Problems with 2001 Ford Windstar SUSPENSION

We left the house and was driving and the van felt like it was sliding back and forth. i stopped and checked and the back wheel was setting crooked. i checked the lugs and the were tight. we turned around went back home. i looked under it and found the axle cracked and broke. we called ford and they had a recall on that but said they were no longer repairing them. *tr

I was driving down the road and there was a loud snap and grinding sound from the rear of the car. both rear wheels were at an approximate 20 degree angle off center. *tr

The front right axel broke, i didn't have an accident nor did i run it into a ditch. the frame has cracked, its where the axle and the frame meet. it's a 2001 and yes, it's an old vehicle, but its the only transportation i can afford right now. if i can take it to a ford dealership to be repaired i would. some how, i believe their is a god.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that after having the vehicle serviced under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v194000 (suspension) remedied on the vehicle, the rear axle became cracked. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer, who stated that they would not remedy the cracked axle because the manufacturer would only guarantee the bracket repair for one year. the failure mileage was 160,000. updated 03/05/14*lj

Driving the vehicle became uncomfortable at both low and high speed; therefore, i started investigating to try to identify the cause. 1st i found one of the rear shocks was very bouncy, the rear tires were not straight and both rear tires were wearing on the inside. replaced both rear shocks. that didn't solve the problem and the rear tires were still not straight. next i went to mike naughton ford dealership and talked with a service representative about the problem and asked if there was a recall. the technician said that i needed to bring the vehicle in for an alignment and have the rear cambers shimmied so that the wheels would be straight at a estimate cost of $200.00, that there were no recalls to have this work done. last night (10-13-2013), i jacked the vehicle up to look under to see how difficult it would be to perform the work myself. i decided that i would take the vehicle to ford and pay them to do the work. i was jacking the vehicle up to remove the jack stance and both tires fell almost to the floor. i look under the vehicle to identify what happened and found the axle housing bent/broken in half. it appears that it has been cracked/broken for some time because the initial break was rusty. have not been able to follow-up with the ford dealer yet - i believe that the service department might be closed today (columbus day) because i haven't been able to reach anyone by phone. *tr

My daughter was driving the windstar at approximately 20 mph when she heard a noise and felt something break and she was unable to steer the vehicle and she was able to get the vehicle stopped. she exited the vehicle to see if she could see what the problem was. she noticed both front wheels were pointing in different directions. this vehicle was recalled in 2011 to have brackets placed to support the subframe. the vehicle was towed to a local garage. upon inspection it was determined that the passengers side lower control arm had pulled out of the subframe. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated while driving 30 mph, the rear suspension collapsed and caused the drivers side rear tire to blowout. the contact was able to drive to his residence where the vehicle was later towed to a dealer. the vehicle was not repaired nor was the failure diagnosed. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure and current mileage was 201,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the rear axle failed and became fractured. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where it was stated that the driver's side rear axle needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 175,000. updated 9/5/13 *cn updated 09/13/2013 *js

Had the vehicle serviced for 2 corrosion recalls. was driving on the freeway approx. 60mph, heard a pop in the area of the right front tire. took van to the shop i use, where i was told it was part of the frame and need to take it to the dealership(blackwell ford, plymouth, mi. 48170). dealership said the van needed a subframe assy. and right sway bar bushing bracket, and possibly more. all was due to corrosion, combination poor design and inferior material. they contacted ford motor, sent estimate, pictures and information. fords response is that it wasn't part of any recall, even though there has been at least two for corrosion that i am aware of. this is clearly a design and/or a material issue with my windstar. it is not safe to drive, and there is no way, with my conscious that i can try to sell it. this is an ongoing issue with the windstar. i'm sure this is part of hundreds if not thousands of complaints on this issue, what can be done? how many injuries or deaths have there been because of corrosion issue with the windstar? help!!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, a burning rubber smell came from the rear of the vehicle. the contact moved off the roadway to examine the vehicle and noticed that the rear driver's side tire was rubbing against the wheel well. the vehicle was towed to a dealer, who stated that the rear axle was broken. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 12v194000 (suspension) but was told by the dealer that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the subframe detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who stated that the subframe was corroded. the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 12v194000 (suspension). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated no further repair would be provided. the approximate failure mileage was 173,000. *tr

Cpsc#i1360214a. 2001 ford windstar. consumer stated she took her car in for a recall on the axle and was told everything was fine. three weeks later she was driving and the car started sounding odd. consumer pulled over an her tire was leaning in, because the axle had snapped. *ln the dealer informed the consumer they would not repair the vehicle under the recall, because they placed on brackets on the axle, two years prior. the dealer stated they had complied with the recall.

Ford=fix or repair daily!!!!!!!!!!! i am writing to try and get ford to do the right thing. my mother's ex-husband told me to never buy a ford and i did not listen. i bought a windstar 2001. i took it in for the recall on the axle. they inspected and told me it was fine. i was unaware that they did anything to it. three weeks ago, i was driving home from the gym when my car started sounding odd. i... pulled over and noticed my tires were leaning in. my axle had snapped. i called the ford dealership and they said they would indeed fix it due to the recall. i had it towed to the dealership in taylor. that next monday was memorial day so i did not hear anything from them until they called on tuesday and stated they will not fix it because they had placed brackets on it 2 year ago. they said they had complied with the recall and they were not responsible for this repair. what i do not understand is how they believe this is acceptable. if ford had fixed the problem in the first place this would not have been an issue. i could have been driving on the freeway or my kids could have been in the car. i have contacted ford and asked for them to reconsider this to no avail. thank you *js

Ford=fix or repair daily!!!!!!!!!!! i am writing to try and get ford to do the right thing. my mother's ex-husband told me to never buy a ford and i did not listen. i bought a windstar 2001. i took it in for the recall on the axle. they inspected and told me it was fine. i was unaware that they did anything to it. three weeks ago, i was driving home from the gym when my car started sounding odd. i... pulled over and noticed my tires were leaning in. my axle had snapped. i called the ford dealership and they said they would indeed fix it due to the recall. i had it towed to the dealership in taylor. that next monday was memorial day so i did not hear anything from them until they called on tuesday and stated they will not fix it because they had placed brackets on it 2 year ago. they said they had complied with the recall and they were not responsible for this repair. what i do not understand is how they believe this is acceptable. if ford had fixed the problem in the first place this would not have been an issue. i could have been driving on the freeway or my kids could have been in the car. i have contacted ford and asked for them to reconsider this to no avail. thank you. *tr

On 01/06/2011 i took my minivan in for the recall on the axle. they told me it was fine and sent me home. on friday while driving on northline road in southgate michigan, my axle snapped. i took it to the taylor ford and they said it would be fixed by ford. i was told today 05/28/2013that they would not cover the repair due to the fact they put brackets on it in 2011. i was not informed of the fact they put brackets on it in 2011. i was driving a vehicle that was dangerous on the freeway. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, she noticed smoke emitting from the vehicle as the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. the contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the rear tires were awkwardly turned outward. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the rear axle was fractured. the contact was informed of a recall for the failure under nhtsa campaign number: 10v385000 (suspension). the manufacturer was contacted and advised that the recall had been performed on the vehicle more than a year prior to the recent failure. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure and current mileage was 136,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the rear axle became fractured. the contact was able to stop the vehicle without incident. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 12v195000 (suspension) for the rear axle, but the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall campaign. the failure and the current mileage was 190,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that she contacted the manufacturer regarding nhtsa campaign number: 12v195000 (suspension) and stated that the vin was not included. the contact also mentioned that the rear axle on the vehicle was cracked, corroded and would make loud banging noises when driving at various speeds. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 122,000.

The same part indicated in recall is bad, my van needs fix. the recall doesn't cover my part or repair because my vin isn't showing any recalls. when the same problem happened to me indicated in the recall. is there anything i can do? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that he received notification of nhtsa campaign number 12v195000 (suspension) and took the vehicle the dealer for repairs. on a later date while driving 65 mph, the rear axle fractured. the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who inspected the vehicle and stated that the rear axle recall replacement had never been completed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 163,000.

Stopped to get my oil changed, they showed me where the entire right front subframe has rusted away making my windstar unsafe to drive. i looked online and found this is an ongoing problem with this model with of these having the same problem with the passenger side right front. this can cause you to loose steering control or in an extreme the engine to fall out going down the highway, ford recalled the same problem on the rear axel,,why not fix the front also. i live in arkansan but bought the windstorm from a person in missouri where i see ford list as a state with a rust problem but doing nothing to fix it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that after having repairs to the vehicle under nhtsa campaign number: 12v195000 (suspension) he noticed that the rear axle was corroded and a cracked had developed where the reinforcement brackets were installed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician refused to provide any assistance since the vehicle had been repaired under the recall. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 124,000 and the current mileage was 144,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the rear axle was fractured. the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 12v195000 (suspension). the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the axle had failed. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 177,000.

