Problems with 2004 Ford Freestar STRUCTURE

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while the vehicle was undergoing routine maintenance by an independent mechanic, the contact was informed that the control arm was protruding through the frame and created a hole. in addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. the local dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. the failure mileage was approximately 212,000. *bf consumer stated transmission just started to slip and makes a thud sometimes slips bad. consumer has changed the transmission oil and filters.*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that both the driver and passenger side electric sliding doors would not close properly and would randomly open. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the local dealer (dick smith ford, 7201 garners ferry rd, columbia, sc) and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. the contact indicated that the passenger side door was previously serviced for the failure, but the failure recurred. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while reversing into the garage, the vehicle failed to go forward or backward. the contact noticed a pile of rust on the ground and realized that the rear of the vehicle was entirely corroded. the vehicle was taken to liberty ford of maple heights (5500 warrensville center rd, maple heights, oh 44137, (216) 662-3673) where it was diagnosed that the third row seat latch striker mounting brackets were corroded through and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v081000 (seats). the manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while cleaning the vehicle, the contact found that the rear wheel well and the third row seat latch that was attached to the vehicle's subframe were corroded. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 13v081000 (seats). the failure mileage was 142,019.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. when the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an inspection, the vehicle failed the inspection due to excessive corrosion of the front frame. the contact called l. b. smith ford-lincoln, inc. at 717-761-6700 (located at 1100 market st, lemoyne, pa 17043) where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. the contact took the vehicle to two different independent mechanics to obtain some estimates. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer stated that there was no recall and referred the contact to nhtsa. the failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

Went to investigate the water logged carpet in the rear of the van. removed interior plastic panels on drivers side of van. the seat anchor mechanism fell out of the wheel well unto the tire. very fortunate i was in the garage and not travelling down the freeway.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. upon inspection, it was discovered that the carpet in the rear rows of the vehicle become wet and soaked. upon inspection, it was discovered that the rear passenger seat anchor latch was loose. months later, the driver noticed a grinding type noise when turning the vehicle. upon inspection, it was discovered that the same failure had occurred on the driver's side. the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. the local dealer was not notified. the manufacturer was notified, but no assistance was offered. the failure mileage was 135,000.

I just paid off my vehicle did thousands of dollars worth of repairs now mechanic tells me he wont replace my starter because sub frame is unusually worn and dangerous to drive,so now i have no vehicle because 2004 was not recalled yet,most other years were

02 06 2016 the first problem with subfram breaking , i was at savealot 123 st clair avenue 44108, started my engine and shifter gears the engine started i shifted gears and it lots power and restarted, the vehicle jumped and a loud grinding park ford 400 west avenue tallmage ohio 44278 i purchased two bolts w711082-s439 purchased 2 bolts one broke and i spoke to the manager/ owner and i was told to return the bolt and the would provide me a new one. at the time they had a kit that was $65.00 the kit had the bolt steel washer, rubber 2 bushing and a anchor ( what the bolt screws into. 2nd time i was in east cleveland same thing happen with a chuck- hole, i repaired the van again, third time east 123 superior by day car van lost power and loud grinding, 3 time same bolt snapped it was repaired again, rallys e105 st clair avenue chuck holes both the right front and rear subframe bolts snapped in the middle of st' clair officer young and officer king parked behind me while i fixed the vehicle so i could get it home east 105 and elk avenue, rear spare subfram installed, and the front was chained locked and secured with cable just incase the locked chains failed, i called ford the said to slowly drive it out to them,towing, my insurance company was called and they ensured towing was added but i'd have to pay up front and get paid back, it the end of the month and i'm a disabled usaf veteran on a fixed income so this was not going to work. i was blessed to get the van out to ford under it own power yes i prayed all the way tears in my eyes. ford want to charge 300 labor i purchased 296.83 parts, 95.38 parts because ford feared this parts would break, now come ford wanting to charge 4x @220. [3f2z5c148 i bolt i bushing 2 pieces? ] =$880 +296.38+95.38+300 predicted total 1,572.20 this recall is not free of charge, saw kit for $65 on 2/6/2016

Im having many issues with my vehicle. the worst one is the passive security system that has stranded me in many areas because it refuses to start. i have tried many things including replacing transponder keys and the transceiver but i still am getting the flashing red security light. im scared to drive this thing in the winter due to the possibility of getting stranded in cold temperatures. also this vehicle lets water leak in everywhere causing severe rust and mold issues. one of the floor supports of the drivers seat is close to being rusted through and the other ones are on their way out. the body is severely rusted and im not sure how much longer this thing will be safe to drive.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the rear passenger and driver side wheel wells were corroded. the vehicle was diagnosed, but not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 132,125.

Tl* the contact owned a 2004 ford freestar. while driving approximately 20 mph, the third row seat area rusted through to the trunk area near the spare tire. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown. ....updated 09/19/16 *bf the consumer stated dealer said that the vehicle is beyond repair. *tr

The 3rd seat hooks rusted out leaving and unstable passenger seat and body structure issues that are identical to the recall #13s01but due to the vehicle not being in a "saltbelt" state, it was not included in the recall even though it is pretty clear that kansas and nebraska use sale abundantly on the roads. i was told by ford that my specific can was not included in the recall because is was manufactured differently than the 100,000 that were included in the recall so it should not have the same problem which it now has. i put my four kids in this van and now it is not structural stable for them.

The front subframe is rotted on my 2004 ford freestar. i found out when my car was in for it's annual inspection. they called the ford dealer they said ford was no longer making the parts. the dealer said ford used to have recalls. i found out that ford had a big problem with this on the windstars. i contacted ford and they said all the recall on my car were fixed. they said i should call the ford dealer.

Ford is not honoring 13v081000 for the third row seat striker problems. our van which is operated in the kansas city metropolitan area, which heavily salts the roads is having the corrosion problem. just this weekend we were traveling with all seats occupied when the inner fender well on the rear passenger side broke through with the seat striker mounting bracket hitting the sidewall of the rear tire. fortunately at the time we were not driving at high speeds and were able to remove the seat occupants and return home safely. the design of this seat striker plate is flawed as there is a reinforcing plate on the inner side of the fender well that results in entrapment of moisture and dirt. this bad design combined with the weight of three people occupying the seat results in stressing of the fender well material. when i went to the ford dealer on monday and gave them my vin they could not find any hint of a recall for this issue on my vehicle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was once serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 13v081000 (seats). while observing the vehicle, it was noticed that the rear wheel well was severely corroded. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the third row seat latch striker mounting bracket was corroded and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the failure mileage was 125,000.

Ford refuses to pay for recall related repairs. i purchased vehicle in july of 2015. received notice from ford of safety recall involving 3rd row seating. ford wants $2100 for repair of the corrosion on the wheel wells. the row seating is useless doesn't lock in open position.

This vehicle i received numerous recalls and had many problems with this vehicle. major electrical problems. when it would rain and get car wash the electrical system would malfunction and cause engine not to run properly and check engine light would come on. in april of 2016 engine was malfunctioning and caused me to get in accident. this vehicle has since been impounded and loan company santander trying to bill me for remainder of loan and now causing major credit issues. i would like this to be covered by ford/carmax for selling my family an unsafe vehicle which could have resulted in critical injury or worse.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. while inspecting the vehicle's subframe, the contact noticed that it was corroded. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000. updated 10/19/16*lj the consumer stated the dealer began the recall repair,but was unable to complete it do to parts being unavailable. the consumer was provided a rental. *js

Once again, ford refuses to acknowledge their vehicle defects. our third row rear seat will not lock in place. the floor latch is corroded and broken and our children can no longer safely ride in our only vehicle. ford recalled many other freestars for this exact same problem but refuses to include our vehicle despite the similarities. our vehicle has now broken down on us numerous times due to power train issues (later recalled), transmission issues (later recalled), and now this safety issue. i am extremely disappointed that they continue to disregard safety for their customers. *tr

Car history: the transaxle light has gone before when we travel through vt mountains, but turning off the engine and letting it sit, and restarting it, the light would go off. upon getting home safety, our mechanics didn't find anything to repair and so left it be, and would only sometimes see it when we traveled through the vt mountains, a few times a year. all recall repairs were up to date. there were no other symptoms. incident: as we nearing the top of a mountain, the transaxle light came on. unlike the other times, the transmission suddenly failed to be in the correct gear, so unlike the other times, we were very concerned. we pulled over immediately, and as we reached the shoulder smoke began pouring out of the vents. we quickly evacuated our kids, and as we were getting them out we noticed that there was already fire coming from under the hood, near the windshield, on the passenger side. we are so glad our kids were awake, and able to unlatch their own child carseats, and able to get out quickly. the fire spread to the entire van, consuming everything, at a great expense to us. (and others; our accident blocked a significant amount of traffic for about 3 hours.) *tr

The back lift gate on my 2004 ford freestar will not latch. the dashboard light indicates a door is open. it appears there is some rust etc in both the mechanism and the bottom stationary latch piece. *tr

First crack in u shaped steel channel noticed when i took this van in for other recall repairs at yucca valley ford . they notified me and i had it welded . a few months later crack was back had it rewelded and gussets added to restrengthen both sides. lasted six months till i took to tire shop to have front end aligned and two new tires put on. left next day for gig broke one mile from home just past the weld. this van has always been a california car to my knowledge. no rust. same rear axel as windstar. bad design. van is heavy little [xxx] steel channel to hold all that weight is stupid. couldn't believe it was built that way. how come no recall for same axel design on freestar. people apt to die from this stupid design. *tr information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

2004 ford freestar. consumer writes in regards to wheel well rusting recall notice. *smd the consumer stated rust developed on the driver's side door in 2010, at the time the vehicle was purchased, the consumer bought amor protection for rust. the consumer put in a claim, and the vehicle was repaired. however, one year later, the rust returned, only this time, the consumer was denied a second claim. a couple of years later, the third seat bracket fell apart. the consumer received a recall about the wheel well rusting. the consumer made an appointment at the dealer. the dealer informed the consumer, as they were cutting away at the rust. it was discovered the frame was also rusting, and it was dangerous to drive the vehicle, or to even try and fix the rust problem.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that the rear door latch would not release for the door to be opened. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection of the rear door latch. the dealer was unable to release the door latch due to excessive moisture. the dealer attempted to repair the vehicle under nhtsa campaign i.d. number 13v081000 (seats) but to no avail. the contact had to take the vehicle to a second dealer to have the vehicle remedied per the recall. the failure mileage was 154,430.

Severe rust issues plague the frame, jack points, and rear frame (spare tire storage area). the spare tire wheel looks as if it has never had paint on it there is so much rust. we just purchased the vehicle a few days ago and are currently working with the ford dealer to hopefully get the problem corrected. we did not realize the severe rust issues prior to purchase. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that there was a gaping hole in the rear wheel well, causing the third road striker and latch to fracture. the failure prevented the third row seat from locking into place. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 13v081000 (seats) however, the technician notified the owner that the water damage caused mold and corrosion to form in the quarter panel, seat belts, left third road seat and the carpet. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the additional repairs were not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 87,000 and the current mileage was 88,000.

As stated with other 2004 ford freestars, rear rust on driverside rear, rear seat will not lock because the safety lock is rusted away, not safe to any passenger to sit there. *tr

The panel that the latch is bolted to was corroded and came of leaving no place for the latch on the drive's side to attach to. *tr

The problem is the same that is described in ea12003. the attaching bracket for the rear seat fell out while the seat was folded into the floor. it became lodged in the inner portion of the rear wheel assembly. if this would have happened at high speeds, somebody could have easily been killed, by the rear wheel becoming restricted or this heavy plate bouncing down the road at another vehicle. the bracket is a u bracket attached to a plate that is welded flush to comprise part of the wheel well. to temporarily keep from losing the bracket, i held the bracket in place while setting the seats upright again so that the seat itself is holding the bracket in. there is now water from the road getting up into the passenger compartment. i hope that ford issues a recall or offers a bolt on replacement soon. i've been mostly happy with this vehicle otherwise. (there are no other prices rusting or falling off obviously). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 freestar. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, a loud grinding sound was heard coming from the rear tires. the contact also stated that the wheel mount and wheel well were rusted. in addition, the third row latch failed and the seats were unable to stay folded. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. the technician stated that the wheel well and latches needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any further assistance due to the vehicle not being included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage and current mileage was 140,000.

2004 ford freestar ses i changed the rear brakes on 1/20/2013 noticed the left rear wheel was rusting out. today 2/24/2013 went to install a car sear & noticed the bench seat in the back was rocking slightly. the anchor point on the left rear is rusted out and moving. upon inspection i noticed that i can see down to the ground where the anchor point has rusted out. i have had to replace numerous parts on this van over the last two years. to date i have replaced: 3 ignition coils, (this is the main problem whenever heavy rain or snow has happened and i start to throw misfire codes), 3 camshaft position sensors, 2 driver side window controls & motors, (the window doesn't want to work half the time so we leave it cracked open with the rain guards), an egr valve, and a clockspring. i have never had so many problems with this vehicle in such a short amount of time. *tr

The left rear 3rd row seat anchor plate, mounted normally to the left rear inner wheelhouse as an integrated part of the wheelhouse, has rusted around the plate edges and the entire plate is separating from the wheelhouse assembly. currently it is rusted thru on the left , right, and bottom edges of the mounting plate, remaining attached only along its top edge. this is letting road moisture into the interior regions of the van, soiling carpet and jute, causing odor and possible mold development. the 3rd row seat can no longer be safely attached. *tr

Back seat wouldn't latch. found rotten wheel well due to rust and corrosion and latch fell out along with a piece of the wheel well. now, there is a hole where the latch was and the rear seat is unsafe due to the fact that there is no latch to hold it in place. i have three kids so now their life is in jeopardy and the van isn't even 10 years old. we've had so many issues with this van. also, the computer had to be replaced due to water damage. we were told chevy had the same problem of water coming right down onto the computer and they designed a part for it, but not ford. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that while attempting to have the vehicle repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 13v081000 (seats), it was determined that the rear wheel wells were corroded due to water penetration and were unable to support the recall remedy. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the consumer stated the rear latch 3rd row seat fell off, due to it rubbing against the rear tire.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. the contact later inspected the vehicle and found that a large square bolt near the rear driver's side wheel well was corroded. this bolt held the rear seat in place and the contact stated that the bracket was fractured and detached from the vehicle. as a result, the seat was unable to latch and remain in place. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000.

I own 2004 ford freestar. while attempting to latch the third row rear seat, the latch failed due to severe corrosion on the floor panel ,side panel and attachments which holds the third seat latch bracket the third row seat latch bracket slides out and extrudes to rear driver side wheel which is very dangerous and can burst the rear driver side tire while running car. i am entering this complaint in relation to other complaints that have been filed. there is a defect investigation taking place (ea12003 and pe11039) for this issue already. i attempted to put my 3rd row seat back up and lock it into place. on the drive side i noticed that it would not lock into place. after further review, i know noticed that the whole latch had broken off because of rusted panel. the whole plate rusted thru . *tr

on christmas eve 2012 we drove to our parents house we heard something rubbing against the rear driver side tire. when we investigated what was going on we found the 3rd row seat latch had almost detached but was rubbing against the tire it eventually fell off as we tried to get it to reconnect. we received a recall letter in april but was unaware of the potential danger that driving like this for 3 months had caused . at repair shop vehicle would not pass insp due to rotted wheel well and springs also rotted we called local dealer for appt on recall. to my dismay a couple of things that are very concerning to me occurred i received a call later that day from the dealer stating that they where having problems with ford company itself the latch had fallen off and they had the parts to replace it but they could not attach it to the rear well because it was rotted and not only that they also told us the springs could fall out and collapse the rear suspension if it was driven again when they told the ford representative this they said just weld a metal piece over the well wheel and just attach it on their dealer declined because this would still be a dangerous situation to drive because of the rear springs if driven could drop the whole rear suspension while driving ford rep said not our problem you need to complete the recall and the customer has to pay for the springs to be repaired . this is totally unacceptable to me it obvious that the latch situation and corrosion has caused this whole problem to have them try to have the dealer put in effect a bandage on the situation and let my family risk there life driving this van is corrupt to the core. the dealer was able to get the area ford rep to come out and look at the vehicle in the next couple of days. but i cannot emphasis more what they tried to do today was without question unethical . *tr

