NHTSA Complaint #736726 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

WHEN NEW, THE HORN ON THIS VAN WOULD ONLY WORK IF YOU PUSHED RIGHT ON THE HORN ICON, WHICH IS IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IN A PANIC SITUATION, PUSHING ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE SQUARE INCH RIGHT OVER THIS HORN SYMBOL WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE HORN HONKING AND POSED A SAFETY/CRASH HAZARD MULTIPLE TIMES. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS WAS NORMAL FOR THIS MODEL TO ONLY HAVE THE HORN WORK IN THAT ONE SMALL SPOT. WHEN RETURNED FOR NEXT WARRANTY SERVICE I MENTIONED THIS AGAIN, AND THIS TIME THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE HORN/AIR BAG UNIT. AFTER REPLACEMENT, NOW THE UPPER LEFT QUADRANT OF THE SURFACE WORKS TO MAKE THE HORN BLOW, BUT THIS IS STILL A SAFETY HAZARD IN A PANIC SITUATION WHEN MOST COMMONLY MY RIGHT HAND IS USED TO HIT THE HORN AS WARNING - IN MOST CASES THE HORN STILL DOESN'T WORK. WHEN I COMPLAINED AGAIN, THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN AN ACCIDENT IS IMMINENT AND YOU CANNOT HONK YOUR HORN QUICKLY (HAVING TO FIRST REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE ON THE SURFACE YOU MUST PUSH!)... THIS CANNOT BE NORMAL!!!!! ADDITIONALLY, IN A PANIC SITUATION WHEN THE REFLEX IS TO HONK A WARNING, WHEN THE HORN DOESN'T WORK MY ATTENTION IS DIVERTED FROM THE INCIDENT AT HAND IN TRYING TO FIND THE SPOT TO MAKE THE HORN WORK. UNACCEPTABLE (BUT ONE OF SEVERAL QUIRKY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, INCLUDING POWER STEERING MODULE GOING OUT AT 40,000 MILES, AND INSIDE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING FAN FOR REAR AREA GOING ON AND OFF MYSTERIOUSLY EVEN WITH MASTER CONTROL TURNED OFF, AND WITH ACCOMPANYING CLICKING SOUND IN RELAY UNDER DASH ON LEFT. LEMON !!!