NHTSA Complaint #10203486 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I NOTICED MY ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING AND THEN EVERY LIGHT POSSIBLE LIT UP, SO WHEN I GOT TO WORK MY HUSBAND TOLD ME TO SEE IF I COULD GET IT TO GRANDE TRUCK CENTER IN SAN ANTONIO. I LEFT IT AND LATER RECEIVED A CALL TELLING ME THE WIRING HARNESS HAD SHORTED OUT AND I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT MY VAN DID NOT BURN UP. I WAS TOLD MAYBE A VARMINT HAD CHEWED ON THE WIRES, BUT MY VAN IS ALWAYS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AT NIGHT.. I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH AFTER RECALLING AN INCIDENT NOT FAR FROM OUR HOME THAT INVOLVED SOME TYPE OF FORD SUV THAT CAUGHT FIRE IN THE GARAGE AND BURNED THE HOUSE DOWN. ALL THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH THAT COST ABOUT 21.00. I FOUND THAT MILLIONS OF VEHICLES HAD BEEN RECALLED BY FORD BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THE WINDSTAR WAS ON THE LIST OF HAVING THE SAME OR SIMILAR SWITCH, BUT WAS NOT RECALLED AND STILL HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I HAVE PUT A REQUEST IN WITH GRANDE TRUCK TO BE REIMBURSED, SINCE IT WAS A MANUFACTURER ERROR AND NOTHING I DID, BUT TO DATE I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM. I EMAILED FORD TO ASK WHY MY VAN WAS NOT RECALLED AND RECEIVED AN ANSWER THAT ALL RECALLS ARE HANDLED BY THE NHTSA. YES, I DO HAVE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE VAN (LOOKS LIKE PART#F58A-9F924-AA 2063) IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO READ. THE INVOICE STATES REPLACE ABS MODULE & HYDRAULIC UNIT, REPLACE WIRE HARNESS & CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, SERVICE BLEED, BLEED SYS. $2654.81. MY HUSBAND WAS ALLOWED TO SEE THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS ALMOST BURNT IN HALF, BUT THAT WAS NOT KEPT. I THANK GOD THAT THERE WAS NO REAL TRAGEDY THAT CAME OUT OF THIS, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT FORD IS RESPONSIBLE AND SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO REIMBURSE ME MY MONEY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE FORD WINDSTAR. WHEN I CONTACTED YOUR OFFICE BY PHONE I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A NEW RECALL AS OF 8-31-2007, THAT INCLUDED THE WINDSTAR, BUT I DID NOT SEE THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR