Problems with 2000 Ford Windstar STRUCTURE

2000 ford windstar rear axel split in half. just driving home from work and heard crunch and felt sway. got home and found rear wheels tilted. *tr

While driving out of a parking lot the rear axle of my 2000 ford windstar sel snapped in two. we just pulled off the highway thankfully, i don't know what would have happened to my family if we had been traveling on the interstate when it happened. it has 119,230 miles on the vehicle. *tr

Rear axle ready to snap in half from a crack not salt rot 2000 ford windstar. *tr

2000 ford windstar rear axle failure - *tr

I was driving to pick up my son from a friends house when i heard a loud crack. the van began to sway from side to side. i got out to see what had happen and the rear axle had broken about two feet the driver side tire. luckily no one was injured or killed. i don't have the money to replace it with a new axle so there it sits in my driveway undriveable. i'm not sure if i want to replace with a used axle it might just happen again. *tr

2000 ford windstar subframe rusted out. vehicle with less than 90,000 miles is suffering from subframe rot. *tr

I have a 2000 ford windstar lx, 2 weeks ago the rear axle cracked and cost me $350.00 in parts and $175.00 in labor...1 week later the replacement axle cracked in the same spot. thankfully my mechanic covered it, my rear tires are shot from the 2 occurrences and will have to be replaced when i can afford it. *tr

Was driving about 35 mph on a residential road . when my 2000 ford windstar began to shake. then my rear axle snapped in half. i have not yet gotten my car fixed. *tr

Driving straight on road approx. 35 mph in town normal stop and go traffic, and rear axle broke completely in half. had vehicle towed to my mechanic. need to replace the axle. will cost around $1000.00. no one was hurt but it could of been tragic if i had been on the highway or going around a curve. van has approx. 142,000 miles on it. *tr

2000 ford windstar rear axle failure - driving with my mother and my grandchildren the rear axle broke in half. we are lucky it did not happen on the major highway on the way. i had to be towed, and had the rear axle replaced. *tr

While traveling on vacation to tennessee i noticed a sway from the rear end. when arriving i notice both rear tires were leaning inward and the inside of each tire was worn down to the steel belts. i took the van to a ford dealership and they replaced the complete rear axle assembly and both rear tires. *tr

I owned a 2000 ford windstar with approximately 94,000 miles. for about a week, it was difficult to control the car when driving over uneven surfaces, especially while braking on an uneven or bumpy surface because the rear end would shift to the right or left under these conditions. .a few days later, the front end began to jerk and i took it into the garage. upon review, the mechanic told me the transmission needed to be replaced and the rear axle was broken almost completely through. *tr

Cracked rear axle, confirmed by dealer. dealer has seized vehicle with recovery only possible if liability release is signed. *tr

I was backing up in my driveway when the rear axle of my 2000 ford windstar broke in half. *tr

I own a 2000 ford windstar se. i noticed my car shuddering a bit on the expressway late last week (5/20/10.) i slowed a bit and the movement stopped. i pulled off the expressway and continued driving on city streets. i tried increasing my speed but could not recreate the 'shuddering.' over the weekend, i felt the movement once more so i stayed at low speeds on city streets and planned on taking the car in on monday to have it checked. the movement had not returned. on sunday, may 23 i had to drive about 7 miles to work. about 1 mile short of my destination the shuddering returned, but much worse and at low speed. i slowly drove the car into a parking lot and saw my left rear tire was tilted. thinking the tire was loose (i had new rear shocks put on about 1 month ago and thought maybe they had not tightened the nuts enough) i jacked the car up a bit and popped the hubcap. the lug nuts were all tight but the raised car gave me a clear view of my rear axle, completely split in half. the axle was still holding up the car only because the two halves were still pressed together. the axle was completely broken through (not just cracked) basically right at the mid point. i have had the car taken to a repair shop on a flat bed truck, but work has not started on it yet. tonight i checked on line and found that this problem is being investigated by your agency. here's another case for you to add to the list. i feel extremely lucky to be writing this to you without having been in the accident that this defect so easily could have caused. interestingly, i have had work done on the car a couple of times in the past month and no one noticed/reported any axle damage. the car was riding fine up to this past week. *tr

I own a 2000 ford windstar with a rear axle that is cracked in two places. noticed instability at freeway speeds and believed it to be an alignment problem, but technicians discovered rear axle problem. vehicle is parked and hasn't been driven since axle problem was diagnosed. estimates for replacement run from $1000 to $2200. rear tires are worn unevenly and tires are noticeably tilted inward in rear. *tr

Local news article broadcast yesterday regarding rear axel problem with ford windstar. my 2000ford windstar lx was becoming more difficult to drive/control, similar to driving with flat tires & unable to maintain vehicle control. the van was"drifting" from side to side. i looked at the rear axel & there is a visible crack on driver side of rear axel. passenger side of rear axel is also starting to crack. *tr

I was driving home and all of sudden my 2000 ford windstar made a funny noise and the front wheels locked up. i could not turn the steering wheel. i had to have it towed home. my windstar is now sitting in my yard, because the subframe rusted away from the control arm. *tr

2000 ford windstar engine cradle rotting out on these vans. once rotted through ,and it breaks you lose control of van! as it is tied into the steering! at 70mph this could be fatal to everyone in the van along with loss of control and smashing into cars in the other lanes of traffic! shouldn't be rotting out on a ten year vehicle cheap metal ! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the sub-frame on the vehicle cracked and broke. the dealer stated that the frame broke where the air conditioner dripped onto the frame. the leak caused rust leading to the frame breaking. the failure mileage was 77441 and the current mileage was 79500.

2000 ford windstar se 98,020 mileage original owner one driver i notice sharp, loud sounds when breaking in reverse and when riding across rougher street and highway pavements. i inspected underneath car and found a cracked rear axle, left of center (on drivers side). crack is half way through axle , completely cracked through from bottom to top, and is on rear facing side of axle. i don't recall an event which could have caused a crack. *tr

While driving my 2000 ford windstar minivan with 3 children in car, the rear end of vehicle was swaying sideways. there was a loud clunking noise when going over bumps then car would jump sideways. drove car home slowly with flashers on. my husband inspected underneath car to find rear axle rusted and cracked in half and rear tires tilting inward. my husband said i was very lucky to have not been a serious accident. car deemed too dangerous to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact was stated that while attempting to open the rear sliding door, it would not budge and remained stuck. the failure occurred intermittently and after time, the door would not open at all. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for repairs. the failure mileage was 85,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. the contact stated that the rear passenger side engine mount broke. the front of the vehicle was covered with rust around the passenger side engine and wheel mounts. the driver side was completely corroded. the failure mileage was 136000 and the current mileage was 144000. updated 02/17/11*lj the consumer stated the subframe on the rear passenger side mount had severe corrosion. updated 04/27/11

I hit a small pot hole and when i got to the parking lot i was told my rear tires were side ways. my husband was able to get the car home 2/10ths of a mile. when the mechanic look at it he said the pot hole wasn't the problem. it was already cracked. he said he had repaired a number of axles on ford. also, my transmission began skipping at the same time this whole incident started. when we first bought the van, i was in line in the cafeteria and a gentlemen asked me if i was picked each day in a windstar and i said yes. he informed me that windstars are notorious for having transmission problems. i know he is right. *tr

Have 2000 ford windstar with 120k miles on it. while servicing last week, mechanic was checking rear brakes and noticed rear axle was cracked about halfway through about 10 inches from right side. also a hole around 10 inches from left side end. *tr

2000 ford windstar the right front axel started making a rubbing noise and the steering wheel went about 6inchs off center. the subframe had broken apart at the mount at the right rear attachment because of corrosion and came down about 4 inches causing the whole engine tran to go out of line. the repair was to replace the sub frame for $1600.00., had it done right away because the whole engine trans could break lose with unit hanging down. *tr

On this date, rear axel of my 2000 ford windstar broke and both rear wheels were bowed out and a large crack was discovered. *tr

Snapped rear axle leading to loss of control. this axle had obviously been cracked for several years, based on corrosion in the crack. the loss of control was such that lives were in immediate danger. *tr

2000 ford windstar with approx 102,000 miles and rear main axle beam broken almost into. have done some internet searches and found several cases of this. there is no recall from ford and this is extreme safety issue with windstars. lost almost total control of my vehicle and thank god i was traveling at only 10 mph. at interstate speed this would have been an almost certain catastrophe. will be contacting ford in morning to see what they have to say but from all online accounts they seem to be refusing to acknowledge or even offer to repair. i would much rather have a sticky gas pedal that i can somewhat control the to have an axle snap into at highway speeds. *tr

The rear axle on my 2000 ford windstar just split while driving it! there is no rust or wear and tear. i have all my maintenance receipts and my mechanic says this should have never happened. my children and i could've been killed if we were driving on a highway instead of a local road. *tr

I was driving hit a small dip in road and then all of a sudden i felt something slam into my car from underneath it. i stopped did not find anything. but as i started driving again i kept hearing a knocking sound from front end. i knew something was wrong. i immediately took it to my mechanic. he found the undercar frame completely rotted through by the right front shock. he said this car could not be driven with this defect and i was lucky that engine didn't fall out as i was driving. the car is still the same, nothing has been done to repair the car. *tr

Hi..on january 25,2010 ,i was driving my 2000 ford windstar when i received a flat tire on my right rear wheel. aaa came out to repair flat and when the tech was finished he showed me the cause of the flat. the rear axle was rusted and broken, causing the wheels to tow inward and make the tire rub on the car body, causing a blow out. i took the car to the dealer, kelly ford ,of melbourne ,florida. i requested a recall check and was told that there was no information on this failure at this time. the rear axle and the tire were replaced by the ford dealer on january 28, 2010. my repair bill was $1030. dollars.. i understand that you are now investigating this problem. i hope this will help.. *tr