During sts tire servicing, mechanic showed me a large section of structural steel hanging from the rear driver side wheel well and a michelin tire that contained abrasive ripping caused by the section of steel that had been dangling and rubbing against the tire. the large section of steel contained an anchor at the center which was manufactured to hold the third row row in place. this steel plate with the anchor for holding the third row seat in place is no longer attached to the vehicle due to a manufacturing defect which allowed the welds holding it in place to fail creating dangers of: unsecured seating, hole exposing passengers to exterior of vehicle and moving parts, opening for rodents or other dangers to enter vehicle, knowledge of prior may cause fear and panic of driver or passengers which may cause accident or mental anguise. i brought the vehicle to smith ford dealership in washington, n.j. requesting an inspection and warranty repair of the above stated structural steel. smith ford inspected the vehicle and said that the manufacturing defect would not be repaired by ford and that ford does not accept financial responsibility even though the problem was the result of a manufacturing defect. reported this to ford headquarters on november 30, 2012 and was informed that the dealership was correct in stating that ford will not repair this serious problem. my wife is increasingly having terrifying visions of mice jumping on her while driving, having snakes crawling into the car, rain snow mud etc entering vehicle, or having the children put their hands or other things into the hole in the vehicle. *tr

The 3rd row rear seat on my 2004 freestar does not latch into seated position properly. upon further inspection, i realized that the driver's side support ring which the 3rd row seat latches into was pushed back into the trim. i looked underneath the driver's side rear wheel well and noticed that a steel plate which the support ring is mounted has completely rusted through the body of the vehicle. also, when it is not latched it has a tendency to interfere with the rear driver's side tire. while there is a small amount of metal holding the mounting plate in place, it requires two people to latch the seat in order to keep the metal plate from scoring the sidewall of my tire. the passenger's side mounting plate continues to be secure, yet there is a noticeable amount of rust on that side as well. if someone stows the 3rd row seat and tries to flip it back into seating position without knowing that the support ring is loose, they could end up scoring the sidewall on the rear tire and causing a complete failure. further, the proper function of the seat belt in the third row seat could be compromised during an accident; the seat could pitch forward or flip back because it is not solidly secured to the van's structure. *tr

Noticed a panel loose in the rear driver's side wheel well while removing the wheel. the panel was completely rusted and separated from the wheel well, with only something attached to it on the interior keeping it from falling off. took it to a body shop, where it was determined that this panel is the rear seat anchor and the seat latch was the only thing keeping it from falling off. the estimate for repair is $906.99. the rear seat anchor was removed and the hole temporarily taped closed, and the rear seat is not safe and cannot be used. contacted the dealer to see if any recalls exist for this condition and was told there are none. currently trying to decide whether or not to repair the vehicle. the vehicle is well maintained and the condition of this panel/anchor is unusual when compared to the rest of the vehicle. *tr

The left rear seat anchor has detached from the body due to excessive rust in the rear quarter panel by the left rear wheel well. the third seat is no longer usable and there is a hole through the body that lets air and water into the passenger compartment. the right side wheel well area shows rust as well but the seat anchor has not yet detached from the quarter panel. two ford dealers have said they are not aware of this problem occurring and do not know if it can be fixed. my concern is safety while driving the vehicle, noise and water entering the passenger compartment, and the loss of use of the third seat. this vehicle is too young and useful to be scrapped. *tr

