Problems with 2001 Ford Windstar STRUCTURE

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

The front sub frame and control arm rusted at 116,000 miles only. this is a big safety issue on all ford windstars, mine is a 2001 model. *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

My family (7 members) was returning home from a vacation day. we were 2 1/2 hours from home when suddenly our van jerked to the right very hard and i lost all control of the steering. our vehicle was heading straight for a guardrail and concrete bridge wall. somehow we managed to miss both and ended up in the ditch over 500 yds from where we first lost control. imagine my surprise when i got out expecting to see maybe a flat tire, but instead saw the passenger front tire sideways. not knowing alot about cars, i called my neighbor to possibly help me. he drove the large distance with his trailer to come pick us up. when he got there he looked and saw the front subframe had completely rusted away from the body mount and had caused the lower control arm to sheer off the frame. this in turn caused the axle to pull out of the transmission rendering the vehicle completely inoperable. when i got home the next morning i found out through the newspaper that the rear axle had just been recalled for similar corrosion problems. i was astonished. what more amazed me was given the fact that serious injury or death could have easily occurred that more was not done to resolve the situation. when we contacted the manufacturer we were told that they wouldn't help us, but we could take the vehicle to their dealer and they would be happy to repair it at our cost, but it would come with a 1 yr./12,000 mile warranty. this repair could cost upwards of $5,000. i nor my neighbor,who has been a mechanic for years, have never seen a vehicle less than 10 years old rust apart like that when there is barely any rust on the body of the vehicle. this situation needs serious action because the problem is not one that is easily detected by anyone who doesn't know what they are looking for. unfortunately ours was not detected ahead of time , and thankfully my family was able to make it through with only some bad dreams and scared kids. *tr

2001 ford windstar was making noises in the back for a couple months. just recently, the noise got much louder when backing up and going out of my driveway. before driving today, i looked under the back of the vehicle to see that the rear axle beam was cracked at least 95% about 18 inches from the drivers wheel. i could have been killed if i was driving on the expressway and lost control. i have to get this fixed and cannot drive the van. *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

Ford windstar rear axel break 1. heard odd sound under car 2. rear axel broke near driver side of car. 3. dealer says they cannot get the part, i must find my own. *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

Driving along at minimal speed, +/- 30 mph, i heard and felt a "snap" in the rear of my ford windstar. then an immediate dragging feeling and scraping of metal from the rear end followed. the car swerved and slowed to a stop. no additional vehicles were involved, but an easy collision could have resulted, if not for the fact i was approaching a left turn lane and was able to steer clear of traffic. i checked the back of the vehicle and the axle was cleanly broken in two, as if a seam had split. this could have been an extremely dangerous situation, life threatening in my opinion if i was driving at highway speeds. *tr

2001 ford windstar. right front subframe rotted at mounted point to main frame. had been hearing slight grinding noise for past week or so from right side of vehicle. several attempts were made to diagnose noise with no success. vehicle was raised on jacks for inspection and it was found that the frame had rotted through at the mounting point. vehicle requires complete front subframe replacement. *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

For several months, my wife and i noticed a creaking/thumping sound coming from the left rear of our 2001 ford windstar sel, which has 111,000 miles on it. the sound was especially noticeable when turning at low speeds and at the same time experiencing an elevation change (e.g., entering a driveway from the road). the ford dealer told us we needed new rear shocks, which we replaced for $500+. the vehicle handled a little better and the sound seemed to be reduced, but never totally went away. over the next couple months, the sound gradually worsened. we were planning a long road trip for our summer vacation, so we took the vehicle back to the dealer the day before we were going to leave. this time, the dealer told us the rear axle beam was cracked. i'm sure that was part, if not all, of the problem that we experienced the first time we brought it in, because the sound was the same. regardless, we were fortunate enough to discover the problem before we were on the road with our three children and a van fully loaded for a 10-day vacation. i asked the ford technician how it could possibly be that ford could make a minivan with a rear axle beam that failed after only nine years of routine use. he didn't have much to say, but all you need to do is take a close look at the axle beam to understand why. it's as thin as an aluminum baseball bat, and it's just as hollow. a pop can has more structural integrity. i mentioned the problem to a neighborhood auto mechanic, and he said this happens on 'all' windstars. rather than pay the $1000 repair bill, and given the dozens of other issues we've had with this substandard vehicle, we decided to just buy a new vehicle. we were considering trading the windstar, but before doing so, i decided to see if this problem was as common as the local mechanic implied. turns out it is. this is a serious safety issue, and all affected vehicles need to be recalled immediately. *tr

