NHTSA Complaint #10275918 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

2 WEEKS AGO, MY FAMILY AND I HAD MADE A TRIP TO THE DALLAS TEXAS AREA. A FEW DAYS INTO THE VACATION WE HAD GONE TO CHURCH. WELL, WHEN WE HAD LEFT CHURCH, I NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WERE NOT WORKING. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ABS WAS ON. MY FATHER-IN-LAW SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS A FUSE PROBLEM THAT MADE THE AC STOP WORKING. WE LOOKED THE FUSES OVER AND REPLACED THE BURNT ONES ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED UNTIL WE HAD LEFT TEXAS. ON THE WAY BACK HOME, (WE WERE IN OKLAHOMA AT THE TIME) WE HAD STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO FUEL UP. LEAVING THE GAS STATION ONTO THE HIGHWAY OUR DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY (IT WAS AROUND 5 AM). SO I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, BY THIS TIME THE HOOD OF THE VAN WAS BLOWING OUT FAINT SMOKE. WE LOOKED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND SEEN THERE WAS A FIRE. MY WIFE AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUR 3 KIDS OUT OF THE VAN AND INTO OUR PARENT'S CAR, WHILE MY FATHER-IN-LAW DOUSED THE FLAMES. THANK GOD WE HAD ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE THAT TOWED US TO THE NEAREST AUTOZONE. WE WERE SHOCKED AS TO WHAT EXACTLY HAD HAPPENED. AFTER REPLACING SOME MORE FUSES, WE GOT IT UP AND RUNNING LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE IT HOME. THE SPEEDOMETER STILL DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THE ABS LIGHT IS STILL ON. DURING THAT TIME WE NOTICED THAT THE CONNECTION UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER THAT HOUSED THE ABS MODULE HAD COMPLETELY MELTED AND HAD STARTED THE FIRE. I WENT ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE WITH 1995-2003 WINDSTAR MODELS. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS EXCEPT FOR THIS. LIKE I HAVE STATED BEFORE, I HAVE 3 BABIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HARMED OR KILLED BY A FAULTY DESIGN ON THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY AT THIS TIME TO HAVE IT REPAIRED TO INSURE THAT IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE BUT DOES NOT HAVE AC/HEAT/ OR ABS. *TR