Our son was in the rear seat and complained that as we turned corners, his seat moved. he said it felts as if it were not latched. upon investigation, we found the seat did not latch on the drivers side. we tried without success to relatch it and found the latch anchor was loose. being dark and 30 miles from home, we drove on. we then heard loud noise coming from that wheel well and began to smell "burning rubber". having no other option, we pulled to the side of the dark highway and saw a piece of metal hanging out of the van, onto the tire. we pulled it the rest of the way out and found that it was the seat latch anchor. the area seems to be completely rusted...from the inside. the metal did not look rusted from the outside. we now have a hole in the side of the van (in the wheel well) and a van which is incapable of hauling our family of five. even using it as a four-passenger van, we have concerns about exhaust entering the interior of the van. (mileage noted is approximate). *tr

Our two daughters where in the rear seat and complained of a bad smell as if something burning. at about that same time i noticed hearing a rubbing noise every time we turned left. when we got home shortly after i looked up under the inner fender of the rear left wheel and found a large steel plate loose and rubbing the tire. it was so rusty you could see the interior plastic panels and insulation. at that time i put away the rear seat and noticed the left side anchor was totally loose and when i asked the girls if they noticed that the seat moved they stated that they did notice it move but never said anything about it. there is now a hole in the car wheel well and we cannot use the back seat. we have a bungee cord latched to the two seat anchors holding them inward to keep the metal plate from rubbing the tire. the van is now limited to four passengers and i am concerned about carbon monoxide entering the car. *tr

I am entering this complaint in relation to other complaints that have been filed. there is a defect investigation taking place (ea12003 and pe11039) for this issue already. i attempted to put my 3rd row seat back up and lock it into place. on the drive side i noticed that it would not lock into place. after further review, i know noticed that the whole latch had fallen off and was laying on the back driver side wheel. the whole plate rusted thru and fell off into the wheel well. i've had this car since 2004. yes i live in a snow state that uses salt, but this car has been in the garage its entire life. i would like to understand what stance, if any, ford is taking with this issue. *tr

Severe rust in the driver side rear wheel well caused the third row seat to detach from the vehicle. the third row seat is now unsafe and cannot be used. the seat can no longer be securely latched in place. this vehicle was garage kept and only has 72,938 miles on it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford freestar. the contact stated that while parked the contact pulled the rear seats up and noticed the stud which holds the back seat in place was loose. the contact pushed the stud and it fractured. also, the wheel weld was corroded on the rear driver and passenger side. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to determine how to remedy the failure. the vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic who welded new metal pieces to the wheel wells on the rear driver and passenger side. there was an investigation under nhtsa action number: ea12003 (seats:mid/rear assembly structure structure:body) that may be related to the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. updated 11/14/12*lj

I was rotating my tires and noticed that inside each rear wheel well there was a panel patched in from the factory that was rusting terribly, with the drivers side being much worse and almost completely falling off the body. with some further investigation i discovered that the panel actually holds the anchors for the rearmost folding seat. as i stated, the drivers side is almost rusted off the car and there is a giant hole that is letting water and snow inside the van and ruining the carpet and padding. i frequently carry multiple children,some in child safety seats, and could not imagine what would happen during a collision if the rear seat anchor were to separate from the van. i seriously hope that there is some kind of recall, as this vehicle is not yet 10 years old and the rest of the body is still in great shape. this is not just a surface rust issue, it is a safety hazard to anyone owning this type of van and the manufacturer should be held responsible for fixing it as i'm sure the repair is not easy or cheap. *tr

Left rear seat anchor was loose, so we looked. a large hole had rusted out of the inner fender causing the anchor to completely detach from the body. we took it in to get checked out and they agreed it had completely rusted through and the right side is also rusting out, although not the point of completely rusting through, yet. we are just thankful this was noticed when we were parked and not driving 65 mph causing an accident. *tr

Drivers side rear passenger seat bracket failure. the bracket is mounted through the wheel well. the weld around the bracket had severe rusting, no where similar to other parts of the car. the plate holding the bracket rusted through completely dropping the seat. the plate and bracket began rubbing against the tire. if i had not stopped and found the problem and secured the bracket, the tire could have blown causing an accident. accident was prevented, but serious body failure occurred. this needs to be addressed. as is this seat should no longer be used until it can be fixed, there is no cost effective fix. *tr