Problems with 2000 Ford Windstar SUSPENSION

I was on my way to work driving my 2000 ford windstar when suddenly the car rear axle broke in half the wheels where bowed out i had to have a tow truck flatbed the car but he had some difficult time because it completely snapped into two. a few days before i heard some squeaking sound coming from the back and i was going to take it to the mechanic but then these happened. now i have been hearing squeaky sound coming from the front and maybe is the front axle now. this is ridiculous i hardly had money to pay for the repairs and the tow truck and now i have to take it again. i have had problems with this car over and over again the "check the engine" light is always on even after i take it to the mechanic to take a look at it . i will never buy another ford ever again. i paid so much money to have it repaired i took pictures of the accident. *tr

i own a 2000 ford windstar lx, my problem is that my wife, daughter and her two children, and one older adult was minutes away form getting into a serious highway accident due to the fact they were less than 1,000ft ft of getting onto the expressway when the rear axle of the van snapped almost into two pieces for no reason at all. after getting the van towed to my residence which was a 1/4 mile. after further inspection the rear axle seamed to have rotted from the inside out, there is no rust on the outer surface of this hollow axle that would of shown signs of breaking. i contacted a couple of used auto parts dealers and they had stated that they have my same model van but all of the axles on them are gone due to being sold to other people that had needed them. i am asking has there been other reports of this happening to this or later model years. my family could of been seriously injured or killed, and i have just recently done a trip to waukegan illinois and back to toledo ohio which was 950 miles of toll roads with speeds of 65-75 mph if this had let go at these speeds i will probably not be sending in this report. is there a recall for these style axles on this vehicle. thank you. *tr the consumer stated the axle broke for the second time. updated 02/04/15

I own a 2000 ford windstar lx . on august 4, 2010 at approximately 5pm i was driving at about 30 mph when suddenly i thought my tire had blown out. i saw lot's of smoke or dust coming from the rear end and the car was lurching to a stop. there was no other vehicle traffic on the road at the time. i pulled to a stop and got out to inspect my rear tires. i realized at that time that my rear axle had broken in half. i called a tow truck and was taken to my mechanic. *tr

2000 ford windstar rear axle cracked and vehicle is unstable to drive. *tr

2-3 days ago heard a clunk or two from right rear right rear. from that point on rear end felt a bit squirrelly (like shot or broken shock(s)/swaybar or linkage). a couple times going over mildly uneven road the rear end seamed to track laterally 4-6". last night returning home i pulled through an uneven roadwork area leading into our neighborhood and started heard a loud rubber rubbing sound. pulled to the curb pronto and found left rear wheel tilted in at top/back and rubbing fender well. walked home and returned with jack to find lugnuts tight and wheel spins well, but off axis. left it there and returned to web with symptoms and search routed me right to windstar rear axle cracking pe10016. will try and brace axle and limp it home the last 2 blocks soon. glad it occurred at slow speed! *tr

I was driving my 2000 windstar it has 113,000 miles on it and we bought it with a car fax report - we have owned it for 2 years and have been diligent on all maintenance. on july 27, 2010 i was traveling at 25 mph when i swerved to miss a car that pulled out in front of me, i went up on the curb and the back end of my car started smoking after i righted the car. i pulled over immediately and called for a tow. my mechanic said the real axle snapped in half and caused damage to the tire due to rotating against the frame. i had my four small children in the car and i just thank god i was going slow and not on the freeway. i certainly hope ford does something about this because this could be deadly. *tr

2000 ford windstar (rear axle split) action #pe10016. *tr

Ford windstar rear axle cracked. *tr

Crack in the rear axel beam . *tr

I was driving my 2000 windstar on the skuykill expressway on monday, july 19, 2010 at 12:33 pm on my way to an appointment. about a quarter mile befor the gilph mills exit heading east, i was in the passing lane traveling about 55-60 mph, when there was a load "pop" from the rear of my van. i immediately lost controll of the van and it slid across the highway . i first hit the embankment off the shoulder, was thrown back into the highway as the van slide on the drivers side and then flipped upside down. the van came to rest in the middle of the skuykill expressway upside down, facing the traffic. thank god all traffic stopped and no one hit me, and i didn't hit anyone.. the van was totalled. i suffered head injuries, as well as broken and bruised ribs in my back, as well as severe muscle damage. i was able to unhook my seat belt and crawl out the window, and i waited till help came. as i looked at the upside down van, i did see that the rear axles was split in half. i was taken to bryn mawr hospital for treatment, and released several days later. i still have not been able to go back to work because of my back issues. *tr

2000 ford windstar rear axel split in half. just driving home from work and heard crunch and felt sway. got home and found rear wheels tilted. *tr

