Problems with 2001 Ford Windstar SUSPENSION

Right side of vehicle underneath subframe broke . heard nosie and vehicle quit could not control had someone look at it and underneath is rusted out and broke i was told it was the subframe. *tr

2001 ford windstar. consumer writes in regards to defective front end *tgw the consumer stated two recalls were issued and for the past year, he has been unsuccessful at getting his vehicle inspected. the consumer was informed by several dealers, they were not performing any recalls. *jb

This vehicle has been ruining every front tire put on it ever since the recall front subframe work was done on it by ford in 9/2011 and it has been through 2 sets of front tires in the last 4,500 miles since the work was done. ford does not acknowledge any responsibility and the last dealer who looked at it told me i needed tires. no kidding. the last time i took it to firestone to get tires, they told me they wouldn't touch it and that i needed to take it to a body shop; the specs were so off. the dealer that did the original work redocumented the car's problems 3 times but the manufacturer refused to buy it back and they did the work on it the best they could and this is what i am left with: an unsafe vehicle. i had a blow out on interstate 95 on christmas eve that could have taken my life and another blow out since then at a slower speed (thank god!) i need help nailing ford to the wall on this and making them be responsible for risking my safety and i am sure that i am not the only one. i wonder if other people have been hurt or lost their lives over this?? over a few dollars?? ford needs to be made to admit they did not protect their customers properly. i wonder if it all comes down to avoiding liability for people that have been injured. please help me. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving approximately 45 mph, the contact heard a loud noise outside of the vehicle and maneuvered to the side of the road. the contact examined the vehicle and noticed that the rear axle fractured. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis and they stated that the rear axle required replacement. there was a recall related to the failure under nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly); however the vehicle was ineligible because it was not currently registered or sold in the united states, as mentioned in the recall. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

I took my 2001 windstar sel into a dealership upon receiving a recall notice for suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly in march of 2011. our vehicle passed this inspection. at the time our vehicle was at the dealership for this recall notice there was another recall relating to structure: frame and members:underbody shields although we were unaware of this recall. we have not received a recall notice about the second problem to date. the recall was brought to our attention by a friend who watched a news program regarding the recall which prompted a phone call to the dealership that serviced our vehicle in march. his statement was if our vehicle was one of the recalled vehicles and it was just in the service department for another recall the service technician would have addressed the most recent recall also. he asked for our vin which at the time was not available but reassured me both recalls would have been addressed since they were both open recalls. on august 1, 2011 i was driving at 65-70 mph on a freeway when my steering wheel started to jerk and turn counter-clockwise (the last time i looked at the steering wheel the area that encloses the horn was vertical). i thought my right passenger wheel was punctured at first but knew it was more than that within the next few seconds. something from the van kept hitting the freeway and jerking me around and the back end of the van on three occasions seemed like it was coming off the ground. once i slowed down enough the safely brake that is exactly what i did wherein the rear end of the vehicle jerked to the left. i exited the vehicle and called 911. not only did the subframe break due to rust but the axle came apart from the vehicle as did the right arm holding the wheel in place. at this point the dealership where the car was towed to said ford is offering to replace the subframe and have offered to pay for two days for a rental vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the rear axle broke while in reverse. the vehicle became inoperative and was towed to the dealer. the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the manufacturer was notified, and also informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the above recall. the manufacturer did not offer any assistance towards the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage 130,000.

Right front (passenger side) sway bar mounting bracket separated from vehicle, at front lower control arm rear attaching bracket, less than 30 days after recall ( nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000) was performed. this has rendered the vehicle unsafe to drive and it will not pass new york state vehicle safety inspection. ford dealership denies any responsibility and ford, the manufacturer, will not repair as part of recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact was driving 20 mph when the rear of the vehicle began to sway abnormally. the contact was able to move the vehicle onto the shoulder where it was towed to the dealer. the dealer performed a diagnostic that located the failure at the rear axle lower bracket arm, which was corroded. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. after the vehicle was repaired, the contact heard a grinding and a cracking sound in the front end of the vehicle while driving approximately 65 mph. the vehicle would also shake vigorously and the steering wheel began to turn on its own forcefully. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v194000 (suspension). the contact noticed corrosion in the engine cradle and sway bar mounting after the recall repair was performed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not further repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

