2003 Ford Windstar engine and engine cooling problems

“THE VEHICLE STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. IT WILL STALL OUT WHEN STOPPED. THE CAR WILL NOT RESTART. IT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT PERTAINS TO A TUNE UP OR OIL CHANGE OR TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE RADIATOR GOT LOW A;LITTLE BUT THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2003 FORD WINDSTAR LIMITED EDITION BUT MINE WAS NOT IN THIS RECALL. I FEEL THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE FIXED BECAUSE IT HIS A SAFETY HAZARD. PLUS THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ARE BAD, WHICH CAUSES MY TIRES TO GO BALD. FORD WILL NOT FIX THE LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. *TR”

“THE ABS AND ENGINE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR FOR YEARS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE ELECTRICAL MISFIRES AND DID NOT AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. IT DOES NOW SEEM THAT THE ABS IS FAILING. THE CAR BRAKES NORMALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. HOWEVER, OVER 30 MPH IT NOW SEEMS THAT THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND THE CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE, AS IT SCREECHED AND LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT. *TR”

“OUR VAN WAS FINE UNTIL IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME SHIFTING. WE TOOK THE VAN INTO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO WATER. AND ALSO HAD THE WATER TO THE RADIATOR COMPLETELY BYPASS THE TRANSMISSION. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL MONTHS LATER IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME SHIFTING. SOMEHOW A LOT OF WATER HAD GOTTEN IN THERE. THERE'S NO WAY IT'S FROM THE RADIATOR SINCE LIKE I SAID IT BYPASSES THE TRANNY AND HAS A DIFFERENT COOLING THING?? NOW HE THINKS IT'S FROM THE A/C. SO NOW IT'S IN THE SHOP AGAIN AND I ALREADY SPENT $300 FOR A COMPLETE FLUSH. NOW I MIGHT HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN. PLUS HE'S GOING TO MAKE A SHIELD FOR THE A/C. THIS IS CRAZY. *TR”

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON A TRIP FROM CHICAGO TO NORTH CAROLINE, MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER. IT WAS AS IF I JUST PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL; I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE REV WHEN I APPLIED THE GAS BUT NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED. LUCKILY, I WAS NEAR AN EXIT RAMP AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR INTO ANOTHER GEAR, BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE. WE ENDED UP GETTING THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE, WHERE THEY DETERMINED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. LATER, AFTER PULLING THE TRANSMISSION APART, THEY DETERMINED IT WAS SPECIFICALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER WHICH HAD FAILED. MY FAMILY AND I (INCLUDING 4 CHILDREN AND 4 DOGS) HAD TO STAY IN A HOTEL FOR 3 DAYS UNTIL THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. DURING THAT TIME, I INVESTIGATED THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE PROBLEM (VIA THE INTERNET) AND FOUND THAT IT IS COMMON IN WINDSTARS AND FREESTARS. THERE IS A RECALL IN PLACE FOR THE FREESTAR BUT NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR THE WINDSTAR YET. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED ASAP!!!! I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS DRIVING IN CONDITIONS THAT ALLOWED ME TO SAFELY MANEUVER MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT CAUSING OR BEING INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT. THE SAFETY OF MYSELF,…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER RECEIVING NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE MOTOR BRACKETS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN SHIFTING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT TWO MOTOR MOUNTS WERE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 186,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ UPDATED 04/18/12”

“I HAVE HAD NO TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR VAN. I DROVE HOME FROM WORK EARLY THIS MORNING (3:30AM.) I WENT TO LEAVE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT NOON ON THE SAME DAY, AND NOTHING. I STARTED MY VAN, ATTEMPTED TO PUT IT IN GEAR AND NOTHING!! NO WARNING, NO NOTHING!! I HAVE NEVER TOWED WITH THIS VEHICLE (IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A HITCH,) THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF PEOPLE RIDING IN IT HAS BEEN 350 POUNDS. THERE HAS BEEN NO STRESS ON THIS ENGINE AS I DON'T LIVE IN MOUNTAINESS AREAS. I AM A SINGLE MOM OF 4 LITTLE KIDS, RECEIVING NO CHILD SUPPORT, WORKING PT, JUST ABLE TO PAY THE BILLS, AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE!! I HAVE ALSO HAD NUMEROUS OTHER 'PROBLEMS' BUT NOTHING SO MAJOR THE VEHICLE COULDN'T BE DRIVEN (INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHING, BLENDER DOOR ACTUATOR GOING OUT 3X IN A YEAR, ROUGH IDEAL ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD, BACK DOOR HANDLES NOT WORKING FROM INSIDE, BACK DOORS SO HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE, I CAN HARDLY DO IT, BACK WIPER WORKED ONE DAY THEN JUST STOPPED AND HASN'T WORKED SINCE, ONE BACK WINDOW OPENS AND CLOSES ONLY WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. I ALSO JUST PUT $70 IN GAS IN THIS VEHICLE! UGH!! *KB”