NHTSA Complaint #10421408 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

FAULTY ABS SENSOR IN 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. BOTH THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD STARTING COMING ON THIS PAST SUMMER. I HAD IT CHECKED AT FIRESTONE, AUTOMASTERS AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE ALL GETTING A C1185 ERROR CODE AND THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE THEY COULD FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THE COST AT THE DEALERSHIP WAS $495 FOR THE SENSOR AND ANOTHER $500 TO INSTALL. WHILE CHECKING ANOTHER RECALL FROM FORD, I STUMBLED UPON A WEBSITE [HTTP://WWW.FORDWINDSTARRECALL.INFO/#PROBLEM2] THAT MENTIONED THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT THE PROBLEM COULD START A VEHICLE FIRE. IT SUGGESTED TWO SOLUTIONS: 1) REPLACE THE ECM UNIT AND WAIT FOR IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN AT YOUR EXPENSE, SO SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS. ALWAYS BUY FORD PARTS IF THERE IS A CHANCE YOU WILL BE REIMBURSED. ALSO A FORD DEALERSHIP MAY BE THE WAY TO GO HERE. 2) DEACTIVATE THE ECM HIGH POWER BY REMOVING FUSES 101 AND 102 SO THAT THE ABS IS ALWAYS OFF AND NOT INTERMITTENT. AND WAIT FOR FORD TO LISTEN TO US THROUGH YOUR REPORT TO THE NHTSA.GOV. I AM SENDING THIS TO ADD TO ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO YOUR ATTENTION IN THE HOPES IT CAN BE REPAIRED PROPERLY AND THAT FORD COVERS SOME, IF NOT ALL THE COSTS. *TR