I have a 2001 ford windstar that the front subframe failed on. i was sitting at a stop light waiting for it to turn green. when the light changed i took my foot off the brake and pushed on the gas. i heard a big clunk sound and the steering wheel began to spin freely. i slowly drove the vehicle into the center median and found that the front subframe had failed right under the floorboards. had this occurred at a high speed the outcome could have been grave. i had no way to steer the vehicle. this failure needs to be addressed asap. the vehicle has been driven in the salt belt as they say all its life. *tr

Broken rear axle in my 2001 ford windstar-2nd occurrence had the axle repaired/welded in 2009 on the left rear and now the right rear is cracked rendering the car undriveable. *tr

My wife was pulling out of a driveway with her 2001 ford windstar when there was a loud noise and the wheels turned and locked in position. the vehicle was towed to an auto repair shop and it was determined that the subframe was completely rusted through. this could have been a very dangerous situation if it would have happened at highway speed. the vehicle has 96,000 miles on it. it cost $1,600 to get repaired. ford has a problem with the metal on these vehicles. vehicle frames should not rust out. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the contact noticed an unusual cracking noise coming from the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who stated that the frame that held the rear wheels together had fractured in half. the contact informed the dealer of the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the current and failure mileages were approximately 106,000.

While driving our 2001 ford windstar pulling a 7'x12' trailer at 60 m.p.h. on a two lane state route road we crossed an intersection of a county road there was a small hump at the intersection there was a very loud bang followed by a tire screeching and loss of steering the van pulled very hard to the right into the grass correcting we came back into our lane and started into the oncoming lane i was able to bring the van back to our lane and then slowly back to the grass where we came to a stop 1500' past the intersection after looking at the van i had found that the back mount of the right lower control arm was wet and had rusted and broke off causing the right wheel to turn out pulling the drive shaft out and locking up the wheel causing the loss of steering i believe that over time the evaporator dripped condensation on to the mount causing it to rust a fail this is a very serious structural failure and could cause serious injuries or death and is just not a pleasant time not wanting to pay $900 to $2000 to be repaired i found a good sub frame at a junk yard for $150( some frames may be more money) and will replace it myself this is a very big and hard project that will take a lot of time i have the right tools and knowhow i don't recommend trying for everyone this is a backup vehicle so i have the time to fix it ford or the n.h.t.s.a. should recall all vehicles with the potential of this problem before some one gets badly hurt or dies this problem will not go away only get worse i urge all owners of any windstar to check there right lower control arm mounts to see if they are bad. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. the main sub frame was separated and covered with rust on the front passenger side door. while driving 35 mph he heard a noise coming on the front passenger side of the vehicle. a local mechanic discovered that the frame was covered with rust and separating from the side of the vehicle. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that there was no program or warranty to cover the failure. claim#0355841870 was filed with the manufacturer regarding the failure. the failure and current mileages were 69,000.

I was driving my 2001 ford windstar making a right turn when i straightened out i noticed that my steering wheel was still turned at a 45 degree angle. being cautious now listened for warning sounds of possible further problems, there was no strange sounds or shaking nothing to indicate what would happen next . as i continued on my journey i was driving 50km an hour when suddenly the front end of the van dropped sitting on both front tires, causing me to lose control of steering and braking. i slid down the street eventually crashing into the curb thankfully no one was injured and no other vehicle was involved. i exited the vehicle and noticed transmission fluid pouring out onto the road. my van was towed to the mechanics and we discovered that the right control arm that is connected to the front sub frame brackets were totally roughed out due to bad design in the sub frame in which the brackets are welded to the frame which has a bowl like base which collects water and salt and speeds up the corrosion time. this is a serious safety issue for other windstar vans, if i was on a major highway doing 100km this would of been a fatal accident. if this would of happened the police would of determined that i was going to fast or some other reason other than the control arm breaking of. there has been a recent recall for the rear axle cracking and splitting in half due to bad u shape design of the axle in where again salt and water become trapped and speed up the corrosion time. so i believe that the control arm is a serious safety issue which needs to be dealt with by issuing a recall as well. *tr

Rear axel cracked in two driving around 40 mph as of today do not have the money to fix it 07/01/2010. also pass side door opens every once and awhile when driving. *tr

2001 windstar [xxx] sel sub frame snapped while driving almost causing a serious accident. tow company said this was very rare that the subframe had rusted through. repaired at a cost of $1058.03 total parts (used subframe) and labor. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *ln

2001 windstar rear axle broke in half causing the rear tire to smoke and burn the rubber off the tire and the undercoating on the wheel well. driving on highway at 55 mph. started to feel a sway just before it broke, nearly causing an accident. tire was very hot and smoking,we were told she was lucky the tire did not blow. *tr

It was raining & i was driving home with my sons in the van when it suddenly swerved out of control, fish-tailing into the direction of oncoming traffic. i almost lost complete control and narrowly avoided hitting another vehicle. i proceeded home cautiously, thinking the way the van was now handling was due to road conditions. the next day it continued to handle difficultly, and i noted a squealing tire sound with turns - i thought perhaps the tires needed air, and it was still raining. that afternoon, as i was merging onto the highway, the van randomly started to fish-tail over two lanes, nearly rolling over. i was barely able to obtain control. i proceeded home cautiously, noting the tires were squealing more with turns & it was more difficult to handle. once home i checked the tires & they seemed fine. i loaded my sons in the van, against my better judgment, to have dinner at a friends house. i planned to have her boyfriend check it while we were there (my husband was gone for two weeks). i cautiously drove down our road and when i took the long curve by the school the tires began to squeal loudly and the van started swerving all over, into oncoming traffic. it rocked and swerved & nearly flipped, scaring all 3 of us nearly to death. i finally was able to stop the van & had my son get out and watch as i drove past slowly. he immediately started screaming to get out! the wheels were about to fall off! i slowly & fearfully pulled into the church lot we were next to and discovered that both rear tires were tipped in at the top, like a tee-pee. we were all shaken, knowing how close we came to dying. the van was eventually loaded onto a flatbed truck and brought home. my husband got home & discovered the steel support beam was split nearly in half in the middle. i thank god we didn't go over the bridge that night - we would've had a massive accident, injuring/killing who-knows how many people! we wont replace it with used parts & there aren't new ones. *tr

I own a 2001 ford windstar limited and while driving the car the rear axel snapped in half. i was stuck but thankfully was able to have a tow truck bring it to my house. both back tires and totally bent in as the axel is literally broken in half. i now have no means of transportation which kills me as we always kept this car up to date on all maintenance. we just had the front aligned, tie rods replaced as well as many other repairs recently. as i said we always have the oil changed and all other scheduled maintenance on time. this is a real blow as right now we don't have the money to fix it or replace it. i cannot believe ford does not have to have a recall on this and their error is our loss and the loss of many others. i am disgusted and although a ford costumer for many, many years will no longer consider ford in the future. shame on you ford, lives are at stake her; have a conscience. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact was driving approximately 20 mph when she heard an abnormal pop and the vehicle began to steer improbably. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the dealer replaced the front sub frame due to severe rust. the contact stated that the sub frame was fractured in two. the failure mileage was 140,445 and the current mileage was 145,000. updated 01/12/11*lj updated 04/19/11

