1999 Ford Windstar Speed Control & Cruise Problems

The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while attempting to move the vehicle up her driveway, the vehicle began to accelerate uncontrollably. The contact was able to turn off the vehicle without shifting into the park. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 156,457.

THE DEALER LOCATED IN THE SANDY SPRING REJECTED TO THE TAKE REMEDY ACTION ON THE RECALL 09S09. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE ODOMETER IS MALFUNTIONING WHEN IT IS IN OPERATION. IT SUDDENLY CAUSE UNKNOWN ACCELERATION WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. IT IS ALSO FOUND OUT THE BRAKE HOSE IS LEAKING AS RESULTS OF THE SPEED CONTROL MODIFICATION SYSTEM BY THE LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE SPEED BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED HE BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING ODOR AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO BRAKE IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED NOR WAS THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT LISTED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

ABS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER ENGINE WARM-UP AND REMAINS ON. AFTER ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS COOLED, LIGHT IS OFF AT RESTART. IT WILL THEN COME ON AGAIN AFTER ENGINE WARMUP. SPEED CONTROL IS INTERMITTENTLY INOP. *TR

ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED A FEW MONTHS AFTER A RECALL WAS COMPLIED BY FORD. THE RECALL CONSIST OF REPLACING A BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH, CRUISE CONTROL PART, AND ABS MODULE. *TR

RECALL REPAIR WORK WAS COMPLETED FOR 09V399000 ON VEHICLE. VEHICLE NOW HAS ABS LIGHT AND TRANSACTION CONTROL LIGHT. FORD ADVISES ISSUE WHERE ABS MODULE IS FAULTY, AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL CONCERNS. HOWEVER FORD CANNOT DIAGNOSE TRANSACTION CONTROL UNTIL ABS MODULE IS REPLACED BUT WILL NOT COVER THE ABS MODULE DUE TO IT NOT BEING IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES AS OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REFERENCING THIS RECALL. I CONTINUE TO HAVE ABS ISSUES AS WELL AS CONTINUE TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL (SIMILAR TO PLASTIC BURNING). *TR

RECALL ID# 09V399000 WAS COMPLETED FEW MONTHS AGO, NOW ABS ON DASH IS ON FEW MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN MOTION. DEALER PINPOINTED TROUBLE TO ABS CONTROL MODULE. OVERHEATING OF THE BOARD COULD BE THE RESULT OF THE LEAKING SCDS ON THE MODULE CONNECTOR. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $ 1,000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

AFTER THE INITIAL RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED ON MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR MINI VAN THE ABS LIGHT IS STILL LIT. ACCORDING TO THE PAPERWORK I RECEIVED FROM THE DEALERSHIP THEY INSTALLED A JUMPER HARNESS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR RECALL 09S09 BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED SINCE THE LIGHT IS STILL ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) OCTOBER 2009 AND TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 55-65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ABNORMALLY SURGING AND LOSING BRAKE FLUID. IN MAY 2010, THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT RELATIVELY LOW, UNKNOWN SPEEDS WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO TWO YARD FENCES. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE AND THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM WAS DISCONNECTED. THERE WERE TWO MORE FAILURES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NEVER ANY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENTS PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 113,000. UPDATED 07/26/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/07/10

THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP COMPLAINT, REGARDING FORD RECALL 09S09, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WAS SERVICED ON 11DEC09. THE VEHICLE'S ABS DASH LIGHT IS STILL COMING ON, INDICATING THAT THE SYSTEM TURNED OFF. LATELY, THE ABS LIGHT IS COMING ON MORE FREQUENTLY, WITHIN MINUTES OF START-UP AND A SHORT DRIVING DISTANCE (WITHIN A MILE AWAY OF THE PREVIOUS STARTING POINT). AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ABS BRAKING CAPABILITY OR TRACTION CONTROL CAPABILITY (AS THE TRACTION CONTROL TURNS OFF ALONG W/ THE ABS SYSTEM). THE RECALL SERVICE WAS COMPLETED BY PERFORMANCE FORD, 11910 W. DODGE ROAD OMAHA NE 68154. AT THIS TIME, WE ARE CONSIDERING ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP, AS WE BELIEVE THE FORD DEALER FAILED TO ADEQUATELY REPAIR THE RECALL AND HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY PUT OUR FAMILY AT RISK. THE DEALER INSPECTION FOUND THE FOLLOWING UPON INITIAL REPAIR: FOUND SWITCH LEAKING WITH NO HEAT DAMAGE. INSPECT SERVO SWITCH NO HEAT DAMAGE AND NO HEAT DAMAGE TO ABS CONNECTOR APPLIED GREASE TO BOTH CONNECTORS OK AFTER REPAIR. PLEASE PRESS FORD TO HAVE THEIR DEALERS COMPLETE THE RECALL AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT COMPLETING THE WORK AS PROMISED. *TR

I HAVE A FORD WINDSTAR 1999 WITH ABS LIGHT COMES ON. I RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD FOR RECALL OF A SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AS IT POSES A LEAK IN BRAKE FLUID WHICH MAY CAUSE FIRE. I WENT TO DEALER CLOSE BY AND HE SAID HE CHANGE THE WIRE HARNESS AND AS FAR AS THE ABS LIGHT DIAGNOSIS HE CHARGE ME $46.95 AND COME UP WITH A CODE C1185WHICH PINPOINT TO ABS MODULE FAILURE AND HE GAVE ME ESTIMATE TO REPLACE IT ~$800. AFTER I WENT BACK HOME AND LOOKING AT THE SAFETY REPORT AND OTHER REPORT FROM CUSTOMER LIKE ME I UNDERSTAND THE RECALL . SO I DID CALL THE DEALER 'S SERVICE AND EXPLAIN TO HIM WHY HE DID NOT TELL ME THAT THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN ABS AND THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND BRAKE FLUID LEAK , HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM AS WELL AS NO LETTER FROM FORD EXPLAIN THE SUCH CONNECTION HE PROMISE ME TO LOOK AT IT MORE CAREFUL NEXT DAY AND I WAIT TO HEAR THE NEWS BUT NO SATISFACTION AS HE COMES UP THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILURE IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL SWITCH . SO I DECIDE TO CALL THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WITH ALONG DISCUSSION THEY DENIED ME THE RIGHT TO FIX THE ABS MODULE OR TO DEAL WITH MY PROBLEM OR T LEAST GIVE ME BACK THE DIAGNOSTIC FEES FOR THE ABS LIGHT I FEEL THERE IS A COVER BY FORD SERVICE TO DENIED ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE LEAK TO THE ABS MODULE OR CONNECTOR AND THEY FIGHT SO HARD ON ALL LEVELS TO DENIED SUCH RIGHT PLEASE HELP IN INCLUDING THE STATEMENT OF CHECKING THE ABS MODULE AND CONNECTOR WITH THE RECALL ONCE FOR GOOD AND STOP THEM FROM MANIPULATE THE SAFETY ORDER FOR THE RECALL. *TR

THE THROTTLE CABLE OF MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR FRAYED AND CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO STICK. THE FRAYED OUTER PART OF THE WIRE CAME OFF LEAVING SHARP METAL ENDS THAT ALLOWED THE CABLE TO BECOME STUCK IN THE PLASTIC SHEATH. HAD TO BE PULLED OUT BY HAND. NO INJURY OCCURRED BUT COULD HAVE IF ON THE HIGH WAY. *TR

1999 FORD WINDSTAR ABS LIGHT ON, ODOMETER INOP, SPEEDOMETER INOP, 15 AMP FUSE CONSTANTLY BLOWS. BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ON VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH ON 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. PROBLEM FOUND WHEN ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, BRAKE-SHIFT INTERLOCK, AIR CONDITIONER AND A FEW OTHER ITEMS NO LONGER FUNCTIONED. APPARENTLY FLUID CAUSED A SHORT THAT ACTIVATED A FUSE, DISABLING THESE ITEMS. REQUESTED FORD REPAIR AT THEIR COST AS SWITCH IS SAME AS WAS RECALLED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000. THEY REFUSED SINCE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE WINDSTAR. SWITCH WAS REPLACED, AT MY COST, AND PROBLEMS APPEARS RESOLVED. *TR