My 2001 ford windstar was repaired at valley ford in valley view ohio on 4/14/2011 under recall #20287. i had the van in for an unrelated matter on 12/07/2011 at that time i was informed by my mechanic that the sub-frame was rusted through. after contacting ford's national service center i took the van to valley ford. they inspected it and confirmed that the sub-frame was rusted through. they forwarded their finding to ford motor co. and ford motor co. was not willing to address the issue with the sub-frame. i believe this issue should have been addressed under the initial recall. since at least april of 2011 any time my children, myself, or anyone else rode in the vehicle it was subject to a catastrophic failure of the sub-frame which could have caused serious or fatal injury to the occupants or others. *tr

Upon replacing shocks and struts on my 2001 ford windstar my mechanic noticed a crack on axel took it in to local dealership to verify sure enough crack had me set up with enterprise to receive small loaner of a family of 6 sad need bigger vehicle ford not budging will wait for rep to further pursue.. ford saying approx. 2mths before repair... sad situation all around i wish i would never bought this vehicle expect more problems after sitting for two months. *tr

2001 ford windstar. consumer writes in regards to vehicle recall *tgw the consumer stated she took the vehicle to the dealer because she received a recall letter in the mail. the dealer inspected the vehicle and informed her she would receive another letter in the mail stating when to return with the vehicle. the consumer stated she has not received a letter. *jb the consumer stated the vehicle is emitting gas fumes.. updated 04/26/11

The rear axle of a 2001 ford windstar rusted through. the vehicle vin is outside the scope of the recall. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving in reverse out of the drive way the front coil spring broke in half. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the manufacturer will be contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 68,000.

2001 ford windstar rear axle broke in half tire caved in. *tr

Vehicle is no longer drivable & is sitting at a ford dealership service lot. incident occurred on tuesday, january 25, 2011 at approximately 4:30pm. vehicle front subframe cracked and passenger side tire separated from car while driving resulting in loss of control of vehicle. car would not steer or move, could not be pushed out of traffic.

This complaint is related to your nhtsa action # ea10007 january 12, 2011, my wife was driving our ford windstar on hwy 155 north of saint germain, wi. without warning the front end right wheel dislodged and the car swerved violently all over the highway. luckily, no other cars were near. the roadside ditches where the failure occurred are more than 12' deep, so there could also have been injuries and or damage if she had not reacted as quickly and forcibly as she did. she was able to wrestle the car onto the shoulder and call for help. upon towing to the nearest ford dealership, it has been determined that the undercarriage failed, the front right axle dislodged from the transmission, and various other damage can also have occurred. updated ivoq 02/16/11 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving approximately 40 mph she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the median. she stated that she lost control of the vehicle without receiving any warning lights. when the vehicle crashed into the median in a vertical position on a highway another vehicle crashed into her vehicle. the front end of the other vehicle was damaged. there were no injuries. a police report was not filed. the contact stated that her vehicle was towed to her residence. the tow truck driver advised her that her rear axle was cracked in half. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact was waiting for her insurance company to inspect the vehicle. she contacted the manufacturer and was advised that her vehicle was part of recall 10v385000, suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly but the contact stated that she did not receive a recall letter. the vehicle was purchased used in 2002. the approximate failure and current mileages were 109,000.

2001 ford windstar. consumer states that she received a recall for the vehicle and was told the parts weren't available. she states the vehicle has been sitting at the dealer while she is paying for insurance and can't drive it. *kb axle recall # 10v385000. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that she received a recall notice in reference to recall 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly). she has contacted three different dealers in her area who informed her that they have a waiting list in which she would not be able to get in for a repair until february of 2011. the manufacturer was contacted and advised her to drive 200 miles away from her area with a unsafe vehicle.

While backing out from a parking space, the passenger side lower control arm mount separated from the subframe due to extensive corrosion. the front passenger wheel was turned outwardly and the right half shaft was disengaged from the differential. while researching this issue on the internet, i realized the subframe should last longer than the life of the vehicle. fortunately for some it has been detected while in a repair shop for some other reason such as brakes, alignment or other front end work. unfortunately for others it has been discovered by malfunctioning to the point of breaking and causing other structural/mechanical damage, as well as personal injury. i would like to believe that ford stands behind its product and is willing to issue a recall for repair.

