Problems with 2002 Ford Windstar STRUCTURE

I have a 2002 ford windstar with 94,000 miles on it. i have lately been hearing a loud banging sound whenever i make turns so i brought to the mechanic and was told that the rear axle is nearly cracked in half. i can see that this is a very common issue with this car. i am afraid to drive it, afraid that when it splits, i'm going to get into an accident. i simply can't afford the $1000 plus it's going to cost me to repair it, and better yet, my other car is a 2003 ford windstar. so i'm also afraid i'll have to deal with this twice. *tr

West her ford of amherst advised us to replace the front sub frame on our 2002 windstar because it was cracked due to road salt. although it passed nysi, they told us it wasn't safe to drive, so we spent $1600 to replace it (rather than replace the vehicle). now, they've recalled the rear axle from the same model and year vehicle for the same problem (cracked due to road salt). *tr

I have a 2002 ford windstar minivan and i was driving down the road when i felt like i lost control of the back end of the van and then i heard metal scrapping noises. i stopped the car and found the passenger rear tire tilted in and a big crack in the rear axle. approx speed at the time 40 mph. *tr

First time i was riding on a major highway doing about 65 mph and i heard a loud crack followed by a rubbing noise coming from the rear of the car. when i looked in the rear view mirror their was smoke coming from the back. i pulled over and my rear tires were pointed inward and the axle was broken in half. that happened around february 2010. i had it replaced from my mechanic with a used rear axle and the same thing just happened again on july 8th, 2010. after talking with my mechanic, he said his parts supply guy is getting a lot of requests for these axles. *tr

2002 ford windstar rear axle cracked. *tr

2002 ford windstar rear trailing axle broke completely ,can not be welded back together. driving along a country road about 35 miles an hour and it just gave way. vehicle had been inspected recently with no defect recognized. owners need to completely replace the part with a new axle as part can not be found in salvage yard in our area due to this being a very common issue. *tr

I was entering the highway as i started to accel i heard a loud thump. immediately my car began swerving and almost tipped over, it felt as though the rear tires fell off. there was a large amount of smoke and sparks coming from the rear of the car and i struggled to stay in control of the vehicle. ultimately the rear axle broke in half without warning and out of no where. i did not hit anything and was driving safely. luckily there was a break in traffic or i have no doubt i would have hit other cars on the road. the car came extremely close to flipping, it tipped at one point and would have flipped on the passenger side if not for my quick reaction. the vehicle was towed and my mechanic immediately told me axles do not break like this and he advised me to call ford to see if there was a manufactures problem with the axle. i called my local dealer and was advised that ford have experienced no problems like mine and my car is out of warranty so there is nothing they could do. only after i came home and searched the web did i realize there are thousands and thousands of other windstar owners who experienced the same kind of breakage and i believe a more aggressive investigation needs to take place. the axle needs to be repaired and if this is a manufacturers defect it need to be fixed before someone is killed. *tr

1.my wife was traveling east bound on rt59 in stow, oh at 36 mi/hr. there had been a knocking noise coming from what we thought was the rear driver's side tire the week prior. we had a mechanic work on the brakes and fluids and asked to investigate the sound. the mechanic was unable detect anything wrong with the vehicle. so we continued to drive the vehicle. 2. the 2002 ford windstar's rear axle broke in half causing my wife to lose temporary control of the vehicle. she was able to regain control and pull over, avoiding serious injury. 3.we had the entire rear axle replaced at a cost of $1200. *tr

2002 ford windstar rear axle is cracked on both sides. vehicle has 104,000 miles. well maintained and never abused. i was shocked and in awe when i noticed this today while i was rotating the tires. i went on the internet and found this was a common problem and under investigation. i am a safety professional and a member of the american society of safety engineers (ase). my two children ride in this vehicle every day. some of these vans are used at daycare denters and small bus companies. this is a serious defect. i have read comments about people down-playing this, and feeling this is a waste of time. this investigation is completely justified and rational. owr van is in great shape and showing no other signs of major rust or defects. if this had failed on the highway, the results could have been deadly. these are family vehicles designed specifically for transporting a bunch of kids. i drove two 5 year olds to a birthday party 40 miles on the highway yesterday with no knowledge of the problem. feel free to contact me. i can provide pictures. thank you *tr

