Door Lock & Latch complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Our vehicle has several ongoing problems that the dealer has been unable to repair. The traction control light occaisionally comes on and loud grinding noises are heard and vibrations felt through the floor. This problem began around 9/2004. The interior lights will randomly turn on and off while driving. The dealer completely removed the overhead consoles and headliner to repair a short in the wiring harness; but that didn't fix it. And both power sliding doors have malfunctioned several times. The doors will not open with any of the interior switches or remote, and the power locks on them will hang up. The doors have, on occaision, opened by themselves while the vehicle is parked in the driveway. We found the interior flooded one morning after it rained heavily the night before. We can only assume the door opened on its own. …
I own a 2003 Ford Windstar that was purchased in September of 2003. I had so many issues with this van since purchasing it, it's not even funny. It started out with the door locks and the back hatch door not operating correctly....there were also some cosmetic items that were defective. The most annoying problem occurred in August of 2005 and has continued sporadically over the course of the last year. The van stalls out while driving down the road!!! You lose the power brakes and power steering when this happens..it has been in the shop probably four times over the course of the last year. The first couple of times they would return the van with the explanation "no problem found". I have had people riding with me that have experienced this problem first hand. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Windstar. While the vehicle was undergoing routine service, the dealer diagnosed that the sliding door latch and lock actuator needed replacement. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V643000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 115,292. Updated 02/03/17
Door locks are activated and continuously active themselves, locks open and close and chimes for door ajar appears on instrumentation panel. Lights on the mirrors luminate due to car reconginizing symtom of open door, draining battery. This problem first occurred while on an 8 hour drive home from Canada, was brought to Ford, they changed the front passengener sensor claiming car was fixed after 2 days in the shop. 5 days later while enroute to nc, the same problem arose, locks opening and shuttiing and car chimming constantly. Car was flatbedded to a Ford dealership in north carolina. Car was supposedly fixed, again, after 3 days in the shop. Ten miles bbefore reaching my destination 65 miles away from dealership , same problem occurred again, after the rear sliding door sensor was replaced at this Ford. …
My 2001 Windstar had been making a scrunching noise each time I went off a curb. I took it to a tire place as that's when I found the crack in the axle in August 2010. The tire dealer didn't make that kind of repair so I call Ford dealership who told me to bring the car in and that a recall had just been issued. My car sat for six months. On 1/26/2011 the dealer called and said my axle had been repaired and that I could pick the car up. I couldn't pick it up that day. On 1/27/11 I heard the news state a new recall and I looked it up. Turns out my car is involved in that recall too. I went to the dealer and I communicated to them that I do not want that vehicle back under any circumstances. The ABS light has been malfunctioning for three years or more. …
I have had problems with my 2001 Windstar passenger rear automatic door since the day I bought the car brand new. The door would constantly close and reopen. I have had it checked at least 3 times for this problem. Most recently the door would not close all the way and has been rattling. The problem now is the door has closed and locked and will not open. My Ford dealer needs to pry it open with some device just to check the problem. Minimum cost for this is $250.00. I cannot drive this vehicle with a jammed door because I have two small children. If I ever needed to get them out in an emergency I would not be able to. I have contacted Ford motor company to see if there has been any recalls of this nature. Ford did not acknowledge this problem and dismissed it and me. I think Ford should investigate this further and I think they should be responsible to fix the problem for free. …
Dt: the contact stated in March 2004 the interior lights flickered under all conditions. There were no warning indicators on the dashboard concerning the interior lights flickering. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and dealer changed the alternator and the battery lead wires. This only repaired the problem for two to three days. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and the door switches were changed. This solved the problem for two to three weeks. The problem recurred and vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who replaced the thumb roller for the interior lights and the switch plates on the sliding doors. Again the problem recurred after two to three weeks. Once again the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who referred the contact to another dealer. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer who was unable to diagnose the source of the problem. …
Dt: the consumer stated 2000 Ford Windstar was having multiple problems. The fuses blew out, the lights were blinking on and off, and the odometer/speedometer werenot working. The mechanic that looked at the car suggested that it May be an electrical problem. While driving the lights wereblinking on and off. Consistently, kept the dashboard not illuminated. They have even tried to leave the air off to see if this would help the fuses not to blow out. There were lights on the dashboard that when lit up wthe fuse blew out. . The ABS light came on when the fuse blew out. The rear defroster didn't work nor did the rear air vents. This was not a safety condition for the owner to be traveling with child who has major health issues. The owner has not taken the van to the dealership because she could not afford the cost of labor and service charges. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Windstar years have door lock & latch problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (52), 1999 (35), 2003 (33), 1995 (29) and 2001 (20) model years. Door Lock & Latch complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Ford Windstar door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for any Ford Windstar model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Windstar door lock & latch problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles; 42% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the doors › latch (148 mentions), followed by the hatchback/liftgate › lock (11).
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.