NHTSA Complaint #10228676 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

I HAVE A 2002 FORD WINDSTAR THAT WE PURCHASED 2 YRS AGO, ...MORNING AFTER DELIVERY BATTERY WAS DEAD, TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID SHOULD BE FINE. OCCASIONALLY STILL DIES AND HAS TO BE CHARGED, ALTERNATOR & BATTERY CHECK OUT FINE. THE MOST DANGEROUS PROBLEM IS THAT THE ABS LIGHT IS ON AND ABS DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. WE CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO ADD BRAKE FLUID (AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH) AND CAN NOT FIND ANY LEAKS ON THE GROUND. HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS CAN NOT DIAGNOSE. THE DEALERSHIP HOOKED VEHICLE UP TO MACHINE TO READ CODE AND CAN NOT GET ANY READINGS FROM SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP SEEMED TO THINK THAT IT COULD BE A WIRING PROBLEM OR ABS MODULE. ABS WILL OCCASIONALLY GO OUT/WORK BUT NOT PROPERLY, ABS WILL KICK IN ON DRY ROADS NOT WET/SNOW COVERED. TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AND TIRE PRESSURES ARE ALL CORRECT. HAS BEEN RESET BUT COMES BACK ON AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES. OCCASIONALLY IT WILL GO OUT ON ITS OWN BUT THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BOUNCE AROUND (IF GOING 55 WILL JUMP TO 70,80). WHEN OPENING THE REAR TAILGATE HATCH AND CLOSING,THE DASH LIGHT STAYS ON LIKE IT IS STILL OPEN AND DOME LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN DRIVING THE DOOR CHIME WILL SOUND AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WILL GO OUT AND WORKS PROPERLY UNTIL GATE IS OPENED AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING THE DOOR LIGHT AND CHIME WILL COME ON LIGHTS STAY ON. THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT ALSO COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHEN USING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR CONTROLS TO PUT WINDOWS UP/DOWN YOU HEAR LOUDER THEN NORMAL CLICKING. ALSO DIMS THE LIGHTS WHEN PUTTING WINDOWS UP/DOWN. WE CAN ALSO SMELL WHAT SEEMS TO BE WIRES BURNING AT TIMES BUT CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING. WE ARE AT A LOSS OF WHERE TO BEGIN. WE WILL NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE ANY FURTHER THEN 50 MILE RADIUS FROM OUR HOME FOR FEAR OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DO. IF WE GO FURTHER WE RENT A VEHICLE. NOW TO THE POINT OF PURCHASING A CHEAP, RELIABLE VEHICLE (NOT FORD) AND PARKING THIS ONE UNTIL WE CAN PAY DOWN ENOUGH TO TRADE IN. *TR