I have a ford windstar 2001 mini van and i live in new york state. on december 7th, 2010, as i was pulling left into a parking space i heard a loud cracking sound. (at first i thought i had rolled over a very large piece of ice) i again proceeded to pull in, but my car would not move. (engine was still on) i got out and found 3 of my tires facing left and 1 facing right. i called aaa and was preparing to have it towed to a mechanic. when the driver/mechanic from aaa, informed me that the lower control arm (drive arm) had tore away from the main frame (front axel) at the front of the car, and had tore away all of the driving mechanisms and would need a welder first , not a mechanic . so i had him take it to a local welder. he was able to find some clean metal to weld it back on and then recommended i take it to a mechanic to finish up with everything else that was needed. the mechanic told me that it would need a cv joint and the linkage for the transmission in order to have it working again. i have never had any issues with the engine, or transmission prior to this day. and the car has very little rust on it's body. so i would have never thought to look underneath for any. and because it was always maintained well, a mechanic was hardly ever under her to see if there was any possible damage either. she has less than 75,000 miles on her so i never expected this to occur. i have filed a report with ford after the incident but all they could say was thank you and they'll make a not of it. and that the rear axel was on recall....but if that was the case, why not the front axel too??? *tr

I am not a mechanic but will attempt to relay my best interpretation of what i believe happened. while my wife was driving a total loss of steering occurred. very luckily she was not on a major highway travelling at high speed or in the process of navigating a turn. after inspection by our mechanic it was determined that the cradle that supports the front suspension fractured. this occurred on the front passenger side of the vehicle and the front axle connected to passenger side wheel was then disconnected from the transmission this was either caused by lower control arm disconnected or the vice/versa. the vehicle lost the ability to turn and luckily there was nobody tailgating as she was forced to park the vehicle stranded in the middle of the road. it is my opinion that an existing open defect investigation, pe10026 , is an exact match to the problem encountered. i tried to resolve with ford but at this time they do not consider the 100+ instances of this occurring as sufficient cause to warrant a recall and i guess that over the next year or two as this component of the vehicle continues to age we will see more incidents like this. i just had the vehicle serviced and my mechanic knew to check for the rear axle failure but had there been proper notification already in place they may have been able to check for this defect before the vehicle was put back on the road at risk of human life.

2001 ford windstar rear axle recall. i brought my van in for inspection for the rear axle recall (1os13) the ford dealership condemned the vehicle and i was provided with a rental car. ford has no parts to fix this concern and also has no timetable when this will be resolved. this is unacceptable to me and ford needs to stand behind there products and show loyalty to there customers. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while having the rear axle repaired under a recall 10v385000, suspension rear axle, non-powered axle assembly; the dealer informed the contact that the front sub-frame on the vehicle was covered with rust and corroded to the point that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the contact stated that they did not experience any problems prior to taking the vehicle in to have the rear axle recall repair performed. the failure and current mileages were 126246.

The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. this bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. all that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. the arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. at a higher speed, i speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. i have talked to a ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. i understand that your department is looking into it.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that he received a recall letter 10v385000, suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly and took his vehicle in for the recall on 10/29/2010. the dealer inspected the vehicle and offered him no assistance. while driving approximately 35 mph the rear left trailing arm broke on november 16, 2010. he drove the vehicle into a parking area and later had it towed to an authorized dealer. the dealer advised him that he needed to make some phone calls and would call him back. the dealer later advised him that the part that failed was not under the recall. the vehicle had not been repaired and remained in the dealers possession. he called the manufacturer on 11/18/2010 and was advised of the same information provided by the dealer. the approximate failure mileage was 115,800.

While switching from rear drive to forward drive, big noise was heard. unable to drive car after due to front wheel suspension break, passenger side. front suspension was replaced. *tr

I own a 2001 ford windstar that i recently had the subframe replaced as it had corroded through on the right side of the subframe. i noticed the failure of it while driving. i heard a loud clunk and then my steering wheel abruptly turned to the right and the front end started vibrating similar to when the front end is out of alignment. i was traveling at a low rate of speed when this occurred and id not result in a crash, but made the vehicle undriveable.

