1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

VEHICLE "SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY" WAS FOUND TO BE HEAVILY CORRODED (RUSTED) AND REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED. THIS SUBASSEMBLY SUPPORTS ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE BODY, ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION( TRANS AXLE ), FRONT SUSPENSION, STEERING, BRAKES, AND RADIATOR.

I OWN A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO 15 NOV,2010, I NOTICED THAT THE ALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT TIRES WAS OFF. AND THE STEERING SEEMED LOOSE AND A LITTLE UNRESPONSIVE. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE HOME AND REMOVED THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE AND COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I SAW. THE FRONT SUB-FRAME / ENGINE CRADLE WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED WHERE THE SUB-FRAME ATTACHES TO THE UNI-BODY. THE AREA WHERE THE MOUNTING BUSHING THAT ATTACHES THE SUB-FRAME TO THE UNI-BODY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS TOTALLY CORRODED / RUSTED / ROTTED AWAY. THE BUSHING WAS COMPLETELY PUSHED THROUGH THE SUB-FRAME AND HAD NOTHING TO SUPPORT IT ANY MORE. I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WITH THE PRINT OUT OF THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME IT IS NOT A RECALL YET AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, IT FAILED TO START. THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CHIP IN HER KEY AND TO CONTACT FORD. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 144,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR LX. THE PARTIAL HAVOC BOSCH WHICH WAS A PART OF THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A RADIATOR MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HIM THE PARTIAL HAVOC BOSCH FAIL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE FAILURES AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000. UPDATED 03/03/11 *BF UPDATED 04/28/11

WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR I STARTED TO HEAR A GRINDING SCRAPPING NOISE WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS THE NOISE PROGRESSIVELY STARTED TO GET EVEN WORSE I STARTED TO HEAR A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE BROUGHT CAR TO MECHANIC INSPECTED AND FOUND THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETED RUSTED OUT AND THE ENGINE COULD DROP AT ANY TIME WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE ,LUCKILY NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY DAUGHTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, AFTER CHECKING ONLINE I HAVE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS I AM NOW OUT A CAR AND NO MONEY TO BUY NEW ONE, THANK GOD MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT HURT OR ANYONE ELSE I WISH FORD WOULD REALIZE THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED!!! *TR

WHILE PULLING ONTO A BUSY ROAD THERE WAS LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL CONTROL AND SKIDDED ACROSS THE ROAD AND INTO A DRIVEWAY. FORTUNATELY NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OR PERSONAL INJURY OCCURED. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE INFORMED ME THAT SUBFRAME ON THE RIGHT SIDE HAD JUST BROKEN OFF. CLEARLY THIS MUST BE SOME SORT OF A DEFECTION THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

THE SUB-FRAME OF MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR HAS RUSTED AWAY AT CRITICAL SPOTS AROUND AND NEAR THE MOUNTING BOLTS AND AS A RESULT FAILED TO PASS PA STATE ANNUAL INSPECTION ON DEC. 12, 2010. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC (A NON-FORD MECHANIC) THAT THE CONDITION WAS VERY UNSAFE AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAY IT WOULD PASS PA STATE INSPECTION UNLESS THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION WAS FIXED. TO PASS IT WOULD HAD TO HAVE THE ENTIRE SUB-FRAME REPLACED WHICH WAS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE OR ELSE THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE SCRAPED (THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 189,000 MILES). THE MECHANIC'S FINDING WAS VERY SURPRISING TO ME BECAUSE ON OCT. 30, 2010, THE SAME WINDSTAR WAS INSPECTED BY A LOCAL FORD DEALER BASED ON A REAR AXLE CORROSION RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD. FOLLOWING THE RECALL INSPECTION (BY A DIFFERENT MECHANIC) I WAS INFORMED THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY AND NO WORK WAS NECESSARY PER TO THE RECALL NOTICE. IN HINDSIGHT IT WOULD APPEAR THAT NOTHING ELSE BUT THE REAR AXLE WAS INSPECTED AND I WAS THUS SENT BACK ON THE ROAD OPERATING A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE DUE TO CORROSION ISSUES. THANK GOODNESS THE PA STATE INSPECTION MECHANIC NOTICED THE SUB-FRAME DANGER SOME 6 WEEKS LATER BEFORE A POTENTIALLY DEADLY ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I'M WRITING TO HIGHLIGHT THIS SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM WITH WINDSTAR MODELS MADE BETWEEN 1999-2003 FOR THE NHTSA. I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF SIMILAR SUB-FRAME CORROSION PROBLEMS ON THEIR WINDSTARS BUT, TO DATE, FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THEY DID FOR SIMILAR REAR AXLE CORROSION PROBLEMS. SINCE THE PROBLEMS BOTH STEM FROM CORROSION ISSUES IT SEEMS LOGICAL THAT FORD SHOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THIS SAFETY ISSUE. EXCEPT FOR THE SUB-FRAME CORROSION PROBLEM, MY WINDSTAR IS RUNNING WELL AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP DRIVING IT FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS. I AM HOPEFUL THAT FORD WILL QUICKLY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIXING THESE SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS.

