NHTSA Complaint #741735 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

THE DOOR LOCKS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE OPERATED BY SWTICHES ON THE FRONT DOORS AND AT THE REAR STORAGE AREA. THESE SWITCHES WILL NO LONGER ACTIVATE THE LOCKS ON THE TWO FRONT DOORS. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE PROBLEM AND ADVISED THAT THE DOORS NEED NEW "ACTUATORS" AT A COST OF $70 PER DEVICE, PLUS CLOSE TO $200 TO INSTALL THEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT THESE LOCKS SHOULD FAIL AT THIS POINT IN THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR LOCKS ON SEVERAL CARS AND NEVER HAD THEM FAIL, MUCH LESS AT SUCH AN EARLY DATE. PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR LESS THAN THE 36 MONTHS NORMALLY COVERED BY WARRANTY, THOUGH THE 36,000 MILE THRESHOLD HAS LONG SINCE PASSED. I ARGUED WITH THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER, THAT THE DOOR LOCKS ARE NOT ELEMENTS OF THE CAR SO AFFECTED BY MILEAGE, BUT MORE LIKELY BY USAGE OVER TIME. THEY WOULDN'T BUDGE ON FIXING THEM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT BECAUSE THE FRONT LOCKS CANNOT BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED FROM THE INTERIOR. IN AN ACCIDENT, THIS COULD PROVE FATAL.*AK