Backing up when rear axle broke on vehicle. *tr

While driving our 2002 ford windstar at approximately 40 mph on route 22 in union, nj, the rear axle broke in two. the vehicle started exhibiting some control problems with the rear end swaying prior to a loud bang followed by the vehicle dragging to a stop. the rear tires rubbed against the inside wheel wells producing odor and smoke at the vehicle came to a stop. *tr

2002 ford windstar; the rear axle broke in two while driving at 40 mph. both tires tilted out, axle cracked a little to the left of center while looking at it from the rear of the vehicle. fortunately my wife was able to control the van. i understand this has happened in hundreds of windstars, and something needs to be done before people die, if they have not already. *tr

2002 ford windstar with 118,000 miles. rear axle cracked. had to replace axle for 1000. my family could have been killed. i have seen many complaints about this. do something. *tr

Rear axle failure; ford windstar 2002. *tr

2002 ford windstar. picked my daughter up at college to come home for the summer. college 4 hours from home. missed a turn to get on highway. turned around in a gas station and thought i had a flat tire as the steering felt funny. stopped, got out to look, here the rear axle had broken about 12 inches in from the wheel on the drivers side. called aaa, got towed, tow driver tells me he has picked up at least 6 windstars in last year with same problem and all in the exact place where it has broke. i just thank god i wasn't back on i 80 going 65 when it happened. someone is going to get killed by this. i was lucky. plus had to miss work, buy a used axle, stay in a hotel, etc..... ford should stand behind their product and reimburse these expenses. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. the contact stated that while driving at speeds of 30 mph, she heard an unusual banging noise. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where she was advised that the main beam had fractured. the mechanic performed the necessary repairs by welding the beam securely to the vehicle. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls on her vehicle. the failure and current mileages were 119,500.

Yesterday, march 15, 2010, i was driving back to work after lunch and noticed an unusual rubbing and rattling sound at the rear of my 2002 ford windstar van. i pulled into a parking lot to look at the tires (i thought one might be defective) - i didn't notice anything unusual. i continued on to work (approximately 1/4 to 1/2 mile away and parked my vehicle. i got down and looked under the rear of the vehicle and saw that the rear axle had broken completely in half and the right rear tire was leaning into the fender well. it was obvious that i would not be able to drive the car so i called a tow truck to have the vehicle removed to a repair center. the result was that i had the part welded back together but the tires are still cocked out at an unusual angle which i am pretty sure will cause the tires to wear in an unsafe way. not only that but the rear end of the van sits at an odd angle now. i just purchased the car in october 2009 and it only has 52k miles on it. i went online and checked to see if there have been any complaints regarding this problem and found that there have been numerous complaints about this model vehicle with the very same problem. i was surprised that were so many. i sent an inquiry to ford motor corp and am awaiting a response in regards to repair or replacement parts support. *tr

Went over a small pot hole and rear axle broke. needed to replace rear axle. axle also needed to be repaired for crack in 2009. *tr

The rear door on the drivers side for more that a week now opens on it's own while i am driving along the highway. for more than two years the door have been a problem due to the fact that either of them will close on the first attempt when the automatic button to close them is used. 3 times in 2 weeks, car has stalled while driving at 25 miles per hour. *tr

Our 2002 ford windstar se on chrstmas night on our way home from in-laws the rear axle snapped in half, after searching online i found that this happened to 2 other people and feel this is a life threatening problem and ford should make a recall on issue. being this happened on a holiday we have to wait till monday morning when our mechanic opens shop to find out what we are going to do. also our insurance company was notified and is sending someone on tuesday to appraise the damage. here is the link to those people this happened to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sunu9d7ejmu this one even made the news. thank you for taking your time to review this issue. *tr

The passenger door does not close all the way vehicle was not in a accident had placed in shop numerous times but to know avail. there was a recall on the 1999 windstar for body but not on the 2002. could this also apply to my other vehicle since i do not feel secure driving my children in this vehicle. the shop said as long as the door locks i have nothing to worry about. please call or email me at [xxx] or holden_[xxx] . information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. during an oil change a mechanic discovered frame corrosion. the vehicle has not been driven because the engine can fall out without any prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 80,000.

