Problems with 2001 Ford Windstar SUSPENSION

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while the dealer inspected the rear axle for recall 10v385000 suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly they also located a failure at the front h frame which was corroded and separated. the manufacturer stated that the failure wasn't recalled, but if a recall was issued in the future he could be reimbursed for the repair. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and current mileages were 114,000 miles. the ac compressor leaked water onto the frame and caused it to rot. updated evoq 11/12/10*jb updated 01/20/11 *bf updated 04/13/11

I was driving down i-75 in toledo ohio at 70 mph when my rear axle broke in half on my 2001 ford windstar minivan. lost control but was able to not hit anyone or roll over. i have had no help from ford and nothing but a run around from them help!!! i have 4 children and no transportation. my eldest daughter has no busing in our county so i have to transport both ways and no vehicle. no way to get groceries or dr. appts. ford promised me a rental but 9 days have gone by and no help. what do i do? they are telling me it will be over three months before i can have my van repaired. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a recall repair under nhtsa campaign id 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly), and during the inspection the technician noticed that the front passenger side rear mount engine cradle was cracked with substantial corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving 30 mph, the front axle rusted off and the contact was unable to steer. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the contact was informed that the failure was caused by corrosion. the contact called the dealer and referenced recall 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly) and was told that the repairs would not be covered because the recall was related to the rear axle. the failure mileage was approximately 100,700 and the current mileage was approximately 100,900.

While driving my 2001 ford windstar on m-20 near remus, mi i heard a loud boom from the front of the vehicle. i pulled off of the road to investigate and found the driver side front coil spring broken. i had to replace the spring and strut assembly on that side. i was told that i should replace the other side as well. both front spring/strut assemblies were replaced at my personal cost. *tr

2001 ford windstar with a cracked rear axle. no letter has been received to address this matter. our van made creaking noises and we had heard through the media that a recall was beginning. the dealership and the ford customer relations dept. will not give us a definite answer as to when we can expect a resolution. we were given a 30 day rental and 14 days have passed and no answers. we are given $30 a day for a rental car by ford but must pay taxes totaling $3.30 a day. the voucher is $38 daily with $8 used for insurance if needed. we pay through our private insurance company for such coverage. why cannot ford use the additional $8 a day to cover our taxes? the explanation for the recall was to be no expense to the owner for correcting the problem. we did not create this problem and bought our van in good faith of the ford motor co. reputation. this certainly doesn't make for good customer relations. no definite deadline for repairs and giving up the van to use a 4 door car has been very inconvenient. i am requesting a deadline be established and for ford to use the additional $8 we are not using but was allocated for coverage of this problem to be covered for those customers who already have insurance for rental cars under their private insurance carrier. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the vehicle was included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 10v385000, suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told they would have the necessary parts to complete the remedy within one week. the vehicle was never repaired and the contact was continuously told the necessary parts would be available within 1 month. the failure and current mileages were 83,000.

Sept 4, 2010, approx 5 pm on interstate 80 in heavy traffic in altoona, iowa my 2001 ford windstars rear axle snapped in 2 and we miraculously cut across several lanes of traffic onto the shoulder. i truly thought this was going to be the end of our lives. we were not injured. the highway patrol got us off the interstate and my van is now sitting in a junk yard. the axle is completely severed and my tires are lying flat. we could have gotten killed because ford neglected to inform me of this life threatening defect. waiting until sept 27 to start sending recall notices may be too late to some victims. god took the wheel this time. i will not ever drive that van again. my children are traumatized as so am i. *tr

The front end of my 2001 ford windstar makes a lot of noise like it is going to fall apart. i'm afraid because my rear axle broke in 2 pieces going 65 mph on the interstate. i'm sure something is going on with my front subframe. how do we get this investigated? *tr

Our van has been in the garage since sept. 2010 waiting on the replacement part for the axle recall, and now the front sub frames might also need to be replaced. i think both parts should be replaced while the dealers have everybody's vehicle. .i don't really want to get our van out of the garage just to turn around and put it back in. but i will if i have to because i think that ford should replace the ones that need it, before there is more accident and injuries. ///it would also be cheaper to them to fix the problem than to buy everyone's vehicle from them. we've had enough recalls on these. let's just get them fixed right and get it over with.

