2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TIRE SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY I COULD SMELL RUBBER BURNIG AND I HEARD AND FELT A BIG LOUD BANG,.THEN THERE WAS SMOKE ALL AROUND VAN.IT WAS THE REAR AXLE/ SUB-FRAME FRACTURE AND YES THERE WERE RECALLS AND WORK WAS DONE BY FORD DEALER THANK GOD ME AND MY CHILDREN WERE NOT HURT OR KILLED THIS WAS VERY SCARY..

WHILE THE 2003 FORD WINDSTAR VAN WAS BEING OPERATED AND IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY INOPERABLE, LEADING TO A BREAKDOWN IN THE ROADWAY.

I WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL TO THE REAR AXLE ON MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR, I TOOK THE VAN INTO THE DEALER AND HAD THE INSPECTION DONE AS WELL AS THE BRACKETS INSTALLED. ( 15S27). THE VAN WAS THEN PARKED FOR APPROX 5 MONTHS AFTER THE PROCEDURE WAS DONE AS I WAS GIVEN A COMPANY VEHICLE. I WAS THEN LET GO FROM MY JOB AND BEGAN TO DRIVE THE OLD TRUSTY VAN THAT WE HAVE AROUND. 2 WEEKS INTO DRIVING IT ON A REGULAR BASIS I BEGAN TO SMELL AN ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER. NURSED THE VAN HOME AND BEGAN TO ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. CHANGED THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE DRIVERS REAR AS I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. GOT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND FOUND OUT I STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HAD AAA TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT NOW MY AXLE WAS BROKEN, AND BY THE WAY THE RECALL WAS NOW OVER AND I WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY 1150.00 FOR A NEW ONE. THIS VEHICLE WAS NEVER CORRECTLY INSPECTED TO IDENTIFY THIS PROBLEM, IT WAS JUST SHUFFLED THROUGH AND NOW NOBODY WILL STAND UP AND MAKE THE REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN CHEATED BY THE SYSTEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS FAIR NOR DO I BELIEVE IT WAS EVER DONE CORRECTLY. *TR

THE REAR AXLE ON MY VEHICLE CRACKED AND CAUSED MY TIRES TO RUB AGAINST MY VEHICLE, DAMAGING BRAND NEW TIRES. WHEN BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP, WAS TOLD THAT A PATCH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MADE ON THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS DONE BADLY AND DID NOT HOLD. FORD WOULD DO NOTHING TO RIGHT THIS AND DENIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL WHILE THIS OCCURRED ON CITY STREETS. *TR

THE ABS AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT COME ON AFTER DRIVING. THE ONLY WAY TO CLEAR THE LIGHTS IS TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND TURN THIS BACK ON. THE LIGHTS WILL EVENTUALLY COME BACK. THE CONCERN IS ARE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY HAVING AN ISSUE. SYSTEM HAS BEEN GIVEN AN OVERHAUL: PADS, ROTORS, NEW MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE FLUID BLEED AND REFILL, AND THE ISSUE PERSISTS. NO NONE FIXES FROM MECHANIC.

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY REAR AXLE CRACKED. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AXLE DID NOT CRACK "IN THE RIGHT PLACE" AND WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STOOD BY THE DEALER'S DECISION. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.

IN SEPT 2016, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL FROM FORD TO RE-INSPECT A PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIR FOR MY REAR AXLE FROM 2012. IT STATED THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE MADE FREE OF CHARGE IF DEFECTS WERE FOUND IN THE REPAIRS. IT ALSO STATED THAT IF I CHOSE TO DO SO, EVEN IF THE REPAIRS "PASSED", I COULD REPLACE THE AXLE FOR $300. SINCE I WORKED IN KY FROM FEB THROUGH OCT, I SCHEDULED THE INSPECTION AFTER RETURNING HOME IN NOV, BUT DID NOT ACTUALLY GET AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL DEC 6TH. AS A RESULT OF THE RECALL INSPECTION ON DEC 6TH, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE MADE CORRECTLY, BUT THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE AXLE. THEY STATED IT WOULD COST $1,100 TO REPAIR IF I CHOSE. SINCE I WAS NOT TOLD IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND WAS PRESENTED TO ME AS "OPTIONAL", I DID NOT REPAIR. WHEN I WENT TO INSPECT THE VAN FOR ANNUAL PA INSPECTION ON JAN 5TH, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS BECAUSE OF THE CRACKED AXLE. THEY SHOWED ME THE AXLE, AND IT IS CRACKED THE ENTIRE LENGTH ON BOTH SIDES. I WENT TO SPEAK WITH THE NAZARETH FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF ON JAN 6TH, AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND I SHOULD CALL FORD DIRECTLY. I CALLED FORD DIRECTLY ON JAN 6TH AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE "ALLOWABLE TIMEFRAME" ENDING OCT 31ST HAS PASSED. ANOTHER CALL TO THE NAZARETH FORD SERVICE MANAGER ON JAN 6TH YIELDED NO PROGRESS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT FORD CAN GET AWAY WITH CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD LIKE THIS, NOT REVEAL HOW SERIOUS THE SITUATION IS, AND EXPECTING A CONSUMER TO DROP WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO DEAL WITH A "FIRE SALE" APPROACH TO REPAIR IN A 2 MONTH WINDOW. THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WITH THE FAULTY PART, THE FAULTY REPAIR, AND THE MISLEADING "SUCCESSFUL" INSPECTION, NOT THE CONSUMER. MY AXLE WAS FINE UNTIL THEY PUT THEIR REPAIR BRACKETS ON. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW, AND IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. THIS VEHICLE HAS 107,200 MILES ON IT.