I have a 2002 ford windstar sel. in october of 2009 my van started pulling to the left and became hard to control on the road. when i looked at my van from the back i could see my back tires were bowed outward. i took my van to the auto shop and was told the back axle was cracked and ready to bust. i have read about this same thing happening to other consumers with 2002 windstars and i think it's a major safety issue and a recall should be issued. i had a large repair bill and my brand new back tires were completely destroyed and had to be replaced due to the bowing of the tires as a result of the busted axle. *tr

When driving my 2002 ford windstar mini van on the highway we noticed a loud slamming noise from the rear causing the vehicle to lose control, swerving to the right shoulder and stalling with the tail end still in the middle of the two lane highway, as the tractor trailer behind us who was very alert nearly missed a rear end collision with our vehicle. upon inspection of the underside of the vehicle we noticed the rear axle beam was split in two, rusted and rotted out and hanging to the ground, a tow truck was notified and the operator stared in disbelief that the axle had broken in half. this obvious defect could have cost us our lives. this defect needs to be addressed immediately before a some lives are lost as a result of the ford windstar rear axle beam breaking while occupants and passengers are riding in this vehicle. this incident was reported to the ford customer service assistance center and they took the information about the vehicle and the nature of the complaint advising me to speak to a ford service manger and for the defective vehicles broken axle to be inspected by a ford dealer.fords customer assistance rep advised me not to return a call to them because they have the incident on file and the ford service manager would follow up on the complaint. upon speaking to the ford service manager he asked a bout the type of problem year and model of the vehicle. being a 2002 windstar with 153,000 miles he stated that because of the mileage and the age of the vehicle ford would not assist me in getting this situation resolved. he also stated that the cost to repair this problem would be 5 hours labor charge @ $100.00 per hour and the cost of the axle beam would be $500.00 plus what ever other damages incurred. as these would be my out of pocket costs plus a $275.00 tow charge. needless to say how costly this event became as well as the possible worst case scenario a fatal accident could have occurred as a result of this defect. this must be addressed. *tr

I was traveling at approximately 30 mph, heard an unusual noise, felt like i hit a bump, momentarily lost control of vehicle, traveled approximately 50 more feet to side of road with all kinds of intermittent bumping, screeching and unusual sounds. i got out and saw my driver's side rear tire folded into the wheel-well. i saw the same thing on the other side. had to have a flatbed take it to a garage. rear axle had broken in two and will be replaced. there is some other possible damage to equipment near rear axle that has yet to be determined. *tr

My 2002 ford windstar has a cracked rear axle! my fiance noticed it "fishtailing" alot and a noise from the rear of the van. i checked right away and saw the tire leaning in on the passenger side. upon looking underneath i saw the axle cracked almost completely in two! searched the internet and got hundreds of hits on windstars with the same problem!! *tr

While driving at a low speed (35 mph), suddenly and without warning or apparent reason, the rear axle snapped on my 2002 ford windstar minivan, locking the rear wheels and causing me to lose control of the vehicle. the axle, (ford calls it a "housing" looked as if it had simple snapped in half. - at the dealership, i learned that a similar incident had been reported a month earlier. - my concern is that this may occur repeatedly and to others traveling at highway speed. the windstar minivan is the vehicle of choice for people with young children. this failure caused both rear tires to fail to move, and in my opinion is a catastrophic failure of a critical component of the vehicle. *tr

Clunking noise heard in right rear of 2002 ford windstar. inspection by owner found crack in rear axle beam. ford dealer replaced axle beam stating it was cracked due to improper jacking. they pointed out two "dimples" in the underside of the axle beam as evidence of the improper jacking, and stated that the crack started there. after the rear axle beam was replaced, i investigated the underside of the new beam, and found the identical "dimples" were present on the new beam. these "dimples" are, i believe, caused by the forming of the beam by the manufacturer and not due to improper jacking. i believe that the rear axle beam of my ford windstar cracked because of an inherent defect caused during the forming process. *tr

