There are 15 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2003 Ford Windstarin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WHILE STATIONARY, THE HAZARD LIGHTS FLASHED AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS COULD NOT BE USED DUE TO THE INVOLUNTARY FLASHING OF THE HAZARD LIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
I WAS WARNED BY A FELLOW DRIVER THAT I HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. THE TAIL LIGHTS WORK. ALL BULB FILAMENTS ARE INTACT. INTERIOR FUSES #'S 10 & 11 ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL ARE INTACT. I REPLACED THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH. STILL I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING BEGAN FLASHING ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,720.
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME AND GOES BACK OUT ALL THE TIME. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BLOWS OUT ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS TO TWO MONTHS, HAVE REPLACED ABOUT 20 TIMES SINCE BUYING VEHICLE. NEIGHBOR HAS A 2003 WINDSTAR WITH SAME PROBLEM. HORN FAILED, CONNECTION PROBLEM, WORKS OFF AND ON. ATTEMPTED TO GET REPLACEMENT PART BUT WAS INFORMED NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
RIGHT SIDE (PASSENGER) FRONT MARKER LIGHT HAS A GROUNDING PROBLEM. I CHANGED THE BULB TWICE AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THE LIGHT STAYS ON FOR NO REASON AND THE ONBOARD COMPUTER SHOWS THAT ALL LIGHTS ARE FINE. IF YOU BANG IT WILL GO OUT. *TR
ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ALWAYS COME ON IN MY FORD WINDSTAR. FIRE HAZARD. *TR
2003 WINDSTAR ELECTRONIC CONCERN -FUSE NO.3 TO POWER REAR VIEW MIRROR SHORTS OUT. CAN NOT KEEP A FUSE IN IT. THE LITE ON MIRROR IS GREAT IDEAL. BUT DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN THEY WANT 89.00 TO 100 CHECK TO RUN A ECTRIC CHECK TO SEE WHY? I AM STILL PAYING A BANK FEE AND THIS VAN HAS RUN ME IN DEBT TRYING TO FIX IT. *TR
EXTERIOR BRAKES LIGHTS STAY ON AS THOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, AND EVEN COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHEN NO ONE IS IN THE CAR. WHEN YOU GET IN THE CAR, THERE IS A HOT, OVERHEATED SMELL IN THE CAR. SEVERAL MORNINGS I HAVE GOTTEN IN THE CAR TO FIND THAT THE BATTERY IS DEAD, AND I HAVE TO JUMP THE CAR TO START. *TR
I OWN A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR LX FOR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF THE ABS (ORANGE) LIGHT AND THE BRAKE (RED) LIGHT COME ON WHENEVER I DRIVER MORE THAN ABOUT A MILE IN THE SUMMER TIME IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS ON I KNOW THAT THIS SEAMS TO BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE IS A WEB SITE DEDICATED TO THIS. I REALLY BELIEVE FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS I HAVE TAKEN MY VAN TO THE FORD HOUSE AND THEY SAY THEY CAN DO NOTHING. *TR
ON MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT IS ALMOST ALWAYS ON ALSO MY BRAKE LIGHT IS THE SAME I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES CHECKED MANY TIMES I WENT TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $500 DOLLARS SO I WENT TO A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR AND THEY SAID MY BRAKES ARE FINE PLEASE HELP. *TR
BRAKE LIGHTS (ALL THREE) ARE LIGHTED WHEN NO ONE IS IN CAR. IT LIKE THE BREAK LIGHTS STAY LIT AFTER PARKING VEHICLE. YOU GO TO GET IN CAR AND FIND THE BREAK LIGHTS ARE ON AS IF BREAK PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. INTERIOR OF VAN SMELLS LIKE ELECTRIC OVERHEAT. *NM
MESSAGE: I HAVE A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR THAT IS GETTING WATER INTO THE LEFT HEADLIGHT. THE WATER IS CAUSING THE HEADLIGHT TO DETERIORATE AND EFFECTIVENESS. I CAN FIND NO CRACKS OR BREAKAGE OF THE PRODUCT AND FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN FORD MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP. FORD REFUSES TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT AS A WARRANTY OR SAFETY ITEM. SO I AM ASKING YOU TO CHECK INTO THIS PROBLEM WITH 2003 FORD WINDSTARS. THANKS. *JB
INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AS DRIVING. THE LIGHTS INCLUDE THOSE ON THE DASH, WHICH MAKES IT DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. PLEASE DO A SEARCH FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND NOTE THE EXCEPTIONAL NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS POSTED BY OTHER OWNERS. *TR
CONSUMER STATED THAT BRAKE LIGHT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAS TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO COME ON WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. *AK
CONSUMER 2003 WINDSTAR INTERIOR LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES WILL STAY. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD A PART CALLED A GEM MODULE COULD REPLACED. *JB
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