I heard loud clunking sounds in the front that were more pronounced when i went over bumps. the sway bar has broken off from the front sub-frame passenger side of the car. the dealer said the sub-frame is so rusted that the only way to reattach the sway bar is to replace the entire front sub-frame at a cost of $3,500. it is not covered under previous recalls, since the prior 2 recalls in 2010 and 2011 only specifically covered the rear axle and the separation of the front lower control arms attaching brackets and body mount attachments at the rear of the front sub-frame. this problem is so similar to the jan. 2011 recall w/a part breaking off from a rusted sub-frame. it's the corrosion of the sub-frame that is at the root of these problems. they should have just replaced the sub-frame at that time instead of doing a patch job w/ brackets. the dealer deemed my car unsafe to drive, as i won't have control of my car on quick turns or be able to make fast maneuvers in the event of an accident or to avoid potential accidents. another risk is that my engine may fall out the bottom of my car while driving (which i see has happened to others with my same problem), endangering my family and others on the road. i plan on parking this car in my driveway and waiting for ford to be forced to recall these vehicles. in the meantime, if any of you have a similar problem, please report them to ford corporation and the nhtsa, so what i believe to be an inevitable recall will be expedited. even the ford customer service rep encouraged me to file a report with the nhtsa because she has gotten calls with other similar complaints. she was very sympathetic to my situation but said there is nothing she can do until enough complaints get filed with the nhtsa so they open an investigation. what happened to companies wanting to help their customers w/o being forced by a governmental agency?! *tr

I took the van in for service and i was told the right front sway bar could not be re-attached because of excessive rust . my mechanic mentioned he thought there was a recall for this but i never received one. is there anything i can do about it now? *tr

The rear axle, is rusted and snapped literally right in half while driving with my two young children! we were lucky enough not to have been seriously hurt or in an accident! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph in snowy conditions, the vehicle began to slide and veer to the left. the contact moved the vehicle to the shoulder to inspect the vehicle and noticed that the front axle had failed and the passenger front tire was leaning inward in the wheel well. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 12v194000 (suspension:front:control arm). the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

Just 18-months after the ford windstar safety recall repairs were completed, the front sub-frame of my 2001 ford windstar cracked resulting in loss of stability. the vehicle was taken to the ford dealership in midland michigan. it was deemed unsafe to drive by the ford dealership service manager and repair technician. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph and making a right turn, a loud abnormal thump noise emitted from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was merged to the side of the road where the contact noticed that the left rear wheel was tilted inward. the contact mentioned that the vehicle had recently been repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 12v195000 (suspension).the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the rear axle needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was unknown.

I took my vehicle for a recall for the rear axle a year ago and they sprayed some sealer on it and said it was good to go. so now the axle is cracked, and ready to snap. what should i do? also there is a recall on the brake pressure deactivation switch on my vehicle which is leaking brake fluid on the wiring harness. i shouldn't be driving it, but i need to get to boston. again what can i do about this? *tr

Making a left turn, heard a loud bang. the sway bar link came loose attached to a chunk of rusted metal from the subframe. the sway bar and link are fine. it is a part of the subframe where it attaches to that came off. there is no way to reattach the sway bar as the whole section where it attaches to subframe is rusted. called ford dealer in ithaca, this is not covered by their recalls. *tr

i was driving home when i went around a corner i heard a thump in the front passenger side of my windstar, the following morning i took it into my mechanic. he looked the vehicle over and told me the sub frame has rusted out where the stabilizer bar connects. this issue was supposed to have been addressed by ford the previous year when they had it in for the rear axle recall. i find ford had made the decision to put some useless brackets in and not replace the sub-frame. i called customer care concerning the problem and was told there was only a year warranty on the work so there was nothing they could do as i had picked up the van end of april /beginning of may 2011. a recall was issued for this problem and quite evidently their fix with some little brackets did not repair the issue, i am not sure how some brackets are suppose to correct a rusting out sub frame to begin with. *tr