On or about december 1st,2009 my 2000 ford windstar started making loud squeaking noises from the rear of my van when i would make turns and also started swaying from side to side whenever i would go over bumps .almost felt like my rear wheels were going to fall off from very loose lugnuts, but they were tight. as the next few weeks went by the problems became worse. today(1/2/2010)i decided to look underneath the rear of my van. i was in disbelief to see my rear axle cracked almost all the way through about 2 feet in from the drivers side. i couldn't believe it. i have 4 small children and we just went on a trip on the highway 2 days prior to me checking the problem. i have seen this is a common problem with the windstar . i have done some research on this problem and found this to be a widespread problem with all different years of the windstar. something has to be done before someone is seriously injured from this problem. this axle should not crack or break under normal wear of the vehicle. this is a major component of the van and causes serious safety issues. right now the van is sitting in my driveway. i am trying to find a used axle from somewhere so i could get it back on the road. ford should really do something about this issue. thanks you... *tr

The rear axle beam of my 2000 ford windstar split in 2 while i was making a right hand turn causing the rear wheels to flare out. the service station said they have made repairs to other windstars with the same problem. lucky for me i was not going fast and there were no injuries. i learned later that the beam rusted out from the inside as water had infiltrated the beam. *tr

After having trouble steering took the car in for a front end alignment. was told that the right subframe was completely rusted out and cracked and unsafe to drive. car is just 10 years old and 85000 miles. mechanic says this should not have happened with a car of this age. ford has been contacted and would not take any responsibility for it. in addition took it to a ford dealer who said that the starting price to fix the car was 1600 and could only go up. *tr

While backing up to parallel park my 2000 ford windstar the rear-axle snapped in half, and the rear tires bent in!! *tr

Broken rear axle beam, 2000 ford windstar. *tr

My 2000 ford windstar with approx 140000 miles had its rear axle snap in two. as i review other complaints this does not seem to be an isolated case. *tr

My back axle broke in half while driving and luckily we were not killed or on any major highway at a high speed. this is an ongoing problem with ford windstars, there are many complaints about the same issue. most repair centers say they have never seen anything like it and this should never occur. how many lives need to be lost before ford recalls these axles? my neighbor who also has a ford windstar had the same thing happen to them 3 months ago. *tr

customer's 2000 ford windstar broke a rear axle beam, we installed a used axle and on 8/19/10 that axle broke and we installed a new axle. both axles were not rusty and cracked in the same area. we have pictures on file. *tr

Rusted right rear subframe mount which i found before complete faliure. *dt

2000 ford windstar engine cradle rusted, came loose of frame, caused steering issue. this could cause serious injury accident or death if happened at high rate of speed. *tr

The k-frame(sub frame) is completely rotted out on the right side. it is bad enough that it cant be welded, must be replaced. on a vehicle that is 9 years old with 80000 miles and in perfect shape. i was told by numerous garages that this should of never rusted out this fast. i think that ford should be responsible for the repair. *tr

There were no events leading to the failure. vehicle got new tires and alignment then two days later the vehicle started pulling to the left. i went back to the tire dealer, the mechanic check the alignment and noticed that the rear axle had a crack on the driver side and was rusted through. the crack was so severe that the axle was almost in two parts and at the base there is a quarter inch separation in the crack. the tire is no longer laying flat. the bottom of the tire is facing out. if the mechanic didn't find the failure there certainly would have been a tragic accident. *tr

I had been concerned about a bad shimmy at 50 mph on my 2000 ford windstar, and i had spoken to my dealer about it when i had the oil changed. less than a week later, as i pulled from my driveway, the rear axle broke completely in two. we have tried to get ford to address this problem, as there must be millions of these vans still on the road, and most of them carry children. we have not had any response so we are filing this complaint. we have heard of other failures and as you know they could be deadly. we paid to have the axle replaced. *tr

Crack in rear axle. *tr

Windstar broken rear axle strikes again. we were on our way to dinner with retired ford employee and his lovely wife. we were in dearborn on michigan avenue when bad noises, and smells came from the rear of the van. we pulled over and discovered a totally broken axle cover. my husband works in steel. if we had been on the southfield as we had planned and this happened there would have been disastrous results not only for us but we could have placed other families in danger as well. both men. the police who stopped to help and the tow truck driver agreed that axles don't just break. *tr

2000 ford windstar van broken rear axle, had to completely install new rear axle dealer part only ale broke completely in half! van creaked like it was broken for a little while then had rear shocks replaced and axle broke. i have pictures and the original part. *tr

The car seemed at first to be hydroplaning due to the rain, but then it got much worse. when i removed the rear passenger wheel, i saw the rear axle beam had snapped at the weld point. the car was very difficult to drive and the repair shop indicated that we should have had it towed in because sometimes the wheels will shear away from the suspension when the beam is broken. this car has only been in one minor accident, with minimal body damage and no damage at all to the body structure, so this was without question a manufacture defect in the part. *tr