1996 Ford Windstar Electrical System Problems

MY ABS LIGHT STAYS ITS BEEN ON FOR 6 MONTHS NOW, MY CRUISE CONTROL WONT WORK, AND MY SPEEDOMETER GOES CRAZY, NO LIGHTS IN MY DASH AND GOT TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON SEVERAL OF THESE ITEMS AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GET PAST RECALLS ON MY VAN I'VE HAVE SEEN ALL KINDS OF RECALLS AND NEVER SENT NOTHING. *TR

BRAKE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LOCATED UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS, CAUSING A SHORT WHICH ACTIVATES THE ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH. THIS SHORT CREATES A SEVERE FIRE RISK. THIS SWITCH ALSO INTERACTS WITH AND CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL, SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. HE HEARD THE HORN BLOWING WHILE HE WAS INSIDE HIS HOME AND THE DASHBOARD WAS ON FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE POLICE WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THERE ARE NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 153000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR AN HOUR. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OR FAILURES. THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED UP, AND SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, THE HOOD WAS OPENED, AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THE WIRES LOCATED BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD MELTED. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF A RECALL. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AFTER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. *AK

WE OWN A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. IN DECEMBER OF 2005 THE VAN WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE OFF. WHILE MY WIFE AND I WORKED IN THE FRONT YARD, THE VAN SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED. I GOT IN, PUT IT IN GEAR AND IT DIED. IT RAN FINE FOR A TIME AFTER THAT. WE SPOKE TO OUR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. WE BASICALLY FORGOT ABOUT IT UNTIL MAY 30, 2006. THIS TIME IT HAPPENED IN THE GARAGE WITH ALL OF THE DOORS SHUT. MY DAUGHTER CAME IN THE HOUSE ASKING WHY THE VAN WAS RUNNING. WE DID THE SAME THING TO AGAIN MAKE IT STOP. THE GARAGE WAS FILLED WITH EXHAUST AND A BLACK EXHAUST STAIN ON THE FLOOR. THIS TIME WE BROUGHT IT TO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER. HE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION RANGE SWITCH. CHARGE FOR THE REPAIR FOR PARTS AND LABOR WAS $175. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THERE HAD NOT BEEN A RECALL OF THE ITEM AND IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I CALLED FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP CITING THE SAME EXCUSE AS THE DEALER. I FEEL THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. HAD WE NOT CAUGHT IT IN TIME WE COULD HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING OR EVEN DEATH OF OUR PETS IN THE GARAGE OR FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE. WE'VE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH FORD THROUGH THE YEARS. WE HAVE HAD GASKET PROBLEMS WITH OUR VAN, YET THE RECALL FOR THAT ITEM EXTENDS ONLY THROUGH 1995 AND THEY HAVE NOT STOOD BEHIND THE 96'S. *NM

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES ERRATICALLY STARTING AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH GAUGE JUMPS IN INCREMENTS OF 5-10-50 SPEEDOMETER SHOWS 65-85 WHEN ACTUALLY GOING 45-50 HAZARDOUS TO DRIVER AND ALL OCCUPANTS IN VEHICLE AND OTHER DRIVERS ON ROAD WAY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER EXITING THE DRIVEWAY, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, UNDER THE HOOD A FIRE WAS ALSO OBSERVED AND EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE AS THEN PARKED AND HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. *AK

FIRE ON THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE MASTER BREAK CYLENDER WHILE DRIVING. I MANAGED TO PUT THE FIRE OFF BEFORE IT SPREAD. THE FIRE DESTROYD THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH AND THE WIRES CONNECTED TO IT.

I SMELLED SOME TYPE OF PLASTIC BURNING WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT. AFTER TURNING INTO THE STORE I DISCOVERED THE SMELL STAYED WITH MY CAR. AFTER PARKING, I NOTICED SMOKE POURING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED A CONNECTOR WAS OVERHEATING AND MELTING. I PULLED THE CONNECTOR WITH A WET PAPER TOWEL AND THE SMOKE CLEARED. I LATER LEARNED IT WAS THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER CYLINDER SHORTED AND CAUSED AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM CAUSING THE CONNECTOR TO START SMOKING AND MELTING. A FEW DAYS LATER I COULD SMELL THE BURNING AGAIN AND DECIDED TO CUT THE CONNECTOR COMPLETELY OFF TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER SHORTING. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER I HEARD ABOUT A SIMILAR RECALL AND DECIDED TO NOTIFY YOU AS MY MODEL WAS NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL.*JB

WE PARKED THE CAR AT RUBY TUESDAY PARKING LOT AND WE WENT INSIDE TO EAT AND EARLY DINNER. LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES PEOPLE STARTED SCREAMING TO CALL 911. THEY SAID CAR ON FIRE. WHEN I LOOKED OUT AT THE WINDOW, MY 96 FORD WINSTAR WAS ON FIRE AT THE FRONT PART, ENGINE AREA OF THE VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE HAD TO PUT DOWN THE FIRE. GOOD NEWS, NOBODY WAS HURT. WOULD YOU PLEASE LOOK IN TO IT? THANKS SIONE. *JB

DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 1996 FORD WINDSTAR. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER SMELLED BURNING, AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. CONSUMER CALLED FORD, AND THEY DECLINED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. FORD SENT A LETTER STATING THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE MATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE CAMBRIA, CALIFORNIA FIRE CHIEF. THE FIRE REPORT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED YET. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED ON JULY 12, 2005. THERE WAS NO INJURIES. *AK

1996 FORD WINDSTAR CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD.****NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THE CONSUMER NOTICED A FAINT SMELL THEN VIEWED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT MAYBE THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE SPEED CONTROL PER RESEARCH. *SC

WHILE DRIVING, A SUDDEN ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED IN A 1996 WINDSTAR. THE FORD DEALER (SOUND FORD, RENTON WA) STATES THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE CRUISE CONTROL CUTOUT SWITCH. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE BURN PATTERN THAT THIS WAS INDEED THE CAUSE. THE SINGLE OCCUPANT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED USING A DRY CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM A LOCAL MERCHANT (WESTMARINE, SEATTLE, WA). THE FORD DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE SO FAR TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE (IT'S BEEN OVER THREE WEEKS).

LEMON CAR. *NM

INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN. DOORBELL & INT. LIGHTS STAY ON UNTIL 20 MPH.

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN. CONSUMER SMELLED RUBBER BURNING ,THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES WERE COMPLETELY BURNED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

WITH DOORS SECURELY CLOSED THE DOOR ADJAR LIGHT COMES ON. THIS CAN LAST FOR MINUTES TO HOURS, THE SAME WITH THE BATTERY CHECK LIGHT. LASTLY, THE CHIMES WILL INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. THIS IS STARTING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE FREQUENT AND CONTINUE FOR LONGER AND LONGER PERIODS OF TIME. I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT NUMEROUS TIMES AND IT IS STILL NOT RESOLVED. I HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE AND OCCURRENCES IE, COMPLAINT # 10020993. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE GENERALLY HARD TO PINPOINT BUT CAN BE VERY SERIOUS IN NATURE. ELECTRICAL FIRES START AND SPREAD FAST. I HAVE A FAMILY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND I AM VERY CONCERNED. FORD CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE NO COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE. *PH I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

CONSUMER HAD JUST PARKED AND EXITED VEHICLE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WITHOUT WARNING.*AK