Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Windstar owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Ford Windstar. While attempting to park the vehicle, white smoke emerged from the engine compartment. The contact exited the vehicle and then it became engulfed in flames. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The fire department deemed the vehicle destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 182,000.
Was on the street driving, lights started flashing on dashboard van shut off in the middle of the street battery, alternator, blew out, was driving again van was ilde up really bad and while my feet was on the brakes it started moving on its own and ran into someone else vehicle, and also van was on the road started running bad broke down on a busy street once I was pushed to a safe location all my fluids were on the ground and the van was smoking really bad and lights on dashboard were flashing.
This vehicle was mine and given to my daughter in law for their family. She put it into reverse to leave her driveway and there was no response. Neither the drive or reverse was working...nothing worked. It was towed to a local garage to determine what the problem was and the report was...transmission!! It was double checked by a Ford dealer and the outcome indicated that it was the transmission torque converter specifically. Doing a bit of research, it was discovered that this is not uncommon for this vehicle...why???? It seems to me that for a family vehicle by a domestic name brand such as Ford, that the family should be able to get more than 96000 miles out of their vehicle!! The cost factor for repairs is in the $1500 to $2000 range and the laughable part is that there is no recall!!!!! …
We owned a 2003 Ford Windstar, which we had not had any incidents prior besides interior lights flickering. We were driving on the interstate at approximately 65mph when I suddenly saw a very dense light gray smoke in the driver's side mirror. We pulled over immediately. I told everyone to exit the vehicle upon seeing flames under the vehicle in front of the drivers front tire, under the engine. We never lost power while driving and the engine showed no signs of failure. Everyone exited the vehicle without injury but unfortunately the fire was rampant and consumed the vehicle prior to emergency officials arriving. There were multiple explosions from the vehicle during the fire. Please look into this, as I now know from looking into it further that there seems to be a trend of engine compartment fires in this model. …
I was backing down the driveway when my Ford Windstar 2003 engine started revving and I had to put both feet on the breaks to stop the car from running out of control. After I put both feet on the brakes to release the engine from revving did it stop. It happened again on the same day and it took all my strength to stop the Ford Windstar 2003 model. It could have done a lot of damage either to another car or a person. It is very dangerous and this problem has to be corrected or put on a recall basis before other people who might have the problem, can either get it fixed or taken off the road.
Bought used vehicle from dealer and noticed the ABS/brake light was constantly on. It was "fixed" before completing the purchase. Lasted for a few days before lights came back on and stayed on. Was told it not a big deal, so I didnt worry about it. Was not experiencing any other issues until 1.5 years later when I turned the defrost fan on and it stalled the motor as I was traveling. The next weekend my husband wanted to look at it and after the van idled for a few minutes, turned on the defrost and it did not stall, called it a fluke until we popped the hood and had smoke coming out!
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. While approaching a stop, the driver depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the driver had to engage the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. The brakes, ABS, engine, and door ajar warning lights previously illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ABS electrical module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,190.
I purchased this vehicle this morning, 4/29/15. I took it for a test drive last night, no problems. This morning when I left the house to get the title transferred and vehicle registered, the brake light came on. When I got to my destination and turned it off, then turned it back on, the light remained on, and the ABS light came one. Neither will go off. I had a 1998 Windstar that I sold due to age but loved. I am not happy to have this issue the first day I own its replacement.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact was driving 30 MPH when flames emitted from the engine. The contact also mentioned prior to the failure that a loud noise was heard from the engine after the start of the ignition. The fire caused no injuries and both the police and fire departments were contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and the current mileages were 103,000.
Went to pull out of parking space. None of the gears worked. Ended up having vehicle towed. Thankful my husband wasn't on the way to work going 60-65 MPH. Contacted Ford and was told too bad since it wasn't diagnosed by one of their dealers shops but by a mechanic we've been using for years. I'm wondering why the freestar was recalled for this issue and not the Windstar. This should not be happening at 63K miles.
Engine complaints in other Windstar years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2003 Ford Windstar?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2003 Ford Windstar, 5% of the model year's 1,510 complaints. The component named most often is engine (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Windstar engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2003 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 2003 Ford Windstar engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 8 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.