2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, there was a loud noise heard then the vehicle collapsed. The contact steered the steering wheel to move the vehicle off the road and heard metal screeching coming from the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed that the rear axle had fractured into two parts. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The failure mileage was 158,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for routine maintenance, the contact noticed that the rear axle was severely corroded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the mechanic failed to fix the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V608000 (Suspension) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The contact was concerned for his safety while driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. The VIN was not available.

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET GOING ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR THE VAN FILLED WITH SMOKE WHEN I CAME TO A STOP I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE BACK AXLE WAS BROKE I HAD IT TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $3200 TO FIX IT THEY SAID IT DIDN'T FALL UNDER THE RECALL THEY HAD FOR THE BACK AXLE BREAKING

MY BACK AXLE ITS RUSTED AND ITS CRACKED.THE MECHANIC MENTION THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF IT BREAKS WHILE DRIVING.WHILE THE MECHANIC REPLACED MY FUEL PUMP HE NOTICED THIS ISSUE.

THE REAR AXLE OR METAL BRACKETS ON MY VEHICLE SNAPPED WHILE I BRAKED FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROACHING. I HAD THE METAL ON MY AXLE WELDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS CURRENTLY BROKE AGAIN. I BELIEVE THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTOR, FILTER, AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 172,000.

I OWN A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR LX. IT WAS AT THE MECHANIC FOR SOME REPAIRS AND HE POINTED OUT THE ISSUE WITH MY REAR AXLE BEING CRACKED AND CORRODED. WHICH ITS VERY DANGEROUS TO KEEP DRIVING LIKE THIS. *LN*JB

PURCHASED USED 2003 FORD WINDSTAR..IN 2005 ..WITH 30,000 MILES ..NOW HAS 107,000 MILES...AROUND TOWN DRIVING...GOT RECALLS..BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO DEALER FOR REAR AXLE FIX.INSPECTED TWICE..AFTER ......BRACKETS INSTALLED TO STABILIZE AXLE WERE INITIALLY INSTALLED TOLD IF AXLE WAS BAD , FORD WOULD REPLACE..DID NOT REPLACE. BENTELER AXLE WHOLE PROBLEM FROM START.WEAK METAL SUBJECT TO FATIGUE .BRACKETS WERE A BAND-AID.ACTUALLY MAY HAVE MADE PROBLEM WORSE.......AXLE SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING AST LOW SPEED..AND WHILE TURNING........

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, AN ABNORMAL SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TAYLOR FORD LOCATED AT 13500 TELEGRAPH RD, TAYLOR, MI 48180, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUSPENSION BRACKET WAS RUSTED AND FRACTURED FROM THE AXLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT, PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

I CONTACTED THIS AGENCY PREVIOUSLY REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE REAR AXLE IN DETAIL. THIS NOTE IS SENT TO FURTHER EXPLAIN THE FAILURE OF FORD, GARLITCH FORD, AND THE NHTSA TO PROPERLY ASSURE ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ADEQUATELY. IT WAS NOT. I REMOVED THE USELESS BRACKETS GARLITCH FORD INSTALLED UNDER YOUR AND FORD'S DIRECTION, AND THE RECALL 10S13 WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY. I HAVE THE EVIDENCE. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE POINT IN A RECALL WHEN ABSOLUTELY NOBODY WILL STAND BEHIND IT? WE MAY AS WELL JUST IGNORE THEM ALL IN THAT CASE. SO TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM, PER THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RECALL THE TECHNICIAN WAS SUPPOSED TO REMOVE ALL UNDERCOAT/PAINT/E-COAT FROM AREAS SPECIFIED TO THE BASE METAL IN ORDER TO INSPECT THE AXLE FOR CRACKS. THIS WAS NOT DONE. ORIGINAL E-COAT IS CLEARLY VISIBLE IN THE PHOTOS. SO THE INSPECTION OF THE AXLE WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY. I CANT SAY I AM SURPRISED. THEN, SINCE THE AXLE PASSED THE IMPROPERLY PERFORMED INSPECTION, THEY INSTALLED THE ATROCIOUSLY "DESIGNED" BRACKETS TO THE AXLE. AGAIN, THE INSTRUCTIONS SAY TO REMOVE ALL PAINT, UNDERCOATING, OR E-COAT FROM THE AXLE TO BARE METAL, AS THE EPOXY OR ADHESIVE OR WHATEVER IT IS WILL NOT ADHERE TO ANYTHING BUT BARE METAL. THIS WAS NOT DONE EITHER, OBVIOUSLY. I DID NOT TAKE THIS IN FOR RECALL 15S27 AS THERE WAS NO POINT. THE ONLY CONCERN OF THAT RECALL WAS TO MAKE SURE THE SPACING FROM THE AXLE WELD TO THE BRACKET WAS WITHIN SPECIFICATION, AND IT WAS. AUTONATION FORD OF TUSTIN CONFIRMED THAT. HOWEVER, THIS RECALL DOES NOT TELL ANYONE IF THE ORIGINAL RECALL WAS DONE PROPERLY AND IF THESE WERE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO ADD STRUCTURAL STRENGTH TO THE AXLE THEY COULD NOT HAVE IN MY CASE AND WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS ULTIMATE FAILURE GIVEN THAT THEY WERE NOT PROPERLY ATTACHED. STEP UP AND GET FORD TO COVER THIS FAILURE. FORD IS BLAMING THE "INDEPENDENTLY OWNED" DEALER. WHAT A JOKE.