While driving the ford windstar sunday 7/17/2010 my wife noticed that car shaking badly. i took the car for a drive and it started to shake badly and i also smelled rubber. i looked at the rear wheels and noticed that rear axle was broken. *tr

2000 ford windstar with 131,800 miles on it came to a halt after going over a rough piece of road that it navigates on a weekly basis. the back axle broke in half causing the tires to point inward and rubbed on the fender wells. had to have it towed. can't wait to see what this repair will cost us!!! *tr

2000 ford windstar rear axle failure - *tr

I was driving my 2000 ford windstar with my two children in the car when my rear axle cracked in half on the northern state parkway in new york, at exit 42. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 25 mph over a road bump, there was a loud, abnormal noise and the vehicle immediately became difficult to control, veering from side to side. the contact was able to drive to his residence and found that the rear axle was fractured. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for repairs. the failure and current mileage was 78,000.

Abs light comes on intermittently, not sure if they work after this. i have had it to the repair shop repeatedly to have the brakes and sensors inspected. this vehicle also leaks from the speed control module, instrument cluster dies, air conditioning fails due to control module shorts, fuses blow, suspension and rot issues. *tr

Our ford windstar mini-van begun driving strangely yesterday as we were on vacation at martha's vineyard. the van is a 2000 with 130,000 miles, and we have been considering replacing it for 6 months or so. after feeling the rear of the vehicle shimmying, we returned to our rental cottage and examined the rear of the vehicle and discovered that the axel was broken near the driver's side just below the welding point. we are very thankful that we made it back safely with our 3 children. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar. while driving at approximately 60 mph, there was a loud bang from the rear and the vehicle began to vibrate excessively. the contact moved the vehicle from the roadway and found that the rear axle had fractured in half. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the rear axle was replaced at the contact's expense. the failure and current mileages were 135,000.

I was driving to pick up my son from a friends house when i heard a loud crack. the van began to sway from side to side. i got out to see what had happen and the rear axle had broken about two feet the driver side tire. luckily no one was injured or killed. i don't have the money to replace it with a new axle so there it sits in my driveway undriveable. i'm not sure if i want to replace with a used axle it might just happen again. *tr

Vehicle rear end started to sway at low speeds (<20 mph) clicking sound heard from the rear end when driving in reverse. upon examination the rear axle beam was cracked through about 3/4 clean through on the drivers side directly behind the gas tank. currently attempting to get repaired. old part is available at this time. *tr

Real axle cracked at 107000 miles. vehicle disposed of before complete failure. *tr

I was traveling at 70 mph on the high way when the rear beam axle snapped. i was able to retain control of the vehicle. the vehicle did fishtail and almost rolled. there is an axle available for this vehicle from ford. *tr

2000 ford windstar - broken rear axle - fortunately discovered while car was in a parking lot - heard one loud noise earlier in the day and a louder noise at time of discovery. axle is visibly broken and was towed. *tr

I have a 2000 ford windstar lx, 2 weeks ago the rear axle cracked and cost me $350.00 in parts and $175.00 in labor...1 week later the replacement axle cracked in the same spot. thankfully my mechanic covered it, my rear tires are shot from the 2 occurrences and will have to be replaced when i can afford it. *tr

The rear axle on my 2000 ford windstar broke apart while traveling on i-96 at about 60 mph, i was able to come to a safe stop on the median. this could have endangered me as well as others. i have done some research on line and found this to be a problem with this car. this is a serious defect that needs to be addressed by the nhtsa and the ford motor company. *tr

While driving back on a trip from depere wi started hearing a strange sound from the rear end of the van when hitting bumps in the road. after looking at the rear end of the vehicle found a large crack in the rear axle beam about half way through the "c" channel and a broken coil spring. i started looking online for replacement parts and found that there has been other failures of this type on 1999 - 2003 windstars. the nhtsa has an investigation going on this type of failure - pe10016. just wanted to log the failure before getting the repair done. *tr

Driving straight on road approx. 35 mph in town normal stop and go traffic, and rear axle broke completely in half. had vehicle towed to my mechanic. need to replace the axle. will cost around $1000.00. no one was hurt but it could of been tragic if i had been on the highway or going around a curve. van has approx. 142,000 miles on it. *tr

I was driving my 2000 ford windstar down the road with my children and my tires started to squeal and the back end started to lose control. i was able to get off the road safely. when i got out to see what was wrong my back tires were bowed in. when looking under i saw my axle was split in half. i had no other warning signs. i called ford and they said there is no recall or any problems reported on the rear axles. *tr

The car was fishtailing and i assumed the alignment needed fixing. i was going down a dirt road, the traction control came on and the car wasn't driving normally. i pulled over and noticed the back drivers side wheel was leaning in. under the car i found the rear axle broken a quarter from the drivers side. the car was towed and a new rear axle was installed. an old part was available, but i learned that the failure rate on the used parts was high so i chose to use a new part. *tr

