NHTSA Complaint #10170525 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

MY HUSBAND, MY 7 MONTH OLD BABY AND I WERE DRIVING ON OUR WAY TO LUNCH AT ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD OF OUR 2002 FORD WINDSTAR. IMMEDIATELY SMOKE FILLED UP OUR CABIN THROUGH THE VENTS. MY HUSBAND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND I QUICKLY GOT MY BABY OUT OF THE VAN. MY HUSBAND OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES AND WE ALL RAN AWAY FROM THE CAR. MY HUSBAND RAN TO A NEARBY BUSINESS THAT LUCKILY HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT IN TIME BEFORE WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO SHOP THAT HAPPENED TO BE VERY CLOSE TO WHERE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. AFTER HAVING TO LET THE CAR COOL DOWN AND THE TERRIBLE SMELL GO AWAY THE MECHANICS LOOKED AT THE CAR AND TOLD US RIGHT AWAY THAT THEY KNEW IT WAS THE SAME CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED ON FORD TRUCKS. HE ADVISED US TO TAKE THE VAN TO FORD AND HAVE THEM FIX IT WITHOUT ANY CHARGE BECAUSE THAT WAS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED IN THE WINDSTAR AS WELL. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE VAN TO THE LOCAL FORD SHOP AND THEY DID AGREE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THEY "UPGRADED" THE PART AND THEN TRIED TO CHARGE US ALMOST $400 FOR THE JOB. NOT UNTIL AFTER I COMPLAINED TO THE MANAGER DID THEY WAIVE THE FEE, BUT TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE "I WAS A LOCAL CUSTOMER" (I HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ANYTHING FROM THEIR DEALERSHIP) THEY WAIVED THE FEE BECAUSE THEY KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM OF FORDS. *JB