NHTSA Complaint #10274252 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

ON A VERY HOT DAY I WENT OVER A BUMP AND THE RED BRAKE LIGHT AND YELLOW ABS LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. I WAS PANICKED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL, BUT AFTER PARKING THE VAN AND RESTARTING IT, THE LIGHTS WERE GONE. THEY CAME BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE THEY TOLD ME IT NEEDED A NEW ABS MODULE. I RESEARCH THE INTERNET TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, AND WHY IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT IS HOT OUT. WE DECIDED TO POSTPONE THE $700 REPAIR, SINCE IT DOESN'T OCCUR WHEN IT IS COLD OUT. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS THIS WINTER, BUT NOW THAT IT HOT AGAIN, THE LIGHTS ARE AGAIN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WON'T HAVE ABS ONLY WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON. BUT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN IN THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO COUNT ON THE ABS SYSTEM WORKING WHEN WE NEED IT. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT RESULTS FROM A DEFECTIVE PART THEY DESIGNED. AT THIS POINT WE HAVE NOT REPLACED THE PART, IT IS STILL IN THE VAN, BUT I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT SOON AS THE WEATHER GETS WARMER AND THE LIGHTS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. *TR