I own a 2001 ford windstar lx i was driving down the expressway at 55mph when the rear of the van start to sway and pull eratically i pulled off the side of the expressway and found that the rear axle on my van had cracked in half. *tr

I drive a 2001 ford windstar and was relieved to find out there has been a recall on the rear axle for this vehicle. i have been driving a ticking time bomb since may 2010 the tire pressure light came on the same day i drove the car off the lot and i have replaced four rear tires since. not until i had my mechanic come and lift the vehicle up to see why i could not control the vehicle coming to work one morning did i realize the severity of the matter only after my 17 year old daughter was driving it the day before to run errands. scary how the life of my child could have been lost because of such negligence. the van now sits at my job and is undriveable, and i found out the state i live in is not under this recall. what exactly will it take to realize the windstar is a hazard. i will fight to get this state added to the recall list, do what i need to do, talk to whom ever will listen. *tr

Rear axle fractured while driving my ford windstar 2001. as a result i lost control of the vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact was driving approximately 70 mph when the rear axle fractured followed by a loud noise which caused difficulty in steering. the contact had received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension: rear: axle: non-powered axle assembly) and the vehicle was towed to the dealer for repairs. the dealer advised that the part needed for repairs was not yet available and the contact would be notified when the part had become available. the contact was still waiting for the parts to become available. most recently, the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members: underbody shields) but the vehicle was not yet repaired. the contact believed that a reasonable time to adhere to the recall had passed and the vehicle had not yet been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 127,000. updated 03/29/11*lj the consumer stated the vehicle has been in the dealer's possession for six months to remedy two recalls. updated 09/19/11

Own a 2001 ford windstar minivan . on tuesday, 8/24, i was driving from rhinebeck ny to yonkers, ny, mostly along the taconic parkway. this parkway has many potholes due to the grates sinking over the course of a year and it is very hard to avoid many of these grates because of their location along the right edge of the right lane. after driving along this route for a while (not sure how long) the van started to squeak on some turns and there was a smell of burning rubber that came and went. there were no problems managing the car or continuing to drive and there was no problem breaking. because of the late hour (we arrived home at 9 pm) i opted to keep moving to get home and not stop along the road. the squeaking was mostly when i made right turns - i could not tell when/or why the smell would return. upon returning home i pulled into the driveway and there was a sort of 'clunk' as i parked. next morning i went out to see the van and noticed the rear wheels were no longer parallel. i have multiple sclerosis so i did not get down to look at anything and there was no immediate need for car so waited for my husband to come home. he looked at the rear undercarriage and told me the axle was cracked. he was able to get it to a nearby mechanic who was surprised i was able to get home with it and asked about what i 'hit'. i did not hit anything except potholes and was not driving above legal limit of 55 mph (too dark and area known to have deer crossing so would not risk going over limit). it is currently in for repair now. also we have not had any accidents with this vehicle prior to this date and it has reasonably low mileage on it for its age. *tr

Ford wind star rear axle daughter driving to work at 70 mph weather clear,dry & daylight. on straight away vehicle ended up rolling over 2&1/2 times. *tr

I went to run an errand & the van seemed to be handling strangely. it felt like the rear was jumping/shifting on "normal" pavement. i turned around (only .5 miles from home) & found the rear tires on my 2001 windstar "caved inwards". i was able to safely make it the short distance back to my home & look underneath to see that the rear axle is split through (not completely, but badly). we have not yet had it towed to get an estimate for repair. *tr

I have a 2001 ford windstar which is showing signs of a sub-frame corrosion failure similar to the one described in investigation pr 10-026. there is a "u-shaped" subframe element which connects to the main frame near the outboard side of both front seats and extends forward around the front of the car. it does appear various suspension and steering members are connected to this sub-frame. the passenger-side end of this sub-frame where it connects to the vehicle frame shows severe rusting and metal delamination and a crack has formed on the end. the driver-side end of this subframe shows normal wear and is not in immediate risk of failure. the corrosion to the passenger-side end is excessive as compared to the driver's side and other frame elements in the vicinity. something is accelerating the corrosion on the right side. it may be due to the condensate drain from the air-conditioning system. at this time, the sub-frame has not failed but the vehicle represents a significant safety risk since failure-related crashes have been reported. the repair costs are estimated to be in excess of $2000 for frame replacement. i believe that ford should quickly develop and deploy a means of reinforcing the frame member and offer the repair via recall to windstar owners. since the parts are currently still on my vehicle, i can take photographs showing the deterioration of the sub-frame ends. as a side note: my windstar is equipped with the rearseat air-conditioning system. the evaporator is in the rear quarter-panel on the driver's side in the rear or the vehicle. while this affected components do not appear to be a critical part of the vehicle's structure, there is significant corrosion to the parts which are in the path of the condensate drain for the rear a/c system as well. this seems to confirm the belief that a/c condensate run-off is a key factor in the sub-frame corrosion issue. *tr

