NHTSA Complaint #10066216 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

MY VAN STARTED MAKING A SCREECHING NOISE EVERYTIME WE MADE ANY TURNS, WE CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT WAS FINE. VAN SAT IN THE YARD CAUSE IT WAS EMBRASSING TO DRIVE WITH THE LOUD SCREECHING NOISE AND SINCE WE HAD A 2ND CAR WE JUST LEFT IT IN THE DRIVEWAY. THEN WHEN MY HUSBANDS CAR GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR WE HAD NO CHOICE AND HAD TO DRIVE IT. AS SOON AS WE TRY AND DRIVE IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WE NEW SOMETHING MAJOR IS WRONG IT TOOK 2 PEOPLE TO TURN THE WHEEL ON THE VAN JUST TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. SO I CALLED MY STEP DAD AND EXPLAINED WHAT IT WAS DOING AND HE SAID SOUNDS LIKE THE POWER STERRING PUMP WENT OUT ON IT SO WE TAKE IT TO A VERY RELIABLE MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT NOT ONLY IS THE POWER STERRING PUMP BAD THE RACK AND PINONS ARE GONE ALSO. I CAN'T BELIEVE WITH A VAN THAT IS NOT THAT OLD TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN SO QUICKLY. I HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FORUMS ABOUT THE FORD WINDSTAR AND I SEE PAGES AND PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING I'M DEALING WITH NOW. WHAT DOES IT TAKE BEFORE A COMPANY STANDS BEHIND THERE PRODUCT AND ISSUE A RECALL.*AK