2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT 45MPH WHEN THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED COMPLETELY, CAUSING ME TO VEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC (LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT). VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN FOR INITIAL REAR AXLE RECALL IN 2010 (10S13), WHERE SUPPORT BRACKETS WERE PLACED ON EXISTING AXLE. REVISITED THE DEALER FOR THE SECONDARY RECALL IN 2017, AND WAS ONCE AGAIN ASSURED THAT THE AXLE WAS GOOD. AXLE BROKE TWO MONTHS LATER (07/03/17). FORD WILL OFFER NO ASSISTANCE AND CONSIDERS MY RECALL COMPLETE SINCE THEY PUT BRACKETS ON THE AXLE. THIS DEFECT IS LIFE-THREATENING. FORD'S "BRACKET" SOLUTION DOES NOT WORK - THERE ARE MANY OTHERS LIKE ME WHO HAVE HAD THE AXLES FAIL AFTER THIS 'REPAIR'. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE ALL OF THE AXLES COMPLETELY. PUT SIMPLY - AS THESE VEHICALES CONTINUE TO AGE AND THE AXLES RUST FURTHER, THIS DEFECT WILL EVENTUALLY RESULT IN DEATHS.

ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON SIMUTAINOUSLY AND THE ABS SYSTEM FAILS TO OPERATE.. THIS IS AN INTERMITTANT PROBLEM.. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THE SYSTEM RESETS. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER MOTION AND CAN BE UNDER ANY CONDITIONS...

ON 20JUN2017, THE REAR AXLE BROKE. AS PART OF A FORD RECALL, THE AXLE HAD REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS INSTALLED BY (GRAHAM) FORD OF MANSFIELD. THOSE BRACKETS WERE INSPECTED BY (GRAHAM) FORD OF MANSFIELD IN 2015 AND WERE DECLARED TO HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AS PER FORD MOTOR COMPANY INSTRUCTIONS AND, AS A CONSUMER, I BELIEVE I HAD THE RIGHT TO ASSUME THAT THEREFORE THE AXLE WAS SAFE. THE AXLE BREAK IS OBVIOUS EVIDENCE THAT THE BRACKETS WERE EITHER NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY OR WERE INADEQUATE. THUS I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS MORE WITH THE DEALER NOT BEING COMPETENT TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGEROUS CORROSION THAT HAD HAPPENED. OF COURSE, IN OHIO, WHERE THE LAW REQUIRES THAT VEHICLES BE SOLD THROUGH DEALERS, THE DEALER ACTS AS AN AGENT FOR THE MANUFACTURER. IN 2015, AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRACKET FIX WAS GOOD BUT THEN I WAS ALSO OFFERED A REPLACEMENT AXLE FOR A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $300. MY POSITION WAS THAT EITHER THE AXLE WAS GOOD AND SAFE OR IT WAS NOT GOOD AND NOT SAFE AND IN THAT CASE A REPLACEMENT AXLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. SO WHY SHOULD I SPEND $300 FOR AN AXLE THAT WAS SAFE SO I DECLINED. IN RETROSPECT, THE FIX OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT SAFE.

ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE FAILURE AT 102,000 MILES. APPEARS TO BE A CONTINUING TREND WITH VARIOUS FORD MODELS, AND REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE; APPROXIMATELY $2,000. IF ABS CONTROL MODULE IS FAILING, ABS NO LONGER WORKS. DOUBT ACCURACY OF ABS WARNING LIGHT TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE WARNING.

I AM THE OWNER OF A 03 FORD WINDSTAR THAT I PURCHASED ON JUNE 2016. IT HAS 116,000 MILES. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT FORD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE REAR AXLE #15S27. THIS RECALL WAS TO INSPECT REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS THAT WERE DONE UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL #10S13. AFTER I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL I LOOKED UNDER MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED A CRACK ON THE LEFT MIDDLE OF THE AXLE STEMMING INTO THE LEFT 'REINFORCEMENT BRACKET'. ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 03, 2017 I TOOK DROPPED MY VEHICLE OFF AT ACE FORD, WOODBURY, NJ 08096. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FROM ACE FORD CALLED ME LATER TO INFORM ME OF THE FINDINGS. HE SAID AFTER INSPECTION, THE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED CORRECTLY. HE CLAIMED HE HAD CONTACTED FORD'S INTERNAL SERVICE CENTER AND SEND THEM PICTURES OF THE CRACK IN THE AXEL. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING FORD OR ACE FORD COULD DO AND SAID, 'ANY FURTHER REPAIRS WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE OWNER'. GOING INTO THIS I WAS ALMOST CERTAIN FORD WOULD REPLACE THE REAR AXLE AT NO CHARGE, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, THERE HAS BEEN 3 RECALLS FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A CRACK IN MY REAR AXLE WHICH IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE AND CALLED ACE FORD BACK AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE CLAIMED HE WAS AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND NOTHING MORE COULD BE DONE UNLESS I CHOSE TO PAY THE REPAIR COSTS. I ALSO MENTIONED TO HIM THAT HIS REPRESENTATIVE DID NOT INFORM ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND SHOULD LEAVE THE PREMISES (EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON THE SERVICE INVOICE, I STILL SHOULD BE NOTIFIED VERBALLY AS I DIDN'T READ THE PAPERWORK UNTIL I GOT HOME). AFTER THAT I DECIDED TO CALL FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIRECTLY AS PER THE RECALL NOTICE. HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE SITUATION AND CALL ACE FORD WHILE HE PUT MY ON HOLD. WHEN HE CAME BACK TO THE PHONE HE SAID THE SAME THING THAT ACE FORD SAID, 'THERE IS NOTHING MORE WE CAN DO'.

TRANSMISSION JUST STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF NOWHERE , STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT PUT IN NUETRAL LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND I PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND START TO ROLL THE VAN WOULDNT BUDGE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND LEAKING ALOT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID . PARKED IT IN NEARBY PARKING LOT ADDED TRANNY FLUID STILL NOT DRIVABLE AND WONT MOVE IN ANY GEAR.

THE PASSENGER SIDE SUB FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE DEALER HAD DONE THE RECALL REPAIR AND STILL RIGHT IN THE SPOT OF THE REPAIR THE SUB FRAME CRACKED AND SPLIT. FORD SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THEIR REPAIR DIDN'T RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR AXLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRACKET FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE REAR AXLE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WHILE STATIONARY, THE HAZARD LIGHTS FLASHED AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS COULD NOT BE USED DUE TO THE INVOLUNTARY FLASHING OF THE HAZARD LIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WIFE DRIVING DOWN STREET WHEN SHE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE REAR AXLE BROKE.