NHTSA Complaint #744452 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

THE POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS CLOSE TO THE "FLUSH" POSITION. THE MINIVAN HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASSIONS. 1ST TIME: DOOR GOES TO THE CLOSED POSITION THEN RETRACTS SLIGHTLY OPEN AND STAYS THERE. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO POWERSLIDE WHERE UNSUCCFESSFUL. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEAL AND THEY MAD AN "ADJUSTMENT" (DETAILS NOT AVAILABLE). 2ND TIME: DOOR RETRACTS SLIGHTLY AFTER REACHING THE CLOSED POSITION. WILL EVENTUALLY REACH THE CLOSED POSITION BUT ONLY WITH MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. ALSO, DETECTION OF OBJECT IN THE PATH OF SLIDING DOOR NOT WORKING WELL. I NEEDED TO STOP THE DOOR FROM SLIDING WITH THE ENTIRE FORCE OF MY BODY (THIS OULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED MY 3-YEAR OLD IF SHE HAD BEEN STANDING THERE AT THE TIME). A VISIT TO FORD RESULTING IN REPROGRAMMING THE SENSOR AS THEY ARE RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM FORD ON THESE REPAIRS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. TESTED THE SLIDING DOOR IN FORD'S PARKING LOT BEFORE LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS WORKING FINE. GOT HOME, SWITCHED AROUND MY CARSEATS, AGAIN, THE DOOR DID NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY. LEFT IT ALONE FOR A WHILE, WENT BACK OUTSIDE AND THE DOOR SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. DID NOT HAVE OCCASSION TO USE THE SLIDING DOOR FOR 4 DAYS, OPEN. *AK