1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

NOTICED A BUMPING NOISE COMING FROM BACK PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AREA ON '99 FORD WINDSTAR (3.8L) LX. TOOK TO FORD DEALER TODAY AND THEY SAID REAR AXLE HAS A HOLE IN IT, IS CRACKED AND BROKEN. HAVE READ THAT THIS MAYBE A DEFECT? *TR

1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH FRONT END SHUDDERS ON ACCELERATION, SOMETIMES DOESN'T MOVE AT ALL WHEN GAS IS PRESSED *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A RECALL AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, PROBLEMS DEVELOPED. FOUR DAYS LATER, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *JB

REAR AXLE OF FORD WINDSTAR VAN JUST BROKE. IT IS AT A SHOP NOW TO ACCESS THE DAMAGE. *TR

I HAD RECALL # 09S09 PERFORMED AT LITHIA FORD IN ROSEBURG, OREGON ON 4/16/10/. SINCE THAT DATE THE FOLLOWING ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO ARISE, BRAKING DISTANCE SUDDENLY INCREASED. THE ABS WARNING DASH LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. THIS ISSUE WAS NOT ADDRESSED WITH THE RECALL. *TR

REAR AXLE ALMOST BROKE COMPLETELY THROUGH....IF I (OR MY WIFE) HAD BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND IT BROKE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR AXLES ON VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BREAK/CRACK IN 11 OR LESS YEARS OF USE. THERE HAS TO BE A MAJOR DEFECT IN THE REAR AXLE ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE LONGER IT TAKES BEFORE A RECALL NOTICE THE HIGHER THE RISK THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO LOSE THEIR LIFE DUE TO THIS DEFECT.

I WAS BACKING MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR VAN OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT 3:45 P.M. ON A CLEAR DAY, SUNDAY JUNE 20, 2010, WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE REAR "AXLE" BROKE IN HALF AND COLLAPSED. THE WHEELS TILTED IN. RESULTS ON A HIGHWAY WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS OR DEADLY. FORD SHOWS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT NUMEROUS REPORTS ARE ONLINE OF THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE SAME VEHICLE MODELS OF SEVERAL MODEL YEARS. NO REPAIR REPORT YET, AS THIS JUST HAPPENED A DAY BEFORE THIS REPORT. I HAVEN'T *TR

ON JUNE 17,2010 MY BOYFRIEND AND I HAD JUST ARRIVED HOME FROM WORK AND GOTTEN INTO BED. MAYBE 10-15MIN WENT BY WHEN THE NEIGHBOR WAS BANGING ON DOOR SCREAMING "YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE" GOING OUTSIDE WE FOUND THE VAN ENGULFED IN FLAMES ..IT HAD DRIVEN BEAUTIFULLY UP TIL THIS POINT. THE VAN IS TOTAL LOSS. *TR

WE OWN A 1990 FORD WINDSTAR AND MY FATHER AND I WERE JUST PULLING OUT A PARKING SPOT WHEN WE FELT A "JOLT" SORT OF LIKE A TIRE POPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER MOVING WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED WE GOT OUT TO CHECK WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND OUR REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE LOOKED INVERTED AND WE FOUND OUT OUR REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN. WE ARE NOW OUT OF A CAR. I GOT ONLINE RIGHT AWAY TO SEE HOW MUCH REPAIRS WOULD COST AND SOON FOUND MANY RELATED STORIES FROM OTHER FORD WINDSTAR OWNERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AS IT IS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT, IF IT EVEN IS REPAIRABLE. *TR

WE TRAVELED FROM AGAWAM MA TO SCARBOROUGH ME FOR A FAMILY PARTY. 20 MINUTES AFTER WE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, WE STARTED TO BACK UP OUR MINIVAN BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDED TO MOVE THEIR CAR OUT. WE THEN HEARD A LOUD CRACK WHILE BACKING UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE VAN BEGAN LEANING TO THE LEFT. WE FOUND THE REAR AXLE BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES. THE BREAK IS LOCATED ABOUT A FOOT AWAY FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL. WE HAD TO HAVE THE VAN TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER, PRIME FORD IN SACO ME AND HAD TO LEAVE IT THERE FOR REPAIRS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE REAR AXLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT WHERE THE BREAK OCCURRED. WE NEED TO REPLACE THE REAR AXLE, THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE, AND SHOCK ABSORBER THAT WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE AXLE BREAK. WE WILL LET THE SERVICE DEPT. KNOW THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE OLD PART IF POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THIS PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION GOING ON NOW. WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK TO RETURN TO MAINE TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE ONCE IT IS REPAIRED. *TR

INCREASED VIBRATION IN REAR END. FELT LIKE WHEEL BALANCE WAS WAY OFF. DAYS LEADING UP TO AXLE BREAK. LOTS OF REAR-END SHIMMY WHEN GOING OVER ANY BUMPS ESPECIALLY IF IN TURNS. CLICKING NOISES WHEN BACKING UP. SLIDING REAR END WITH WET ROAD.. ERRATIC STEERING. FELT WOBBLY LIKE VERY STRONG GUSTS OF WIND BUFFETING SIDES OF VEHICLE. WHEN AXLE SPLIT, REAR END TOTALLY UNSTABLE. FORTUNATELY WAS ON CITY STREET (AND NOT ON HIGHWAY) AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOME CONTROL. WAS AT NIGHT. DESERTED STREET AND CITY SPEED OF 40MPH. SWERVED OVER DOUBLE YELLOW LINES. IF HAD BEEN EARLIER IN DAY, WOULD HAVE PROBABLY COLLIDED WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME LOSS OF CONTROL AND STEER BACK INTO LANE AND THEN OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. NO CURB STONES OR I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BLOWN A TIRE OR TWO AND DAMAGED UNDERCARRIAGE. VERY SCARY. THANKFULLY NO FAMILY ONBOARD. HAVE ORDERED REPLACEMENT AXLE. MAY NEED TO REPLACE COIL SPRINGS AND SHOCKS IF THEY HAVE BEEN BENT/DISTORTED/DAMAGED. MECHANIC SAYS WILL KNOW WHEN REPLACING WITH NEW AXLE. I HAVE ASKED TO RETAIN OLD PARTS FOR FUTURE INSPECTION AND PROOF OF DEFECT. CANNOT BELIEVE FORD HAS ALLOWED THIS KNOWN PROBLEM TO GO ON WITHOUT RECALL! HUNDREDS HAVE REPORTED SAME PROBLEMS ONLINE. HOW MANY THOUSANDS HAVE NOT REPORTED IT?! THIS IS GOING TO COST ME OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. ALSO, HAD A MAJOR ISSUE WITH TOTALLY ROTTED SUB-FRAME LAST YEAR --- ALSO A MAJOR ISSUE WITH OTHER OWNERS! ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE!! THAT COST ME NEARLY $1500! FORD SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED AND SORRY AND HELP THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS -- NOT JUST IGNORE IT AND THEM! PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO HELP US AND OTHER OWNERS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED! *TR