The front sub-frame on the right side has severe rusting and corrosion where the sub-frame meets the control arm. i took it in for inspection and was notified by the mechanic that it would not pass without replacement and was not even safe to drive out of his shop. he also said that he was surprised the car passed inspection at the ford dealership last year. thankfully, it was discovered before the sub-frame detached. *tr

Took my 2001 ford windstar to the local ford dealership for rear axle recall. i was advised by the service manager at my ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. it was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. apparently there are several windstars with this problem. while performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. this also appears to be a common problem. however, ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with nhtsa so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. there is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. there needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for ford to recall these vehicles.

Advised by ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted.

Ford co. is causing undue hardship in our attempt to get safety recall completed. we have one car, so made appt. w/ local dealer (1/2 hr away) & got confirmation # for recall 10s13 on a day both of us had off work. had to get someone to follow (1 hr drive) to bring us back. dealer would not honor appt. and told us to make another one in 3 - 4 wks. i e-mailed ford co.detailing poor service we had and the difficulty this created for us. recv'd response 2 days later that they are working on it. one week later, still not heard from ford co and was concerned about our safety, so i called and explained dilemma to cust serv rep. she tried to get us an appt w/ a dealer 40 mins away, but she was not able. after waiting 20 mins. i had to go back to work, so i called ford co. that night and this cust. serv rep tried to get us appt. w/ different dealer who was 1 hr. away, but they could not look at it. i was then disconnected, so called right back. another rep said we could go to a dealer in s.c. i don't think it is reasonable to require us to travel long distances for their bad product. again, we have one car, so have to ask someone to follow us to dealer. we work retail (christmas season) so cannot request special time off. we have made five attempts and gone far beyond the call of duty to have this recall done. ford needs to do their part and provide customer service for the safety of their customers. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that vehicle was taken to the dealer on november 1, 2010 for recall repair 10v385000 suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly; while the dealer examined the rear axle they noticed that the front axle was also corroded around the motor and transmission area. the manufacturer stated that they would not assist with the front suspension failure. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 139,000. updated 12/14/2011 *cn the consumer is still waiting on the rear axle to be repaired. updated 05/04/11

2001 ford windstar se: may 4, 2010, backing out of driveway, loud noise, could not drive car. driver's side rear axle fractured, car towed to mechanic who repaired and reinforced said fracture by welding. august 2010, ford announces recall of windstars, issues letters to affected owners late september, 2010. received ford recall notice during the week of october 18, 2010. sunday, october 31, 2010, while driving on side road (5 passengers, plus driver) same loud noise, car immobilized. passenger side rear axle fractured. passengers left stranded. car towed first to residence then to dealership on monday am. told by dealer that car would not be repaired until january or february, 2011 (at the earliest) as no parts available. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact received a recall notification under nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000(suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated that the part was on a massive back order and would not be available for three months. the manufacturer provided a loaner vehicle during the repair; however, the owner was responsible for the sales tax. the contact was displeased about the extensive time period for the recall repair. the failure mileage was 94,794. updated 01/20/11 *bf updated 04/15/11*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the right front passenger wheel assembly was corroded and rusted from the frame which caused the wheel to fall off. the vehicle was repaired at a local repair shop. the dealer stated that there were no related recalls. the contact filed a complaint with the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 87,160.

My 2001 ford windstars rear axle cracked in half yesterday 10-26-10 while i was driving. i received the recall from ford on 10-23-10. these vans need to taken off the road not just told to bring them in to get checked. this was extremely dangerous for me and i thank god my children were not in the van when this happened. i wonder how many people will have to dir before realizes how serious this problem is. the dealership has my van which they will keep until parts come which i;m being told is maybe sometime in january. ford has given me a rental that is a four passenger car which is must smaller than my 7 passenger, but i will have to deal with that. i hope the nhtsa can do more to get these vehicles off the road because this problem is only going to get worse before it gets better. maybe the top executives should put their families in a windstar when the axle cracks in half so they can understand the danger of this problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in recall 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly). when he spoke with the dealer, he was informed that parts would not be available for the repair for five months. the vehicle had not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were approximately 111,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact received recall notice 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) in october 2010. as of march 2011, the vehicle had been in the dealers possession waiting to be repaired. the contact stated that six months was too long to wait for a recall repair. the manufacturer could not tell him when the parts would be available. there are no failures at this time.

