2003 FORD WINDSTAR Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH DOWN A HILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT WAS STIFF AND FAILED TO RESPOND. ALSO, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING PULLED TOWARDS THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: CAS14205849. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000.

THE REAR AXLE BROKE, WHICH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR. THE RECALL ADDED SUPPORT BRACKETS TO THE REAR AXLE. MY VAN HAD THE SUPPORT BRACKETS INSTALLED. HOWEVER THE REAR AXLE BROKE DIRECTLY UNDER THE SUPPORT BRACKETS. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE RECALL WAS STILL OPEN AND TO HAVE IT TOWED. I GOT IT TOWED TO THE DEALER ONLY FOR THEM TO TELL ME THAT THE IT ISN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE THE BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED. NOW IT IS COSTING ME $900 TO GET IT FIXED WHEN FORD CLEARLY ADMITTED TO THE REAR AXLE PROBLEM.

TOP OF REAR RIGHT TIRE TILTED INWARD CAUSING IT TO RUB WHEEL WELL. WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS VAN FISHTALES. SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER WHILE DRIVING. WITH FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND TIRE TO BE DAMAGED BY THE RUBBING, AND A LARGE CRACK ALMOST THROUGH STRUCTURAL CROSS MEMBER/AXLE. TOOK PHOTOS OF DAMAGE.

2003 FORD WINDSTAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE REPAIR. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAFETY RECALL 15S27 WAS IMPROPERLY COMPLETED. THE AXLE CRACKED, THE INSTALLED BRACKET AND AXLE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR AXLE FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED CREST FORD FLAT ROCK (22675 GIBRALTAR RD, FLAT ROCK, MI 48134) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE, BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 138,000.

I JUST PURCHASED THE VAN FOR MY WIFE & WHEN I WAS HAVING A GARAGE INSTALL TIRES ON IT THE TECH NOTICED THAT WHILE THE REAR AXLE DID HAVE THE INEFFECTIVE AXLE CLAMPS ON IT FROM A DEALER THE AXLE WAS RUSTING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE & ACTUALLY HAS RUSTED A HOLE IN IT. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE FRONT SUBFRAME/ENGINE CRADLE THAT IS RUSTING OUT WHERE IT BOLTS TO THE BODY. I CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER & ALSO FORD IN DEARBORN, MI & THEY BOTH SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD OR WOULD DO TO MAKE THE VAN SAFE FOR MY WIFE TO DRIVE. THERE ARE SOME BODY TYPE NOISES FROM THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING ALSO PROBABLY FROM THE SUBFRAME MOVEMENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT CARRIAGE FORD DEALER LOCATED IN CLARKSVILLE, INDIANA WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A FRACTURED TRANSMISSION CASING IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V030000 (STRUCTURE) AND 10V385000 (SUSPENSION) PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: CAS-13693189. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COME ON SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE VAN AND DRIVING IT. BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEARS. LOOKS LIKE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND ADDRESSED.

HELLO I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD WINDSTAR MINIVAN. I PURCHASED AROUND MARCH 2016 I WAS TAKING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL WHEN THE REAR AXEL BROKE. I LOOKED UNDER AND IT LOOKS LIKE FORD PUT ENFORCEMENT BRACKETS ON IT BUT IT IS BROKE AT ONE OF THE BRACKETS . THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. 20 MINUTES LATER I WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY. ONE MAN HAS ALREADY LOST HIS LIFE FROM THE SAME THING WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A LADY FROM FORD OFFERING TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION SHE HAS BECAUSE IT IS NOT RIGHT AND THERE IS THINGS SHE HAS THAT I CANNOT FIND. I LOOKED UP MY YEAR ON THE VEHICLE AND WHAT WAS WRONG AND REALIZED THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NOT ONLY THAT THERE HAS BEEN THREE RECALLS SINCE 2010 FOR THE SAME THING. FORD PUT BRACKETS ON TO FIX THE FIRST PROBLEM INSTEAD OF JUST FIXING THE PROBLEM. THAT EXPLAINS MY BRACKETS. FORD REALIZED THE BRACKETS WASN'T WORKING SO IN 2015 OFFERED TO REPLACE THEM FOR 300 DOLLARS. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THERE FAULT. BUT THAT EXPIRED IN DEC 2015. I PURCHASED THE CAR AROUND FEBRUARY MARCH 2016. THE PROBLEM IS IF ITS HAPPENING WITH SO MANY WINDSTAR'S WHY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING INSTEAD OF PATCHING IT AND TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT. I'M SURE THE MANS FAMILY AND KIDS THAT LOST THERE LOVED ONES WISH THIS WOULD'VE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF THE RIGHT WAY. I WAS ON THE PHONE ALL DAY THURSDAY WITH FORD THERE NOT OFFERING TO HELP AT ALL. THERE TELLING ME IT WILL BE OVER 1,000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. SO WE ALMOST LOST OUR LIVES SOMEONE COULD'VE DIED THANKFULLY WERE OKAY. WE HAVE NO VEHICLE THE STRESS OF GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL AND WORK AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. I HAVE 5 CHILDREN PLUS 2 I HAVE TAKEN LEGAL CUSTODY OF FROM CHILDREN SERVICES THERE IS NO WAY I CAN PAY THAT. ALL BECAUSE FORD DIDN'T WANT TO FIX IT RIGHT AND JUST REPLACE IT THE FIRST TIME AROUND. HOW DOES A SAFETY RECALL EVER EXPIRE.

APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO I NOTICED FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE I LOOKED AT IT AND THOUGHT IT WAS OIL I CHECKED THE OIL IT WAS FINE, A FRIEND MENTIONED RACK AND PINION SO I LOOKED THERE AND THAT'S WHERE THE LEAKING CAME FROM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A GARAGE FOR PROFESSIONAL OPINION WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY$1.200 TO REPAIR, HE ALSO FOUND A BAD MOTOR MOUNT. I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY AT THIS TIME TO INVEST INTO THE NEEDED REPAIRS. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT ANY RECALLS THAT RELATE TO THIS PROBLEM.THANK YOU