Rear axle broke on my 2000 ford windstar. we got new tires and noticed the car was driving funny. looked underneath to find a crack almost all the way through the rear axle. exactly what is described in nhtsa act number pe10016. *tr

While driving on an interstate highway at 55 mph, my 2000 ford windstar lx made a loud noise and black smoke and the smell of burning rubber filled the vehicle. it was with great difficulty that my husband was able to maintain control of the vehicle and get it over to the side of the road. my self and our 3 children were very fortunate to escape injury. the rear tire axle had snapped in two. i have since read of numerous complaints regarding this same defect. why hasn't anything been done about this serious issue? the vehicle is currently in auto shop and i am waiting to hear if it can be repaired. i am extremely apprehensive about driving this car ever again. will the same situation happen again if i replace it with another ford part? why hasn't there been a safety recall on this issue. i am the original owner and this car has been properly maintained. there are approximately 110,000 miles on the vehicle. *tr

Tl- the contact owns a 2000 ford windstar; while driving at 35 mph the tires started making an unusual noise and then he heard metal scraping on the pavement, he pulled over onto the side of the road and discovered that his rear suspension was broken; the vehicle had to be towed to his home; there was no diagnostic test done or repairs; the manufacturer was not contacted and he stated that the dealer was no longer in business so he could not contact him. the failure and current mileage were 195,000..

Ford windstar 2000 broken rear axle. 2 weeks prior had intermittent grinding noise which vehicle owners identified as a suspension problem. sounds was most notable on uneven terrain, but not all the time. upon further inspection, noted broken rear axle. no consequences, vehicle was taken off road before axle broke in half. part will be replaced. *tr

On june 13, 2010 my wife was driving ford windstar at approximately 25mph speed down a paved road near our home when the rear suspension axle broke. the axle cracked and completely separated at approximately 1 1/2 feet from drivers side rear wheel. both halves of axle dropped to the ground and one side was dragging on pavement. both rear tires were rubbing on wheel housing. the vehicle experienced loss of control in rear end and did not stay inline with the front end of vehicle. there was a smell of burning rubber after vehicle was stopped. the vehicle has not been repaired yet and we are awaiting new part (axle) purchased from ford dealership before repairs may begin. vehicle had been used on daily basis and was used for a family vacation trip the week prior to failure. vehicle has under 111,000 miles on the odometer. failure should have not occurred in such a critical area and at such a low mileage. although there were no injuries or collision, the failure is a safety concern because the rear end of the vehicle had lost control and the rear tires were rubbing against the wheel housing and could have blown. *tr

My son and i were driving to bj's warehouse after buying mulch at lowe's. we just got off the highway and was about 1/4 mile from bj's when we heard a loud clunk. i thought the tire blew at first and continued into the closest parking lot. i looked under the car and found that my rear axle i-beam had snapped in two. both the flatbed driver who towed it and my mechanic said they never saw such a thing happen before. a steel beam braking in two isn't supposed to happen. we were lucky we didn't have an accident. ford will only have a recall after someone dies and a multi-million dollar lawsuit follows. that would bring the kind of publicity that ford would have to react to. it seems that's the only time any of these carmakers back their vehicles is after a tragedy and a major investigation. lives just aren't important to them. just profits. *tr

The rear axle on my 2000 ford windstar snapped in half while driving at highway speeds. the van began to shake and bounce violently and fortunately i was able to get the van to the shoulder of the road without hitting another car or something along the side of the road. upon inspection, both rear wheels had collapsed into the wheel wells and the axle had completely broken in half. there was no prior warning of this issue. the van needed to be towed to a local dealer where the repairs were made to replace the rear axle. total repair cost exceeded $1800. *tr

Driving home from phila, pa the rear was fish tailing with every little bump. being close to home i figured i could check it after arriving home. rear axle broke off completely in half on my street. both rear tires went inward and were against the wheel well . the car could not go forward or backward as the axle was on the ground. snapped approx. 18 inches from the left side. luckily we were not on a highway at the time. 4 passengers. needed 3 tow trucks before one figured out how to tow is without anymore damage. had a new axle put in for $1200. my wife is still afraid to drive it. *tr

I discovered a large crack in the rear axle beam of my 2000 ford windstar when doing routine brake work. the crack goes halfway through the axle beam so i decided to take the vehicle off the road until i contact ford motor company. i will contact them a.s.a.p. to determine what action i should take at this point. in my opinion the vehicle is not currently safe to operate as the axle could completely fracture at any given time due to the severity of the crack. i have read that many other windstar owners have experienced this problem, yet ford has done nothing to notify owners about the possibility of axle failure. i have taken several photos of the axle for documentation before i have the it replaced. *tr

