2003 Ford Windstar Problems and Recalls (1,501 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2003 Ford Windstar is Brakes (34% of 1,501 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 1,501 complaints · 9 recalls

What problems show up on the 2003 Ford Windstar?

512 of 1,501 filings named Brakes (34% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Suspension (214 reports).

There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Suspension, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2002 has 1,338 reports on file; this year has 1,501. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2003 Ford Windstar

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 9 campaigns on file below.
  2. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  3. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Brakes. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Brakes 512 complaints · 34.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 32
  • Fires 27
  • Injuries 33
  • Deaths 1
All Ford Windstar years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) appears in 512 of 1,501 owner complaints (34.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 512 complaints, 34.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 5 crash reports 3 fire reports 512 · 34.1% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 214 complaints, 14.3% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 3 crash reports 4 fire reports 214 · 14.3% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 196 complaints, 13.1% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 crash reports 2 fire reports 196 · 13.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 188 complaints, 12.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 7 fire reports 188 · 12.5% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 81 complaints, 5.4% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 81 · 5.4% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 59 complaints, 3.9% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 crash reports 3 fire reports 59 · 3.9% Engine (ENGINE): 41 complaints, 2.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 7 fire reports 41 · 2.7% Steering (STEERING): 24 complaints, 1.6% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 crash reports 24 · 1.6% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 23 complaints, 1.5% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 8 crash reports 23 · 1.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 673 complaints, 44.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 8 crash reports 6 fire reports 673 · 44.8% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 512 34.1% 5 crashes · 3 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 214 14.3% 3 crashes · 4 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 196 13.1% 4 crashes · 2 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 188 12.5% 1 crashes · 7 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 81 5.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 59 3.9% 5 crashes · 3 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 41 2.7% 1 crashes · 7 fires
Steering (STEERING) 24 1.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 23 1.5% 8 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 673 44.8% 8 crashes · 6 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2003; the first recall shown was reported in Nov 2003. 2003-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2004-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2004-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2004-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2005-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2006-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2007-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2008-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 2008-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2009-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2009-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2009-Q3: 61 owner reports 61 2009-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2010-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2010-Q2: 44 owner reports 44 2010-Q3: 96 owner reports 96 2010-Q4: 62 owner reports 62 2011-Q1: 56 owner reports 56 2011-Q2: 46 owner reports 46 2011-Q3: 47 owner reports 47 2011-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2012-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2012-Q2: 40 owner reports 40 2012-Q3: 64 owner reports 64 2012-Q4: 33 owner reports 33 2013-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2013-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2013-Q3: 38 owner reports 38 2013-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2014-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2014-Q2: 44 owner reports 44 2014-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 2014-Q4: 41 owner reports 41 2015-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2015-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2015-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2015-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2016-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2016-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2016-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2017-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2017-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2017-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2018-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2019-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2003 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 03V459000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V459000 Recall campaign 06E056000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E056000 Recall campaign 09V399000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V399000 Recall campaign 10V385000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V385000 Recall campaign 11V030000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V030000 Recall campaign 12V193000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V193000 Recall campaign 12V194000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V194000 Recall campaign 12V195000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V195000 Recall campaign 15V608000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V608000 Investigation PE08035 ● Investigation PE08035 Investigation EA08021 ● Investigation EA08021 Investigation PE10016 ● Investigation PE10016 Investigation PE10026 ● Investigation PE10026 Investigation DP10005 ● Investigation DP10005 Investigation EA10007 ● Investigation EA10007
  • Campaign 03V459000 was reported 233 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V385000 was reported 2,561 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 11V030000 was reported 2,871 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V193000 was reported 3,031 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V194000 was reported 3,177 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V195000 was reported 3,177 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V608000 was reported 4,421 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2003-Q1 Owner reports 3
2003-Q2 Owner reports 4
2003-Q3 Owner reports 7
2003-Q4 Owner reports 8
2004-Q1 Owner reports 13
2004-Q2 Owner reports 15
2004-Q3 Owner reports 9
2004-Q4 Owner reports 10
2005-Q1 Owner reports 4
2005-Q2 Owner reports 8
2005-Q3 Owner reports 7
2005-Q4 Owner reports 3
2006-Q1 Owner reports 6
2006-Q2 Owner reports 7
2006-Q3 Owner reports 6
2007-Q1 Owner reports 9
2007-Q2 Owner reports 5
2007-Q3 Owner reports 9
2007-Q4 Owner reports 17
2008-Q1 Owner reports 17
2008-Q2 Owner reports 25
2008-Q3 Owner reports 50
2008-Q4 Owner reports 23
2009-Q1 Owner reports 19
2009-Q2 Owner reports 29
2009-Q3 Owner reports 61
2009-Q4 Owner reports 22
2010-Q1 Owner reports 26
2010-Q2 Owner reports 44
2010-Q3 Owner reports 96
2010-Q4 Owner reports 62
2011-Q1 Owner reports 56
2011-Q2 Owner reports 46
2011-Q3 Owner reports 47
2011-Q4 Owner reports 22
2012-Q1 Owner reports 25
2012-Q2 Owner reports 40
2012-Q3 Owner reports 64
2012-Q4 Owner reports 33
2013-Q1 Owner reports 31
2013-Q2 Owner reports 29
2013-Q3 Owner reports 38
2013-Q4 Owner reports 23
2014-Q1 Owner reports 23
2014-Q2 Owner reports 44
2014-Q3 Owner reports 50
2014-Q4 Owner reports 41
2015-Q1 Owner reports 23
2015-Q2 Owner reports 30
2015-Q3 Owner reports 13
2015-Q4 Owner reports 14
2016-Q1 Owner reports 11
2016-Q2 Owner reports 6
2016-Q3 Owner reports 19
2016-Q4 Owner reports 21
2017-Q1 Owner reports 17
2017-Q2 Owner reports 5
2017-Q3 Owner reports 12
2017-Q4 Owner reports 8
2018-Q1 Owner reports 6
2018-Q2 Owner reports 7
2018-Q3 Owner reports 6
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 4
2019-Q2 Owner reports 12
2019-Q3 Owner reports 5
2019-Q4 Owner reports 5
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 4
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 4
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q3 Owner reports 4
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 3
2023-Q1 Owner reports 2
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 03V459000
Recall campaign 1 06E056000
Recall campaign 1 09V399000
Recall campaign 1 10V385000
Recall campaign 1 11V030000
Recall campaign 1 12V193000
Recall campaign 1 12V194000
Recall campaign 1 12V195000
Recall campaign 1 15V608000
Defect investigation 1 PE08035
Defect investigation 1 EA08021
Defect investigation 1 PE10016
Defect investigation 1 PE10026
Defect investigation 1 DP10005
Defect investigation 1 EA10007
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Safety Recalls (9)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Suspension, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline.

