NHTSA Complaint #10287093 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

MY 2001 WINDSTAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT. LAST SUMMER WHILE STANDING AND RUNNING IT ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD SMOKE RISING ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE VAN ON THE DRIVER SIDE, MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE LOW BRAKE FLUID SENSOR LEAKING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. MY CRUISE CONTROL BECAME INTERMITTENT AND MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AFTER HITTING A BUMP. A LOCAL SHOP STATED THAT A WIRE WAS LOOSE AND IT WOULD COST A $1000 TO FIND THE PROBLEM. TODAY I LEARNED THAT THE SWITCH IS LEAKING AND THE CONNECTOR TO THE WIRING HARNESS IS BURNED AND HAS BEEN SHORTED BY LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THANKFULLY THAT I DID SHUT DOWN THE CAR WHEN THE SMOKE APPEARED AND I DID NOT HAVE A FIRE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING WINDSTARS THAT HAVE HAD FIRES OR PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. *TR