Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Ford Windstar owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The gauges are acting crazy which causes the engine to jerk or the transmission and then it starts making the lights flicker in the interior and the gauges start sticking. It seems to make the overflow on the radiator to empty more because it is causing the sensors in the electrical for the parts to go crazy and run hot. Sometimes it only does it every so often but after getting the reserve hose on the power steering that connects to the reservoir to the coolant the battery was drained. Then going after getting it charged down the highway it caused the interior lights radio and seat and turn signals not to work when coming to a complete stop and it was idling the dashboard and all the lights were coming back on once given a guess it winded up not working again causing the battery to become hot or warm and acid you can smell in the air like rotten eggs. …
Manufacture Recall # 09S09 NHTSA Recall # 09V399000 Instrument cluster has become faulty. Details listed below. Overdrive (O/D) light will randomly start flashing for no reason ABS will randomly engage Parking brake light will randomly turn on Speedometer with become sporadic Transmission has trouble shifting gears due to tachometer becoming sporadic Vehicle will randomly try to die/stall out at a prolonged stop or while coming to a stop, even after all charging components have been replaces i.e. battery, alternator, drive belt, and cables.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While attempting to accelerate from a traffic light, an abnormal sound emitted from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle kept gaining forward momentum. The contact stated that the power steering also failed to operate as intended. As a result, the vehicle jumped the sidewalk and struck two small trees. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by turning the ignition to the off position. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained whiplash and muscle spasms, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the subframe fractured, which caused the throttle to seize in the open position. The vehicle was not repaired. …
My husband, my 7 month old baby and I were driving on our way to lunch at about 30 MPH when we noticed smoke coming out of the hood of our 2002 Ford Windstar. Immediately smoke filled up our cabin through the vents. My husband pulled over to the side of the road, and I quickly got my baby out of the van. My husband opened the hood and saw flames and we all ran away from the car. My husband ran to a nearby business that luckily had a fire extinguisher. My husband was able to put the fire out in time before who knows what could have happened. My husband took the car to an auto shop that happened to be very close to where the incident happened. After having to let the car cool down and the terrible smell go away the mechanics looked at the car and told us right away that they knew it was the same cruise control switch that has been recalled on Ford trucks. …
My van brake light and ABS light had been coming on for at least 6 months... My mechanic was trying to determine if it was the ABS switch or ABS module and just reset the codes after a tune-up. We would add brake fluid to the car on several occasions. The failure occurred when I started my van and backed out of a parking spot. I smelled something burning and realized my van was smoking. At first I thought it was steam and then I realized it was white smoke. So I reparked my vehicle, shut it off and popped the hood. When I got around I followed the engine from left to right and in the back right was a perfect propane flame. I blew it out. I noticed the part was connected down below the brake fluid reservoir, wired ran to that part, on the bottom the part that was on fire was rusted. But it appeared to plug into the part it was attached to like a key and then wires came down from there... …
The morning of July 11, 2010, the ABS control module on our 2002 Windstar suffered an internal fire due to brake fluid leaked from the bad switch, resulting in a loss of proper brake function and no readings from the speedometer, tachometer, and odometer (as well as multiple warning lights). This occurred several weeks after having had the brake pressure deactivation switch recall performed (NHTSA campaign id 09V399000, action number ea08021). The local Ford dealership which had performed the initial recall work refused to repair or replace the module under the recall or as a warranty claim, stating that it was not part of the recall, nor was it apparently damaged at the time of the brake switch repair. I subsequently removed, opened and examined the control module (8/28/2010), and found blackened brake fluid present inside the module at the connector pins. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact was driving 30-35 MPH when he observed a cloud of smoking emitting from under the hood. The dashboard lights were also illuminated. The vehicle was shut off and when restarted, the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility. The mechanic discovered there had been a small fire under the hood and the control switch was disabled. In addition, the mechanic advised the contact of a potential recall on the vehicle under NHTSA campaign id number: 09V399000 (vehicle speed control) and referred him to an authorized dealer. The dealer replaced the fused wiring harness under the recall and also found that the instrument panel was damaged. There were separate damages as a result of the fire and the manufacturer advised they would not cover the repair expenses of the other components. The separate damages were not repaired. …
Red brake light and yellow ABS light came on while driving. It suddenly decreased in its braking power and resulted in a minor bumper to bumper crash at a traffic light. Luckily no major damage was done and no one was injured, only small stretch marks on my front bumper. The other persons car was OK and we went on straight back home shaken and afraid the whole ride back. This vehicle has already had the company friendly (not consumer friendly) recall NHTSA campaign id number: 09V399000. This seems to have made the problem worse though. The dealer says it is a common problem with the windstars and there is no recall for the ABS system and could cause braking distance to decrease and advised me to have it repaired immediately as it is a safety hazard!!!! The government and odi got right up on toyotas for not being able to stop and not fords!! This must be recalled and fixed immediately!
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. The contact noticed that the instrument panel lights and the power locks were failing. He replaced the fuse several times and smelled a burning odor underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact found fluid leaking from the vehicle, which originated from the cruise control. The wiring harness was damaged. The dealer replaced the cruise control wiring harness, switch, and the speedometer wiring harness at the cost of $888. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 07V336000 (vehicle speed control); therefore, they would not assist. The vehicle has been repaired. The VIN was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 80,000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While driving 25 MPH he noticed that there was smoke under the hood. He was able to safely drive the vehicle to a local repair facility. The technician extinguished the fire and determined that the cruise control brake switch failed and caused the fire. The technician removed the fuse which allowed the contact to drive the vehicle; however, he was unable to view his speed since the fire damaged the control switch. The vehicle has not been repaired. The contact will notify the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000. Updated 01/29/10 updated 01/29/10
Related recalls
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
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…
Acceleration complaints in other Windstar years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2002 Ford Windstar?
NHTSA has 147 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2002 Ford Windstar, 11% of the model year's 1,353 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Windstar acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 09V-399 (vehicle speed control, Oct 13, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Windstar acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 13 fires and 5 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.