  1. Recall campaign 03V459000

    Safety recall 03V459000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    IF THE LATCHES ON TH4E SECOND OR THIRD ROW SEATS OF THE VEHICLE RELEASE IN A CRASH, THE POTENTIAL FOR OCCUPANT INJURY IS INCREASED.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT-TO-FLOOR LATCHES ON THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW OF SEATS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 21, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 06E056000

    Safety recall 06E056000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 09V399000

    Safety recall 09V399000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 10V385000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    AS PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE, DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY INSTALL THE REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS FREE OF CHARGE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 11V030000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS, AND BOTH BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME, AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. IF REPAIRS CANNOT BE MADE TO A VEHICLE, FORD WILL OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 21, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 12V193000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    A FRACTURED AXLE CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS, OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Recall campaign 12V194000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    A SEPARATION OF A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKET MAY RESULT IN A LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. A SEPARATION OF BOTH FRONT SUBFRAME REAR BODY MOUNTS MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS AND BOTH BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 18, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Recall campaign 12V195000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    A FRACTURED AXLE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET ON THE REAR AXLE OR REPLACE THE AXLES, AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 1, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Recall campaign 15V608000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    If the brackets were not installed properly, the rear axle may fracture, affecting the vehicle handling and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brackets to verify their proper installation. If a bracket is found to have been misinstalled, the rear axle will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The began on October 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S27.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-16
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 1,501 complaints · page 1 of 61
2026-07-27Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11753134
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-20 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking abnormally. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V030000 (Structure). The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that after the recall repair was performed the procedure was that the dealer would inspect the vehicle and escalate the findings to the special support center. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the warranty on the repair had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
2026-04-03Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11729112
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving over a railroad track at 40 MPH, the rear axle snapped. The wheel hub to the axle was barely connected. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number:15V608000 (SUSPENSION); however, the contact had not received the recall notification. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 237,000.
2025-07-01Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11670538
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the contact heard a loud sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that steering wheel became difficult to turn. A local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was inspected, and the contact was informed that there was no recall related to the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V194000 (SUSPENSION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 160,263.
2025-04-08Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
NHTSA ODI 11653439
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact’s son owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V030000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the exhaust pipe was punctured. The contact was advised that the front subframe was severely corroded; however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle would not be repaired due to the corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact parked the vehicle and the vehicle was no longer driven due to the safety concerns. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
2024-12-11Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11630134
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the passenger’s side rear wheel. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that later while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear suspension and the contact almost lost control of the vehicle but was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact stated that upon a visual inspection there was excessive corrosion around the rear axle and the axle was detached. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rear axle. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V608000 (Suspension); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 135,000.
2024-07-05Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11599271
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS and Brake warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, there was smoke, and a burning odor coming from the engine compartment. The contact also stated that the ABS fluid had leaked from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that fluid had leaked from the Speed Control Deactivations Switch causing damage to the ABS Control Module connector. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V399000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 250,000.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2003 Ford Windstar?

Owners named Brakes most often — 512 of 1,501 reports (34%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2003 Ford Windstar?

NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Suspension, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2003 Ford Windstar?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-16. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources