NHTSA Complaint #10136352 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

THE PSD ON OUR 2001 FORD WINDSTAR OPENED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. WITH THE CAR OFF, PARKED AND CHILDREN IN THEIR SEATS, MY WIFE CLOSED THE PSD WITH DOOR BUTTON IN POST. DOOR WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. AFTER SEVERAL PUSHES ON THE OUTSIDE HANDLE, THE DOOR CLOSED WITH POWER AND ENGAGED. AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MINUTES THE DRIVER SIDE PSD TRIED TO OPEN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR OPENED HALF WAY. MY WIFE PUSH THE DOOR BUTTON ON THE CEILING AND IT BEGAN TO CLOSE AGAIN. THEN IT CLOSED AND REVERSED 3 TO 4 INCHES AND CLOSED AGAIN. THEN IT REPEATED THE 3 TO 4 INCHES CLOSED AND COULD NOT BE OPERATED. IT STAYED CLOSED UNTIL SHE REACHED HER DESTINATION (10 MINS). WHEN SHE STOPPED THE PASSENGER PSD OPENED ON ITS OWN. THE DRIVERS PSD WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL POWER OR MANUAL. THE CHILDREN LEFT THE VAN THROUGH THE PASSENGER PSD. WE TOOK THE CAR TO FORD THE NEXT DAY. THEY REPLACED THE DOOR SWITCHES AND CONTACT PADS AND THE POWER DOOR LOCK MOTOR ON THE STUCK DRIVER SIDE SLIDER DOOR. THE CAR WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY (57,000) AND WE PAID $556.44 FOR THE REPAIRS. BY SEPT 12, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR WAS OPENING AGAIN BY ITSELF, THIS TIME WHILE IT WAS IN A PARK MODE. WE RETURNED THE CAR TO FORD, THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE A PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED REPLACING THE SLIDING DOOR HINGE, THEY THOUGHT THEY SAW WEAR. BUT THEY COULD NOT SAY IF THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE DID NOT COMPLETE THE SECOND REPAIR ($250) SINCE IT WAS A GUESS. WE HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED FOR THE RECENT REPAIR. THE DOORS WORKED POORLY SINCE WE FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR. THESE INCLUDED TWO WARRANTY SERVICES FOR THE SAME ISSUE OF PSD OPENING ON THEIR OWN OR NOT CLOSING ON 6/20/2003 AND 9/12/2003. WITH THE FIRST FORD REPLACED THE B-PILLAR SWITCHES AND THE SECOND COULD NOT DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM. SINCE FORD HAS AGAIN BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM ON 9/12/2005 AND WE ARE NERVOUS ABOUT IT OCCURRING AGAIN WITH THE CHILDREN BEING HURT OR FALLING OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. *NM