2001 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AN UNKNOWN PART ON THE VEHICLE FRACTURED CAUSING THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE TO CAVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY MOUNT SPLIT IN THE MIDDLE FROM RUST AND KNOCKED OFF THE SHOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

IN 2011 FORD RECALLED OVER 400000 VANS (1997-2003) DUE TO SERIOUS CORROSION OF AXLES AND OTHER COMPONENTS. SPECIAL REPAIRS WERE DONE AT FORD EXPENSE. RECENTLY MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR MOTOR MOUNT AND THE VAN SUB FRAME HAD CONTINUED TO RUST BADLY TO THE EXTENT THAT THE UNIT WAS A SAFETY RISK. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET INDICATES THAT MANY, MANY REPAIRED FORD VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED VERY SERIOUS CORROSION OF THE SUB FRAMES AND THE REPAIRED AXLES WITH SERIOUS RESULTS INCLUDING FAILURE OF SUB FRAMES AND OR AXLES WHEN DRIVING!! *TR

REPORT RECEIPT DATE: AUG 26, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000 FORD'S RECALL NO. IS 10S13. THIS VEHICLE (VIN#: [XXX]) HAD THE RECALL PERFORMED BACK IN 2001 FOR THE REAR AXLE. ON 12/1/2014, MY GIRLFRIEND BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING IN TOWARDS THE INNER FENDER, COME TO FIND OUT, THE AXLE HAS NOW FAILED AND CRACKED AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, AND BOTH THE FORD DEALER I TOOK THE VAN TO, AND ALSO FORD CORPORATE WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE THE AXLE, STATING THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY GOOD FOR 12 MONTHS, OR 12,000 MILES. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE FORD WINDSTAR OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, AND WITH NO HELP FROM FORD TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. (FOUND THIS FORUM ONLINE WHERE OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AS I AM: HTTP://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T554_DS514052). I FEEL THAT IT'S NOT FAIR THAT THESE AXLES ARE FAILING AFTER A RECALL, AND FORD IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO FURTHER FIX THIS ISSUE. I'M BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE I FEEL A RECALL SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT POSTPONE A KNOWN FAILURE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 1/19/2016 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT HAD RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V385000(SUSPENSION) AND HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER WAS EXPECTED TO INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY INSTALL THE REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY INSPECTED AND SPRAYED ANTI-CORROSION SPRAY ON THE AXLE. ON A LATER OCCASION, THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS LEANING INTO THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,917.

THE ABS LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED STATING THAT THE ECU MASTER RELAY IS NOT GETTING POWER. THIS COMES AND GOES. *TR

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON AND OFF. ALSO HAVE SHAKING IN SUSPENSION FRONT AND BACK. DEALER CONDUCTED THE BACK AXLE REPAIR BUT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS A LITTLE SHAKE WITH NEW TIRES AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT. *TR

THE FRONT RIGHT AXEL BROKE, I DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT NOR DID I RUN IT INTO A DITCH. THE FRAME HAS CRACKED, ITS WHERE THE AXLE AND THE FRAME MEET. IT'S A 2001 AND YES, IT'S AN OLD VEHICLE, BUT ITS THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION I CAN AFFORD RIGHT NOW. IF I CAN TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED I WOULD. SOME HOW, I BELIEVE THEIR IS A GOD.

THE ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHT COME ON AFTER DRIVING 4-5 MILES. THE LIGHTS GO OFF WHEN THE IGNITION IS CYCLED. THERE IS BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE SCDS CIRCUIT WHICH MAY BE RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. I'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE SERVICED BY FORD FOR ABOUT A HALF DOZEN ISSUES AND I THINK THE SCDS WAS ONE OF THEM ( 09S09 ), SO WHAT EVER THEY DID IT DIDN'T SOLVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, CRUISE CONTROL AND SPEEDOMETER EITHER ARE INTERMITTENT OR NOT WORKING AT ALL. THIS CAUSES ISSUES WITH BRAKING, VEHICLE CONTROL, DRIVER ATTENTIVENESS AND OTHER SAFETY RELATED ISSUES. *TR