Brake brain and pwr window

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I’m a klutz so I took my mom’s 02 Ford Windstar to get looked at. Her brake lights would come on when the outside temperature was warm or when she hit a bump.



Well, she was told that her ABS computer was “haywire” and she needed a new one. We know how important ABS is as a safety feature so she had them do the work.



It was a little over $900. Did she get taken? We live in SW Ohio.



AND it cost a over $300 to get the driver side pwr window fixed. I know they got the parts from Ford so that helped push up the price. Did she get taken on the window repair?



Thanks,

Robby

2

Your mechanic claimed that the ABS electronics led to her brake lights going on at inappropriate times? This guy sounds like a crook to me. Most likely he merely replaced the brake light switch (which cost him only a few bucks) or repaired some wires and then billed you for work that was never done.

As to the window, without knowing more details, it is difficult to say whether you were overcharged. But, if this work was done by the same guy who allegedly replaced the “ABS computer”, then I would be very skeptical.

3

I, of course, don’t know what happened here. However, I do know that it is possible for the ABS controller to cause the brake lights to come on. (It has a connection to the brake light switch.)

4

I misrepresented the ABS and lights:
The ABS and parking brake idiot lights would come on. NOT the actual brake light on the back of the vehicle, but the idiot light on the dash would come on.

Sorry for the confusion, I messed that up. I told you I was a klutz but even I can change the brake light switch.

5

Well, now that you are relating the information with more accuracy, then it is possible that the claimed repair was done. While I am not yet convinced that this mechanic is a paragon of virtue, it is possible that he was honest regarding the repair. As to the cost…

6

$900 is probably about right for an ABS controller at retail, and the diagnostic and install. I think $300 is a little high for the power window. Next time try a local auto glass place. (They do mechanical and electrical repairs to windows too.)