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Ford Windstar Starting/Stalling Problems

64 messages,  Last post on Dec 19, 2012 at 10:01 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Windstar, Car Safety, Van

Messages Page 4 of 7

#25 of 64 Re: Van stalls intermittently along with belt squeal [rcchampacojr] by steve264

Oct 26, 2009 (7:17 am)

Replying to: rcchampacojr (Jul 23, 2009 7:46 pm)
Did you find the problem causing the stalling? My wife's 2003 is doing the same thing, I replaced the tensioner but it still does it, it seem to be worse when cold.
 
Steve

#26 of 64 Re: Van stalls intermittently along with belt squeal [steve264] by amontini

Dec 14, 2009 (11:24 am)

Replying to: steve264 (Oct 26, 2009 7:17 am)
Any luck figuring out the problem. My wife's van has the same symptoms and issues!

#27 of 64 Re: Van stalls intermittently along with belt squeal [amontini] by rcchampacojr

Dec 14, 2009 (3:51 pm)

Replying to: amontini (Dec 14, 2009 11:24 am)
Well, her dad took it in to his brother's shop and ended up changing both the alternator and the water pump. There wasn't any stalling after that. A few chirps from the belt when cold; and when I say chirps, I mean loud squirrels. I'm willing to bet it was the alternator causing the near-stalls.

#28 of 64 2000 Windstar Intermittant stalling by smacmo1

Feb 15, 2010 (8:42 pm)

About a year before the warranty ran out the vehicle began the stall feature I see , mentioned here. Thedealer had the vehucle about once every three moniths for about a week with no answers as to what was going on. Finally in Oct 007, I got fed up after walking five miles to find a phone, had the van towed in and told the service writer to replace the fuel pump, filter and sensors. Well, it worked just fine after that until about nine months ago and the stall returned ( May 009. Now, there is no particular interval between failures, could be a day, week month or more. Afer running about 20 minutes, the va will subtilly jerk, vibrate as if the timing was off then stall whenever you bring the van to a halt, no matter where. The engine will crank, start run about 5 seconds then stop. This will happen for at least 3-4 hours then go away. We had it towed to the dealership Friday, they pushed it into the garage found nothing amiss. Suggestions?

#29 of 64 windstar stalls while driving by nicky99

Mar 13, 2010 (7:59 pm)

it started around october 2009. my van was doing a jerking motion then started stalling while driving. the first auto shop changed the air control switch and mass airflow sensor. my van did good for 2 weeks then it started again. so the second diagnostic test from a different auto place said upper and lower air intake gaskets, but i had to get an upgraded kit from a Ford dealer. It worked for about one week. The 3rd auto shop found nothing, but some codes dealing with the mass airflow, so they reset the codes. That lasted a few days. The 4th diagnostic test, they said it was the computer, but now my van will not start at all. i had the starter and alternator tested. the test came back good. i had my battery cells tested, they came back good. i have paid out $2,000.00 and the van still wont start. i just paid 578.00 for the computer chip from the dealer, who now says they need to put in a new starter before they program the chip. the starter and labor fees will be $511.00. Is there anyone with the same problem?

#30 of 64 Re: 2000 Windstar Intermittant stalling [smacmo1] by bigdaddymac27

Aug 07, 2010 (8:08 am)

Replying to: smacmo1 (Feb 15, 2010 8:42 pm)
I have a 2003 Ford Windstar, same problem,Ford is covering up the problem. It's in the PCM Module',or computer brain, CCRM (constant control relay module).It has a Texas Instrament Chip thats bad. I see it from 1995 til 2003 . The bast+_+ know about it but never did a recall. Chip controls everything from trany. Acts up sporadicly like my spelling does.Dealer's know too, but it's a good money maker amd cheap fix , but not by them.

#31 of 64 Re: Van stalls intermittently along with belt squeal [rcchampacojr] by erics5

Aug 17, 2010 (6:24 pm)

Replying to: rcchampacojr (Jul 23, 2009 7:46 pm)
brother in law same problem.......cam senser squealing and made it stall....

