NHTSA Complaint #10146915 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED IN MARCH 2004 THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED UNDER ALL CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ON THE DASHBOARD CONCERNING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY LEAD WIRES. THIS ONLY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM FOR TWO TO THREE DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THE DOOR SWITCHES WERE CHANGED. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR TWO TO THREE WEEKS. THE PROBLEM RECURRED AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE THUMB ROLLER FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE SWITCH PLATES ON THE SLIDING DOORS. AGAIN THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER TWO TO THREE WEEKS. ONCE AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SECOND DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND DEALER SUGGESTED THE PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO A RARE ELECTRONIC MODULE WHICH WAS REPLACED BY THE CONTACT, BUT THIS STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A THIRD DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE WIRING UNDER THE HEADLINER. THE PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER TWO TO THREE WEEKS. YESTERDAY THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE THIRD DEALER, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK