Recalls


CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS
01V199000FORD MOTOR COMPANYfrom 08/28/1996 to 07/03/1998V (Vehicle)19858309/06/2001ODIFORD MOTOR COMPANY06/18/200107/02/2001
Defect SummaryOn certain minivans originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the district of columbia. the front coil springs could fracture as a result of corrosion. depending on the location of the fracture, a broken spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire.
Consequence SummarySome tires have deflated due to contact with a broken spring.
Corrective SummaryDealers will install protective shields around the front coil springs. owner notification began september 6, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NotesAlso contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
01I007000FORD MOTOR COMPANYfrom 12/13/1993 to 07/03/1998I94849212/10/2001ODIFORD MOTOR COMPANY07/12/200107/19/2001
Defect SummaryThis is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. however, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. vehicle description: 1995-1998 ford windstar minivans. the front coil springs could potentially fracture due to corrosion. note: the 1997-1998 windstar mini vans are also covered by nhtsa safety recall 01v-199/ford recall 01s19. the mini vans covered by the safety recall were originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the district of columbia.
Consequence SummarySome tires have deflated due to contact with a broken spring.
Corrective SummaryFord is extending the warranty for front coil spring replacement to a total of 10 years of service from the warranty start date, with unlimited mileage. this coverage is automatically transferred to subsequent owners at no charge. if either front coil spring fractures during the coverage period noted above, the dealer will replace both springs at no charge to the owner.
NotesFord has decided to conduct a service campaign to extend the warranty coverage for the front coil springs. owners can contact ford at1-866-436-7332, concerning this program.
SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
12V195000FORD MOTOR COMPANY V (Vehicle)940006/01/2012MFRFORD MOTOR COMPANY05/03/201205/03/2012
Defect SummaryFord is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997, through july 3, 2003, registered in puerto rico. due to increased stresses caused by high cycles of torsional loading, specific to this market, the rear axle can crack.
Consequence SummaryA fractured axle may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective SummaryFord will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and install a reinforcement bracket on the rear axle or replace the axles, as necessary. this service will be provided free of charge. the recall began on june 1, 2012. owners may contact the ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
NotesFord's safety recall campaign number is 12s30.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
10V385000FORD MOTOR COMPANY V (Vehicle)46275010/20/2010ODIFORD MOTOR COMPANY08/26/201008/26/2010
Defect SummaryFord is recalling certain model year 1998-2003 windstar vehicles manufactured from september 1, 1997 through february 28, 2003 and currently registered or originally sold in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin. after many years of vehicle service in these areas, corrosion can weaken the rear axle, making it susceptible to torsional stress. corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which if undetected can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle.
Consequence SummaryA fractured axle can affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective SummaryAs parts become available, dealers will inspect and if necessary install the rear axle reinforcement brackets free of charge. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall began on october 20, 2010. owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NotesFord's recall no. is 10s13.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov .

Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
SUSPENSION
0215208/05/2002635966Some vehicles may exhibit a popping / grinding noise from the front of the vehicle when going over bumps or making turns. *tt11/04/2002
0213207/08/2002635987Grunt / popping noise coming from the front suspension at speeds below 20 mph when turning. *tt11/04/2002
981147204/01/1998613382Some vehicles may exhibit a customer concern of vibration above 45 mph. *tt07/10/2000
797101/01/20007971612490Noisy liftgate or sheet metal stress where the lift assembly attaches to the liftgate.06/08/2000
98253304/01/1998603553Some vehicles may exhibit a customer concern of vibration above 45 mph. *ak02/24/1999
SUSPENSION - FRONT
98513711/01/1998613274Some vehicles may exhibit a front end grind / crunch noise during a slow speed turn. *tt06/20/2000
1211411/01/1998613104Some vehicles may exhibit a front end grind/crunch noise during a slow speed turn. *mjs06/16/2000
SUSPENSION - REAR
1147404/01/1998613384Some model year vehicles may exhibit a customer concern of rear end noise over bumps. *tt07/10/2000
98253504/01/1998603555Exhibiting a customer concern of rear end noise over bumps. *yc02/24/1999

Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
SUSPENSION
PE10016FORD MOTOR COMPANY05/13/201009/22/2010Rear Axle Cracking10V385000
 In a letter dated august 26, 2010, ford motor company (ford) submitted a defect information report notifying nhtsa that it will conduct a safety recall (nhtsa recall no. 10v-385) to address a rear axle defect in model year (my) 1998 through 2003 ford windstar vehicles built at the oakville assembly plant from september 1, 1997 through february 28, 2003 and either sold or currently registered in high corrosion (salt-belt) states where the use of salt and other corrosive chemicals may be used to treat snow/ice covered roads.the following states are included in ford's recall:connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia and wisconsin. the subject vehicles utilize a stamped/formed axle assembly manufactured by benteler automotive corporation of galesburg, mi.according to ford, after many years of vehicle service in the salt-belt states, corrosion can weaken the rear axle, making it susceptible to torsional stress.there is a risk that the combined effects of corrosion and stress can lead to cracks which, if undetected, can propagate and result in a complete fracture of the axle.a completely fractured axle can affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.to correct the safety defect, ford will initially inspect all of the subject vehicles brought into ford/lincoln-mercury dealerships for possible cracked axles.owners of vehicles without cracked axles will be notified when to return for the installation of reinforcement brackets to extend the axle durability in the presence of corrosion.owners who have vehicles with cracked axles will either be offered a repair or alternative transportation until parts become available. on may 13, 2010, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe10-016 to investigate complaints of rear axle cracking in my 1999 through 2003 ford windstar minivans.combining odi and ford complaint data, odi is aware of a total 891 complaints alleging rear axle cracking in the subject vehicles.over a third of the complaints (334) allege that the cracking progressed to a complete fracture of the rear axle, including 8 allegations of crashes resulting in 3 injuries. approximately 57 percent of the subject vehicles (524,661) were sold in salt-belt states covered by ford's recall and ford estimates that approximately 463,000 of these remain in service.ninety-six percent of the complaints (858) and all of the complaints alleging complete fracture were from the recall region.the action taken by ford is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.accordingly, this investigation is closed.
EA00027FORD MOTOR COMPANY12/08/200007/31/2001SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BREAKAGE01I007000
 Alleged that a front suspension coil spring breaks, resulting in a collapsed suspension.
PE00024FORD MOTOR COMPANY06/23/200012/08/2000SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BREAKAGE
 Alleged that while driving or stationary, a front suspension coil spring breaks, resulting in a collapsed suspension.
EA00027FORD MOTOR COMPANY12/08/200007/31/2001SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BREAKAGE01V199000
 Alleged that a front suspension coil spring breaks, resulting in a collapsed suspension.

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
SUSPENSION
09/24/20121523071
 After it was put into reverse and i went to park there was a loud noise and i couldn't move the van. got out and look at it and saw it was the rear axel completely broken. *tr
08/11/2012130139
 Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while performing a routine maintenance check up on the vehicle, the dealer found the middle of the rear axle was cracked due to corrosion nd rust. the vehicle was repaired by having the rear axle replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly) however the vin was not included under the recall. the current and failure mileage was 130,139.
08/11/2012130139
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while performing a routine maintenance check up on the vehicle, the dealer found the middle of the rear axle was cracked due to corrosion nd rust. the vehicle was repaired by having the rear axle replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly) however the vin was not included under the recall. the current and failure mileage was 130,139. kmj
08/11/20121
 Rear axle beam crack. *tr
08/11/2012130139
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while performing a routine maintenance check up on the vehicle, the dealer found the middle of the rear axle was cracked due to corrosion nd rust. the vehicle was repaired by having the rear axle replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly) however the vin was not included under the recall. the current and failure mileage was 130,139. kmj
08/11/20121
 Rear axle beam crack. *tr
08/11/2012130139
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while performing a routine maintenance check up on the vehicle, the dealer found the middle of the rear axle was cracked due to corrosion with rust. the vehicle was repaired by having the rear axle replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure; there was a recall nhsta campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly); however the vin was not included under recall. the current and failure mileage was 130,139. yn
08/11/20121
 Rear axle beam crack. *tr
08/11/2012
 Rear axle beam crack
07/06/2011126131
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that after having repairs performed on the vehicle under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly), the vehicle would start jerking violently from the rear to the front when driving at speeds above 60 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ball joints, bushing, intake gaskets, spark plugs, and lower controls arms needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the recall repairs were already performed. the vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. the failure mileage was 126,131 and the current mileage was 127,000. kmj
07/06/2011126131
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that after receiving repairs for recall nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly), the vehicle would start jerking violently from the rear to the front when driving speeds above 60 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ball joints, bushing, intake gaskets, spark plugs, and lower controls arms needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the recall repairs were already performed. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 126,131 and the current mileage was 127,000. pm
03/20/201295600
 Front sub frame completely rusted out. ford has sub frame recall for the 1999-2003 but not the 1998
12/03/2009
 I went to ford dealership in dec 09 received inspection on recall # o9s09 and 09so9h only. now here in feb. 2012 the same problems with suspenison,right front tire wheel makes alto of noise power steering fluid is leaking strange noise is heard when making right turns,ford said my vechile has had all service it is due . i believe they are wrong all the same problems the recalls reported are my problems i have paper work providing they only ran test on recall #o9s09 and 09s09h my car is in serious weather conditions here in illinois.under the original owner ford stated they are not responsible for any further repair. ford dealership roberts motors 4350 alby alton il 62002
02/24/2012100000
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, she heard a loud clunking noise. after inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear driver side axle was fractured in half. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who verified the failure but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 100,000. kmj
12/03/2009
 I went to ford dealership in dec 09 received inspection on recall # o9s09 and 09so9h only. now here in feb. 2012 the same problems with suspenison,right front tire wheel makes alto of noise power steering fluid is leaking strange noise is heard when making right turns,ford said my vechile has had all service it is due . i believe they are wrong all the same problems the recalls reported are my problems i have paper work providing they only ran test on recall #o9s09 and 09s09h my car is in serious weather conditions here in illinois.under the original owner ford stated they are not responsible for any further repair. ford dealership roberts motors 4350 alby alton il 62002
02/04/201254000
 While driving my 1998 windstar @ 45mph, i lost total steering control of my vehicle and my vehicle veered into the uncoming lane of a two lane highway. i was able to regain control after turning the steering wheel approx 360 degrees to the right and managed to stop safely. after further investigation, it was found that the drivers side lower control arm bracket that is welded to the subframe broke away from the subframe due to a rusted out subframe. i've owned this vehicle for the past 8 years and never received any information from ford regarding this safety issue as noted in the 1999-2003 ford windstar recall which has the same issue as my vehicle. although ford is not going to honor a subframe recall for my year vehicle, ford should at least send a notification letter to inform owners of this dangerous issue. both my wife and kids drive this vehicle, but had i at least known there was a dangerous issue with this vehicle, i would have parked it.
02/24/2012100000
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, she heard a loud clunking noise. after inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear driver side axle was fractured in half. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who verified the failure but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 100,000. kmj
12/03/2009
 I went to ford dealership in dec 09 received inspection on recall # o9s09 and 09so9h only. now here in feb. 2012 the same problems with suspenison,right front tire wheel makes alto of noise power steering fluid is leaking strange noise is heard when making right turns,ford said my vechile has had all service it is due . i believe they are wrong all the same problems the recalls reported are my problems i have paper work providing they only ran test on recall #o9s09 and 09s09h my car is in serious weather conditions here in illinois.under the original owner ford stated they are not responsible for any further repair. ford dealership roberts motors 4350 alby alton il 62002
02/04/201254000
 While driving my 1998 windstar @ 45mph, i lost total steering control of my vehicle and my vehicle veered into the uncoming lane of a two lane highway. i was able to regain control after turning the steering wheel approx 360 degrees to the right and managed to stop safely. after further investigation, it was found that the drivers side lower control arm bracket that is welded to the subframe broke away from the subframe due to a rusted out subframe. i've owned this vehicle for the past 8 years and never received any information from ford regarding this safety issue as noted in the 1999-2003 ford windstar recall which has the same issue as my vehicle. although ford is not going to honor a subframe recall for my year vehicle, ford should at least send a notification letter to inform owners of this dangerous issue. both my wife and kids drive this vehicle, but had i at least known there was a dangerous issue with this vehicle, i would have parked it.
02/24/2012100000
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph she heard a loud clunking noise. the contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle she noticed that the rear driver side axle had broken in half. the vehicle was taken to a local shop who verified the failure but was unable to diagnosed why the failure occurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 100,000. pm
12/03/2009
 I went to ford dealership in dec 09 received inspection on recall # o9s09 and 09so9h only. now here in feb. 2012 the same problems with suspenison,right front tire wheel makes alto of noise power steering fluid is leaking strange noise is heard when making right turns,ford said my vechile has had all service it is due . i believe they are wrong all the same problems the recalls reported are my problems i have paper work providing they only ran test on recall #o9s09 and 09s09h my car is in serious weather conditions here in illinois.under the original owner ford stated they are not responsible for any further repair. ford dealership roberts motors 4350 alby alton il 62002
02/04/201254000
 While driving my 1998 windstar @ 45mph, i lost total steering control of my vehicle and my vehicle veered into the uncoming lane of a two lane highway. i was able to regain control after turning the steering wheel approx 360 degrees to the right and managed to stop safely. after further investigation, it was found that the drivers side lower control arm bracket that is welded to the subframe broke away from the subframe due to a rusted out subframe. i've owned this vehicle for the past 8 years and never received any information from ford regarding this safety issue as noted in the 1999-2003 ford windstar recall which has the same issue as my vehicle. although ford is not going to honor a subframe recall for my year vehicle, ford should at least send a notification letter to inform owners of this dangerous issue. both my wife and kids drive this vehicle, but had i at least known there was a dangerous issue with this vehicle, i would have parked it.
02/24/2012100000
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph she heard a loud clunking noise. the contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle she noticed that the rear driver side axle had broken in half. the vehicle was taken to a local shop who verified the failure but was unable to diagnosed why the failure occurred. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 100,000. pm
12/03/2009
 I went to ford dealership in dec 09 received inspection on recall # o9s09 and 09so9h only. now here in feb. 2012 the same problems with suspenison,right front tire wheel makes alto of noise power steering fluid is leaking strange noise is heard when making right turns,ford said my vechile has had all service it is due . i believe they are wrong all the same problems the recalls reported are my problems i have paper work providing they only ran test on recall #o9s09 and 09s09h my car is in serious weather conditions here in illinois.under the original owner ford stated they are not responsible for any further repair. ford dealership roberts motors 4350 alby alton il 62002
02/04/201254000
 While driving my 1998 windstar @ 45mph, i lost total steering control of my vehicle and my vehicle veered into the uncoming lane of a two lane highway. i was able to regain control after turning the steering wheel approx 360 degrees to the right and managed to stop safely. after further investigation, it was found that the drivers side lower control arm bracket that is welded to the subframe broke away from the subframe due to a rusted out subframe. i've owned this vehicle for the past 8 years and never received any information from ford regarding this safety issue as noted in the 1999-2003 ford windstar recall which has the same issue as my vehicle. although ford is not going to honor a subframe recall for my year vehicle, ford should at least send a notification letter to inform owners of this dangerous issue. both my wife and kids drive this vehicle, but had i at least known there was a dangerous issue with this vehicle, i would have parked it.
11/12/2011194000
 Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact heard a loud clanking noise outside the vehicle and immediately the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact noticed the rear axle was completely fractured. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the technician advised him there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the vehicle was then towed to an authorized dealer who stated the vehicle was ineligible for the recall repair due to the date range mentioned in the recall summary. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 194,000.
11/12/2011194000
 Tl- the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact heard a loud clanking noise outside the vehicle and immediately the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the contact noticed the rear axle was completely fractured. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the technician advised him there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the vehicle was then towed to an authorized dealer who stated the vehicle was ineligible for the recall repair due to the date range mentioned in the recall summary. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 194,000. rvk
11/09/2011140000
 The vehicle was taken to the dealership for a leaking hose. while being inspected the ford mechanic found that the driver side front subframe was almost completely rusted through. the dealership stated the vehicle was unsafe and would not repair it. there is a recall on 1999-2003 windstars for this reason. the 1998 and earlier are not included as the subframe on the 1999-2003 is tubular and the 1998 and older is stamped. while the construction is different, the problem seems to be the same as i was advised by the ford mechanic that the stamped subframe rusts out frequently too. my father-in-law was the original owner of this vehicle and he willed it to me upon his death. the vehicle has been well maintained and always been an indiana vehicle. the subframe on the other side is fine and still has paint on it.
03/17/201080000
 Upon inspection of vehicle for inspection, it was determind vehicle was unsafe to drive because of badly corroded subframe on passenger side of vehicle. also, coil spring on passenger side was broken posing a driving hazard. vehicle has approximately 80,000 miles.
10/13/201192000
 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.
10/03/201191000
 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 nhsta 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.
08/21/2011150000
 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. kmj
08/21/2011150000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated the rear axle broke in half. while driving 5 mph there was a loud noise and she merged the vehicle to the shoulder. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop where they inspected the failure and informed her the axle was broken and the vehicle was undriveable. the manufacturer was contacted and informed her they will give her a return call. the failure mileage was 150,000. mw
02/01/20111
 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.
04/15/2010128000
 Reading on-line because my mechanic's puzzled about the noises, i find that it's not only the 1999+ windstars that have had a problem, but -- if you would look at #2 and #3 here at this link: http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/1998/ford/windstar/suspension it's apparent that this axle breakage has occurred in 1998's as well. that is what i have, in which i'm hearing similar noises. living in a salt-belt state, this is scary; don't even dare take it on the freeway! hard to get out of town (such as to a graduation this weekend) without freeways. very sad ... & hard to replace it, too, while on only social security. something should be done to include 1998s (see link above) in this investigation, too, it appears. i didn't pay nearly $4000 to only drive a vehicle in town, and not be able to go anyplace! :o( gigi ps * didn't give day b/c this has been occurring the last few months, and finally asked the mechanic last month, once i was driving more again (in winter don't do much, and then at other times drive ma's car taking her places). well, it insists on a date, after all, so will put on there, arbitrarily. gs
02/22/20101400001
 The vehicle was driving normal and began to make noises in the front end. i had the vehicle inspected at a service garage and told the front coil springs are fractured. *tr
12/19/2009950001
 I noticed my van was 'feeling weird' when i drove it-almost like i was driving on a slippery road and the back end was sliding. this went on for about 4 days. i had to drive my son to visit his father on an extremely snowy day. the roads were drivable but did have some snow on them. when i proceeded down the hill i live on, the sliding sensation was extremely exaggerated. the further i drove, the worse it got. i had to drive in 1st gear going less than 20 m.p.h. with the back end of my van fishtailing. i thought for sure we were going to roll over. thank god i was passing the mechanic's garage i use, and i was able to pull in. i have just been informed that the rear axle has snapped and the vehicle is not drivable. upon searching for how much a rear axle is going to cost, i was surprised to find a site where people list the problems they've had with the same vehicle. this is not an unusual thing to have occur!!!! people could very easily be killed when this breaks. it was only by the grace of god that we didn't wreck. ford needs to further investigate this and put a recall on the rear axle. *tr
08/15/20081300001
 I was backing out of a parking spot and heard a loud crash type of sound. checked the car and found out that the rear axle had broken in half. *tr
06/03/20023500004/19/1999
 We have always had trouble with this van - we bought it used(1 yr old) so we had no recourse as far as warrenties go. we finally were able to take it in to the ford dealership and have the light problem looked at - they replaced a sensor for $140 and as soon as we drove 45 miles it started up again! we were on our way on a road trip and i called to tell them it failed, but when we got back two weeks later they claimed that it must be something different... interior lights do not shut off, removed door ajar chime so we didn't have to listen to that while driving all the time, door ajar light has been on continuously for more than 3 years, we've had to remove the dome lights and turn the other lights to off so our battery doesn't go dead over night - the passenger floor lights remain on however and get very hot... the doors do not lock because the car thinks it's doors are open! the car has become dangerous to drive and the problem has stumped too many mechanics to list - when driving above 40 mph the right wheel starts making a 'thumping' noise and when turning left or accelerating it becomes almost deafening, now it's making a very loud screech if, but don't want to sell this death-trap to anyone else eithe you turn too sharply - there is a continuous squeaking noise comng from the same area. please help!! thank you, freida kirkland ps... cruise control doesn't work and the back wiper only works if you're backing up... have had the van realigned continually and i just bought another set of tires in june and the left front tire is already worn out... the right passenger's window sometimes doesn't roll back up and the service engine light stays on sometimes for months for no reason as well as the brake light...
08/15/20030
 When we purchased the van, we also bought a diamondkote warranty ,for 499.99$ and told at the time of purchase that is was a good warranty.we then found out that we should not have been sold the warranty and plaza ford lincoln will not honor it, we can't even get a refund, so we spoke to someone at diamondkote and this person told us that we should not have been sold the warranty and have been trying to get a refund ever since,either from plaza ford lincoln or diamondkote. i had intentions of suing ford motor company two years ago when my husband took my two daughters to halifax, because my 8 year old had cancer at the time, she had a appointment at the i.w.k hospital and it was by the grace of god that thay were not killed when the front suspention spring broke in which case my husband lost steering. i spoke to a lawyer who sadly told, because there was no death or injury there was nothing he could do,well my 8 year old who is now cancer free was so scared, she still gets very scared to get in a vehicle. i could go on but for now this is just the begining. i am going to pursue the matter of the diamondkote warranty further,and possibly more.we have had alot of vehicals before but never a ford with as much trouble as this has been.
12/15/199950930
 A/c oct. 99 $168.98, dec. 99 $134.40 suspension july 01 $664.61, dec. 99 $515.85, jun 01 $61.78, body jun 01 $443.61 other cd player jun 01 $19.50 and $366.86 turn signal jan 02 $161.04 dome light jan 02 $84.02 jan 02 $89.72 door oct 99 $134.52, mar 03 $285.07 steering sept.02 $258.82, mar. 03 569.32 computer controls sept. 00 $106.02 engine jan 02 $784.75 coolant smell (found front cover gasket leaking) sept. 02 85.95 (told throttle body worn out, sold me update computer software, seams to run better) currently in shop for check engine light and a/c system intermittent. mechanic found engine problem, says main bearings or crankshaft bad, possibly due to coolant in oil system from january 02 problem
05/15/200399000
 Rear sway bar broke in half on low speed turn if this would have happened on a freeway exchange or off ramp this would have resulted in a rollover and possible death!
07/15/20030
 I bought this van because of the clean condition of it . i have the 3.0 ltr engine which has been excellent. the transmission so far is ok. steering is a dangerous mess with almost everything new and 3 alignments. if you take your eyes off the road even for a second you can end up in a ditch. my wife & i both went off the road in a 1 month span. we both have excellent driving records. the front end seems ok to ford. something serious is wrong with the steering. won?t let my wife drive it anymore. has a little vibration that you cannot get rid of. sending this to you because i called ford and they said there was no safety recall or any steering issues with that van. had a service bulletin in front of me at that time stating there was. but that is not the problem. ford denied the all of the above. am afraid to sell to someone because i think someone will get hurt. don?t know why ford keeps putting in the same bad parts year after year. i have had all the dome light problems and door locks etc. they will still say no problems. bought it used at a good price thinking it was a bad tire causing the problems. if accident occurs will seek damages
410004
 Problems with transmission, torque, power steering, and front end stable rods & arms. *mr the transmission and torque had been replaced twice, the power steering once, the font end stable rods and arms twice and remained bad. the battery light had come on and the idler pulley was replaced, there was a creaking/cracking noise when turning the wheel and the outer tie rods were replaced along with the toe being reset, there was a clunk when going over the bumps, there was a vibration underneath due to the transmission, the engine light would come on and off and seemed like the shifts were erratic, the transmission leaked badly, and on some occasions the starter did not engage. *scc *jb
 While braking there was a clanking noise in front end. took vehicle to ford, ford replaced subframe bushings and tie rod ends. please provide any further information. ts. *ak
09/23/19991
 Consumer stated the front end of the vehicle was bouncing, also the front hub bearings were replaced.*yh
06/20/2001108/01/2000
 This van is 3 years old. corrosion most likely caused the problem with strut rods & sway bar links. obviously this manufacturer was not concerned with quality b/c of all these problems. the ford company will not reimburse me (my van is no longer covered by factory warranty) unless they issue a recall on any particular problem. i just don't understand why i would have all these problems with a vehicle that was less than 2 yrs old when the problems started. maybe you can't help me, but i wanted to lodge a complaint.*ak
107/07/1998
 While driving at 60 mph severe vibrations occurs, causing safe handling of vehicle to become extremely difficult, cause unknown.*ak consumer states local dealer has tried various things such as tire balancing, alignment and changing all four tires but nothing has resolved the problem, local dealer stated that this particular vehicle has this problem and they dont know what to do to correct it. *jb
01/15/19990
 While consumer was traveling on the highway vehicle started shaking, and lost contol. hit a guardrail, and flipped over three times. the consumer was traumatized, and didn't remember anything.
01/15/20001
 Right front strut failed. yh
02/09/2000109/01/1997
 Persistent loud groan or rubbing sound occurs when steering wheel is turned to left and when turning to right when straightening out from left turn. front end shop advised struts and strut support brackets require replacement at cost of $588. vehicle is 6,000 miles out of warranty. shop supervisor expressed suprise that such components require replacement. because of service back-ups dealer has not yet advised on proper solution.
01/21/2000511/01/1999
 My wife was turing left at a red light and was waiting for pedistrians to cross the street. as she turned the corner the right front tire snapped off of the hub and almost hit a lawyer! all five of the studs broke off, the metal indicated they were fresh breaks. there was not any indication of the nuts being lose, the nuts were still screwed on the studs. the wheel and nuts did not look scared as if they had been lose. pior to the wheel coming off there had been no shimmy or vibration at all. i had driven the vehicle the previous night and had not felt anything out of the ordinary. she had only accelerated from the left turn position about 15ft and could not have been going faster than 5 mph. the vehicle had not been serviced after we purchased it. thank god she was not on the interstate in 5'oclock traffic! *ak
12/30/1999
 Front struts broke while driving on the hwy at 30-35 mph on a snowy road condition. dealer notified and repairs wer emade at consumer's cost. *ak
03/19/19987
 When traveling approximately 55mph or more vehicle would vibrate. went to dealer & had the wheels changed 5 different times. the steering wheel would shake, but vehicle was controlable. there would be clunking noise going into drive or reverse. has been an intermittent problem. *ak
 Vehicle pulls to either the right or left if the steering wheel is released for one second. it pulls so badly that while driving it wanders into other lanes. dealer has not been contacted. *ak
07/04/19985
 Had taken vehicle to dealer to check steering. vehicle would wander over the road. would make popping noises when making right turns. *ak
1
 Suspension system poor stability, feels as if it will turn over on occasions.
 Vehicle unstable when going down the road.
SUSPENSION - AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC)
01/28/2002350002001/26/2002
 Abs system is constantly malfunctioning, brakes give out, traction control is turning off and on. drivers side lock does not work with alarm remote.*jb
SUSPENSION - FRONT
06/16/2011155500
 Tl- the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated the vehicle was having control problems and they took it to the dealer to be inspected. the dealer informed the contact that the front right side axle shaft needed to be replaced. the contact feels this is a manufacturers defect. the failure mileage and current mileages were 155,500.rl
05/20/2011142000
 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 alianed.ford tech.said front springs were broke.was an est.of $1200.00 oni cant afford.this was 5/20/2011.contacted mftr about the recall that 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 mftr.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 companys keep getting by with negligance.there are lots of recalls on this vihicle.please help!
05/03/2011100000
 Tl - the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph in a parking lot, she heard a loud noise. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the front axle broke as a result of corrosion. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offered any assistance since the vehicle was not included on any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 100,000. pm
10/30/2009150000
 Tl- the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while at the dealer for recall repairs under recall nhtsa campaign id number: 01v199000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs) the technicians stated they heated and sprayed penetrating oil on the sway bar in order to remove it and were unable to take it off . the technicians stated the sway bar links needed to be cut out in order to perform the recall repairs and the removal of the sway bar links would not be covered under the recall. the manufacturer was contacted and stated they could not override the dealers decision or provide assistance because the part was not under warranty and it was not covered under the recall. the vehicle was repaired at the contacts expense. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. ds
04/24/2003830001
 1. ford sent recall notice (01s19/01m03) in september, 2001. vehicle was taken in for service (11/7/01) and the receipt indicates that safety shields were installed 'to prevent a front spring failure from puncturing the front tires'. the notice also stated that 'what ford will do for you': ford motor company will also pay far any repairs directly relating to the front coil springs of you vehicle free of charge (parts and labor). it was at that time (2001), the owner received an 'extended coverage transferable warranty notice' on the front springs for 10 years from the warranty start date, regardless of mileage. 2. the springs may have fractured at a later date, or were broken at that time and not replaced. the vehicle has always had very low front ground clearance. because of the low ground clearance and the installed shields, the spring failure was not noted even when new tires were installed. returning the vehicle to the dealer in 2009, after a front break line failure, the owner inquired about checking for broken front springs under the recall campaign mentioned in the notice from 2001. that is when he leaned that the safety recall issue was satisfied with the shield installation. this action apparently also removed the vin from the safety recall data base. thus, assuming that this is no longer a safety issue, the owner continues to drive the low mileage vehicle (less than 100,000 miles). 3. the cost of replacing the springs was estimated at $400 to $600 dollars by the dealer and no corrective action is being taken as apparently this is no longer a safety issue. the vehicle is a 1998 ford windstar that was purchased on 10/16/97, with five miles on it. 4. is this vehicle safe to drive as there are nearly 100 similar complaints on this safety complaint web site? 5. as this vehicle did not qualify in the clunker program, is spring failure a lemon law issue? *tr
07/05/2008168000
 Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that the coil springs failed and punctured the tires. she felt that this was a safety issue because a serious crash could have occurred. the vehicle has not yet been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 168,000.
07/22/20081100001
 I bought a 1998 ford windstar 3.0 l in 1999. in 2002 i received a recall to install front shields over the coil spring so i did. yesterday the front coil spring punctured the front tire and broke the struts as well. when calling ford, they inform me that they can not tell me when my vehicle was manufactured, just that they will do nothing about it. they issued the warranty for 10 years from manufacturer date even though the recall did not take place until 3-4 years after manufacture date and i took my vehicle in for the recommended cure to the problem. *tr
03/13/2000300001
 Vehicle shook continuously when being driven. front end was aligned, the bearings, shaft, and the ball joints were replaced. *ak
05/06/2003112000302/04/2003
 I have a 98 windstar mini van . after the minivan has been running for awhile and you go to stop it will go dead or what you call stalls. so after i crank it back up and try to take off again it will stall again. so therefore i have to make sure there is no traffic coming,because there has been some close calls of me and my children getting into a wreck due to this piece of $#*$.the interior lights will not go off, so my husband had to take the light bulbs out: also the passenger side window will not go down or up. this thing is so bad i wish jimm skinner ford would have just kept the piece of $#*$. *nm
06/26/2004160000101/15/2004
 A loud noise came from the front of the vehicle while driving 55 mph. vehicle pulled to the left. consumer noticed that sway bar broke on driver's side. dealer and the manufacturer were contacted, and both informed the consumer that the part was not covered under a recall. *ak
07/08/2003310/04/1998
 I am seeking action to alleviate the cost of maintenance problems i have experienced with my 1998 3.8l v6 ford windstar gl. over the past few years, my windstar has displayed reoccurring and extensive mechanical problems in the front end, brakes, and engine that have resulted increasing amounts of time and money spent on repairs. from research, i have found that our difficulties are not an isolated event, and are in fact a common problem in the 1998 windstar, and are the same problems found in the 1995 windstar. the most recent event was the requirement to have the head gasket replaced. the local ford dealer provided this service which cost $1500.00 in parts and labor. upon completion of the repairs the van was not roadworthy, a new short block was needed due to damage caused by the faulty head gasket. i have been quoted over $6000.00 for this job. in addition to the mounting repair costs, i am forced to rent a car so that we have transportation while we consider options with our windstar. my windstar has less than 100,000 miles. it is not uncommon these days to have vehicles operate this long before requiring the first tune-up. in order to maintain this van, i have spent the time i have ownwd this vehicle and a lot of money taking my windstar into service centers to have inferior parts, such as the plastic tie-rod ends and brakes, replaced many times. i have also spent a fortune on rental cars while our windstar sat unserviceable. we have born this cost with the expectation that investing money in repair would result in safe, reliable transportation for our family. with this major repair, the months of exhaustive diagnosis and trial repair jobs to fix the problems that arrise, the multiple tie rod end replacements, and brake system repairs, i feel that i am entitled to compensation from the ford motor company. *ak
07/22/20037400006/28/1998
 Clunking noise in front suspension at 32,000 mile due to wornout bushing. then at 74,000 miles noise was due to radius arm sockets that needed to be welded. the problem started at 74,000 miles but was not found and fixed unitl 82,000 miles. the car has not been in any accidents. i feel this vehicles front suspension is defective base on repairs needed in 80,000 miles of highway and city driving. ford has brushed me off working through their customer service channels! i am the origional owner.
08/23/2001309/01/2097
 No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
06/01/2000112/01/1999
 Front end alignment was performed due to tire wear and drivability.*jb
07/06/1999807/01/1998
 Ford mo said they cannot fix my suspension problem after working on my car since the first service call. this has been since 1999. there have been many service calls, parts replaced, and i was told that if i traded in the car that they would give me $3,000 toward another car, which amounted to me buying a new van for the regular listed price. i have been putting up with these excuses that they didn't want my car as a trade in as they could'nt resell it. now i am stuck with a car that i can't sell as it is defective. what is a consumer like myself to do about this. i have gone to arbitration and they said they couldn't help. the lemon laws only applies to the first year of purchase and i spent the first year with ford telling me they were working on my problem and that it would always be covered by warranty. now they tell me they can't fix it. the car has such a bad shimmy, pounding in the front end that no one would take this van as a trade.*ak
06/01/2000112/01/1999
 Front end alignment was performed due to tire wear and drivability.*jb
09/25/1999
 Steering column sticks, has to jerk steering wheels. also vehicle pulls to the left. consumer can hear a whistling sound on left side. contacted dealer. dealer kept vehicle for about one hour, and told consumer it wasn't anything wrong with vehicle. *ak
06/01/20011
 While vehicle is in operation and making any type of turn, there is a loud metal to metal sound coming from front of vehicle. a private mechanic has replaced tie rod in an effort to repair problem. *ak *jb
06/13/2001105/01/2000
 Defect happened while normal backing out of driveway. know of at least one other exact incident with another winstar in this area. no safety defec tmentioned. *ak
05/17/20011
 Consumer was traveling 15mph on a two lane ramp and heard something popped, and steering column was difficult to steer. she was able to pull over to shoulders, and noticed that a coil spring had fallen out and puntcured right tire. *ak consumer states left and right front coil spring was replaced.*jb
12/29/20001011/30/2000
 Consumer has experienced several problems with the transmission, dealer has replaced it once, however problems continue, consumer has filed for a request for arbitration, vehicle bucks, jerks, and jumps into gear before taking off. vehicle shimmies from one side to another upon acceleration, there is a thumping sound heard also at times while driving. vehicle experienced a speed sensor circuit problem. speedometer jumps. problem with power steering, dealer adjusted rack and pinion and made other repairs to steering mechanism. right side brake light bulb failed. battery failed. consumer stated it felt as if vehicle was going to stall sometimes, engine has no power at acceleration, engine belt was noisy and was replaced. tire had a slow leak due to loose tire valve. *slc
03/01/20010
 Consume r was traveling a low speed making a turn and there was a moaning sound like a grinding noise, alignment was off peak. dealership was aware of problem.-*ak
02/01/20010
 When turning to the right there's a loud squeaking noise.*ak
01/16/2001107/01/1997
 I had backed out of a parking spot and was proceeding forward when the front of car, left side, dropped down abuptly. van ground to a stop and i hopped out to investigate. the left front fender was much lower than the right, but it was dark so i couldn't see much else. wanting to get the van back to my home, i tried to drive it farther, but it made a loud grinding noise that sounded similar to a train on a track, and began to smell like burnt rubber. at this point i decided it best to stop and had the van towed to my mechanic. the mechanic advised that the coil spring was broke and on his advise i had both front coil springs replaced as well as the struts. he said i was fortunate to be moving at such a slow speed because i would have lost control due to the spring rubbing against the tire and rim. we also replaced the tire. we contacted the dealership and showed the service manager the broken coil spring and wrote a request for assistance. the area inspector, who never saw the part, turned down the request because i didn't take the van to the ford dealer. the vehicle wasn't under warranty and i needed it fix right away, plus the dealer was 20 miles away, so i made a quick decision to have it towed to my mechanic who was close. i didn't know what was wrong, i'm not a mechanic! after alot of run-around, the dealership has offered to cover half the repair bill and i think that is as good as it will get. i'm still concerned that others may not be as lucky as i was to be in a parknig lot and moving so slow. i saw the usa today press release and knew this had to be reported. thank-you!!! *ak
01/25/20010
 Some grinding and steering problems when trying to steer. *ak
10/17/2000105/01/1998
 Dealer had to replace both outer tie rods and adjust front toe. steering started to bind when making a left hand turn, and van steering had felt loose up to the point of failure. *ak
07/16/2000101/01/1998
 Shock absorber (strut) and coil spring broke ...none in stock in all of usa! 2weeks have gone with no repairs because of lack of spring nationwide! dealer in mo (car still there) told us part was on order for 3 days...after missing work for 4 days and paying for hotel in eureka, mo we ended up renting a car and driving back home to michigan. will have to rent another car and overnight hotel bill to return to pick up van when (if ) completed...all the while we still are making mo/payments on vehicle we can't even drive!!!
03/01/20001
 Clunking noise in the front end. dealer inspected and found strut rod bushing retainer loose and the subframe cracked. repairs not covered under warranty, suspected that failures due to earlier transmission work on vehicle. ford contacted. *ak *ml
03/05/2000207/01/1998
 My front end sounds as if left front wheel is going to fall off. when we drive the van shakes all over, feels very unsafe we're no longer driving it until its repaired. *ak
02/02/1998
 Front drifts to the right at slower speeds and to the left at high speeds.
