1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

WINDSTAR SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND UNSAFE. THIS IS CAUSED BY ROADSALT, NOTHING I DID. FORD REFUSES TO COVER THIS AS A RECALL. VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND FORD WON'T STAND BEHIND IT. *TR

WAS INFORMED THAT SUB-FRAME (ALSO CALLED ENGINE CRADLE) IS RUSTING AWAY ON MY VAN. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AMONG THESE VANS, WHICH IS CAUSED BY THE USE OF INFERIOR STEEL AND AN AC LINE RUNNING OVER THE SUB-FRAME. MY ENGINE CAN NOW LITERALLY FALL OUT UNLESS I PAY OUT-OF-POCKET TO REPLACE THIS. I KNOW NHTSA HAS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS, BUT I CAN'T WAIT MONTHS FOR A RECALL WHILE MY FAMILY USES THIS VEHICLE DAILY! PLEASE RECALL THIS PROMPTLY, MANY PEOPLE ARE PAYING THOUSAND FOR OUT-OF-POCKET REPAIRS ON AN ISSUE FORD SHOULD HAVE TO COVER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE AS THE CONTACT MERGED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THE AXLE WAS FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HER THEY WOULD CONTACT HER AT A LATER DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT FRACTURED DUE TO RUST, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL AND PASSENGER TIRE TO TURN AT AN ABNORMAL ANGLE. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP, THE REAR AXLE BROKE IN HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMIEND THAT THE REAR AXLE BROKE DUE TO CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V385000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 216,000.

ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER PARKING AND TURNING OFF MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. LATER CAR WOULD NOT START FROM KEYSWITCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE WOULD OFTEN BECOME DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 155,500.

POPPING IN FRONT END WHEN TURNING OR HITTING BUMPS. THE POPPING SOUND WAS OFTEN. HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON, AND WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE FRONT END ALIGNED. FORD TECH. SAID FRONT SPRINGS WERE BROKE. WAS AN EST. OF $1200.00 ON IT CAN'T AFFORD. THIS WAS 5/20/2011. CONTACTED MFR ABOUT THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON THIS PART 7/12/2001. WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, BECAUSE OF A TIME LIMIT. HOW CAN THEY PUT A TIME LIMIT ON SAFETY & PEOPLES LIVES BECAUSE THE SPRINGS ARE BROKEN,THEY CAN PUNCTURE THE TIRES AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. NOW WE ARE WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. AND MY SON IS DISABLED AND HAS NUMEROUS DR. APPTS. MILES AWAY. BUT MY HANDS ARE TIED. THE MFR. DID ADVISE TO HAVE ANOTHER RECALL CHECKED OUT WHICH IS THE SPEED CONTROL BECAUSE IT CAN CATCH FIRE. WHEN I ASKED WHY, YOU JUST TOLD ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.HE ADVISED IT COULD CATCH FIRE JUST SETTING IN THE DRIVE NOT RUNNING. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF EITHER ONE OF THESE RECALLS BY MAIL OR OTHER WISE UNTIL I CALLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. HOW DOES THESE BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY'S KEEP GETTING BY WITH NEGLIGENCE? THERE ARE LOTS OF RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD NOISE AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT AXLE FRACTURED AS A RESULT OF CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHEN SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE CROSS MEMBER AND SUB FRAME WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V385000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,560.