NHTSA Complaint #10239595 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

ON 08/09/2008, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE THEN HAD TO BE JUMP-STARTED, AND I NOTICED A FAINT BURNING SMELL WHILE DRIVING. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THE BURNING SCENT WAS EXTREMELY STRONG. THE VEHICLE IS NOW INOPERATIVE. THE BATTERY, PURCHASED AT SEARS ON 06/04/2005, CAN NO LONGER HOLD A CHARGE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS GONE HAYWIRE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HEADLIGHTS NOW COME ON, DIMLY, WHEN THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT WAS 119,200. I HAD ONE PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. IN JUNE 2007, BOTH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A LOUD SQUEALING SOUND IN THE BRAKES. TWICE, ON WET PAVEMENT, MY BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION NORMALLY. ALTHOUGH I AVOIDED ANY COLLISION, ON ONE OCCASION I WAS FORCED TO PROCEED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WHERE THE TRAFFIC LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED RED. AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC WAS CODE C1185. AS A PRECAUTION, THEY FLUSHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THEREAFTER, THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN IN MAY 2008. AGAIN, THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SQUEALING BRAKES. I HAD A FORD DEALERSHIP GO OVER THE VEHICLE AND RECEIVED A WRITTEN REPORT IN MAY 2008 THAT SHOWED THE BRAKES TO BE IN ACCEPTABLE CONDITION. THERE WERE NO FURTHER INCIDENTS UNTIL AUGUST 2008. BECAUSE OF THE COMPLAINTS I'VE READ ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I WILL MENTION THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH ON THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT WORKED IN QUITE SOME TIME. I MUST USE THE BRAKE PEDAL TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. I URGE YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR