NHTSA Complaint #10296811 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

MY YELLOW ABS BRAKE LIGHT AND MY RED BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR COME ON WHENEVER MY BRAKE LINES BEGIN TO HEAT WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE ALSO HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT COMING ON AND OFF, AND THE ODOMETER AND THE SPEEDOMETER FAILING. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE WINDSTAR VAN WAS NEW. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD TRIED TO HAVE THE SENSORS REPLACED BUT IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN, AND STILL HAPPENS NOW WITH ME. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE BRAKES DO FAIL OR NEED REPAIR, I WON'T KNOW AS THE LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON, ANYWAY. I AM ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE DUE TO A SHORT, OR BEING TICKETED AS I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BEGIN TO FAIL. I WAS TOLD BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS AN UNSPECIFIED ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSING THESE ISSUES, AND THAT IT WOULD DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACE. I AM EXPERIENCING BOTH PROBLEMS 1 & 2 AS DESCRIBED ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE. **** HTTP://WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALL.INFO/ **** THE ISSUE OF THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT IS CRITICAL IN THAT THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED BY FORD. THE ISSUE IS CAUSED BY HEAT IN THE ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM) ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) (2C219) MODULE CAUSING EXPANSION OF A LARGE ALUMINUM PLATE (HEAT SINK) IN THE ECM WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE ECM MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD AT ALL POINTS. THE EXPANSION OCCURS WHEN THE UNIT GETS WARM ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS AND CAUSES INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IN THE UNIT BECAUSE THE FRAGILE BOARD IS BEING STRETCHED AND MALFORMED. THE CODE MOST COMMONLY SCANNED BY PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS IS CODE C1185. SEEN BY US OWNERS AS A YELLOW ABS BRAKE LIGHT. *TR