Rear sliding passenger doors fail to close when using auto close feature. the vehicle has been taken to the dealership and each time the doors are serviced. shortly after being serviced the door stop latching closed again. the door slide harder on the vehicle equipped with the auto close feature so some operators will use the auto feature and then latch the door by manually pushing on it. miscommunication has lead to driving with the door not latched. when driving with door unlatched the power locks, and interior lights may cycle on and off causing a distraction to the driver and increase risk of accident. *nm

Dt: the door ajar light is on, checked all doors trying to open without touching the handles, and have cleaned the connections. also, checked them to make sure there was no debris, and light was still on. had an issue last year, cleaned it, and it went off, but now it was on. *ak.

Power sliding doors open while driving down the road. power doors do not release when person is in the way. power doors do not close and operate to specifications. vehicle has been serviced by extreme ford in overland park, ks numerous times. there continues to be issues surrounding this problem. power doors have also chipped rear glass ford has replaced glass once already. **ak updated 07/16/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

1) we were driving home from tulas,ok after the thanksgiving day holiday on saturday afternoon. pulled into our driveway. opened the power doors.) the right side power door trapped my daughters right leg when it was opening and did not sense there was resistance. the door broke her femur. *ak

Driver side sliding door does not open and close all the time. this has been reported three times to the repair shop and all repair attempts have failed to date.*ak over the 18 month period we have owned the vehicle, we have had the drivers power seat repaired, multiple electrical shorts fixed, vcp system repaired twice, as well as several other more minor electrical issues fixed. the quality of this 2002 ford windstar limited has been very poor.

While traveling on the highway and without prior warning side doors will open and close intermittently. *ak

In the front of the car under my feet as i drive, every once in a while i hear a loud metal noise and i can feel the vibration. it's hard to explain the noise but it sounds most like a low sounding pop. it generally happens when i'm turning or going over a bump. i have been told by the dealer that the bolts on the sub frame were loose and had to be tourist. they have had to do this twice now and my car currently has 35,000 miles on it. i first noticed the noise in january of 2003 and my car probably had about 16,000 miles on it then. *cb

The vehicle was shaky and unstable to ride and or steer under heavy eighteen wheeler traffic, when they passed the consumer's vehicle (aerodynamics or design problem) *nlm *scc *jb

Sliding door sensor doesn't respond quickly enough when objects are in the way to avoid closing. consumer's arm was bruised due to getting caught as door was closing. dealer was notified. *akconsumer is concerned for the safety of her grandchildren. the dealer did not seemed interested in the problem consumer presented to him, stating that is the way they are supposed to be. *jg

Both power sliding doors will not retract while being closed if an object is in the doorway. consumer is concerned young child might get caught in the door.*akconsumer also stated that the manufacturer felt that there was not a way to adjust the sensitivity of the doors. consumer said that he physically had a chance to test a chrysler mini vans slide door sensitivity and it retracted much easier. *scc

Sliding doors can result in serious injury

Power sliding doors have sensors to retract upon sensiing object, doors due not retract timely, pressure is felt on a adult arm,wrist, child, infant could be crushed. tested various other ford windstars and all sliding doors had different sensing, some were weak and some were tight, not two the same. if a adult cannot push the door or stop the forward motion, then a child would not stand a chance.*ak

While driving at any speed, intermittently the back right sliding door comes ajar. the problem has occurred on three occasions. the dealer has no idea what causes the problem. currently, the consumer has a problem with the back/left side door closing securely. *ak the door had been leaking since the vehicle was purchased. the door had a significant difference in space between the front door in comparison to the driver door. also the cruise control was inoperative. *sc *jb

The power sliding doors do not reverse direction when they encounter resistance. my 2 year old son placed his hand in the opening and it was almost crushed. if i hadn't been standing directly behind him and could pull extremely hard to get the door to reverse directions i feel he probably would have suffered severe injury to his hand. dt

Back doors will not open sometimes, and will not close sometimes.*ak consumer was informed to call dealership periodically, because the manufacturer was working on a solution, however it has been 8 months and there is still no remedy. *jb