I was driving my 2001 ford windstar lx minivan at approximately 60 mph on interstate 270 in madison county, illinois at approximately 7:30 pm on wed. 8/18/2010 when the vehicle's back end started to shake uncontrollably. thinking it might be a blown tire, i immediately pulled over to see if i could find the problem. seeing how all tires were fine, i continued. when reaching speed of 35 mph, the vehicle began to violently shake again. i was able to exit the interstate and continue on my journey at a rate of speed that did not exceed 25 mph. was able to make it home (under 5 miles through minimal city traffic) as the vehicle did not shake due to slower speed. when i reached home, i checked underneath the vehicle and noticed a large crack in the rear axle near the center of the axle. when researching the internet on windstar axles, i discovered that other windstar owners have experienced the same problem due to the windstar's axle design. also while doing research, i have discovered that ford is knowledgeable about the axle's defective design but has not evoked any action to correct the situation or has presented a recall. the 2001 ford windstar lx i own has 160,000 miles on it, but has not had any overwhelming mechanic failures on it except for air conditioning and minor electrical problems. the vehicle was recently taken to a local ford service center in alton, il on sat. 7/24/2010 for recall work, and even though the vehicle went through an inspection at the time, nothing was brought up about the axle showing signs of deterioration. the vehicle will go to a local mechanic tomorrow for an estimate. luckily, i will take it there myself because my life was at risk this evening due to the axle failure. *tr

2001 ford windstar. rear axle catastrophically failed while driving down a freeway. metallic clicking occurred while the car was driven in reverse the day before the catastrophic failure. *tr

2001 ford windstar rear axle failure. while driving at city speeds a loud clunking was noticed in the rear. no loss of control occurred. the dealership confirmed a rear axle failure and recommends replacement. the vehicle is owned in a "salt-belt" state, has 91,000 miles and has been lightly driven and well-maintained. *tr

Rear axle broke completely in half causing the wheels to turn inward while approaching highway speeds. i was able to control the vehicle as it swayed form side to side and pull to the berm. i had the van towed home and haven't repaired it yet. *tr

While driving our 2001 ford windstar which has only 60,000 miles at about 20 mph, a loud snap sound occurred, followed by wobbling from the back of the car and burning rubber smell as the vehicle came to a scrapping stop. we got out to see that the rear axle bar had snapped in two about a foot or so from the drivers rear wheel. we called geico and filed a claim, they are going to repair it but we will still have to pay a $500 deductible. they said that if they are successful in going after ford for this "defect", we would them be eligible for the $500 back . we see on the internet that there are two youtube.com videos about this same problem and these axles are snapped exactly where ours let go. we also see on the internet that the nhtsa has been investigating this problem since may of 2010. as of that date there were almost 300 occurrences of this failure in the northeast, i guess more and more of this occurrence will continue until ford recalls this defective weld or inadequate thickness of the rear axel bar itself. we hope no-one has to loose their lives before ford addresses this issue. we are so glad that we never made it to the entrance of the highway, because i cannot imagine what would have happened at highway speeds. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact waited for the manufacturer to perform the recall repair for three months. the vehicle crashed into another vehicle due to the faulty rear axle. the driver suffered injuries due to the crash. the dealer found a crack in the axle and advised her to call the manufacturer. the manufacturer stated that they would call give her a call when they determined the repair process or they would buy the vehicle back. the failure mileage was 120,000.

2001 ford windstar rear axle cracked in half - driving vehicle and heard a loud popping sound,(thought i broke a shock), back end of vehicle became unstable. looked underneath and found rear axle broken in half about one and a half foot from drives rear tire. have vehicle towed to garage to have fixed, they are aware of the problem since they said they have replaced several. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph and entering onto the interstate, the subframe from the engine separated from the vehicle. she then lost control of the vehicle and was unable to stop until the vehicle coasted to a stop. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the lower control arm mount had rusted out causing separation of the arm of the axle. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 103,000. updated 03/24/11*lj

2001 ford windstar van, rear axle snapped in half while driving. *tr

I read the article in the morning call in allentown, pa about the rear axles of the ford windstar and decided to go check our van. low and behold, there is a crack about 18 inches in from the driver side and is about 3 inches vertically. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving at 70 mph, the contact heard a loud, unusual explosion. the contact was able to exit the vehicle and found that the front sub frame and axle had fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was awaiting repairs. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 110,000. updated 11/19/10.*lj also, the oil pan gaskets was leaking. updated 11/24/10

The rear axel in my ford windstar ls van has broken apart in two pieces. the rear axel looks as though it is cut into two parts. i am very lucky that it happened in a place where i could pull over and assess the problem. i had recently taken a trip with my four children and if this had snapped during highway driving it could have flipped the van and hurt or killed us all not to mention any cars that could have been involved. the tires are leaning up against the wheel wells (turned out) and the axel is split. i hope that this is looked into further. ii have had no accidents, or incident that would have caused this. i feel as though it may have started on the inside of the axel due to the clean break. i have not yet fixed the vehicle. this is a situation where it could have been a serious safety issue for my family's life. i am concerned about the quality ford is providing its consumers, and the safety risk factor that is not considered. ford axels are defective, and salt belt states deserve the same safety standards and quality as other states. i am blessed to live through this experience and frustrated at the quality ford has provided. i am seriously considering not purchasing ford products in the future. *tr

I turned into my driveway today in my 2001 ford windstar and the rear axle snapped in half. the roadway-to-driveway transition is smooth. i wasn't hauling or towing anything. no injuries or property damage. i haven't had it repaired yet and there may be other damages to the vehicle such as the tire and the wheel bearing. *tr

1. driving to the supermarket with my family. 2. the rear axel broke in half, almost crashed. 3. having it towed and to be fixed. *tr

Rear axle broke while i was taking my grand daughter home..i am on a fixed income...now i have no transportation until i can get enough money to pay to have it fixed...my grand daughter could have been killed..luckily i was just pulling away from a stop sign when it happened... *tr

Rear axle broke while i was taking my grand daughter home..i am on a fixed income...now i have no transportation until i can get enough money to pay to have it fixed...my grand daughter could have been killed..luckily i was just pulling away from a stop sign when it happened... *tr

Ford windstar rear axle u failure - split/crack joints. *tr

1. rear axle completely cracked at 50 mph driving on the highway. able to control vehicle and got off the highway since exit was very closed. 2. once 3. n/a. *tr

While operating the vehicle i heard the rear tires screeching followed by a loud crack, along with difficult steering and frightening fish-tailing. there was smoke and an odor of burning rubber. i stopped the vehicle, with my three young children inside the car, and immediately noticed that both of the rear tires were coming-in at the top. i inspected under the vehicle and observed that the rear axle had a large crack located on the drivers side. this vehicle has never been in an accident and currently is not at all drivable. i have spoken with my local ford dealership and have been quoted a repair estimate of $1100-$1500. the mileage at the time of occurrence is 155,000. *tr

2001 ford windstar was bouncing over bumps and felt like shocks needed replacing. i did web search and also found complaints of rear axle failures. i replaced the shocks and decided to check the axle while i was under the car. sure enough, just in from the right rear wheel, the rear portion of the rear axle has a 3-4 inch crack. *tr

1. 2001 ford windstar 158,000 miles has a broken real axel. the vehicle has only had normal use. no accidents. 2.the broken axel makes the vehicle undrivable. no injuries or accidents involved. 3. looking into repair but yet unsure of costs. won't buy a used replacement due to the frequency of this problem. *tr

I own a 2001 ford windstar se. in july 2010 i noticed two cracks in the rear axle. manufacturer warranty has expired on this vehicle. i had the cracks repaired (welded). *tr

I have a 2001 windstar. my rear axle snapped in half after exiting the freeway. the mileage is about 152,000. my wife was driving at the time it occurred with our 3 children in the vehicle. she heard a nap while driving, but the vehicle made no noticeable change in the manner in which it drove. when i drove the car i heard the tire rubbing the fender while taking a sharp left and pulled over immediately. i inspected the rear and found the axle split in two but was held together by friction. i had it taken the repair shop immediately and left my family on the curb. ford is lucky this didn't kill anyone. with all the complaints i have recently seen while investigating this issue on the internet they obviously know about the problem. it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt. given the nature of the vehicle, a minivan, the odds of having children in the car at the time of failure are high. regardless if there is a recall, notices should be sent to at least warn the current owners to have the vehicle's rear axle inspected. in my opinion, because of the numerous complaints filed, ford is now responsible for any and all injuries that come as a result of a failed rear axle until they notify the owners. *tr