#32 of 64 Re: Van stalls intermittently along with belt squeal [rcchampacojr] by delawarejim

Aug 20, 2010 (4:18 am)

Replying to: rcchampacojr (Jul 23, 2009 7:46 pm)
The cause of your 2 symptoms are related. The culprit is called a crank angle sensor. www.advanceautoparts.com part number 30-S2601. Sells for $46. This sensor sits just behind the water pump. Look for a round black plastic cover with 2 very small bolts. It also has 1 bolt and washer that hold it in place. It has 2 wires connected to it. It is located just behind the water pump assembly and in front of and below the power steering pump assembly. This is not just a sensor that is mounted to the engine, No no no. It is an assembly with a long shaft and a gear that is about 12 inches long. The problem is that near the top of this sensor there is a bushing that goes bad. When it does, the first symptom that you will notice is a squeal sound coming out of the belt area. A fan belt squeal. The next symptom that happens is the motor will stall. You can restart the motor but it usually takes a few seconds to get it going. Then you hear that awful squeal sound again, and then it stalls again. Frustrating. Just order a replacement sensor and install. As I recall, it should take an hour or so to install. The problem is there is almost no room to work. You have to loosen the power steering pump assembly (4 bolts and 1 of them is just under a copper tube....so remove the 3 easy ones and then as you are loosening the 4th, just lift up on the pump assembly as you go...it will comes up just fine). You don't have to remove any of the hoses or lines, just loosen the power steering pump assembly to give you clearance to lift out the sensor. Then sensor has just 1 bolt to unscrew and 1 electrical connector to remove and it lifts up and out of the engine. It comes up on an angle towards the power steering pump. If you need more room, pull the 2 windshield wipers arms off, remove the black plastic cowl, and the plastic cowl under that. couple of bolts and those plastic screws and those windshield washer hoses, and an electrical connector for the windshield wiper motor. This also gives enough room to put new spark plugs in. The front 3 pugs are pretty easy, the back 3 are a little tougher. I laid a quilt blanket across the engine area and laid on top of the engine area to reach those back 3. Anyway, hope this info helps somebody. Oh yeah,FYI, the purpose of the crank angle sensor is to send a signal to the vans computer to adjust the timing. When the bushing goes bad, the sensor gives a false reading, throwing the timing way out of whack which stalls the motor. Good luck.

#33 of 64 Re: Van stalls intermittently along with belt squeal [steve264] by delawarejim

Aug 20, 2010 (4:21 am)

Replying to: steve264 (Oct 26, 2009 7:17 am)
The cause of your 2 symptoms are related. The culprit is called a crank angle sensor. www.advanceautoparts.com part number 30-S2601. Sells for $46. This sensor sits just behind the water pump. Look for a round black plastic cover with 2 very small bolts. It also has 1 bolt and washer that hold it in place. It has 2 wires connected to it. It is located just behind the water pump assembly and in front of and below the power steering pump assembly. This is not just a sensor that is mounted to the engine, No no no. It is an assembly with a long shaft and a gear that is about 12 inches long. The problem is that near the top of this sensor there is a bushing that goes bad. When it does, the first symptom that you will notice is a squeal sound coming out of the belt area. A fan belt squeal. The next symptom that happens is the motor will stall. You can restart the motor but it usually takes a few seconds to get it going. Then you hear that awful squeal sound again, and then it stalls again. Frustrating. Just order a replacement sensor and install. As I recall, it should take an hour or so to install. The problem is there is almost no room to work. You have to loosen the power steering pump assembly (4 bolts and 1 of them is just under a copper tube....so remove the 3 easy ones and then as you are loosening the 4th, just lift up on the pump assembly as you go...it will comes up just fine). You don't have to remove any of the hoses or lines, just loosen the power steering pump assembly to give you clearance to lift out the sensor. Then sensor has just 1 bolt to unscrew and 1 electrical connector to remove and it lifts up and out of the engine. It comes up on an angle towards the power steering pump. If you need more room, pull the 2 windshield wipers arms off, remove the black plastic cowl, and the plastic cowl under that. couple of bolts and those plastic screws and those windshield washer hoses, and an electrical connector for the windshield wiper motor. This also gives enough room to put new spark plugs in. The front 3 pugs are pretty easy, the back 3 are a little tougher. I laid a quilt blanket across the engine area and laid on top of the engine area to reach those back 3. Anyway, hope this info helps somebody. Oh yeah,FYI, the purpose of the crank angle sensor is to send a signal to the vans computer to adjust the timing. When the bushing goes bad, the sensor gives a false reading, throwing the timing way out of whack which stalls the motor. Good luck.

#34 of 64 Re: windstar stalls while driving [nicky99] by gho5tman77

Sep 16, 2010 (8:22 am)

Replying to: nicky99 (Mar 13, 2010 7:59 pm)
i had the same problem. after changing the fuel pump 2 times. the coil twice. change the mas air flow sensor... finally found the problem... its the fuel safety switch. its located by the driver door down by the brake release.. try that!!!!

Messages Page 4 of 7

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