08/03/1999107/16/1999
 Front end suspension continually experinced noise, several repair and replacements to various suspension components however continous. yh
10/01/1998306/01/1998
 Vehicle has been in numerous times for new seals on front right passenger door for wind noise: also been in for failed brake system numerous times and front rotors have been on back order for almost 2 months: in numerous times for front end alignment-checked and rechecked by several ford dealers and they cannot do anything, vehicle has always pulled to the right; engine has died several times and would not start back up; front pads on brake system have been replaced and rotors turned at only 10,000 miles still grinding and will not stop correctly; vehicle feels to me as unsafe for my wife and two younger boys. *ak
 While driving at 40 mph steering gear rack broke, causing loss of steering and a leakage of power steering fluid. also, vehicle veered to left and right all over the road. consumer then slowed down and pulled to the side of the road. the manufacturer has been contacted. first failure at 46,561 miles, second at 62,500. *ak
03/05/1997402/22/1997
 Vehicle experiences continued problems with front end suspension including alignment, bolts to the lower control arms, caster and tie rods resulting in excessive wear of the tires and vibration.
03/05/1997102/22/1997
 Front end caster split causing vehicle to pull.
04/21/1998102/22/1997
 Loose nuts and bolts attaching the tension bar bushing retainer.
07/09/19982
 Transmission would jerk as if being rearended. front end would work itself loose. had to replace bushings, tracking bar & motor mounts due to being defective. vehicle is not drivable after being in an accident. *ak
02/24/1999106/01/1997
 Automatic transmissions failed twice in less than one year. each failure resulted in a replacement transmission from the ford dealer. this vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it and two transmissions have been replaced. i have requested a replacement vehicle from ford due to the unreliable performance of this vehicle. i was told by the ford consumer hotline that it is not their policy to replace a vehicle, only to repair or fix as needed.
08/08/19982
 The steering column moves up and down. also there is a funky noise coming from the front left end suspension when turning the steering wheel to the left. the dealer was not able to find out what was causing the problem with the steering, loss of steering control resulted in vehicle hitting curb causing damage to vehicle. *ak
01/16/199812
 While driving a program vehicle, front end suspension would make grinding noises. has taken vehicle to dealer at least 12 times for problem. the dealer refused to do repair work which is under warranty. *ak
07/07/19981
 Front end noise when turning or braking.
SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM
10/20/20000
 While traveling at 25 mph control arm broke. if going any faster vehicle would have rolled over and crashed. *ak
4
 Was driving vehicle & it would go into a low depression. a boring noise could be heard from the springs. it was an intermitten problem. took to dealer & mechanic could not locate cause of noise. did change the bushings & struts. *ak noise in front end over bumps due to both outer tie rod failure. *yh
SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM
 Front right control arm broke once, and left control arm has broken three time in the past two months. dealer has been making the repairs. *ak
SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT
11/01/200249000110/01/1998
 There was a noise that had come from the wheel when turning, as the consumer traveled on the highway. ts the ball joints failed, both left and right on the front end. scc
SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT
09/01/20010
 Consumer took vehicle to repair shop because front tire tires were balled inside. mechanic told consumer that upper ball joints and tire rod ends were defective. consumer replaced them. there was no accident. *ak
 Grease in the front ball joints has dried up, causing the ball joints to malfunction. please give any further details. *ak
SUSPENSION - FRONT - MACPHERSON STRUT
09/03/20031
 The frame that holds the front strut rod cracked and caused the right wheel to wobble. *ak
12/06/2001106/01/2098
 Mounting bracket of right front strut snapped, right front of car collapsed and bent sway bar, which gouged and ruined tire. occurred at low speed on smooth pavement. if we had been traveling at highway speed, the failure would have been catastrophic. i still have part and can e-mail picture of it.*ak
1
 The vehicle had noise in the front end. the dealer indicated that the noise was due to strut failures. *yh
 Recall 01i007000; moisture and corrosion affecting front coil springs. also, can affect strut bearings. contacted dealer, and dealer stated all they have to do was to put shield around and check coil springs.*ak
SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER
05/22/1999204/24/1999
 Various problem with power lock locking by itself/windshield wipers working intermittently/dome light not operating, and door ajar light staying on. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on several occasions, and problems still reoccurring. *ak possible electrical problem with failure of power locks, windshield wipers, dome light, door ajar light, door ajar switch, lift gate door ajar switch, battery saver relay inoperable, and washer light illuminating. brakes noisy at times, dealer stated this was due to brake dust. power steering is noisy when turning back and forth, dealer replaced tie rod end. sliding door rattles while driving over bumps, dealer added foam tape to back side of panel, driver door rattles, sliding door hard to open at times, dealer lubed sliding hinges and latch. dealer replaced shocks due to rattling noise when riding over bumps. drivebelt replaced. maf sensor replaced due to hesitation. window guide did not fit tight. *slc
SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
608911
 Consumer complained about left front spring breaking. vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the spring was replaced, but dealer refused to change the other ones unless they broke. did not feel that this vehicle was safe to be driving again.*ak
SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS
04/01/200880000112/31/1997
 My wife was driving our 1998 ford windstar on the highway when she heard a loud noise and scraping sound coming from the front driver side tire area. the sound stop shortly and a six inch long curved rod of metal had fallen out onto the road way. the front coil spring had cracked and a piece of it had come loose and eventual fell out under the vehicle. i was fortunate that the collapsed spring had not damaged the tire or the brakes. the vehicle is currently being serviced to replace the broken coil spring and inspection for further damage. *tr
06/24/200337002
 I purchased a 1998 windstar van from the ford dealer located in corning ca. i have had nothing but trouble with it passing smog for the oxy sensor. and the transmission has never worked right. the turbo thing is bad. when i went to trade it in i found that the vehicle was out of canada. and these things were part of the recalls reported to you. but, ford of corning said they did nothing to this van before selling it to me. i found 14 things wrong with this vehicle. i acted up a month after purchase. but i was on aware of my rights as a consumer. also, i was not sure what oms meant. the van is stuck in folsom,ca at aamco transmission repair shop. financed through fireside bank. ford of corning said they did nothing to the van before i purchased it but cleaning it. *nm
03/01/20053
 While driving at 75 mph front coil spring snapped and broke, puncturing the front drivers side tire. consumer had the coil spring replaced once. this was the second time this has happened. the front end of the vehicle completely dropped. also, there was a brake failure. two nhtsa recalls regarding front coil springs, recalls 01i007000 and 01v199000 were issued.*ak
01/13/20034
 Vehicle has front axle hub and speed sensor replaced due to antilock warning signal continuing to stay on. *bf recall# 01i007000. there was a noise in the front right wheel and on another occasion a loud bang had come from the vehicle due to the left front spring exploding. the service department stated on another occasion that the sub from had rusted badly. *sc
08/07/2004120000105/15/1998
 Recall 01v199000 concerning front coil spring corrosion. after the vehicle was repaired for this recall a popping noise could be heard while driving at low speed or applying brakes. *ak
04/23/2004106000102/28/2001
 My 1998 ford windstar had a failure of the front left leaf spring. the resulting damage was at low speeds but the left front tire was damaged beyond repair. in dec 2001 i had the recall by ford accomplished to install a guard on the leaf springs. this guard was installed to prevent this type of damage. this first recall was a safety recall and the fix for that recall was ineffective. this should be a full out safety recall to replace these springs before someone dies. it shouldn't take a death to change the policy on these springs. i believe this fault to be more related to a material defect then a rust or corrosion problem. i have over 100,000 miles on my windstar and i inspect it periodically for possible damage. these springs have little or no rest nor did the spring at the point of break. without detailed inspection microscopes a minuet crack couldn't be seen with the eye. this is a consistent problem with this vehicle as noted in the complaint section with over 77 complaints. just think of the problems that aren't registered on this site. i'm only concerned for the unsuspecting family who has no idea that these springs will fail it's only a matter of time. ford will only replace them if they break. they will break as a manufacture defect. i feel the safety council should revisit this problem. i have some video of the damage to my springs and tire for proof if there is any need for such evidence in an accident investigation. let me restate myself this is a very serious problem that is being overlooked. don't let this problem kill some before more action is done. one death from this problem is too much. these vans carry our children on a daily basis and a whole family could be lost in just one accident.*ak
04/14/2004301/12/2000
 Vehicle was taken to dealer two years ago for coil spring recall repairs. a spring shield was put into vehicle to prevent the tires from being punctured. while traveling at 70 mph coil spring punctured a tire. recall repairs did not work, the same thing happened again. *ak
04/14/200499000101/15/2000
 This vehicle was recalled a while ago to install a protective shield between the coil springs and the tire, so that if the spring failed the tire would not be damaged. this modification did not function as intended. we experienced a failure of the spring as well as the shield which shredded the tire and damaged a brake line. ford needs to recall their recall, this is a reprehensible act on their part.*ak
01/23/20041
 Consumer took the vehicle to the repair station. the driver heard a clanking noise from the left wheel. the mechanic noticed that struts and coils springs needed replacing due to corrosion. the consumer's vehicle identification number was not included the recall. the recall number 01-i-007-000 *jb
07/11/2003207/01/1999
 Consumer called complaining about front brake problems. the brakes squeaked for a long time until they were replaced. also, front coil spring problems. consumer started vehicle and a terrible noise came from the front of the vehicle. she stopped, and had vehicle towed to the dealer. dealer did an alignment, and told consumer that front coils needed to be replaced. *ak
1
 Dealership did not perform recall 01v199000 repairs correctly for front coil spring, and is refusing to correct the problem. *ak
4
 Consumer has called several dealerships to have four recalls done and they were refusing to honor them. recall # 01v199 concerning front springs:coil spring/ 99v147 000 concerning brake master cylinder/ 00e11 ford's additional warranty for front springs:coil spring corrosion, and 01m 03.*ak
03/15/20031
 While driving the vehicle and no warning front left spring coil cracked, causing the vehicle to fall to the ground. dealer notified.*ak
05/22/2003103/20/2001
 On 5/22/03 i was driving down the highway and experienced a sudden feeling that the front end of my vehicle dropped and heard some of the worst noises i had ever heard. upon driving the vehicle home (slowly) my husband came home and took off the tire. we discovered that the front coil spring over the strut had collapsed and the vehicle could not be driven. we paid out of our pockets to get the vehicle flat bedded to the local ford dealership. the parts have been on national back order and it's been over a week. i am personally in jeopordy of loosing my job because i have only been able to work 1/2 day.(1 vehicle left, 2 working parents with 3 kids) now i am being told that the tire on that side is damaged and can not be trusted to be driven on, and the van needs a front end alignment. ford is saying this is not covered and refuses to do anything about it. we received the recall notice 6 days after the spring collapsed. it is for spring shields, at the ford customer service number told me the shields are to be installed so that if the spring collapses it doesn't damage the rest of the front end and cause an accident. is this all ford is responsible to do? there are thousands of these vans on the road that are a potential danger. they know that these springs are a hazard and they don't cover towing, replace or repair of tires etc that get damaged due to their defective parts. my tire is only 1 month old. i just replaced it. their only responsibility is to try to make sure no one gets killed in an accident caused by a defective part on their van. why are they able to say the get the 5 star safety rating from the government, that makes people think these vehicles are safe. my collapsed doing 50 mph going home from my morning run as a school bus driver. i had just dropped my son off to daycare 10 minutes before. this could have been a much worse incident. *ak
608911
 Consumer called complaining about having problems with the left front spring breaking. the vehicle was towed to the shop and the springs were replaced but the shields for the spring were not replaced. the consumer does not feel safe driving the vehicle because the same problem may occur. *nlm
02/13/20031
 The front coil springs failed after the recall was performed.*jb
29000
 Consumer states that the dealership wicker ford; ticonderoga ny; 518-585-2888 is refusing to honor the recall for the protection shield front coil 01 f 121 000. ts
1
 The consumer had to replace front coil springs-may 2000. (reason unknown) in september, the consumer received a recall notice on this repair, but the dealer would not issue reibursement, in the amount of $228.17. the consumer was given the run around and feels that ford would rather stay behind their dealer, than to stand behind their customer. (though satisfied w/the vehicle, but unsatisfied w/the treatment. *scc
04/08/20021
 The spring on the drivers side of vehicle had ruptured while consumers wife was driving. when the spring ruptured, it forced the guard into the tire (which happens to be one month old), and ruined the tire. consumer was told that the spring had been recalled and ford would replace them. (in which ford said that the spring on this vehicle had been replaced already and they would not replace anything).*scc
1
 Mfr# 01s19 & nhtsa# 01 v 199 000/front coil spring corrosion: consumer states while pulling into a parking lot right front coil spring broke and puncture the tire. the make & modle show a recall. dealer notified. feel free to provide any further information.
