There are 21 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2001 Ford Windstarin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE AND BOTH BULBS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
WHEN DRIVING A VARIOUS SPEEDS, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON. *JS
ABS LIGHT STEADILY ON WILL NOT TURN OFF. CODES READS NO CODES: BRAKE LIGHTS APPEARS AT WILL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR CENTER BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE FOR HOURS AT A TIME AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO A SENSOR, BUT HE WAS NOT SURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
MY DRIVERS SIDE BACK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE AND MY PASSENGER SIDE BACK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. MY (ABS) LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. THERE IS A CRACKING NOISE UNDER WHERE MY FRONT TIRES ARE ON BOTH SIDES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNTIL HE ABRUPTLY APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURES DIAGNOSED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NEITHER FAILURE OCCURRED UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF AT DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN DRIVEN. MY LIGHT SYSTEM STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. PLEASE HELP ME GET IT RECALLED. *TR
INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF VERY FAST WITH KEY OUT AND DOORS OPEN. WILL THIS BE A BIGGER PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE AND WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE CORRECTED. *TR
LEAKING OF THE BRAKE PRESSURE DEACTIVATION SWITCH ON MY 2001 FORD WINDSTAR CAUSING MY CRUISE CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *TR
2001 FORD WINDSTAR, ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMING ON. MECHANIC SAYS THERE ARE OVER 11 CODES SHOWING UP. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED, NOBODY CAN FIX IT, JUST KEEPS HAPPENING. I'VE HEARD ABOUT FIRES OCCURRING AND AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. *TR
MY ABS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON, WE HAVE FIXED THE PART FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON. 96,000 MILES. *TR
THE BRAKE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH IN MY 2001 FORD WINDSTAR IS FAULTY. THIS MAY CREATE A FIRE I WAS INFORMED. *TR
IN THE FALL OF 2006 I BEGAN EXPERIENCING ISOLATED INSTANCES WHERE THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I FIRST NOTICED IT WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DEAD BY THE END OF THE WORK DAY. FREQUENCY INCREASED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. I FOUND I COULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BY LIFTING THE PEDAL SLIGHTLY FROM BEHIND. ON MARCH 12, 2007 THE PROBLEM BEGAN HAPPENING WITH EACH STOP, SO I REMOVED AND EXAMINED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. IT APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. I EXAMINED ITS PLACEMENT ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER ROD. THE WEAR PATTERN APPEARED TO BE VERY SLIGHTLY OFF-CENTER. I REINSTALLED THE SWITCH, BUT INSERTED THE SPACER INSERT FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE. WHEN DISSASSEMBLING, THE SPACER WAS INSERTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN I REASSEMBLED IT, I INSERTED IT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 1200 MILES AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RETURNED. I HAVE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS AN ASE MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC.
INTERMITTENTLY, THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. THIS CAUSES 2 PROBLEMS: 1. THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY ON WHILE DRIVING, AND 2. THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, THUS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS WILL STAY ON WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED. THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF TEMPORALLY WHEN THE KEYLESS ENTRY IS PRESSED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH AND ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES. THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.
MY 2001 FORD WINDSTAR- BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON. VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. MUST PULL UP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE THE LIGHTS TURN OFF. *AK
MY 2001 FORD WINDSTARS BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON ONCE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. I MUST PULL UP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE THE LIGHTS TURN OFF. I HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT A PRIVATE MECHANIC 4 TIMES NOW AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. IS THERE ANY KNOWN RECALLS/PROBLEMS WITH FORDS BRAKE LIGHTS??*AK
PROBLEMS WITH TURN SIGNALS ON 2001 FORD WINDSTAR.*MR (NAR)
2001 FORD WINDSTAR SEL MY BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT ARE ON FREQUENTLY . . . I NOTICE THIS DURING AND AFTER RAIN OR WHEN CONDITIONS ARE WET OUTSIDE . . . ALSO AFTER I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THEY SEEM TO COME ON. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS ON THE FRONT. I REPLACED THEM AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR
THE DOME, AND DOOR LIGHTS CAME ON UNEXPECTEDLY AND IMPAIRED CONSUMER'S VISION. *JB
Showing 1–20 of 21 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