Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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.
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. …
2002 Ford Windstar sel with VIN [redacted], I am the third owner of this vehicle. The ABS and traction control system is damaged and has a recurring warning when the engine is started with the ABS / brake and traction control warning lights on. The person I purchased this van from (2nd owner) stated that he had all the recalls completed on this vehicle however he believed that the defect identified in Ford safety recall 09s09 for the speed control system has resulted in damage to the ABS system computer and/or associated harness wiring or harness connections. He (2nd owner) did not keep the repair orders for any of the recall repairs so I do not have any records to review. I believe that the wire harness, related wire harness connectors and the ABS system computer are damaged resulting from brake fluid leaking and/or corrosion related to the defect found in Ford safety recall 09s09. …
While partially parked into the garage, after driving for one hour and sitting for half of an hour, smoke was observed from under van. Smoke stopped and noticed "ABS" warning light on. Brakes worked, but cruise control did not. Dealer installed/ replaced: 1) brake kit/ brake pressure deactivation switch, 2) ECM control module, 3) valve asy. 4) two wiring harnesses (one was a used from a Ford escape, due to the availability and cost.), 5) two fuses, 6) brake fluid and misc. Shop supplies. It was at the dealer for 11 days, cost for repairs was $1831. Drove it 5 miles and "check engine" light came on. The dealer stated this was not related to original problem. It was the dpfe sensor: $331 to repair. Normally the van is garaged, luckily something was in the way of fully pulling it into the garage and the fire went away quickly. …
Neighbor came by early and told me the brake lights were on. I went out to inspect but didn't see them on. Got in the car an hour later and noticed smoke and horrible "electrical" smell. I checked the entire car, but found nothing, when I went to start it, the battery was dead. Had my friend give me a jump, hooked up cables and sat in the Windstar for a minute, I then heard crackling and immediately smelled smoke. Under closer examination I found it was the center, upper brake light assembly completely melted, bulbs were contorted. Had the assembly replaced with a Ford part from dealer, three days later it happened again, so I removed bulbs before it completely melted. The center "third" brake light does not shut off, even when car is off, 12, strong volts to bulb socket, on or off! Left and right brake lights work fine...for now. …
I was driving the van this afternoon on a public road when for no apparent reason the van started smoking from under the engine. I pulled into a automotive garage and got out of the van and it was still smoking badly. I individual who actually worked at the garage was on his way home from a restaurant and pulled into the parking area. He had me go into the vehicle to pull the latch to the hood and when he opened the hood the engine and other parts were engulfed with flames. They spread into the inside of the van and destroyed the dash board, windshield and other area. The roof on the inside was melting. They were able to put out the fire but the van is destroyed. The individual who stopped and helped me out is a mechanic at that particular garage and said it looked to him like a electrical problem started the fire. I am now without a vehicle. …
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* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While driving approximately 60 MPH in rainy conditions, the vehicle began to jerk. The entire instrument panel, headlights, windshield wipers, and power windows failed to operate. The engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road until the rain subsided. After restarting, the failure persisted. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where a code was not detected. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000.
Had been driving the vehicle all day with no problems. Later in the day, the ABS and brake light came on. It turned off after about an hour. A couple of hours after that, I turned off the vehicle and went into the store. I came out about 20 minutes later, and the theft light was blinking. The vehicle would not start. I googled different ways to try to fix the issue, and tried 3 of them. We unhooked the battery, pulled some fuses, and tried different keys. None worked. As of now, the vehicle is sitting in the store parking lot and I am not sure what to do. We just bought it a couple of weeks ago.
NHTSA investigations
Engine compartment fires
Odi has received 134 consumer complaints, 285 manufacturer complaints, and 137 manufacturer warranty claims alleging incidents of engine compartment fire in model year (my) 1995 thru 2003 Ford windstar vehicles.two of the odi complaints allege the fires caused structural damage to the complainant's home.of the 134 odi complaints, 36 allege the fire occurred while the vehicle was parked, 72 allege the fire occurred…
Engine compartment fires
Ea08-021 is closed with Ford's actions in recall 09v-399 recalling approximately 4.5 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).with this recall Ford has now recalled all of the approximate 16 million Ford model vehicles that were manufactured from my 1992 through 2003 with a texas instruments scds.NHTSA will continue to monitor the recalled vehicles to ensure…
Electrical complaints in other Windstar years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2002 Ford Windstar?
NHTSA has 261 complaints about the electrical system of the 2002 Ford Windstar, 19% of the model year's 1,353 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Windstar electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2002 Ford Windstar, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Windstar electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 19 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.