02/01/2001
 Front left coil spring broke and punctured tire while pulling into a parking lot. dealer contacted. feel free to provide any further information.*ak
07/31/20011
 While in motion the front coil springs fractured and were in need of emergency repair. consumer had the vehicle taken to a local mechanic who repaired the vehicle. a recall was issued for installing protective shields to protect the coil springs from fracturing. consumer would like to be reimbursed for monies paid, but ford dealer will not honor the request for reimbursement, because the repairs were not made at the dealership. *jg
05/14/20022
 Consumer states vehicle was experiencing a problem with the tire rubbing on the spring. the vehicle was taken in to have the recall (01v199000) work performed. consumer began experiencing problems again with the recall related issue. the dealer refused to look at the vehicle, stating that the problem was not related to the spring, without even looking at the car. *yd *nm
04/10/20021
 Recall 01f090000 was done in april 2002. shields were installed within 1/8 inch of tire, new tires will rub on the shields.*ak consumer stated that the gas filler hoses are exposed to flying stones from the wheels after 98 fords added a shield to cover their hose. *yh
07/10/2002
 After recall 01v199000 for front coil spring corrosion was completed problem reoccurred. *ak
11/26/20011
 Consumer received a recall notice 01v99000 that the front coil springs may corrode and fracture. recall repair was done by consumer's local mechanic. however, when consumer requested reimbursement, the manufacturer denied reimbursement claim stating that the repairs were done after the date of the recall letter (september 2001), there were no indication that the springs were broken, and the recall only covers the springs if they actually fractured and that the repairs were not done by a ford dealer. consumer is seeking some assistance with this matter. *tt *nm
06/01/2002
 Left front coil spring broke. dealer and manufacturer were not notified. feel free to provide any further information.*ak
02/01/2001107/27/2002
 Nhtsa recall 01 v 199 000/manufacturer's recall 01s19 concerning front coil spring corrosion, consumer states dealer, wally edward ford, port henry, ny; phone# 518/546-9911 is refusing to honor recall notice. *ak the ford motor company says the dealership is responsible for the safety recall repairs. consuemr has complained of the transmission and no dealership within a 100 mile radius will attempt to access the problem. *jg
09/01/2001106/18/1998
 Faulty installation of left front spring guard that was on recall caused noise. *yh
1
 While driving, left front tire experienced a blowout, no specific tire information given, a year later, consumer receives recall 01s19 regarding the front coil springs corroding, possibly causing tire damage, consumer does not want this vehicle anymore. *slc
211/01/1998
 Consumer stated that upon receiving a safety recall for spring coil replacement, recall #01v199000, cnsumer called the dealer to ask if she could order the spring coils to have them ready for the appointment, dealer told her that was impossible, consumer made appointment and went to the dealer to fix the recall remedy, dealer told her that a spring coil replacement was unnecessary in nashville, instead of following the recall instruction from ford they installed protective shields which caused crunching sounds over the smallest bump, when turned the wheel to the right the tire made sounds of heavy friction, consumer believes the two tire blow out that she has expereinced has somthing to do with the shields that were installed on vehicle, and the deterioration of the drivers side tire from what appears to be constant friction and rubbing, however, consumer needs the shields to be remove and the problem to be corrected as quickly as true to the original recall specification as possible. *yd
01/14/2002
 Front coil spring broke and it was rubbing against tire so badly that it was difficult to drive. took vehicle to dealer for recall 01v1999000 repairs on coil spring. a shield was put around the spring. driver did not see a spring shield around coil. driver only saw a plate to prevent tire from being punctured again. please provide any further information. *ak
12/26/2001
 Recall 01 v 199 00/ front coil springs. since recall repairs were done snow tires were not to be installed on vehicle. please feel free to provide further details*ak.
12/01/2001
 Consumer received notification that vehicle was affected by recall campaign 01v199000. dealership only examined vehicle for corrosion, and failed to install protective shields around coil springs per corrective action for recall. please provide any additional information / documentation.*ak
12/04/2001
 Nhtsa recall 01 v 199 000 and manufacturer's recall 01s19/front coil spring: dealer; prestige ford; mount dora, fl; phone# 352/357-5522)is not honorin recall as outlined. dealer only inspected vehicle, and informed consumer that nothing could be found. also, no repairs were necessary. feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter.*ak
10/19/2001
 Recall 01 v 199 000/front coil spring corrosion: dealer ; capitol ford; goldsboro, nc; phone# 919/735-8411 refused to do any repairs not until sign of defect/corrosion appeared on vehicle. feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter.*ak
 Recall 01i007000; moisture and corrosion affecting front coil springs. also, can affect strut bearings. contacted dealer, and dealer stated all they have to do was to put shield around and check coil springs.*ak
1
 While driving, left front tire experienced a blowout, no specific tire information given, a year later, consumer receives recall 01s19 regarding the front coil springs corroding, possibly causing tire damage, consumer does not want this vehicle anymore. *slc
09/01/2001106/18/1998
 Faulty installation of left front spring guard that was on recall caused noise. *yh
09/01/2001
 Consumer contacted dealership for recall #01i007000 repairs, but dealership refused to repair vehicle. please provide further details. *ak
09/01/20010
 Consumer took vehicle in to dealer for a recall repairs on front spring. same day consumer received car back, there was a banging noise when consumer hit a bump. consumer had not contacted dealer. please provide any further informayion.*ak
12/23/2000206/01/1999
 Both front coil springs broke. the first one broke at 60,000 miles and cut the side wall out of the tire. the second one broke at 63,000 miles and cut the side wall out of the tire instantly. both incidents occurred at slow speeds. if it would have occurred at highway speed, a roll over may have taken place.
12/11/2000107/01/1997
 Left front coil spring broke, while parked. car undrivable, frame collapsed on tire. replaced by dealer at owners cost.