My 2000 ford windstar rear axle split in half during normal driving conditions (5/28/10). i am in the process of inquiring how much the repair will cost. *tr

We have a 2000 ford windstar that we took to our mechanic for inspection. while being inspected, the mechanic noticed that the rear beam axle was rotted and cracked. this is the 2nd rear axle that rotted out on the van. 1st one was replaced in july 2008. car is still at mechanics garage, awaiting instructions for repair. ford has no recall on the axle. *tr

I was reversing out of the store parking lot and my rear axle cracked. cracked right in half. my 9 year old son was with me . 2 minutes before that i was on a major highway. i was lucky! someone is going to injured or will die. there are lots of these complaints and something needs to be done. *tr

I own a 2000 ford windstar se. i noticed my car shuddering a bit on the expressway late last week (5/20/10.) i slowed a bit and the movement stopped. i pulled off the expressway and continued driving on city streets. i tried increasing my speed but could not recreate the 'shuddering.' over the weekend, i felt the movement once more so i stayed at low speeds on city streets and planned on taking the car in on monday to have it checked. the movement had not returned. on sunday, may 23 i had to drive about 7 miles to work. about 1 mile short of my destination the shuddering returned, but much worse and at low speed. i slowly drove the car into a parking lot and saw my left rear tire was tilted. thinking the tire was loose (i had new rear shocks put on about 1 month ago and thought maybe they had not tightened the nuts enough) i jacked the car up a bit and popped the hubcap. the lug nuts were all tight but the raised car gave me a clear view of my rear axle, completely split in half. the axle was still holding up the car only because the two halves were still pressed together. the axle was completely broken through (not just cracked) basically right at the mid point. i have had the car taken to a repair shop on a flat bed truck, but work has not started on it yet. tonight i checked on line and found that this problem is being investigated by your agency. here's another case for you to add to the list. i feel extremely lucky to be writing this to you without having been in the accident that this defect so easily could have caused. interestingly, i have had work done on the car a couple of times in the past month and no one noticed/reported any axle damage. the car was riding fine up to this past week. *tr

1. i was checking underneath my car because it sounded like there was something the matter with the rear passenger side brakes. 2. i found something more alarming. about 1/3 of the way across the axle from the driver side rear wheel was a big crack in the axle. 3.i haven't done anything yet but left the car in my driveway as several people advised me that the car was too dangerous to drive. i was thinking of calling a body shop to have the crack welded back together. but then i read about hundreds of people making complaints about rear axles in ford windstars and decided to file a complaint with the nhtsa. *tr

I own a 2000 ford windstar with a rear axle that is cracked in two places. noticed instability at freeway speeds and believed it to be an alignment problem, but technicians discovered rear axle problem. vehicle is parked and hasn't been driven since axle problem was diagnosed. estimates for replacement run from $1000 to $2200. rear tires are worn unevenly and tires are noticeably tilted inward in rear. *tr

I have a 2000 ford windstar van and the rear axle snapped in two. i think it happened when we pulled into our driveway. i have not fixed it yet because it is very expensive and have to save up the money. *tr

While driving my son to school traveling approx. 40 mph the rear axle completely broke in half causing me to loose control. luckily there was no traffic at the time of the incident and it was aimed in a direction allowing it to pulled off the road. vehicle has since been towed home and we are investigating next steps. *tr

My wife has been complaining that she was hearing loud noises coming from the rear of her 2000 ford windstar. i checked the shocks and springs and everything was okay. today she was backing out of the driveway on her way to work when i noticed that the left rear tire was badly tilted inward. i stopped her and looked under the van and noticed that the rear axle had split in two. there is no significant signs of rust or corrosion, just a huge fracture of the entire axle. *tr

On friday, may 15, 2010, my husband was driving home from work for lunch and the rear axle snapped on our 2000 ford windstar sle minivan. the mechanic also said the "differentials" were damaged. the total cost was $795. fortunately, my husband was not on a busy street and he was able to pull to the side of the road until we could have the vehicle towed. also, he did not hit anything that would have caused the axle to snap. in july 2009, we had to replace the transmission in this same vehicle while traveling to myrtle beach, s.c., on vacation. *tr

On wed may 12th i was backing out of my driveway to take one of my kids to a guitar lesson. my 2000 ford windstar, which had been working fine, suddenly made an odd noise and the tires were bent inward toward the car. i got out and discovered that the rear axle had broken! the car has not been in any accidents and there were no signs of this problem occurring. i had the car repaired and was told by the repair shop that they had seen a number of these incidents occurring. the car is okay now, but i had to pay over 900.00 to have the damage fixed and i am very concerned about other owners of this type of car. *tr