Brake light was on in my 2001 ford, windstar. brought the vehicle to our mechanic to check it out and make necessary repairs. our mechanic called me and informed me that the frame of the vehicle was rotted out and that in his opinion it was unsafe to drive and the cost to repair it were not worth it. we bought this vehicle new in october of 2001 and it only has about 28,000 miles on it. we do not live any where near the ocean, but live in massachusetts, where salt and sand are used on the roads in the winter. but as you can tell with the low mileage on the vehicle it was not driven much any way. i am forced to buy a new vehicle to replace this one. *tr

I am the original owner of a 2001 ford windstar. while driving at highway speed, the rear axle snapped, which resulted in the loss of control of the vehicle. as a result, i was involved in a collision with a vehicle in the next lane. *tr

2001 ford windstar minivan rear axel break. went on-line and have read hundreds of complaints about rear axles breaking in half. no other cars axles are breaking. *tr

Rear axle on my son's 2001 ford windstar cracked almost all the way through on the drivers side. about 14 inches from the wheel. both rear tires were wrecked because of rubbing inside of wheel well. *tr

Rear axle cracked in half causing further damage to the van. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving 35 mph the contact lost control of the vehicle after a hearing a loud noise. when the vehicle stopped the contact noticed that the front end of the vehicle had broken off. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop and the front sub frame was replaced. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the sub frame and they stated that there was nothing they could do. the contact was concerned about numerous complaints regarding the front sub frame. if the vehicle was traveling any faster than it was it could have caused a major crash. the failure mileage was 247,000.

Vehicle: 2001 ford windstar lx; mileage approx. 113k today, i had a scheduled appt. for my local garage to inspect a noise/vibration issue with the family minivan. this is the vehicle which my wife and kids use routinely. while backing out of my driveway to get to the garage, i heard a large snap and the rear-end of the van slumped onto the driver's rear tire. the rear axle beam had snapped in half. in reviewing online forums with other ford drivers, this is failure is a frequent occurance with ford windstars after 100k miles. that is not a large number of miles, considering the "investment" typical middle class families need to make in order to have a vehicle for commuting. i shudder what could have happened if my family was traveling at higher speeds on an expressway. it is to a point that one can not find replacement rear axle beams for repairs because of the great number of repairs required in the market. please investigate this trend with the ford windstar... this can be another toyota lying in wait.

I own a 2001 ford windstar. we are the original owners and have performed all routine maintenance on the vehicle. it began making a grinding noise in the back when turning into our driveway which has a slight ridge at the end of it. we had our mechanic check it and he found that the rear axle is cracked half way through. fortunately we found this before it broke while traveling on the highway. i don't know what we are going to do to fix it yet because we can't afford an $1100 repair bill. *tr

Driving down the road and sounded like a tire blew. pulled off road and noticed rear passenger tire completely buckled in. looked under vehicle and saw rear axle was in 2 pieces. had to replace rear axle, brake line, and tire. *tr

Front wheel on passenger side disconnected from frame while moving. frame rusted. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while driving approximately 10 mph, the front ball joint broke and the driver lost control of the steering wheel; however, he was able to avoid a crash. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop where the contact was informed that the engine cradle rusted and caused the failure. the vehicle was repaired when the complaint was filed. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were approximately 91,000.

Vehicle was purchased in november 2009. i first began having problems with the abs/brake light coming on, in february 2010. the next incident was the power windows on drivers side and back window would not role down. the next incident was the heater wont work. a recall and repair was done on the rear subframe 11s16 in april of 2010.vehicle repair was not complete now taking in for front under carriage repair on wed 21,2012. *tr

On feb. 21, 2010 it was necessary to have my vehicle towed by aaa. after the driver got it on the ramp truck, he told me he wanted to show me something at the rear of the vehicle. there is a crack in the middle of the rear axle. he informed me that mine was the third vehicle of the same kind in about 2 weeks, that he had to tow because of a broken axle. i haven't driven it since, until i can make some arrangements to get it fixed. apparently from information i have found, there are numerous people who have had the same problem. it happens unexpectedly and usually around 100,000 to 122,000 miles. there is as yet no recall but i think there should be. it's a definite safety issue. *tr

