1999 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE), 10V385000 (SUSPENSION), AND 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER OWNED DUE TO NUMEROUS FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE SEVERAL UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, BUT FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. AFTER SERVICING THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE), THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,645. UPDATED 01/06/16*LJ UPDATED 1/19/16 LN *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

WHILE NORMAL DRIVING THE REAR AXLE BROKE IN HALF. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REAR AXLE THAT THEY MAY BREAK. THE FORD DEALERSHIP INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART USED BRACKETS TO STRENGTHEN THE AXLE. ALL THIS DID WAS DELAY THE INEVITABLE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT MY LOCAL PEP BOYS WHERE IT WAS TOWED. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE, BUT WILL REPLACE THE AXLE AT MY GREAT EXPENSE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE OF THESE DEATH TRAPS ARE OUT THERE, WHERE PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM CORRECTED.

THIS IS REGARDING RECALL # 10S13. IN 2010 FORD ISSUED THIS RECALL BECAUSE THERE WAS A WEAK PART ON THE REAR AXLE THAT RUSTS AWAY AND CRACKS. THERE FIX IS TO INSPECT THE WELD AND THEN REPLACE THE AXLE IF THERE IS A CRACK. IF NO CRACK IS PRESENT, THE DEALERSHIP IS TO CLEAN THE RUST OFF THE WELD. WHEN THIS RECALL CAME OUT, FORD MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR DEALERS TO REPLACE BROKEN AXLES. THEY MADE IT SO DIFFICULT FOR THE DEALERS TO GET A REPLACEMENT AXLE THAT THEY WHERE "BACKORDERED" FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS SOME RUST AND HAD FORD "INSPECT" MY WELD FOR EXCESSIVE RUST. THEY SAID IT WAS FINE AND SENT IT DOWN THE ROAD WHICH THEN VOIDS MY RECALL. NOW THE REAR AXLE HAS BROKEN AT THE VERY SAME WELD WHICH WAS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. IT EVEN BROKE UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. I CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE ONLY THING FORD DID TO MY VEHICLE WAS TO SPRAY SOME RUST INHIBITOR ON TOP OF THE RUST THAT WAS ALREADY THERE AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. SINCE I TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION, THEY NOW REFUSE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART UNDER RECALL 10S13.I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IF I HAD NEVER TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION, THAT THEY WOULD NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE PART. THE PROOF I HAVE IS THIS. THE RECALL DIDN'T COME OUT UNTIL 11 YEARS AFTER THE CARS WHERE SOLD, WHICH PROVES IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THIS PART TO BREAK. LOOK AT YOUR COMPLAINTS. THE ONES THAT FAILED IN 08-11 WHERE IN THE FAR NORTHERN STATES. FORD HAD TO REPLACE MOST OF THESE IN 2011. FORD DIDN'T REPLACE MANY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, SOUTHERN IOWA, ETC UNTIL A FEW YEARS LATER (2012-15). THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE ARE STARTING TO BREAK IN THE MID-WESTERN STATES AND FORD IS REFUSING TO REPAIR THEM SINCE THEY ALREADY "INSPECTED" THE WELD AND FOUND IT WASN'T CRACKED WHEN THE RECALL FIRST CAME OUT. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT COVERING RUST WONT STOP IT FROM CONTINUING TO RUST. FORD NEEDS TO EXPAND THIS RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE DRIVER REAR AXLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 207,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V194000 (SUSPENSION). AFTER THE REMEDY WAS PERFORMED, THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V195000 (SUSPENSION). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

THE FACTORY RECALL NOTICE REQUIRED TRAILING AXLE REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS TO BE INSTALLED ON THE REAR AXLE. THEY WERE INSTALLED AT THE DEALERSHIP, ALONG WITH AN UPGRADE TO THE FRONT CONTROL ARM MOUNTS. THE REAR AXLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELLING AT WAS ONLY 45 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE BREAK. AS THE AXLE COLLAPSED, THE REAR TIRES BEGAN RUBBING AGAINST THE WHEEL WELLS. I SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY, SEEING SMOKE FROM THE REAR. THE CRACK OCCURED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE AXLE, UNDERNEATH THE REPAIR BRACKET THAT WAS INSTALLED BY FORD. ( OBVIOSLY PLACED OVER THE WEAK/DEFECTIVE AREA.) THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 80,000 MILES ON IT IN MAY OF 2011 WHEN WE OBTAINED IT, THE SAME YEAR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. IN THE LAST 4 YEARSA I DROVE 175,000 HIGHWAY MILES, HAVE REGULARLY WASHED AND MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE WELL, (INCLUDING UNDERCARRIAGE WASHES IN THE WINTER). I'VE RECENTLY REPLACED THE ENTIRE IGNITION SYSTEM, FRONT SUSPENSION/BRAKE COMPONENTS, AND REAR SHOCKS. IT'S A REAL SHAME THAT THIS VEHICLE IS DISABLED BY A WEAK REAR AXLE WHEN THERE'S PLENTY OF LIFE LEFT IN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. WITH REGULAR FULL SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGES, COOLING AND TRANSMISSION FLUSHES, NEW ALIGNED FRONT STEERING, I EXPECTED TO GET OVER 300,000 MILES OUT OF THIS VAN. NOW I HAVE TO FIND A GOOD USED REAR AXLE, BUT WILL HAVE NO FAITH IN ITS DURABILITY OR SAFETY.