NHTSA Complaint #10597232 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

THE BRAKE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS) (2B264) LOCATED UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER (BEHIND THE AIR FILTER) OVER TIME DEVELOPS A LEAK. THIS CAUSES A SHORT AND A FUSE TRIP, FUSE #10 IF THE ENGINE IS ON. THIS LEAK ALSO CAUSES BRAKE FLUID TO WICK DOWN TWO WIRES TO THE ABS BRAKE MODULE (2C219). THE FLUID ACCUMULATES ON THE (ALWAYS ON) POWER CONNECTORS FOR THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WHICH ARE POWERED BY FUSES 101 AND 102 AND ARE BOTH 40 AMP. THE FLUID ATTRACTS MOISTURE, ROAD SALT AND LEADS TO A FIRE WHEN THE FLUID AND MOISTURE ACT AS CONDUCTOR BETWEEN THE HOT LEADS AND GROUND. THIS SWITCH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF OTHER FORD RECALLS, JUST NOT MY WINDSTAR VAN YET. MY WIRING HARNESS WHEN INSPECTED WAS WET WITH BRAKE FLUID, INCLUDING THE CONNECTIONS AND THE INLINE FUSES, WHICH BASICALLY PERMITS ELECTRICITY TO JUMP PAST THE INLINE FUSES AND CONTINUE TO HEAT UP THE WIRING HARNESS. THE FUSES BODIES CRUMBLED WHEN INSPECTED. SINCE MOST DOUBLE SIDE DOOR VANS ARE PREDOMINANTLY DRIVEN BY LARGE FAMILIES, THE POSSIBILITY OF MULTIPLE FATALITIES PER VEHICLE DUE TO A HORRIFIC DEATH FROM BEING BURNT ALIVE IS A VALID POINT TO CONSIDER. MOST VEHICLE FIRES SPREAD SO FAST THAT UNSTRAPPING MULTIPLE SMALL CHILDREN FROM RESTRAINT SEATS WOULD TAKE AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH SMOKE INHALATION AND THE HEAT OF FLAMES TO PROHIBIT RESCUE. THANK YOU FOR INVESTIGATING THIS. *TR