Steve, I have a 03 Windstar and I have over 692,000 miles on it. The instrument cluster gauges jumping around is a problem with these cars. It is repairable. We repaired my cluster and did same for two other customers of our shop. The cluster can be removed with screws just about the steering column. There are videos of this problem and the fix, on youtube. The main problem when you remove the cluster will be the big, thick cable that connects the two circuit boards inside. If you seperate those boards, and then re-solder the connectors points on one or both, you should correct the problem. It is a loss of the ground connection. Be careful not to push on or break the speedo or RPM needles. We did ours in under an hour, simple. Hope this helps. Dan.....

Steve, I just joined this forum so if I am late to advise, sorry. Yes, you can swap out the boards, IF.... they are the same boards. It would be better if you can repair the board you have. If you turn that board over, you should be able to trace the track (foil?) to another close by solder point. Just a short thin INSULATED wire jumper would do it. Good luck. Dan......

Ignition coil should be on firewall, just in front of the glovebox. It is a square box item with all plug wires coming into it. Mine got wet from water down the windshield and shorted out so I had to replace it. Made a world of difference. Dan.....

a problem with the gauges bouncing around
 

The Windstar is back at Big Toe in there junk yard. Even Big Toe's mechanic couldn't fix the Windstar. It is a design flaw in the instrument cluster. The passive anti-theft system thinks that the vehicle is been swiped when I installed the power to my Amateur Radio 2 way radios and the anti-theft sys killed the power to start the motor. I traided the Windstar in for a 2008 Pontiac Torrent all wheel drive SUV. It drives like a dream. And with the air conditioning on full blast in the summer it was like driving inside a rolling refigerator. hehehe

very common on these cluster to do this, really you just gotta send them out to be repaired. check out these companies. southernelectronics.com or myairbag.com

I have a 2003 Windstar bought used last summer, 105k miles. All sorts of little problems. My '95 Windstar had no problems and was much better quality. Anyway I started having gage issues. Found I could stop it by pounding on top of the dash. After doing this about 25 times, it fixed itself. Got lucky I guess, for awhile. Now I know how to fix it.
I've had to replace:
heater temp control unit
driver door lock actuator twice and whole lock mechanism once
clean mirror control switch so it would work right
Hook up vacuum hose to heater that was off behind engine. Cheap fix.
Rear axle and front engine cradle (recall from Ford). They offered me 2200 for it instead. I said no. The cradle alone is about 5k retail.
Inner tie rod ends
Still needs front suspension control arms I think. Has torque steer, wears tires.
Rear tires wear outside edges with new axle
one catalytic convertor and bellows joint
Need to fix cd player, won't take in cds.
Probably needs front struts. Rides worse than my '95 that had 265k miles.
Rough idle now- probably needs the seals in the inlet manifold replaced
Engine is noisier, sounds like something worn internally, sounds like the bearings for balance shaft is worn possibly
Uses 1qt oil per 1k miles. Far more than my old '95.
I think it's had poor maintenance. Maybe instrument panel has been replaced by one with lower miles too. Seems more like 315k miles on it. Does have a rebuilt trans and very good body.

However I like to tinker luckily. It's just the engine I'm worried about. Probably need to replace it.

(#$%^&*)!!!!!!!!!! This is the only way I can find to post anything. the FAQ only tells me how to FORMAT my post but NOT HOW TO POST!

If you want to post a new question, there is a button "new thread" at the top left area of the forum. But it is always good to search for an existing thread on what you're interested in first.

From any page your currently on.. click on the “Ford Forum /car image” on the left side of the page header. It will take you to the sites Forums lists. Click on any of the bold script/topics of your choosing.. Once the page opens, on the “top left” of the page “New Thread” tab If selected will open a new topic/thread to be created.. If you need help, PM me..