NHTSA Complaint #10464561 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

FIRST OF ALL THERE IS A SHORT LOCATED BY THE STEERING WHEEL AROUND THE AIR BAG. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY SO I CHANGED IT AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER MY VAN WOULD NOT START. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, SO I TOOK IT TO AN OLD MAN THAT JUST DID ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON AUTOMOBILES. HE SAID IT WAS A BAD WIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND HE SAID TO REPAIR IT WOULD COST A LOT OF MONEY, SO HE BYPASSED SOME WIRES AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE, BUT WHEN YOU OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE DOOR CHIMES, LIKE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION. HE ONLY CHARGED ME $75. ALSO I WOULD BE DRIVING AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME. ALSO THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR A WHILE AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS A BAD ABS STEERING BOX. TO REPLACE IT WOULD COST AROUND $1000. I HAVE HAD ALSO THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED BECAUSE THE FORD DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ALSO WHEN IN PARKED. IT COST ME ABOUT $600 TO REPLACE IT. I TOOK IT TO PEP BOYS AND THEY FOUND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I ALSO HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED, BECAUSE IT KEPT SHUTTING OFF WHILE AT THE GROCERY STORES AND HAD IT TOWED BY AAA 3 TIMES IN ABOUT A YEAR. BOTTOM LINE, I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE WHILE I AM ALIVE. THEY ARE GOOD FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEN THEY START FAILING. SO SAD, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN A FORD GUY FOR OVER 35 YEARS. *TR