NHTSA Complaint #10478393 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

NEIGHBOR CAME BY EARLY AND TOLD ME THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON. I WENT OUT TO INSPECT BUT DIDN'T SEE THEM ON. GOT IN THE CAR AN HOUR LATER AND NOTICED SMOKE AND HORRIBLE "ELECTRICAL" SMELL. I CHECKED THE ENTIRE CAR, BUT FOUND NOTHING, WHEN I WENT TO START IT, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. HAD MY FRIEND GIVE ME A JUMP, HOOKED UP CABLES AND SAT IN THE WINDSTAR FOR A MINUTE, I THEN HEARD CRACKLING AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED SMOKE. UNDER CLOSER EXAMINATION I FOUND IT WAS THE CENTER, UPPER BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY MELTED, BULBS WERE CONTORTED. HAD THE ASSEMBLY REPLACED WITH A FORD PART FROM DEALER, THREE DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN, SO I REMOVED BULBS BEFORE IT COMPLETELY MELTED. THE CENTER "THIRD" BRAKE LIGHT DOES NOT SHUT OFF, EVEN WHEN CAR IS OFF, 12, STRONG VOLTS TO BULB SOCKET, ON OR OFF! LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS WORK FINE...FOR NOW. I HAVE NO DOUBT MY CAR WOULD HAVE COMPLETELY BEEN DESTROYED, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE BATTERY GOING DEAD. *TR