1998 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

I RECEIVED A LETTER EARLIER THIS YEAR REGARDING MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR FOR A REAR AXLE RECALL. I HAD IT SERVICED AT MALOUF FORD IN NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ. WHEN MY SON PICKED IT UP, HE WAS TOLD THERE WAS A NEW RECALL FOR THE FRONT RIGHT SUBFRAME RUSTING OUT (SIMILAR PROBLEM AS THE REAR AXLE). THEY CHECKED THE SUBFRAME ON MY CAR AND IT WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. HE WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CALL US WHEN THE PARTS CAME IN TO FIX IT. I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO FIX THE SUBFRAME THIS PAST TUESDAY (24/MAY). THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED AND SAID THAT WHILE THE SUBFRAME WAS DEFINITELY RUSTED OUT, AND THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT AS DESCRIBED, THAT PARTICULAR RECALL WAS FOR 1999-2003 WINDSTARS AND SINCE MINE IS A 1998, THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. PLEASE NOTE I HAD NO CLUE OF THE RECALL OR THE DAMAGE. THE FORD DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME OF IT. I WAITED FOR THE PARTS AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN WHEN THEY ASKED. NOW, THOUGH THEY CONFIRM THAT THIS RUSTED-OUT SUBFRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL IS FOR, AND THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A DEADLY CRASH IF THAT SUBFRAME FAILS, THEY ARE NOT "AUTHORIZED" TO REPAIR A 1998 WINDSTAR. I DON'T KNOW IF MY CAR IS A LATE-MODEL 1998, BUT IT WAS MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME ONTARIO, CANADA PLANT AS THE CARS THAT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL, AND A RUSTED RIGHT SUBFRAME IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR-AND-TEAR CONDITION. IT IS BEYOND NEGLIGENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM IN A 1999 WINDSTAR, BUT PRETENT THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM IN A 1998 WINDSTAR FROM THE SAME PLANT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. *TR

1998 FORD WINDSTAR GL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BEING UNSUCCESSFUL IN REACHING A FAIR AND EQUITABLE SETTLEMENT ON HIS CLAIM FOR THE DAMAGE AS PER RECALL TO THE AUTOMOBILE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SETTLEMENT FORD OFFERED OF $2000 WAS UNACCEPTABLE AS THE VEHICLE IS A HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE VAN, WITH HANDICAP EQUIPMENT. *JB

1998 FORD WINDSTAR MINI VAN REAR AXLE BROKE ...VEHICLE WAS STATE INSPECTED TWO MONTHS PREVIOUS AND PASSED WITHOUT ISSUE .. NOTICED A VIBRATION IN REAR AREA .. REPLACED SHOCKS THINKING THAT WAS CULPRIT .. ISSUE GOT WORSE ... LESS THEN 700 MILES AFTER COMPLETED PASSED STATE INSPECTION AXLE BROKE ALLOWING REAR TIRES TO RUB INNER WHEEL WELL .. VAN BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AT 55 MPH ... WAS LUCKY TO GET IT SLOWED DOWN TO 25 AND LIMPED INTO MY DRIVEWAY .. I WAS SOLE OCCUPATION WHEN THIS HAPPENED .. LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND FOUND ISSUE. WENT ONLINE AND FOUND RECALL NOTICE FOR VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR FOR SALT USE AREAS .. THESE INCLUDED WEST VIRGINIA .. 8 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE ... MARYLAND .. 12 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA .. 50 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE .. BUT VIRGINIA WAS NOT COVERED ... EVEN THOUGH THIS AREA USES SALT AS A REGULAR ICE AND SNOW REMOVAL TOOL. THE AXLE FAILURE WAS CLOSE TO CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE .. I WAS LUCKY TO BE ON A DUAL HIGHWAY DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES IN MY VICINITY .. THE VAN WEAVED SEVERAL TIMES BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE ROAD BEFORE I GOT SLOWED UP AND UNDER CONTROL .. THE AXLE BREAKING COULD HAVE EASILY HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V199000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT:SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS). THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY HEATED AND SPRAYED PENETRATING OIL ONTO THE SWAY BAR IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE BAR TO COMPLETE THE RECALL BUT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN DOING SO. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SWAY BAR LINKS WOULD NEED TO BE CUT OUT IN ORDER TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS AND THE REMOVAL COSTS OF THE SWAY BAR LINKS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THEY COULD NOT OVERRIDE THE DECISION MADE BY THE DEALER AND PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ABS WARNING LAMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE WHEEL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE PUMP MODULATOR VALVE WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,822.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS CORRODED AND FRACTURED IN HALF. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION: REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TOOK VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC FOR REPAIR WORK. WHEN MECHANIC PLACED THE VEHICLE ON THE LIFT, HE NOTED THAT THE SUBFRAME THAT CRADLES THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND SERVES AS THE ATTACHMENT POINT FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS EXTREMELY RUSTED. THE CORROSION HAS CAUSED LARGE AND NUMEROUS HOLES IN THE SUBFRAME. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION AND WOULD NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE COULD ACTUALLY FALL THOUGH THE SUBFRAME, OR THE SUBFRAME COULD BRAKE AT THE SUSPENSION CONNECTION POINTS CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS SINKING INTO THE WHEEL WELL. THE CONTACT LIFTED THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO WELD THE AXLE TOGETHER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REAR AXLE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION: REAR: AXLE: NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY). THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 201,000.

BRAKING DISTANCE SUDDENLY INCREASED, ABS LIGHT AND RED BRAKE LIGHT BOTH ON ALL THE TIME. TRAC OFF FLASHING. *TR

1998 FORD WINDSTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL RECENT RECALLS AND STATES SHE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH JERKING AND TIRE WARE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR AXLE WA INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. HOWEVER, SHE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS.