NHTSA Complaint #10212690 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 15, 2007 MY HUSBAND NOTICED WHEN HE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE REAR END OF OUR 2001 FORD WINDSTAR LX FELT LOOSE. WE THOUGHT THE SHOCKS WERE STARTING TO WARE. ON DECEMBER 20, 2007 MY HUSBAND STARTED ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK AROUND 3:30 PM HE HEADED SOUTH ON I55 OUT OF CHICAGO AND REACHED OUR DRIVEWAY IN THE SOUTHWEST SUBURBS APPROXIMATELY 5:00 PM. AT 5:30 P. OUR FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN GOT INTO THE VAN TO GO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING. AS WE WERE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE VAN JERKED AND SCREECHED. WE THOUGHT WE HIT SOMEONE THAT HAD PARKED BEHIND US. WE JUMPED OUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND NOTICED OUR REAR TIRES LOOKED FUNNY AND THE BACK END WAS REALLY LOW. WHEN WE LOOKED UNDER IT WE SAW THAT THE AXLE WAS BROKEN IN TWO. IT HAD JUST SNAPPED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED A HALF HOUR EARLIER THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, OR 15 MINUTES LATER WHEN WE WERE ON I355 GOING CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WITH OUR CHILDREN. WE WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN IN OUR DRIVEWAY BUT THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE AND WE DON'T HAVE THE 1000.00 IT WILL COST TO REPLACE THE PART. THE VAN IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, IT HAS 72,915 MILES ON IT. HOW INCONVENIENT! *TR