NHTSA Complaint #10194166 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

UPON STARTING THE 2001 FORD WINDSTAR VAN TUESDAY MORNING SEVERAL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS STAYED ON, INCLUDING THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS. THE DIGITAL ODOMETER DISPLAY CHANGED FROM NUMBERS TO DASHES AND THE SPEEDOMETER REMAINED AT "0" WHEN DRIVING. ALSO, THE AIR CONDITIONING (A/C ) STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. IT TOOK THEM 2 DAYS TO FIND THE PROBLEM WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER SAID WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE VAN DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. HE TOLD US THAT THE SWITCH HAD COMPLETELY MELTED AND HAD CHARRED THE SURROUNDING WIRES. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM WHICH CAUSED THE MASSIVE FORD RECALL IN 2005, BUT FORD CLAIMS THAT THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM IN THEIR MINIVANS. THE FORD DEALERSHIP DID REPAIR THE DAMAGE AT A COST OF ABOUT $700. I DID NOT THINK TO ASK AT THE TIME IF I COULD HAVE THE BURNED SWITCH. I WOULD LIKE THIS TO GO ON RECORD IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER VANS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PERHAPS THE FORD RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE WINDSTARS AS WELL. I CONTACTED FORD BY EMAIL AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE CURRENTLY NO SAFETY RECALLS INVOLVING THIS VAN.*AK