10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 11
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
96,783 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Ford Windstar engine problems

engine problem

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2001 Ford Windstar Owner Comments (Page 1 of 6)

problem #101

Oct 292021

Windstar

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

ABS light, brake light came on. The seatbelt unhooks while I-€™m driving, I was told I had a cracked axle, the wheel bearing was very noisy, I-€™ve paid a lot of money to get things fixed. The labor was at a ridiculous amount on $25 parts. I-€™m wondering if I-€™ve paid to have parts fixed that were under recall. I fix one thing and then there-€™s another issue. Oil is leaking under the hood and I-€™m afraid it will catch fire so I-€™m scared to drive.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #100

Dec 022016

Windstar

  • 1 miles
Takata recall. My van will not shift out of 1 gear. Only can reach maximum of 20 miles per hour.

- Wendell, ID, USA

problem #99

Nov 162012

Windstar

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. While driving 55 mph with the cruise control activated and attempting to make a turn, the vehicle proceeded to drive forward without warning. The vehicle caught fire and a fire report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

- Ypsilanti, MI, USA

problem #98

Jan 062013

Windstar

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My ABS light and brake light and tractoin controll lights are all on at all times nowand my speed domitor has slowly gone out on my 2001 Windstar sel the date below is an aprox

- Elkhart, IN, USA

problem #97

Mar 272013

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 109,000 miles
The same part indicated in recall is bad, my van needs fix. The recall doesn't cover my part or repair because my VIN isn't showing any recalls. When the same problem happened to me indicated in the recall. Is there anything I can do?

- Normal, IL, USA

problem #96

May 012014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 144,500 miles
ABS, traction control, cruise control and speedometer either are intermittent or not working at all. This causes issues with braking, vehicle control, driver attentiveness and other safety related issues.

- Sioux Falls, SD, USA

problem #95

Mar 032010

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 84,372 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The ABS and hand brake kept coming on intermittently. The braking distance has increased. And now the lights are on almost permanently. Based on reports, am afraid if this is going to result in a fire eventually.

- Beaverton, OR, USA

problem #94

Jul 202010

Windstar

  • 110,000 miles
ABS and brake light on and cruise control not working leaking master cylinder switch.

- Portage, WI, USA

problem #93

Mar 052012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 116,000 miles
A few weeks after purchasing my van I had issues with my brake light and ABS light coming on while I was driving. It did seem to cause any issues and the lights when off ever time I turned my van off and then back on. A few months ago I was coming up to a red light so naturally I started to slow down when I tried to come to a complete stop I kept going. The perfect way to describe what happen, it felt like I hit my brakes on a solid sheet of ice. I could here the ABS clicking and also felt the vibration in the brake pedal. That day it was 95 degrees and sunny. I almost caused an accident and the only things that stopped me was the emergency brake. It continued to do it every time I tried to slow down to stop that I refused to put my children in the vehicle. Last week after almost causing a few accidents I ended up pulling the main fuses to the ABS. Since I have done this the only issue I have had is my speedometer acting up. I feel that Ford needs to seriously look into this issue. I have already had 5 recalls fixed on my van and this needs to be another one.

- Connellsville, PA, USA

problem #92

Jul 152013

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 130,000 miles
ECU module for ABS is shorted out and causes gauge cluster to short out. This causes ABS light & brake light to turn on and all gauges stop working and they jump around. This was diagnosed by Ford dealership in wi. Said brake fluid leaks in to ECU and shorts out wires. Told me. $2000 to fix. These problems are a safety issue. ABS and speedometer and gauges don't work. Should be a recall.

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #91

Jun 042014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 205,110 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The needles on the temperature gauge, RPM gauge and gas gauge started to move up and down in a crazy manner. After a while, it stopped, but it comes back occasionally. Also, the ABS and brake light will come on at times. I had the brakes looked at and nothing appears to be wrong.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #90

Jan 252012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
I purchased. This car in August 2013 before I got the car has 20 miles down the road the brake light came on subsequently both the ABS and the emergency brake light has come on and off the ABS light is on most of the time and there is a noise when breaking my mechanic doesn't know what it is and I have found out that this is a recall problem on other vehicles by calling the Ford dealer and looking online. This particular van is not covered but it's clearly having the same problem. The speed control stop working within three or four months of my having the car as well. And the rear wiper doesn't work and I'm very suspicious as to why.

