1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 60-65 MPH, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE REAR TIRES WERE TILTED INWARDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE REAR AXLE SUPPORT FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

RECENT NEWS REPORTS HAVE LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT I AM NOT ALONE WITH THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM: THE REAR AXEL OF MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR BROKE IN HALF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ONTO I-93, NORTH OF BOSTON, ON DECEMBER 5, 2009. FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE ON RAMP JUST BEFORE MERGING WITH FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. THE WINDSTAR WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE, THEN DONATED TO CHARITY ON DECEMBER 7, 2009. TWO PEOPLE WERE IN THE VAN, HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE STRUCTURAL FAILURE. *TR

SUBFRAME ON 1999 FORD WINDSTAR SNAP SAW REVIEWS ON OTHER WINDSTARS. FOUND OUT THIS A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. *TR

ENGINE SUB-FRAME/CRADLE FAILURE AT RIGHT SIDE REAR BODY MOUNT RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. REPLACE SUB-FRAME. YES OLD SUB-FRAME IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

VAN WAS MADE AN OCCASIONAL THUMPING SOUND THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A LOUD CRACKING NOISE AND WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE VAN THE REAR AXLE WAS BROKEN ALMOST ALL OF THE WAY THROUGH ABOUT 1 TO 2 FT. FROM THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. *TR

I OWN A FORD WINDSTAR AND HAD TO HAVE THE REAR AXLE REPLACED DUE TO IT BREAKING ALMOST IN HALF. THERE WAS ABOUT AN INCH OR SO LEFT BEFORE A COMPLETE BREAK OCCURRED. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS LUCKY IT DIDN'T SNAP COMPLETELY. ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE WE NOTICED THE CAR WOULD HAVE TROUBLE SWAYING A LOT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND IN THE RAIN INCREASING IN SEVERITY AS TIME WENT ON BEFORE WE HAD IT REPLACED. OUR MECHANIC EVEN SENT US A PICTURE OF THE AXLE AFTER IT WAS REMOVED. *TR

BRAKING DISTANCE SUDDENLY INCREASED AND ABS WAS NOT RELIABLE. ABS WOULD ACTIVATE WHEN TURNING ON DRY ROADS. BACK UP RADARS AND TRACTION CONTROL ALSO STOPPED WORKING. SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC ABOVE 55 MPH. *TR

OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THEN REAR AXEL CRACKED IN HALF WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY...I STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DO THAT AS THERE WAS SO MUCH "SMOKE" (FROM THE METAL RUBBING THE ROAD AND THE TIRES RIDING AT AN ANGLE) AND IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE AND WE HAD TO GET OVER 2 LANES. PART WAS REPLACED AT OUR OWN EXPENSE. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST ONE THE MECHANIC HAD SEEN. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED SPRING 2008 BUT I JUST READ ON THE INTERNET OF THE PENDING INVESTIGATION AND HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY KNOWN WHERE TO REPORT IT. WHEN WE REPORTED IT TO FORD, THEY JUST TRIED TO GET US TO WANT TO BUY A NEW CAR FROM THEM. ALSO, WE TOLD FRIENDS OF OURS THAT HAVE A 2000 WINDSTAR TO WATCH OUT FOR THE SHAKING AND TO GET IT CHECKED. WELL SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THEY BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE SHAKING AND TOOK IT IN AND THE MECHANIC SAW THAT IT WAS READY TO BREAK AND REPLACED IT BEFORE ANY HARM WAS DONE. THANK GOD WE WERE ALL UNHURT...THE NEXT PEOPLE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY! WE NO LONGER OWN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD UNUSUAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEELS WERE FOLDING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE FOUND THAT THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE REPAIR SHOP WAS AWAITING APPROVAL FROM AN ADJUSTER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

1999 FORD WINDSTAR SEL VAN BROKE REAR AXLE BEAM EARLIER THIS SPRING. WE HAVE MORE THAN NORMAL SNOWFALL IN SIOUX FALLS SD AND OUR STREET DEPARTMENT USED MORE SALT THAN IN A NORMAL YEAR. AXLE BROKE AT LOW SPEED WHILE TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY APPROACH. AXLE WAS BROKE OR TORE IN TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE AXLE WITH A USED ONE NOT KNOWING OF THIS ISSUE FORD HAS. *TR