Problems · by component
2001 Ford Windstar service brakes, hydraulic problems
292 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Windstar cite service brakes, hydraulic, 17% of all 1,717 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
292
17% of all complaints
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED AND WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,750.”
“WHILE INVESTIGATING THE 50 MPH FAILURE OF THE PCM MODULE, AND THE ONGOING OFF/ON ACTION OF THE ABS MODULE, I RAN ACROSS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MISTAKE ON PAGE 43-3 OF THE FOMOCO "2001 WIRING DIAGRAMS/WINDSTAR" MANUAL (FCS-12255-01). I EXCHANGED SEVERAL EMAILS, CASE # CAS-4648613-L1X1R6 CRM:03259000003405, WITH THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS CENTER ABOUT THIS MATTER UNTIL THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT A DEALER. I SENT THE QUESTIONS TO MY DEALER ASKING FOR CORRECT INFORMATION, BUT THEY HAVEN'T ACKNOWLEDGED MY INQUIRY. WHAT I SUSPECT IS ALL WINDSTAR'S ON THE ROAD TODAY MAY BE OPERATING WITH ONLY ONE-HALF OF THE SCP (J1850 PWM) NETWORK OPERATIONAL. NOW THAT MANY OF THE DEFECTIVE ABS MODULES ARE FAILING, ARE OTHER WINDSTARS IN DANGER OF ENGINE FAILURE AT SPEED LIKE OURS? THE TWO SIMPLE QUESTIONS I ASKED FOMOCO ARE: 1) ARE YOU SURE CIRCUIT 915 (DATA BUS-) SHOULD BE GROUNDED AT THE ABS MODULE? 2) WHAT IS THE PROPER TERMINATION FOR THE FORD DATA BUS (CIRCUITS 914& 915), 120 OHMS, 650 OHMS, 3K OHMS, WHAT AND WHERE?”
“I HAVE HAD THE ABS AND HANDBRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON FOR A FEW YEARS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE FORD DEALER IN LEES SUMMIT MO THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND I CAN JUST KEEP ON DRIVING IT. *TR”
“ABS, BRAKE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALL ON AT THE SAME TIME. VEHICLE SHAKES LIKE IT IS GOING TO CUT OFF. DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRS, STILL DOES IT AS OF TODAY (2012). *TR”
“FORD WINDSTAR SEEMS TO BE A GOOD VEHICLE AT FIRST. WITH AGE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. SERVICE SHOPS REGARD PROBLEMS AS COMMON FOR A FORD WINDSTAR.I THINK FORD IGNORES THE PROBLEMS. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE LOYAL FORD OWNERS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER WE WILL CONTINUE. CURRENTLY THE ABS& BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. TRANSMISSION LEAKED OUT ALL OF THE FLUID WHILE DRIVING, HAD TO REBUILD TRANS. SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY WHEN BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, NUMEROUS CODES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JS”
“ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, AFTER SEND IN FOR THE RECALL ON SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM MODIFICATION... UNTIL TO ABS BULB BLEW UP... BUT PARKING BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON... SEND IT BACK TO DEALER... ASK THE SERVICE ADVISOR "WHY MY BOTH WARNING LIGHT ON WHEN I DRIVE... AND NOW MY ABS LIGHT OFF AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT REMAIN ON" AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME YOUR ABS LIGHT NEVER LIGHT OUT WHEN TURN ON THE IGNITION SWITCH MEAN THAT "THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT ABS" THANK YOU FOR THE REPLY GIVEN BY FORD DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR OF HE BEST KNOWLEDGE....I WILL NOT SENDING MY VEHICLE FOR ANY RECALL IN THE FUTURE..... *JS *TR”
Showing 6 of 292 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.