NHTSA Complaint #10287372 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

I PURCHASED A USED 2000 FORD WINDSTAR LX IN SEPTEMBER 2009. FROM THE FIRST DAY, THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON AND WE HAVE HAD CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH OUR BRAKE LIGHTS AND CRUISE CONTROL. SOMETIMES OUR CRUISE CONTROL WORKS, SOMETIMES NOT. SOMETIMES IT SUDDENLY STOPS WORKING AS WELL. WE NEVER THOUGHT OF IT AS A BIG DEAL AS CRUISE CONTROL ISN'T A NECESSITY. HOWEVER, OUR BRAKE LIGHTS RANDOMLY COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE PARKED AND NOT RUNNING WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD BECAUSE WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO TURN OFF. I ALSO HAVE BEEN NEAR REAR-ENDED BY CARS FOLLOWING FOR LONG DISTANCES. SINCE I AM DRIVING WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS ON, WHEN I ACTUALLY USE THE BRAKES, THE DRIVER BEHIND ME CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE. I HAVE JUST HAD MY SCDS REPLACED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP TODAY. THEY DENIED ANY CONNECTION WITH THE PROBLEMS. MY ABS LIGHT STILL COMES ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS AS WELL. I AM GOING TO VISIT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND BRING ALL THE RECALL PAPERWORK WITH ME. *TR