The subframe is rusting and corroding where the control arm attaches to it. my vehicle will not pass inspection. i have researched this online and have learned that nhtsa is investigating this on the ford windstar. *tr

occurrence: 12 october 2010. traveling i-95 washington,dc/suitland, md. vehicle: ford windstar, 2001. speed : 60-65 mph. traffic : dense. failure of defective part : rear axle snapped in two parts while traveling on smooth highway, northbound. explosive sound , lots of smoke, extreme consternation/fear of heart attack experienced by my wife and i ( my wife has a dangerous heart condition "ihss") at occurrence. i immediately turned on hazard flashers. managed to maneuver across several lanes of traffic to get to highway shoulder safely!! thank god for the alert fellow travelers behind us!!! if we were hit by any 18-wheelers on the highway, i wouldn't be writing this complaint now!!! concern for our safety was shown to us by fellow travelers; particularly, md traffic safety person, who should be commended by his superiors for his professional and understanding actions!! he looked at the damage and said that he had never seen anything like it before; and he said that we were lucky to be alive!!! van was transported by professionals to the nearest ford dealership where i first became aware that a recall notice was in force for my vehicle!!! at this point, i became greatly disturbed that i had no previous notification of this dangerous condition and that my wife, grand children, etal were traveling in potential rolling coffin! in my opinion, this seems to be criminal; particularly if greater profit motives might be involved! i certainly hope that inferior materials were not used in this regard!! i was informed that my van would have to remain at the ford dealership until ford motor company decides how i will be provided with a safe vehicle , since no replacement axles were available. (nb ; i have no idea whatever other damage exists as a result of this awful failure! i certainly don't want a duplicate axle replacement to replay this horrific catastrophe! in my wife's delicate condition, i cannot expect her to travel in this unsafe vehicle! justice!!! *tr

Clunking noise from r/f of vehicle when turning left, and severe pull when accelerating. found front subframe rusted thru and cracked at passenger side rear mount. had to replace front subframe. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle received the initial repair for nhtsa campaign number: 12v195000 (suspension) in mid october of 2010. the remedy did not repair the vehicle. the dealer installed rear axle brackets that did not support the frame. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who inspected the vehicle and noticed that there was a crack in the rear frame. the mechanic stated that the brackets needed to be removed to repair the condition. the contact later received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v608000 (suspension) and the dealer scheduled the repair for november 11, 2015. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and the unreasonable appointment date. the manufacturer was unable to provide a reasonable time frame to remedy the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 182,000.

2001 ford windstar 280,000 miles ne oh 10-11-10. right side lower control arm separated from frame. 65 mph from left lane crossed 3 lanes rush hour traffic. no warning signs somehow no collision. axle pulled from transmission. replaced: tire, axle, boots. frame shop reinforced and straight frame, aligned front end. repair damaged transmission cooling lines and required replacement. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving approximately 1 mph, the contact heard a loud bang and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. upon examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front passenger side wheel was pointed in the opposite direction of the front driver side wheel. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence; it had not been inspected or repaired. the current and failure mileages were approximately 132,000. the consumer stated even before the vehicle was towed the garage, he could see that the bracket that held the lower control arm to the frame had completely broken off the frame. when the control arm lost that attaching point, the wheel was allowed to pull away and also pulled the axle shaft away from the transmission. the subframe and transmission seal had to be replaced. updated evoq 02/15/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for repairs for recall 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly). the dealer stated that the parts for repairs were not available and they did not know when to expect them. the failure mileage was 92,000.

I was told by my mechanic in october 2010 that i have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact received a recall notification associated with the nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the part was unavailable until march of 2011. the contact stated the dealer would provide a loaner vehicle at the manufacturer's expense; however, the owner would be responsible for the taxes on the loaner vehicle. the contact also stated that the recall remedy was not being performed within a reasonable time. there was no failure mileage.