The Lemon IndexC1246 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full C1246 page
25 owner complaints · the #8 code Ford Windstar owners name · 14% of Ford Windstar complaints that name a code (every car: 0.2%)
Middle of 92,000 miles · most between 84,000 and 124,000 (24 owners gave it)
Ford Windstar owners named C1246 in 25 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2003, 2002 and 2001 model years, at a middle of 92,000 miles. The part they name most is the ABS module, pump or accumulator (5 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Ford Windstar model years that report C1246
Owner complaints naming C1246, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
92,000 miles is the middle of what 24 owners entered. Half were between 84,000 and 124,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the ABS module, pump or accumulator, in 5 of the 25 complaints (20%). 3 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards.
- ABS module, pump or brake accumulator5 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what Ford Windstar owners paid
9 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with C1246
8% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Brakes or ABS act up100%25 of 25 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults12%3 of 25 complaints
- Stalls or shuts off8%2 of 25 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires8%2 of 25 complaints
Share of the complaints naming C1246 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
C1185 25 C1250 25 C1194 25 C1254 25 C1198 24 C1242 22
Other codes named in the same Ford Windstar complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
- ABS module replacement$700, $1,2002 bills
- EGR valve replacement$1,0001 bill
Repair bills owners named in these 25 complaints (3 in all). Owner reports, not a quote: costs vary by shop and region.
Keep going
- C1246: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Ford Windstar reliability by year
- 2003 Ford Windstar problems and recalls
Other codes Ford Windstar owners report
C1185 C1194 C1198 C1250 C1254 C1242 C1210 C1214 P0171 P0174
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What C1246 means
C1246 is a manufacturer-specific code: each carmaker decides what it means, so the same code can point to different problems on different brands. We haven't verified its meaning for Ford yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 10731987, 10715512, 10702306, 10702303, 10648904, 10639665, 10627807, 10626459, 10592309, 10542558, 10537967, 10534547 and 13 more.
Quick answers
Which Ford Windstar years have the most C1246 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2003 (11), 2002 (7), 2001 (6) Ford Windstar named C1246 most (25 complaints in all, 2000–2003). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes C1246 on a Ford Windstar?
Owners most often name the ABS module, pump or accumulator (5 of 25 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does C1246 show up on a Ford Windstar?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 92,000 miles; half were between 84,000 and 124,000 (24 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name C1246 on the Ford Windstar, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.