NHTSA Complaint #10462867 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

MY INSTRUMENT PANEL KEEPS GOING CRAZY. THE RPM NEEDLE IS NOW POINTING DOWN INTO THE DASH. THE SPEEDOMETER USUALLY IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, IT WILL SAY THAT I AM DOING 20 MPH, WHEN I AM DOING MORE LIKE 45-50. THE GAS GAUGE SOMETIMES SAYS THAT IT IS ON EMPTY, WHEN I HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS. SOMETIMES THE NEEDLES WORK, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RPM NEEDLE...IT HASN'T MOVED FROM THAT BURIED IN THE DASH SPOT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW), SOMETIMES THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND THEN GETS BURIED IN THE DASH ALSO, SO FAR THOUGH, EACH TIME, IT HAS CAME BACK...EVEN THOUGH IT RARELY REGISTERS EVEN CLOSE TO THE CORRECT SPEED. THE REPAIR FOR THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT $700 IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY, AND I AM CONSTANTLY PRAYING THAT MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO HAS TO DRIVE IT SOMETIMES, DOES NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE SHE IS GOING TOO FAST, AND HAS NO CLUE HOW FAST SHE IS ACTUALLY GOING, OR ONE OF US MAY GET A SPEEDING TICKET. I HAVE LOOKED AT WEBSITES AND SEEN THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS, SO FORD SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE A RECALL, BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED!!! ALSO, NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED OR NOT, BUT THE ABS LIGHT STAYS ON. *TR