04/23/20011
 While pulling vehicle out of garage vehicle dropped on driver's side. tire was shredded. also, this broke the strut. vehicle was towed to dealer. driver's side coil spring had to be replaced.*ak coil spring broke ripping the sidewall of the tire and bending the strut and strut mounting plate, dealer would not cover repairs and ford said they had no record of the problem. nlm
 While pulling out of driveway the coil spring broke. also, spring punctured left front tire, and blew tire completely out. consumer has contacted dealer.*ak
05/17/20011
 Consumer was traveling 15mph on a two lane ramp and heard something popped, and steering column was difficult to steer. she was able to pull over to shoulders, and noticed that a coil spring had fallen out and puntcured right tire. *ak consumer states left and right front coil spring was replaced.*jb
06/01/20011
 While pulling out of a parking space, the front right spring broke. had to have car towed to repair shop. i was told i needed to replace coil springs on both front sides. repair could not be made on same day becasue ford is the only manufacturer of the spring and no one in town had the replacement springs. i had to rent a car for the weekend.*ak
05/20/2001103/24/2000
 Driver noticed a noise in front end of the vehicle when making turns. this was due to front coil springs breaking. needed new coil springs. *ak *jb
04/11/2001108/11/1999
 Left front coil spring broke while the vehicle was parked. dealer was notified, and informed consumer vehicle was out of its warranty, and any repairs would be at consumer's expense. *ak there was evidence of a flaw in the metal. 2-3 inches on each broken end of the coil spring was rusted. *yh
05/11/20011
 Front right coil spring broke while consumer's daughter was driving at approximately 10 mph. when coil spring broke, it caused front right tire to blowout. consumer replaced original tire with a spare, resulting in spare being destroyed because of broken coil spring. *ak *jb
05/07/20011
 Left front coil spring broke while vehicle was just starting to accelerate forward after backing out of a driveway. ford dealership stated that spring had rusted, and this caused component to break. *ak
03/27/2001107/01/1999
 Front coil spring broke. local mechanick has noy seen a broken spring since the 1960s. i know of other ford products that have had spring problems. *ak
04/16/2001
 Front coil springs broke while driving 5mph. noticed rubbing against tire which was becoming frayed. took to dealership , and mechanic indicated that problem was definitely front coil springs, but did not replace them. owner working with dealership.*ak
12/27/20001
 The right front coil spring failed while driving. nlm
04/23/2001
 While driving at 20 mph coil springs popped in two spots . contacted dealer, dealer only wanted to replace left side of the car, not both sides. there was a similar recall on earlier models.*ak
 While sitting in vehicle and without any indication front springs broke. please provide further information.*ak
03/31/2001207/01/1997
 Van parked in driveway, both front coil springs broke simultaneously causing front of vehicle to drop 5 inches and nearly piercing sidewalls of both front tires. *ak
04/18/20011
 While pulling out of driveway at very slow speed front coil spring broke. *ak *jb
02/28/2001
 Passenger's side coil spring broke while backing out of driveway. dealer notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under a manufacturer's recall. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak
04/05/20011
 While driving 5 mph front driver's side coil spring broke. *ak consumer states that the strut was ruined and ford paid for all repairs. *slc
03/19/2001104/01/1998
 The left front spring broke causing noise from the wheel area, the consumer requested reimburesement. nlm
04/03/2001101/01/1997
 Ea-00-027 ; front coil spring which is part of suspension, broke. this, in return, split and cut tire,causing tire to go flat. *ak
04/04/2001
 Front coil spring broke and ruptured front right tire of the vehicle. dealership has not informed consumer for reason of defect. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
03/19/2001104/01/1998
 Broken front spring. *ak front strut spring broke causing groaning noise in the front whell area, broke spring also caused the van to lean tot he left. nlm 4/12-01
03/17/2001104/16/1998
 Ea00027; left front coil spring broke, causing tire to ride in fender.*ak *slc
02/27/2001106/01/1999
 While driving van approaching a major highway the left front coil spring broke without any warning causing the left front tire to be sliced off it's rim. the driver lost control of van but was able to eventually control it. when the spring was examined there was no rust on the outer portion of it. it was coated completely with factory paint. it did however show signs that it cracked prior to it breaking as there was a very slight amount of rust 3/4 of the way through actual crosssection of the spring. other reports of this happening in salt belt states. i believe this may be temperature related as it is cold in all the salt belt states. it is apparant that this spring may be too brittle and the cold weather makes it worse. the major problem is when it slices the tire off the rim at highway speeds. i have pictures of spring and tire.arentatent thatture related break.
03/19/2001109/01/1998
 Left front coil spring broke and imbedded itself in left wall of tire when backing out of a parking space. *ak there was very loud groaning noise coming from front end when the consumer started to drive the vehicle, and the front end collapsed soon after because the front left tire had deflated as the result of the coil spring breaking and slashing the tire. *yh
02/24/2001106/01/1997
 Front left coil spring broke while van was parked. see nhtsa ea00027 and pe00024. *ak
 While traveling 35 mph right front coil spring had broken, causing front end to drop 6 inches. please provide further information.*ak
02/23/2001108/01/1997
 The left front coil spring failed abruptly when braking for a traffic light, sliced the sidewall off the left front tire (blowing it out), severed the mcferson strut and dropped the vehicle to the pavement. if the failure had occured 100 yards later at the entrance of the high speed connector (which is a sweeping right turn) the vehicle would have flipped into the on-coming lane of traffic. since spring breakage problems have been recorded on windstars since the model intro. in 1996, why has this not prompted action from ford??
02/27/2001106/01/1999
 Consumer was traveling 45mph on highway and she was approaching a major highway on ramp, and heard a booming noise. spring broke and pierced left right driver's side tires. she was able to pull over to shoulders.*ak the consumer believes the cause of the spring breaking was cold temperature rather than corrossion. however, the consmer also indicted that springs were breaking only in area of heavy salt roads. *yh
01/23/2001105/01/1997
 After starting vehicle consumer heard grinding sound, front coil spring had broken. *ak
06/12/2000108/01/1997
 Consumer was backing out of driveway and heard a clunking noise. vehicle had to be towed since front coil spring had broken off. *ak the dealer replaced the front suspension. *yh
04/03/20001
 While driving 35 mph front two coil springs broke and vehicle's front dropped. *ak also a tire on the right side blew out. the spring was replaced. *yh
07/12/2000207/21/1997
 Consumer was riding for a period of time and stopped to rest. consumer was heading back on road and 1 minute from where he was, front of vehicle went down. consumer thought it was a flat tire. a tow truck came and found coil spring had broken. would have to go to a ford dealershop to be repaired. consumer wanted manufacturer to cover repairs. a letter was sent, but response from them was they couldn't do anything for consumer. *ak vehicle had been taken to dealer several times prior to incident due to a strange noise that was occurring in the front end, dealer inspected front end extensively and never found anything wrong. there are plastic hub covers on the wheels, consumer has had 3 blowouts which have ruined the covers, they are not able to handle the repeated wear and tear. *slc
12/15/20001
 After parking vehicle driver noticed that vehicle looked like it had a flat tire. took to dealer, and notified owner that coil spring was broken on front left and right, needed to be replaced. both were replaced. *ak the vehicle also needed struts and tie rod ends to be replaced. *yh
01/05/20011
 Left front of vehicle dropped to ground. had vehicle towed to dealer. front coil spring broke. *ak coil spring sliced tire when it came down, dealer would not pay for tire, alignment, or all of towing. *slc
11/25/2000105/01/1999
 While driving 60 mph front coil springs broke. was able to get vehicle on the shoulder. dealer replaced front coil spring.*ak the front passenger side tire was punctured by the broken spring. the jack failed while raising the vehicle to change the tire. *yh
104/01/1999
 Driving to church with my family and the coil spring broke. now just a couple of weeks later tie rod problem. also there is a very loud squeaking in the brakes when in reverse. i am terribly disappointed with this vehicle.*ak
07/16/2000105/01/1997
 Pe 00 024/suspension coil spring: while traveling at 40 mph front coil spring broke and punctured driver's side tire. no injuries reported. vehicle towed to dealer, and repairs were done at consumer's expense. *ak
 Front coil springs on driver's side broke in half, htting front tires, and resulting in front tire s blowingout. *ak
06/23/2000106/01/1999
 While pulling out of driveway front left coil spring broke, puncturing the tire. no parts available for repair. *ak *ml
06/16/2000
 Consumer was traveling about 45-50mph & front coil spring broke. broken spring went into the left tire , caused a blowout, but no one was injured. dealer said that coil spring had to have been defective. vehicle currently at the dealer. *ak
06/07/1999
 Consumer was driving approx. 5mph when the coil spring broke, once mechanic checked there was rustover half of the spring, on 1/4 of an in. was left.
SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - TORSION BAR
1130001
 The sway bar broke off inside the bushing. which caused the vehicle to ride rough and bounce up and down. *jb
10/15/2002830001
 The sway bar broke, which caused the vehicle to pull to the left.*jb
07/02/2002
 While vehicle was parked consumer saw front sway bar hanging down on passenger's side of vehicle.*ak
SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR
01/27/200789764404/15/2002
 Front stabilizer bar broke in half inside bushing none of the auto techs could find the problem for the part 2 years (not even during ny state inspections) so they past the van anyways untill finally one gave a tug on the passangers side of the bar and it came out of the bushing in their hands the tech said he never saw a bar break like that before and that was the cause for having to get the wheel hubs lowerball joints &tie rod ends replaced twice in one year along with the tires on the front of the van so the van sits in the drive way untill it can get fixed (finding the bar is the hard part)dealer said he could not locate one now what???? any help would be greatly apreshiated also the dealer had to replace the tranny 4 times once about every 12000-17000 miles and one of the trannys only lasted for 325 miles before the van died on the ny state thruway on our way to canada from syracuse,n.y. then it took the 5 weeks to fix the van and get it back to me so how could i be sure that the breaking of the sawy bar was not caused from the techs removing the unit x amount of times???????????along with the tie rods,wheel hubs,ect.*ak
01/27/200789764404/15/2002
 Front stabilizer bar broke in half inside bushing none of the auto techs could find the problem for the part 2 years (not even during ny state inspections) so they past the van anyways untill finally one gave a tug on the passangers side of the bar and it came out of the bushing in their hands the tech said he never saw a bar break like that before and that was the cause for having to get the wheel hubs lowerball joints &tie rod ends replaced twice in one year along with the tires on the front of the van so the van sits in the drive way untill it can get fixed (finding the bar is the hard part)dealer said he could not locate one now what???? any help would be greatly apreshiated. *ak
10/08/2002
 Consumer staes insulation bushing/stabelizer bar was replaced twice with in present mileage. provide any additional information. ts
SUSPENSION - MULTIPLE AXLE
03/01/1999
 Backed out of driveway and put into gear front wheel jumps and loud thunk heard. dealer replaces bushing problem still there. *ak
SUSPENSION - MULTIPLE AXLE - TORQUE ARM
06/24/200337002
 I purchased a 1998 windstar van from the ford dealer located in corning ca. i have had nothing but trouble with it passing smog for the oxy sensor. and the transmission has never worked right. the turbo thing is bad. when i went to trade it in i found that the vehicle was out of canada. and these things were part of the recalls reported to you. but, ford of corning said they did nothing to this van before selling it to me. i found 14 things wrong with this vehicle. i acted up a month after purchase. but i was on aware of my rights as a consumer. also, i was not sure what oms meant. the van is stuck in folsom,ca at aamco transmission repair shop. financed through fireside bank. ford of corning said they did nothing to the van before i purchased it but cleaning it. *nm
SUSPENSION - REAR
07/10/2010216000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated while driving over a speed bump the rear axle failed the axle broke in half. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and found the rear axle cracked due to corrosion. the manufacturer took a report 0584571941 and advised the vehicle was not was build in september 1 therefore the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 component: suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and the current miles was 216,000. li
05/20/2011142000
 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 alianed.ford tech.said front springs were broke.was an est.of $1200.00 oni cant afford.this was 5/20/2011.contacted mftr about the recall that 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 mftr.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 companys keep getting by with negligance.there are lots of recalls on this vihicle.please help!