For 2-3 weeks, at times, we noticed a popping noise from the back end when turning into driveways/parking lots. then one tuesday we noticed the back end of the van would sway after hitting a bump in the road. on thursday of that week while driving to work i noticed the van would "vibrate" after hitting a bump. i liken it to riding on an old fashioned washboard. i slowed to a stop and then decided it would be best to get off the road. the van would not move. upon examination the rear axle was broken through on the drivers side and the tops of the rear wheels where turned in toward the van. the vehicle was towed to a shop where repairs were done - a new rear axle, 2 rear shocks (both were bent as a result of the broken axle), a new tire (damaged from rubbing on the wheel well) with its associated items and alignment. *tr

I own two 2001 windstars and on both vehicles the rear axle cracked causing severe swerving, it happened last year about 3 weeks apart, because i used to be a mechanic i replaced both axles myself. my sister also owns a 2001 fordstar and because of what happened to me i inspected her car earlier this year and did not see any cracks but today while she and her kids were driving down the highway her rear axle snapped in half and she stated she almost lost control. they could have been killed!! the car has not been fixed and i still have the old axles for my cars. *tr

Noise coming from rear of car. further investigation reveals large crack in rear axle. the axle is cracked three quarters of the way thru just to the drivers side of centerline. this could be a serious safety issue if it broke at highway speed. the car has never been in an accident and has had normal maintenance and good care. rust does not appear to be a cause for this failure. *tr

I own a 2001 ford windstar with 80,000 miles on it, never had an accident and the rear axle broke in half today. car is not drivable, i had it towed to my mechanic. i maintain my vehicle all the time but i have had such problems with the 2001 windstar. i have a file on all that i have had done on the car. this vehicle was not abused by us. it is a defective car. in may, i had the fuel injection fixed cause the car just died. the windstar is not a very safe car. *tr

2001 ford windstar ...driving on july 3rd ,hit pothole and didn't realize till later that the rear axle beam cracked....the vehicle is at the mechanic shop and we are having trouble locating a used part that is not cracked...the new one is too expensive ..please help. *tr

I was driving about 55 mph on a highway when the back end started to sway side to side. i slowed down, heard a loud noise, smoke and burning rubber was noticed and i pulled over. as i got out i noticed the drivers rear tire tilted in. i walked behind the van and noticed the axel was snapped in two. i called my mechanic and he stated this seams to be a common occurrence with this vehicle. miles are 118,000. *tr

While driving the van (2001 ford windstar) it began to handle erratically. this was an intermittent experience, but at times quite sever. after arriving home, i inspected under the vehicle for any odd drips, hanging parts, etc. when pushing on each wheel i noticed the right rear was canted inward. upon further look under the van, i could see a large crack under the right side axle. i have stopped driving as it is unsafe at this point. there is no rust, and was no warning of trouble, it simply appears to have failed. the crack is nearly complete with only about 1 inch near the front of the axle holding it together. *tr

After reading of numerous occurrences of rear axle cracking, i examined my 2001 ford windstar on 6/27/2010 and found a 2 inch crack in the rear axle on the drivers side. contacted ford dealer for repair cost and was quoted approximately $1300. i am having axle replaced with new axle by reliable independent shop for $1000. car was taken to ford dealer early march 2010 for oil change and to be checked over for expected extensive travel this summer. repairs performed at ford dealer came to over $2000 and included replacing driver side rear axle seal. no mention was made of the crack at that time, however the amount of rust on the crack appears to indicate the crack started quite some time ago. vehicle has never been in an accident and has always been registered in the new york area. mileage is 113,854 at time of repair. *tr

I was driving my 2001 ford windstar when i noticed that the rear of my car seemed to be swerving. i was having difficulty being able to control the car. the tire pressure indicator came on so i assumed that i needed to inflate the tires. fortunately i made it home and after inspecting the tires came to find that my rear axle was almost completely broken apart. you can almost completely see through the axle and there is rust around the break. the tires were leaning inward toward the wheel well. i had to have a flat bed tow truck tow it to our mechanic. ford told us that this is not a known issue however i have found hundreds of complaints for the exact same issue for this vehicle. ford has told us that it will cost $497 for a new axle. our mechanic called around looking for a used part at junkyards and was told that they have been selling a lot of these for this same issue and an old part would run $400. so obviously this is a known issue that ford is not acknowledging. i can't believe that a recall has not occurred. i really hope that it doesn't have to take serious accidents possibly causing death for them to acknowledge it. *tr