NHTSA Complaint #10282589 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

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