05/01/201152000
 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 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 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. sm.
05/07/2011139328
 1998 ford windstar mini van rear axle broke ...vehcile 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.
04/26/2011136000
 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.
04/26/2011136000
 Tl- the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar wagon. the contact stated that the rear axle was corroded and had fracture in half similar to nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the dealer advised the contact that her vehicle had not been included in the previous recall. the current mileages and failure mileages were 136,000. no repairs were performed. bw
03/06/2011201000
 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 then told by a friend that there was a recall on the rear axle. the contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told that there vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly). the failure mileage and current mileages were 201,000.rl
12/07/2010194000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated while driving 35 mph the rear axle broke. after parking the vehicle she noticed the axle was broken. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who repaired the rear axle but not under the recall nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000, component: suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly. the manufacturer was contacted who informed her the recall did not include the year of her vehicle and offered no other assistance. the failure mileage were 194,000..mw
06/15/2010222000
 Tl- the contact owns a 1998 ford winstar. while driving approximately 40 mph the contact noticed a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnoses or repair. the contact stated the vehicle was repaired for a recall on the coil springs and she felt the vehicle should be included in the recall for the suspension because it also includes all the northern states like the coil spring recall. the approximate failure mileage was 222,000. ds
01/01/200781000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph the rear end of the vehicle was fishtailing. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer and informed the contact that the rear axle has fractured and had excessive corosion from the inside out. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 81,000. tb
10/11/2010
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. the contact received a recall notification associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the authorized dealer was notified and they informed that the part was unavailable for the recall repair until late november of 2010. the contact stated the recall notification specified the urgency of the repair; and expressed his concern of the potential safety hazard. there was no failure mileage. the vin was unavailable. js
09/19/2010138246
 This has happened on the inner roads and near from my house. i had heard the creaking noise coming from the rear and thought about my car's shocks are shot. then suddenly i lost control and stopped the car, luckily no injuries either to me or the nearby property. with hazard lights on i drove the car very slowly home and looked under the car. what i saw really shocked me. the rear axle beam of my ford windstar(1998) cracked approximately 18-24 from the driver side rear wheel and the entire welding (?)has separated from the mid portion. i could see the right portion of the beam welded and intact. i had just repaired the break fluid line for almost $600 and the mechanic never said a word about this crack before the repairs. i believe the rear axle / beam is a part of the vehicle that should last the lifetime of the vehicle and at least should not crack without giving any sign on the dashboard. thanks
06/28/2010105000
 1998 ford windstar - rear axle broken in two pieces.
06/17/2010126000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 40 mph a rattling noise was heard coming from the rear of the vehicle. upon examining the vehicle the contact noticed the rear axle was cracked about 12 inches left of the center. the vehicle has not been taken in to an authorized dealer to be examined. the failure and current mileages were 126,000. sm.
06/11/201090100
 Broken rear axle on a 98 ford windstar with only 90,100 miles on it.
05/10/2010130000
 I have replaced the rear axle now for the third time.the first time it broke in half coming into my home driveway.the second time i heard a thumping noise from the rear of the van and looked to find a crack in the axle,i replaced it yet again. this last time the same thing happened,cluncking noise to find yet another crack.the van has 130,000 miles has some body rust,but no reason for something critical like this to be happening
04/15/2010128000
 Reading on-line because my mechanic's puzzled about the noises, i find that it's not only the 1999+ windstars that have had a problem, but -- if you would look at #2 and #3 here at this link: http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/1998/ford/windstar/suspension it's apparent that this axle breakage has occurred in 1998's as well. that is what i have, in which i'm hearing similar noises. living in a salt-belt state, this is scary; don't even dare take it on the freeway! hard to get out of town (such as to a graduation this weekend) without freeways. very sad ... & hard to replace it, too, while on only social security. something should be done to include 1998s (see link above) in this investigation, too, it appears. i didn't pay nearly $4000 to only drive a vehicle in town, and not be able to go anyplace! :o( gigi ps * didn't give day b/c this has been occurring the last few months, and finally asked the mechanic last month, once i was driving more again (in winter don't do much, and then at other times drive ma's car taking her places). well, it insists on a date, after all, so will put on there, arbitrarily. gs
06/05/2010111000
 The rear axle on my 1998 ford windstar cracked. i was lucky enough to catch it before it completly broke in half.
05/31/2010156000
 Tl-the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 45 mph the rear axle broke. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop but was not serviced. the failure and current mileages were 156,000. sm.
05/23/2010101000
 Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford windstar. while driving at speeds of 40 mph, the vehicle began swaying excessively. the contact moved the vehicle off the roadway and noticed that the rear axle was fractured into two. the vehicle was towed to his place of residence. neither the manufacturer nor the dealer was contacted regarding the failure. the failure and current mileages were 101,000.
05/24/201083473
 While entering the merge ramp of the northern state parkway rear axle snapped in two.
05/06/201099634
 The rear axle of our 1998 ford windstar gl, with only 99,630 miles, broke while going down a road going about 30 mph. i hit small pothole, heard a clunk and then noticed that the vehicle was not handling properly. not knowing what was wrong and since i was close to home, i drove it home and looked underneath and noted that the rear axle was split about 75% through. the rear wheels were sitting tilted toward the vehicle. we had a tow truck take the van to have it fixed.
10/10/20091000001
 Our 1998 ford windstar mini van rear axle broke. we were returning home. when we returned i went online to check how much it would cost to repair and was surprised to find that this van was not the only 98 to have this problem.*tr
10/11/20091300001
 I have a 98 for windstar gl. on oct 9th i was coming back from work and the rear of the car kept fish tailing / slipping to oneside and as well as that night when i had to take my son to the hospital and back. almost lost control coming back from the hospital. i did not get in the car at all that 10th cause of that. on oct 11th 2009 i was backing out from my parking spot in my apartment complex with my family in the car. as i backed up and as i put it in drive i heard a loud bang like i backed up into a car. got out to see my back tires bent in. i pulled up slowly and looked underneath it and saw that my rear axel assy split in half. my mechanic never saw anything like it. i searched the web to see if there was any recalls but there wasn't any but found a bunch of people having the same problem from 98 to 02 windstars esp. while driving. so my van still sits. i think their should be a recall the rear axel assy split in half. nothing was done yet part is going to cost 400 dollar and to get it installed will cost as much. part was available through ford. but looking for part in junk yard for the van. *tr
01/27/2001206/01/2097
 This vehicle has had numerous braking problems/axles/sway bars/calipers/electrical problems
06/20/2001108/01/2000
 This van is 3 years old. corrosion most likely caused the problem with strut rods & sway bar links. obviously this manufacturer was not concerned with quality b/c of all these problems. the ford company will not reimburse me (my van is no longer covered by factory warranty) unless they issue a recall on any particular problem. i just don't understand why i would have all these problems with a vehicle that was less than 2 yrs old when the problems started. maybe you can't help me, but i wanted to lodge a complaint.*ak
05/01/2000105/01/2000
 I believe ford has a serious problem with sway bar links. i own a 1995 taurus, 1998 windstar, and 2000 taurus. they all have the same exact problem. the links on the 2000 have been repaired under warranty. i also know other ford owners that have the same problem. i am also aware of a recall on explorers for sway bar links.*ak
07/07/1997
 When traveling between 60-70 mph the back of vehicle starts swaying like having a flat tire. also when a 18 wheeler or 15 foot truck pulls in front of the vehicle, the vehicle rocks. the dealer is not able to detect problem with the windstar. *ak
SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
05/02/20111
 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
03/06/2011201000
 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.
12/01/20101
 1998 ford windstar. consumer states problems with rear axle *tgw the consumer stated her husband was in the process of exiting a garage, when suddenly the rear axle completely broke in half. he then discovered the axle was defective due to it being severely corroded in the middle. the consumer has since received a recall notice and is now requesting reimbursement. *jb
12/01/20101
 1998 ford windstar. consumer writes to follow up to an inspection for the rear axle recall *tgw the dealer informed the consumer that her vehicle did not have a broken axle. the consumer inquired as to whether or not a sealant or protective coating should have been applied to prevent the axle from failing in the future. *jb
11/01/20101
 1998 ford windstar. consumer writes regarding notice of defect *tgw
SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS
06/20/20031
 While traveling about 40mph on the highway and without prior warning left passenger side coil spring broke. *ak
SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY
07/14/2000108/01/1999
 This failure would have resulted in a rollover if the broken spring had ruptured the tire. the spring stopped just short of contacting the tire. there are scuff marks, but not to where the tire needs replaced. i have the original coil springs for analysis if required.( both were replaced after the incident.)