NHTSA Complaint #10269461 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

MY 2002 FORD WINDSTAR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS ILLUMINATED THE RED BRAKELIGHT YELLOW ABS LIGHTS AND THE TRAC OFF SYMBOL SPORADICALLY SINCE LAST SUMMER THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH INFORMATION I FOUND IN A CURRENT NHTSA INVESTIGATION. I HAVE ALSO READ ABOUT OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. SADLY, THEY HAVE HAD DISASTROUS OUTCOMES (VEHICLE FIRES AND STRUCTURE FIRES). THERE IS NO SIGN OF BRAKE FLUID BELOW BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR. LIGHTS COME ON AND DO NOT ALWAYS REAPPEAR RIGHT AWAY WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED BACK ON. SEEMS TO BE LINKED WITH EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE - ON DAYS THAT ARE WARM, THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE MORE FREQUENTLY. ON DAYS THAT ARE COLD, THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE ILLUMINATED. DID NOT HAPPEN AT ALL DURING THIS PAST WINTER. AS I STATED, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME (ALMOST A YEAR) FIRST NOTICED IT LAST SUMMER (2008) WITH 105,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY 135,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. I HAVE NOT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE SINCE LAST SUMMER FEARING A THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE. *TR