Today returning home from wisconsin me and my family was almost killed, it was a 4 hr drive of tollways of speeds of 65-70, when we were coming to a rural stop( thank god) when we heard a loud thud and smoke, lost control of van, pulled van to shoulder where upon examination of van seen rear axle split in half...thank god we just got off tollway- of 70 mph driving, had 2 kids in car, and my brother, stranded miles from home....all these vehicles should be taking off the roads b4 more people are hurt or killed i am still upset over the incident of cheating death, and hope this don't happen to any body else... *tr

Rear axel broke. *tr

On sunday july 8th, 2012 i was driving my 2001 ford windstar i stopped at a light and as the light changed i began driving and then heard a loud noise, my wheels began to squeel and pull all over and my van came to a complete stop in the road and would not move.. the front passenger side wheel was turned outward but my wheel was straight. thank god i was not on an expressway or highway with all my kids in the vehicle.. i called a tow truck the driver inspected it and said something underneath the front frame had snapped off.. so today i had it towed into a ford dealer to find out it is a new recall how can these windstar vans have so many frame and axle issues and be safe to drive exspecially with all these brackets they are having to put on them for the recalls.. if i was on an expressway me and my son would of been hurt badly if not killed.. not to mention if i would of hit someone else i could of injured others too..i will never trust another windstar with my family this is crazy.. it is the subframe front lower control arm rear attaching flages completely broke/snapped off while i was driving down a basic 40 mph road..when it broke it messed up the underneath of my vehicle it ripped the drive shaft right out of the transmission.. and who knows what else is damaged now.. people need to know about this now before someone is seriously hurt.. *tr

Front sub-frame badly rusted and sway bar welded mounts on the sub-frame have rusted and broken in half causing poor steering control and excessive body roll. as a note, this vehicle was rustproofed when new and inspected over the life of the vehicle each year. also, ford has inspected the front sub-frame in january of 2011 on a recall and it appears did not find a problem with the sub-frame in this area. given the severity of the rust it would appear the problem existed at the time of inspection. *js

Our rear axle has sheared in half three times. the third time (after they admitted a recall) we were 40 miles from home when it broke, ford told us there was nothing they could do since it was a saturday. we were forced to drive it home on the interstate, as a family of 6 in a town with no rental places we had no choice. ford put their "patch kit" on my recalled axle last year, and it failed. now they have given me a 1992 sable as a rental while my van is in the shop. my family can't fit in it, and my children can't even fasten their seatbelts in it, and one of my children has to sit in the front seat with the airbag. they told me there's nothing they can do. my subframe is under recall, as well as the control arms and body mounts. fords fix for this is to patch them like they did my axle, which broke. now i am stuck with a ticking time bomb and four children. fords bandaids for these devestating failures only buys them a few months time, and puts lives at risk. my front end clicks when i turn, my tires rubbed all the way home on the broken axle, the transmission leaks horribly, the undercarriage is rusted and rotted beyond repair, and all these admitted faulty parts are being patched and sent out the door. i dont feel safe driving my kids around in this! and im being told my choices are buy a new van at my expense, or drive this one and take a chance!! *js

At a major intersection getting onto a highway our subframe gave out and we came to a screeching halt & a dead stop. the entire subframe under the passengers side of the van rotted and the wheel was up against the frame of the car. it could have caused a major accident. it cost us $1,500.00. *tt

The rear suspension had been making noise for a few days. visual inspection didn't show anything obvious. backing out of the driveway the rear axel snapped in half approximately 18 inches from the drivers side tire. *tr

I currently keep getting grunting/popping/moaning noise from the front suspension when turning -braking-starting to move car forward . already replaced the sway bar links and bushings but the noise still comes and goes. also my brake-&-abs lights comes on and off for no reason. and the locks on the doors work when they want too. just had inspection done again 3 weeks ago but they can not find the problems. talk with ford about the noise to try to find out if there is any danger of a crash because of this and i keep getting the run around. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while the vehicle was inspected by a local mechanic, the contact was advised that the front sway bar was fractured due to corrosion. the manufacturer was contact but denied assistance with the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 121,000.

