There are 50 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2003 Ford Windstarin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHEN TRAVELING 15 MPH ON BRICK ROAD I PRESSED BRAKES TO STOP THEN LOUD NOISE AND CAR STILL ROLLED FORWARD - SCARY AND UNSAFE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS - THE ABS LIGHT IS ON IN MY VEHICLE
I HAVE THE FAMILIAR 9 C CODES FOR THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WITH THE COLD SOLDER JOINTS THAT EFFECTS THE ABS FUNCTION. THERE IS A 23 PAGE 2CARSPRO.COM FORUM WITH INDIVIDUALS SHARING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE DEFECT ON THEIR WINDSTAR VEHICLES. THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE ABS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,000.
ABS AND BREAK LIGHTS IS ON AFTER DRIVER 3 MIN
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE FAILURE AT 102,000 MILES. APPEARS TO BE A CONTINUING TREND WITH VARIOUS FORD MODELS, AND REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE; APPROXIMATELY $2,000. IF ABS CONTROL MODULE IS FAILING, ABS NO LONGER WORKS. DOUBT ACCURACY OF ABS WARNING LIGHT TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE WARNING.
WHILE DRIVING THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AT THE SAME TIME
WHEN DRIVING THE ABS LIGHT AND RED BRAKE LIGHT COME ON TOGETHER. MY VAN HAS 77,483 ACTUAL MILES ON IT! I HAD A BRAKE CHECK AT LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY REPORTED 80% BRAKE LINING STILL ON,
ABS AND BRAKE ALARM LIGHTS ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING AND STAY ON UNTIL THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I SUSPECT THIS INDICATES A PROBLEM THAT DISABLES THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. DIAGNOSTIC SCANNER SHOWS AT LEAST 12 STORED FAULTS IN THE ABS SYSTEM WHICH CANNOT BE ERASED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WERE BLACK TIRES MARKS ON THE ROAD AND THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKES SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,568.
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND STAYS ON.
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT REMAIN ON CONSTANTLY.
ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON SIMUTAINOUSLY AND THE ABS SYSTEM FAILS TO OPERATE.. THIS IS AN INTERMITTANT PROBLEM.. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THE SYSTEM RESETS. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER MOTION AND CAN BE UNDER ANY CONDITIONS...
THE PARK AND BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, LOOKED UP AND IT SAID THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING LIKE IT SHOULD. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING IN CITY , HIGHWAYS, NOT MOVING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT BRAKE FLUID NEEDED TO BE ADDED IN THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN ADDED BRAKE FLUID TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BRAKE FLUID STILL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY ABS LIGHT AND BREAKS TURN ON ONCE I DRIVE FOR A MILE ON THE ROAD AND IT STAY ON TILL I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR WORK. I ALREADY REPLACE MY BRAKES, REBUILD MY TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE ALL SPARK PLUGS AND CORDS, ALSO CHANGE MY ENGINE OIL ON TIME PRETTY MUCH A TAKE CARE OF MY ONE AND ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE. I HAVE ENOUGH WITH THE FORDS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF
THE ABS AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT COME ON AFTER DRIVING. THE ONLY WAY TO CLEAR THE LIGHTS IS TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND TURN THIS BACK ON. THE LIGHTS WILL EVENTUALLY COME BACK. THE CONCERN IS ARE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY HAVING AN ISSUE. SYSTEM HAS BEEN GIVEN AN OVERHAUL: PADS, ROTORS, NEW MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE FLUID BLEED AND REFILL, AND THE ISSUE PERSISTS. NO NONE FIXES FROM MECHANIC.
THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON, AND STAYED ON UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED. THE LIGHTS ARE OFF UNTIL DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE, WHEN THEY WILL BOTH COME ON AT THE SAME TIME. MY MECHANIC CLAIMS THAT ALL SENSORS ARE GOOD, AND THAT THE ABS CONTROL UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD, IT TAKES LONGER FOR THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026