NHTSA Complaint #10346993 — 2002 FORD FORD

2002 FORD WINDSTAR REAR AXLE PROBLEM WE WERE DRIVING ON 78E AND WERE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE ALLENTOWN. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEARD A CRACK, SMELLED SMOKE, AND HEARD METAL SCRAPING. THE CAR STARTED FISHTAILING AND MY HUSBAND VIRTUALLY HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR AS THE WINDSTAR REPEATEDLY CROSSED 2 LANES AND ALMOST HIT THE MIDDLE BARRIER AND THEN FISHTAILED TOWARD THE OTHER SIDE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS OR TRUCKS IN FRONT OR IN BACK OF US AND WE WERE AT A SLIGHT UPHILL. FINALLY, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VAN AND PULL OVER TO THE SMALL SHOULDER WHICH WAS BARELY BIG ENOUGH TO FIT THE VAN. WE CALLED 911 AND AAA. WHILE WE WAITED ON THE SIDE, WE FEARED THAT WE COULD GET HIT IN THE EVENT THAT A TRUCK OR CAR SWERVED TO THE SIDE. WE WERE SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS CRACKED AND THE REAR TIRES WERE CAVED IN. MY AUTO DEALER GILBOY IN WHITEHALL OFFERED TO TOW AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM, BUT ONLY AT MY EXPENSE. FORD EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE WAS NO COVERAGE FOR THIS SITUATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY AND THERE CURRENTLY IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. BOTH GILBOY AND FORD TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE REAR AXLE. I HAD 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR, 2 OF WHICH WERE MY OWN. THIS WAS THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE AS I FEARED WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAPPEN. LUCKILY, SOMEONE FROM ABOVE WAS LOOKING AFTER US BUT I FEAR THE NEXT FORD WINDSTAR OWNER MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED BEFORE TAKING ACTION. PLEASE HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND ALERT ALL FORD WINDSTAR OWNER OF THE SERIOUS POTENTIAL RISK. *TR