NHTSA Complaint #10038713 — 1997 FORD WINDSTAR

THE SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY ON MY 1997 FORD WINDSTAR HAS BROKEN/CRACKED IN TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS * ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST REPAIR WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002. THE MOST RECENT REPAIR WAS SEPTEMBER 2003. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT DENNISON FORD (STEVE BOWNS) SAID THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, THE SUBFRAME PROBABLY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH WINDSTARS. WHEN I CALLED TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT THE SECOND TIME AND STARTED DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM, THE SERVICE REP SAID THEY USUALLY BROKE AT THE STRUT. WHEN SEARHING THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND OTHER WINDSTAR OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. IN A DISCUSSION WITH SHELDON (#2052) AT (1 - 800 392 FORD) WHEN ASKED IF THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, HIS RESPONSE WAS "I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO COMMENT IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE." WHEN ASKED IF HE CHECKED WITH THE SERVICE MANGER IF THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE HE RESPONDED. "I DID NOT ASK HIM SPECIFICALLY IF IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW IF IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, YOU WILL NEED TO TALLK TO THE PERSON THAT IS WORKING ON YOUR CAR." I INDICATED TO SHELDON THAT I WANTED TO TALK WITH A FORD REPRESENTATIVE THAT COULD TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT A SUBFRAME BREAKING WHILE DRIVING WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. HE INDICATED ONLY THE PERSON WORKING ON MY CAR COULD DO THIS. SHELEDON INDICATED THAT HE (SHELDON) WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO DO THIS. IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE? * THE SERVICE TECH SAID SEVERAL TIMES THAT IT WAS A DIFFERENT LOCATION. WHEN SHELDON CALLED THE DENNISON FORD SERVICE MANAGER, STEVE BOWNS, THE SERVICE MANGER INDICATED THAT IT WAS THE SAME LOCATION ACCORDING TO SHELDON.