Complete separation of the front lower control arm attaching bracket from the front sub frame on the passenger side of the vehicle. this is the same problem that is described in the nhtsa recall no. 11v030. and ford recall no. 11s16. the dealer that inspected the vehicle said it was not covered by the recall because the vehicle was not purchased or registered in a (salt-belt) state. *tr

I am reporting my 2001 ford windstar limited for the same problems that have been recalled in the "salt belt states". i live in fauquier county, virginia. this windstar was originally bought at rick hunt ford in warrenton, va and resided in the 20186 zip code until we bought it in 2005. it was traded into jerry's lincoln/mercury in manassas from whom we purchased it. we have lived in fauquier county the entire time we have owned this vehicle, in remington, va and now warrenton, va. i noticed in my regular maintenance that it appeared that the "front sub frame" was doing the same thing that others had complained of and ultimately was recalled in the "salt belt states". on 01/19/2012 what used to be rick hunt ford and now is sheey ford of warrenton, va looked at the "front sub frame". the service manager said that my concerns were correct about the "front sub frame", that it is doing what these vehicles were recalled for in the "salt belt states". he also said that the "rear axle" had a crack in it, also what they were recalled for in the "salt belt states". the results were that ford would not take care of it even though it had the same problems that they recalled in other states. i contacted ford customer service on 01/20/2012 and was told by the original person's supervisor that and i quote "ford has agreed to add your vehicle to the recall list". i was to take the van back to sheehy so they could document everything and take care of it. i did so, dropped it off 01/23/2012. i called on 01/25/2012 to find out if it was ready that ford would not take care of it since it had not been registered in a "salt belt state". i am requesting that the nhtsa look into these vehicles again and require ford to recall the windstars in all states. if you look around on the internet one can find people in almost every state who have the same problems. thank you *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving approximately 60 mph the contact noticed a slight shaking in the steering wheel. the contact stopped the vehicle at a gasoline station and noticed the rear drivers side tire was slanted inward. the contact inspected the vehicle and also noticed the rear axle had fractured. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technicians stated the rear axle fractured due to corrosion and had to be replaced. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Noticed that my front tires are worn out a lot in the inner edges. took it for wheel alignment on dec 22, 2011. pep boys auto shop in arizona avenue, chandler, az refused to do it saying that rear axel is bent. so it is not safe. i also took it to ford dealership at 7300 w. orchid lane, az, 85226 (ph 480 940 4442) for "speed control system modification" recall. service advisor [xxx] visually confirmed that wheels are bent outwardly. i am concerned for the safety of my family and me, and want this issue addressed. thanks. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I was driving at 35mph when i heard a loud boom and my windstar careened wildly back and forth and felt like i had slammed on the brakes. the windstar could not even be driven to the shoulder. the tow truck driver said the subframe was broken and possibly the tie rods had broken as well. the front wheels were pointed outward in opposite directions. *tr

I bought this car used 1 yr and 8 months ago .. haven't had any major problems with it. we received the recall for the rear axle, they checked it out was fine, we never received this last recall in 2011 but it may have helped if we did. on dec 2 i was pulling out of a school, was at a complete stop then started pulling out to take a right only going about 5 mph we heard a bang (something fell in the front end) then the car just took over, there was no steering, the throttle stuck took us from 5 mph to about 30 mph in like 3 seconds crossing 4 lanes of traffic and just missing 2 vehicles, i crashed into a sign, 2 fences and a tree which made us stop, there was this awful sound that was getting faster and faster, we jumped out of the car because we thought it was going to blow up!!! everything that is in the front end is laying on the ground!! this is very dangerous and i am outraged that something like this could happen. if my husband and i hadn't gone anywhere that night, i would have had my 3 small children in it the next morning!! i am so thankful that we were not hurt (except for emotionally) and that we also didn't hurt anyone else .. if those cars were 1 second earlier we would have smashed into those cars that were going about 50 mph .. wouldn't have a been a very good outcome!!! now waiting to see what will happen with the van, if it is fixed i will not get in it ever again!! *tr

from one year back i was hearing a noise from rear axle of my windstar. finally, at december, the axle broke at 25mph. this is very dangerous because it can cause the death of someone. please help people of puerto rico , we are american citizen too. *tr

I was turning a corner and heard a loud bag, as if metal has snapped. i took the car to my ford dealer who said that the font subframe where the sway bar was attached had rusted through and that the sway bar was now not attached to the subframe and was banging. ford has fixed the frame on two different rust recalls under "recall 11s16", but said this was not covered and would cost $2085.75 for the subframe plus labor and hardware. i asked if the car was safe to drive and received a non specific answer! if ford windstar has this much problem with there frame rusting why is this not covered??

2001 ford windstar. consumer writes in regards to recalls *tgw the consumer stated he received a postcard in the mail advising him to see his local dealer regarding two recalls. however, when he arrived at the dealer, they informed him the recalls had already been done. the consumer stated the problems are present in his vehicle. *jb