NHTSA Complaint #10285524 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

1. FORD SENT RECALL NOTICE (01S19/01M03) IN SEPTEMBER, 2001. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE (11/7/01) AND THE RECEIPT INDICATES THAT SAFETY SHIELDS WERE INSTALLED 'TO PREVENT A FRONT SPRING FAILURE FROM PUNCTURING THE FRONT TIRES'. THE NOTICE ALSO STATED THAT 'WHAT FORD WILL DO FOR YOU': "FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL ALSO PAY FAR ANY REPAIRS DIRECTLY RELATING TO THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS OF YOU VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE (PARTS AND LABOR)." IT WAS AT THAT TIME (2001), THE OWNER RECEIVED AN 'EXTENDED COVERAGE TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY NOTICE' ON THE FRONT SPRINGS FOR 10 YEARS FROM THE WARRANTY START DATE, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE". 2. THE SPRINGS MAY HAVE FRACTURED AT A LATER DATE, OR WERE BROKEN AT THAT TIME AND NOT REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS HAD VERY LOW FRONT GROUND CLEARANCE. BECAUSE OF THE LOW GROUND CLEARANCE AND THE INSTALLED SHIELDS, THE SPRING FAILURE WAS NOT NOTED EVEN WHEN NEW TIRES WERE INSTALLED. RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN 2009, AFTER A FRONT BREAK LINE FAILURE, THE OWNER INQUIRED ABOUT CHECKING FOR BROKEN FRONT SPRINGS UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE FROM 2001. THAT IS WHEN HE LEANED THAT THE SAFETY RECALL ISSUE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE "SHIELD INSTALLATION". THIS ACTION APPARENTLY ALSO REMOVED THE VIN FROM THE SAFETY RECALL DATA BASE. THUS, ASSUMING THAT THIS IS NO LONGER A SAFETY ISSUE, THE OWNER CONTINUES TO DRIVE THE LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE (LESS THAN 100,000 MILES). 3. THE COST OF REPLACING THE SPRINGS WAS ESTIMATED AT $400 TO $600 DOLLARS BY THE DEALER AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTION IS BEING TAKEN AS APPARENTLY THIS IS NO LONGER A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE IS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR THAT WAS PURCHASED ON 10/16/97, WITH FIVE MILES ON IT. 4. IS THIS VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE AS THERE ARE NEARLY 100 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT WEB SITE? 5. AS THIS VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY IN THE CLUNKER PROGRAM, IS SPRING FAILURE A LEMON LAW ISSUE? *TR