- Berrien Springs, MI, USA

problem #89

Mar 162014

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 140,000 miles
I didn't have a crash I noticed that my ABS brake and tire pressure light was staying on and a short time after I started hearing a loud rumbling noise in the front end every time I slow an it's impossible to make sudden stops and at times my speedometer starts flickering back and forth as well as my cruise control is currently inoperable. I have limited driving this vehicle in which I purchased due to feeling it is not in a safe manner for my children to be in. I have had several shops as well as individuals that told me these areas are common to go out on this specific vehicle and that there is possible recall. I just want to be able to drive my van with out worrying if I'm going to be able to come to a stop when needed as well as not knowing if I could possible break down or something break in the front end while I am driving at somewhat high speeds. Thank you and hope to hear from someone soon in regards to this situation!

- Florence, KY, USA

problem #88

May 012012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 162,000 miles
The parking brake and ABS warning lights come on intermittently and tend to stay on when the vehicle is warm. This vehicle has already had the recall 09V399000 performed on it so the lights coming on should not be related to that issue. It appears to be the same problem that many other people are experiencing with their Windstar vans which is a bad solder on the ABS control module circuit board. I have only driven the van a few thousand miles since the lights started coming on so I have not noticed any loss of function that other people have experienced.

- Osakis, MN, USA

problem #87

Feb 012013

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
After repairing my speed controller my ABS and brake lights have been coming on the dashboard intermittently and are coming on more and more. Took it to the dealer and no codes show up, but I do not trust it.

- Salem, VA, USA

problem #86

May 182013

Windstar

  • 188,646 miles
I was driving down the interstate going to a local fast food when I loss all acceleration the car was slowing down even though I was giving it gas. Knowing I was slowing down I turned my hazard lights on and coasted to the shoulder lane the car was still running so I turned the car on and off. I still had no acceleration the car wouldn't go into any gear or reverse I had know choice but to tow it home.I looked around on the internet to find out what the problem is it seems that this is all to common with Ford Windstar. Just looking for a solution to what seems to be a problem even if you go down the list of possible replacements just needing help with a solution. I didn't have the usual indicators that you would have when something goes wrong my engine light didn't come on at all which is weird.

- Mesquite, TX, USA

problem #85

Jul 022013

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 208,000 miles
While sitting at the red light my brake light, ABS light, over drive lights all came on and then my speedometer would not register when I started to go when the light turned green.

- Gainesville, GA, USA

problem #84

Apr 082011

Windstar 6-cyl

  • miles
The ABS light has been on but no one can tell me why. It goes out when the vehicle is shut off but will light up again after about 10 minutes of driving. The cruise control would work sometimes and not others. If finally quit working all together. The fuses are all fine. The power windows and door locks work sometimes and not others or might work on one side of the vehicle but not the other.

- Loughman, FL, USA

problem #83

Feb 212013

Windstar

  • 103,153 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that brake fluid was leaking onto the wiring harness and caused a shortage with the vehicle speed control, instrument cluster and the radio. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 09V399000 (vehicle speed control), which the dealer installed a connector to the brake pressure switch but the repair did not correct the failure. The dealer did not include the fused wiring harness in line with the scds. The contact stated that after the vehicle was taken to his home, he installed a number 10 fuse however, the connector was still faulty and caused smoke to emit from the wiring harness. The dealer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The manufacturer was also notified, who advised that they had performed the required recall repair but could provide no further assistance. The failure mileage was 103,153.

- Randleman, NC, USA

problem #82

Apr 142012

Windstar 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
ABS light comes on intermittently, even in summer with no adverse driving conditions. It stays on for varying lengths of time, then disappears for some time, then out of the blue comes back on. Braking a little bit harder than usual does seem to trigger it. Also, recently, the cruise control just suddenly stopped working. It worked fine one day, then all of a sudden, a day or two later, I hit on, but it refused to set. I tried again on another day and it still wouldn't set.

- Redford, MI, USA

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