CRUISE CONTROL WIRING HARNESS STARTED TO SMOKE AND MELT. CAUGHT IT ON TIME THANK GOD. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ABOUT THIS ON OTHER VEHICLES BUT NOT ON THE WINDSTARS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE OF THIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY KNOW IT. AND ON TOP OF THAT IT IS ABOUT $300 TO GET THIS REPAIRED AFTER IT BURNS WHICH IT IS NOT AFFORDABLE THESE DAYS. *TR

I HAVE A RED BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATING, AND MY CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING. THE BRAKE SWITCH JUST BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE AND IT IS SEEPING ONTO THE WIRING AND SPEED CONTROL BOX. IF IT CONTINUES WITHOUT SERVICE SERIOUS DAMAGE IS EMINENT. *TR

I WAS PREPARING TO TURN OVER THE OWNERSHIP OF MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN TO MY SON. AFTER GOING OVER THE VEHICLE AND CHECKING THE FLUID LEVELS, I REMEMBERED THE FACT THAT THE VAN HAD USED AN INAPPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID OVER THE PAST MONTHS. I CHECKED THE BRAKES, LINES, CALIPERS, ETC TO FIND THE TROUBLE. I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE AREAS I SHOULD SEARCH BECAUSE I HAD A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT MY E150 VAN WARNING OF POSSIBLE FAILURE AND DANGER OF FIRE FROM A CRUISE CONTROL CUTOUT SWITCH MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER CYLINDER. I CHECKED THE FUSE BOX ON THE WINDSTAR BECAUSE MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD FAILED, I SAW A BLOWN FUSE BUT THE FUSE BAX DID NOT HAVE WHAT THE FUSE CONTROLLED PRINTED ON IT. I REPLACED THE FUSE AND STARTED THE CAR. IMMEDIATELY, I SAW AND SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. BECAUSE THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR SERVICE UNLESS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PANEL ASSEMBLY, I REMOVED THE ASSEMBLY AND SAW THAT THE WIRING TO THIS SWITCH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER HAD BURNED. I REMOVED THE SWITCH AND IT WAS SO BURNED THAT IT FELL APART IN MY HANDS. THE SEAL IN THE SWITCH HAD FAILED AND ALLOWED THE BRAKE FLUID TO CONTACT THE SWITCH CONTACTS AND ALSO LEAK OUT. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AND WIRING AT MY EXPENSE BECAUSE THE SWITCH WAS NOT ON FORD'S RECALL LIST EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND SWITCH AS IN THE E150 WHICH WAS UNDER RECALL. *TR

(1) STARTED VEHICLE AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN FOUND AND RECALLED IN MANY OTHER FORD MODELS. (2) HAD CRUISE DISCONNECTED AND TOOK TO FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE REPLACED (3) FORD DEALERSHIP REPLACED, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR IT SINCE MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. SERVICE TECH DID SAY THE SWITCH WAS BURNED UP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE. HE PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE OFF WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. WHEN HE ARRIVED TO HIS DESTINATION, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND RATTLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS BURNT. AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM THE MECHANIC, THE FAILURE INTENSIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,500.

I AM WRITING TO YOU CONCERNING A COMPLAINT I HAVE AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I OWN A 99 FORD WINDSTAR. APPROXIMATELY 117,000 MILES. HE CRUISE CONTROL RECENTLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS AT FIVE STAR FORD NOW BEING REPAIRED. I HAVE A LETTER TO YOU DRAFTED, HOWEVER, IT WAS TO LONG FOR THIS FIELD. PLEASE CONTACT ME, AND I WILL FORWARD IT.*AK