1999 FORD WINDSTAR LX BROKEN SUB-FRAME I BEGAN TO HEAR A SCRAPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY ON RIGHT TURNS. I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES FROM FIRESTONE, SO TOOK IT BACK THERE THINKING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. INSTEAD I WAS TOLD THAT THE SUB FRAME IS BUSTED (ALSO CALLED ENGINE CRADLE), AND THAT REPAIR WOULD BE EXTENSIVE IN LABOR TO THE TUNE OF AT LEAST $1500! ...AND THAT WOULD BE FOR A REPLACEMENT PART FROM A JUNK YARD (WITH SAME POTENTIAL PROBLEM) RATHER THAN A NEW PART. RIGHT NOW I CANNOT AFFORD EITHER ONE. I ASKED A WELDER ABOUT IT, HOPING TO HAVE IT WELDED RATHER THAN REPLACED FOR MUCH LESS MONEY, BUT HE SAYS THAT WOULD NOT BE WISE GIVEN THE HEAVY LOAD PLACED ON THE SUBFRAME. PLEASE CONSIDER A RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT TO PREVENT TRAGEDY. THANKS. FIRESTONE STAFF WARNED ME NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE, VERY UNSAFE. AN ONLINE SEARCH REVEALS MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF BUSTED SUBFRAMES ON FORD WINDSTARS, YET NO RECALLS FOR THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS YET. ARE WE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILLED? I JUST DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY YESTERDAY NOT KNOWING HOW SERIOUS THIS PROBLEM IS. *TR

TOOK CAR IN FOR INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS ROTTING AWAY AT THE POINT WHERE THE SWAY BAR CONNECTS TO THE CRADLE. AND THAT IT WILL COST OVER 800.00 TO FIX. THIS SHORTLY AFTER HAVING THE REAR AXLE REPAIRED DUE TO A RECALL FORM FORD. BY THE WAY FORD DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT WHERE THE RUST WAS ROTTING AWAY THE CRADLE. *TR

I HAVE A 99 FORD WINDSTAR WITH SUB-FRAME RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER AND PUT UP ON A LIFT AND INSPECTED AFTER I NOTICED A NOISE AND PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE SUB-FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ITSELF HAS LITTLE TO NO RUST UNDERNEATH EXCEPT TO THE SUBFRAME IN TWO SPOTS. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN NOW AND I WAS TOLD THE SUBFRAME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING RUSTED UNDERNEATH AND NOT BEING DRIVEN IN SALTED ROAD CONDITIONS, I WOULD HAVE TO CONCLUDE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT? THE WINDSTAR IS CLEAN ENOUGH UNDERNEATH TO ALMOST EAT OFF. AGAIN THERE IS LITTLE TO NO RUST UNDERNEATH EXCEPT TO THE SUBFRAME. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. *TR