NHTSA Complaint #10070223 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

ON MAY 27, 2002, I WAS ON VACATION WITH MY FAMILY USING OUR 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. I WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT AND WAS TRYING TO GET OUT WHEN I TRIPPED AND LANDED WITH MY KNEE ON STEPPING AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THE FORCE OF MY LANDING (WHICH WASN'T THAT HARD) CAUSED THE SIDE DOOR TO UNLATCH FROM IT'S GROOVED MOLDING AND SHUT ON MY ARM WITH FULL FORCE. I WAS LUCKY NOT HAVE ANY BROKEN BONES (BUT DID HAVE TO GO TO THE DOCTOR AND HAVE X-RAYS) HOWEVER I WAS UNABLE TO WORK OR REALLY TAKE CARE OF MY CHILDREN (I HAD A 1 YR OLD AND 5 YR OLD AT THE TIME) FOR A GOOD MONTH (I WENT BACK TO WORK AFTER A WEEK BUT WITH PAIN). I CALLED FULLERTON FORD AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THE FIRST STEP WAS TO COME IN AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, WHICH I DID. JAIME, THE SERVICE REP, LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR HOWEVER THIS IS A FLAW IN THE OVERALL DESIGN AS THE AUTOMATIC WINDSTAR DOORS HAVE A LOCKING MECHANISM AND THE MANUALS ONLY HAVE THIS SMALL MOLDING. HE RECOMMENDED THAT I CALL FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND LODGE A COMPLAINT FOR A RECALL. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD DOCUMENT ALL THIS IN HIS COMPUTER FOR WHEN FORD REVIEWED THE COMPLAINT. I CALLED FORD IMMEDIATELY AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TAKE MY INFORMATION AND THAT WOULD BE IT. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT A RECALL THEY SAID IT WAS DOUBTFUL BUT WRITE A LETTER. I SENT OUT A LETTER ON JUNE 15TH EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW I FELT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR AS THE DOOR HAD SLID OTHER TIMES IN THE PAST AND I JUST DIDN'T FEEL SAFE THAT MY SON WOULDN'T GET HURT OR SOME OTHER CHILD DOWN THE ROAD. I ASKED THEM TO ALLOW ME TO BE RELEASED FROM MY LEASE AND TO GIVE ME A CREDIT TOWARD A PURCHASE OF A DIFFERENT VEHICLE...THEY RESPONDED ON PAPER WITHIN TWO DAYS OR RECEIVING MY LETTER HOWEVER, THEY CHOSE NOT TO MAIL IT TO ME UNTIL 8 WEEKS LATER. IN AUGUST, I RECEIVED THEIR RESPONSE AND IT SAID THAT THEY DEALERSHIP SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR SO THEY WERE GOING TO DO NOTHING