ON. CHECK ENGINE WAS PROVEN TO WORK AND THAT WAS REPAIRED AND WORK TO FIX IT. *TR

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

ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FAILED WHILE IN MOTION. SEVERAL FAILURES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. DEALER FAILED TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR TO HIM. FINALLY OBVIOUS FAILURE. LIMPED CAREFULLY TO THE DEALER. SAFETY HAZARD OF COURSE. *TR

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.

AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH WINDSTARS. THERE IS A SWITCH (CALLED THE BRAKE PRESSURE DEACTIVATION SWITCH) HOOKED TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT DETECTS WHEN THE BRAKE HAS BEEN PUSHED AND STOPS THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCORDINGLY. WELL? THIS SWITCH IS KNOWN TO DEVELOP LEAKS, WHICH ALLOWS BRAKE FLUID TO RUN DOWN INTO THE WIRING AND CAUSE A SHORT. THIS BLOWS THE FUSE WHICH CONTROLS THE SPEEDOMETER, A/C, ODOMETER, ETC. *TR

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

ABS LIGHT COME ON WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC REASON - ECU MASTER RELAY HAS A BAD SOLDIER JOINT WHICH FAILS PREMATURELY AND CAUSES THE ABS LIGHT AND DTC C1185. IT ALSO CAUSES THE ENHANCED ABS BRAKING SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *TR

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES START DANCING BACK AND FORTH, THEN THE TACK GAUGE MAXED OUT AND STUCK UNDER THE SHIFT INDICATOR. I WENT TO A FORD DEALER IN FORT WAYNE IN. AND THEY REMOVED THE CLUSTER AND BROKE OFF PART OF THE TACK NEEDLE SO IT CAN'T BECOME STUCK AGAIN. STILL TO THIS DAY (A YEAR LATER) THE GAUGES START DANCING AND SOMETIMES FREEZE IN A POSITION. ONCE IT SHOWED I WAS DOING 80 MPH WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. SOME DAYS THEY WORK THEN OTHER TIMES THEY DONT. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD WINDSTARS. LOOK UP DANCING GAUGES WINDSTAR ON YOU-TUBE AND SEE ALL THE ISSUES PEOPLE SHOW. IF THIS IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE WHY ISNT SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT IT? RESPECTFULLY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).? *JB

ABS LIGHTS CAME ON AND ABS STOPPED WORKING AND SPEEDOMETER RPM STOPPED WORKING. *TR

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

THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. THE BRAKE FLUID IS LOW. FILLED THE FLUID UP. A WEEK LATER SAME THING HAPPENS. I COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. FINDING A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE VAN I HAD TO MAKE A BETTER EFFORT TO FIND THE LEAK. THE LEAK IS COMING FROM THE BRAKE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. I WENT TO THIS SITE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALL.INFO/ *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE RPM GAUGE DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

ABS LIGHT STAYS ON MAKING THEM INOPERABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00V351000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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