NHTSA Complaint #10574097 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

ON JUNE 16, 2006, WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, SOMEONE INFORMED US THAT MY 2002 FORD WINDSTAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AN INTERNAL FIRE OCCURRED, DAMAGING THE WIRING HARNESS AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. UNAWARE TO THE CAUSE OF SAID FIRE THE DAMAGED PARTS WERE REPLACED. THEN OTHER PROBLEMS STARTED TO ARISE, THE VEHICLE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY (NOT ACCURATELY READING). THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE BEFORE-MENTIONED PROBLEMS INCLUDING THE INTERNAL FIRE THAT HAD OCCURRED , AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL BRAKE PRESSURE DEACTIVATION SWITCH RECALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE PRESSURE DEACTIVATION SWITCH INDEED WAS LEAKING AND THAT THEY SUPPOSEDLY CHECKED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. STILL THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND THE SPEEDOMETER DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. ON 3/14/14 THE WINDSTAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL GARAGE TO DIAGNOSE THE ABS/BRAKE ISSUES AGAIN. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT SAID UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ABS MODULE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED AND EXAMINED THE CONTROL MODULE (3/21/2014). THE ABS MODULE SUFFERED AN INTERNAL FIRE AND THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WAS MELTED AND DAMAGED. ALSO FOUND WAS EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT BURNING AROUND THE PINS AT THE CONNECTIONS. THIS EVIDENCE INCLUDED THE BLACKENED FLUID, SEVERE DISCOLORATION, AND LIFTED TRACES, ALL OF WHICH ARE CLEARLY APPARENT IN PHOTOS OF THE MODULE INTERIOR. THE LOCAL DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE MODULE UNDER THE RECALL CLAIM, STATING THAT IT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, AND THAT SAID RECALL WAS CLOSED. FORD HAS BEEN NEGLIGENT IN THIS MATTER AND LUCKILY THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO TODAY, HAS NOT BECOME A RUNAWAY FIRE EVENT AND BURNED TO THE GROUND!! AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, AND IS SITTING IDLE. I HAVE KEPT THE DAMAGED CONTROL MODULE FOR EXAMINATION. *TR