During a rear tire check on our 2001 ford windstar it was discovered that there is a crack in the rear axle beam. friends of ours have the same year vehicle and last year their windstar rear axle beam broke in two and locked up the rear wheels, luckily there was no accident. i have been monitoring our axle beam since then and now it is cracking. i don't dare have my wife drive it, especially on the highway. why has ford not recalled this??? this could be catastrophic at highway speeds if it snapped. i need to get this fixed immediately and have heard it is at least $1,000 !! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford windstar. while the vehicle was being serviced the mechanic noticed that the k frame was covered with rust. the local mechanic replaced the k frame. the failure mileage was 96,000 and the current mileage was 99,000.

I have a 2001 ford windstar and for the 3rd time the rear end tire support has broken in half driving down the road. my family and i feel lucky to be here to write this at this time and it is my 17 year old sons primary car to drive so i can have general insurance but not full coverage. i feel if he was driving when this happened he would have been in a terrible accident, god was watching out for us. it has cost me over a thousand dollars for each repair and at this time i am without the family vehicle and don't see that it would be a good idea to fix this again knowing that its going to break again. i cant afford a new vehicle and this car has been dependable other than this problem. the rear end is scarce at salvage yards, we haven't been able to locate one yet that tells me i'm not the only one having the problem. the van is made for seven and there are 5 in my family so overloading is not the problem, nor rust they are free from that and the last repair we replaced the shocks to reduce vibration problems if it existed. i fear soon i will read about a family tragedy because of this problem and i want it on record about this complaint. before making each repair we checked to see if there was a recall and to date there is none. i am in the service work business and i understand thing fail, brakes, water pumps, computers, engines but i should have never had to put a nickel into this problem. any help or guidance you can give me would be greatly appreciated. thank you for listening. *tr

I was driving my car and heard noise in back , car was steering erratic , went to repair shop and was told the rear axel on my 2001 ford windstar broke . i was told this is a ongoing problem with windstars and ford won't do anything about it . it will cost me 1200.00 to fix . ford is lucky no one was killed in a accident with this problem . look on the internet i found over 60!!!! complaints on different sites regarding this problem . do something please. luckily i was going slow !! *tr

2001 ford windstar sel, passenger side lower control arm broke off frame because of rusted, corroded cradle. *tr

I just got off the expressway and made a left turn when the front wheels of my 2001 windstar both turned out in opposite directions. i had it towed and found out the frame broke. i had the frame replaced with a used one. cost $1,187.15 plus tow $105.10. now i hear this is a common problem and i am concerned it could happen again. at highway speeds i worry about loss of control. *tr

Rear axle broke, car was towed (flatbed) to repair facility. broken axle assembly removed and replaced with a new axle. *tr

201 ford windstar. engine/transmission subframe/cradle rusts through leaving vehicle uncontrollable. it is reported to be caused by ac drain dripping directly on subframe assembly. *tr

Traveling along a major highway approx. 70 mph, the engine cradle assembly became detached from the frame due to corrosion and subsequently the cv axel became detached from the wheel and the control arm also became detached. the vehicle became un controllable and luckily we didn't flip or hit someone else. this is a very serious condition and a sub frame assembly shouldn't come apart on a vehicle with only 70k miles on it. i have called ford motor co. with no help or even an apology as there is no recall for any issues like this. again, this is very serious issue and we were luck we weren't killed. *tr

Driven down the road the front passenger axle pops out lose of alignment vehicle wont run both front tires are looking the opposite way.... how can i find out how to fix this. vehicle is not drivable. *tr

The rear axle collapsed, just as my family was heading to the highway for a road trip. we were able to have the car towed to the dealership where they repaired the vehicle to the cost of $900. we had no choice but to authorize the repair as it was the only car we had that could transport my family of six to a christmas vacation. i had read about rear axle failures in these mini vans two years ago from this website when i researched and filed a complaint after the brakes failed while traveling at 65mph on the highway in this same vehicle. *tr

Front right subframe broke and allowed wheel to be trapped in weelwell very close to crash had replaced and used replacment broke just over one year later