2001 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE REAR AXLE SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE AXLE HAD FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD WINDSTAR AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN I HEARD A CLUNK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I HEARD A METAL-ON-METAL CLANKING NOISE. I THEN DROVE HOME, PARKED THE VAN UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2014, I REMOVED THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE TO FIND THE SWAY BAR BRACKET COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE RUST WAS SO EXTENSIVE, THE SUBFRAME ALSO HAD A RUST HOLE, THE SIZE OF A QUARTER RIGHT THROUGH THE SUBFRAME DIRECTLY BENEATH WHERE THE SWAY BAR BRACKET "WAS" LOCATED. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, I CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT WILLOWBROOK FORD. THEY HAD MY VAN FOR TWO DAYS BEFORE CALLING ME WITH THEIR DECISION. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE COST TO FIX MY VEHICLE DESPITE FORD HAVING A RECALL ON THE SUBFRAME. THEY ALSO CALLED THEY SENT THE FORD DISTRICT MANAGER VARIOUS PHOTOS SHOWING SO THE CORRODED SWAY BAR BRACKET AND SUBFRAME. THEY TOLD ME THE DM AT FORD ALSO REJECTED PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED SINCE THIS 2001 WINDSTAR HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL RECALLS, MANY OF WHICH WERE ASSOCIATED WITH CORROSION AROUND THE SUBFRAME AND REAR AXLE. MY WINDSTAR IS NOW NOT SAFE TO DRIVE! VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS FORD WINDSTAR AND WITH FORD IN GENERAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, A LOUD ABNORMAL THUMP NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS TILTED INWARD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD RECENTLY BEEN REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V195000 (SUSPENSION).THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE REAR AXLE BROKE IN THE PLACE THAT WAS "FIXED" BY THE RECALL WORK IN 2010. NOTICED SQUEAKING NOISES (TIRE WAS RUBBING) AND A LARGE CLUNK AND WIGGLE WHEN TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT. TOOK A PHOTO WHEN I GOT TO THE PARKING LOT. MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS AT AN ANGLE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE REAR AXLE WAS BROKEN UNDER THE COLLAR THAT HAD BEEN ATTACHED BY A DEALER FOR THE RECALL. THE WELD HELD UP, BUT THE AXLE SNAPPED UNDERNEATH THE FIX-UP JOB. APPARENTLY THE RECALL FIX WASN'T REALLY A FIX. TOWED IT INTO A DEALER, WHO TOOK PHOTOS AND TALKED TO FORD. FORD SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. COST ME $$ TO TOW IT TO THE DEALER AND BACK HOME AGAIN. DON'T HAVE $1,000 TO PAY THE DEALER FOR A NEW REAR AXLE. VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY DIDN'T STAND BY THEIR WORK. VERY THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT ON THE FREEWAY, AND THAT ALL MY CHILDREN WERE NOT WITH ME AT THE TIME. IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE INSTALLING NEW TIRES ON THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V193000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,618.

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, WHEN MY VAN STARTED TO SHAKE AND SOUND LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I GOT OUT OF THE VAN AND LOOKED NO FLAT. WHEN I MADE IT HOME I NOTICED THAT THE BACK TIRE WAS LEANING AT AN ANGLE. I CHECKED MY LUG NUTS BUT THEY WERE TIGHT. I LOOKED UNDER THE VAN AND SEEN THAT THE AXLE BRACE WAS BROKEN. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-392-3673 THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL ON THE REAR AXLE WAS FIXED IN 2010 AND IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THEY WERE NOT HELPING. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IF THERE IS A RECALL SHOULDN'T IT STAY IN EFFECT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS COMPLETELY FIXED NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT TAKES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? WHEN I ASKED IF IT HAD CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED THEN THEY SAID NO! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND FAILED TO PICK UP SPEED. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED IT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE PAST 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE AND BOTH BULBS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS 2001 FORD WINDSTAR SE MINIVAN WHICH NOW HAS A RUSTED, CORRODED AND BROKEN PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE SUBFRAME WHICH RENDERS THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I COMPLIED WITH THE EARLIER FORD RECALLS WITH REGARD TO THIS ISSUE (11S16) AND THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED (6/20/2012) AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP. NOW AFTER 27 MONTHS AND LESS THAN 16,000 MILES LATER, THE ENGINE SUBFRAME BREAKS AND THE COST TO REPAIR OF ABOUT $5,000.00 EXCEEDS THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK VALUES FOR THE VEHICLE. FORD HAS REFUSED ANY HELP AND CLAIMS THEY HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE RECALL WORK AND THE MATTER IS CLOSED. I BELIEVE THE RECALL SUPPORT BRACKET THAT WAS INSTALLED WAS NOTHING MORE THAT A BAND-AID APPROACH TO CORRECT A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH SUBSTANDARD ENGINE SUBFRAME PARTS. I HAVE ASKED FORD TO BUY MY VEHICLE BACK, AS THAT WAS AN OPTION UNDER THE RECALL(11S16) BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED AGAIN SAYING THE MATTER WAS CLOSED. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE ENGINE SUBFRAME PARTS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 13 YEARS OR 97,000 MILES. AFTER ALL FORD SUGGESTS THE 1ST ENGINE TUNE UP FOR THIS VEHICLE AT 100,000 MILES. I GUESS I WON'T BE WORRYING ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. I HAVE THIS VEHICLE NOW FOR A SHORT WHILE AND I HAVE PICTURES OF THE BROKEN SUBFRAME. I WILL BE GETTING RID OF IT PROBABLY TO A JUNK YARD FOR SCRAP VALUE. I AM WORRIED ABOUT ALL THE OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS DRIVING AROUND WITH THIS SAME POTENTIAL CONDITION ON OUR ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. I WANT YOU TO INITIATE A FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RECALL FIX(11S16) AS SEEN ON MY VEHICLE AND OTHERS. AS A RESULT OF THIS EXPERIENCE, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD IN MY LIFE. *TR