NHTSA Complaint #10349387 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2001 FORD WINDSTAR WHICH HAS ONLY 60,000 MILES AT ABOUT 20 MPH, A LOUD SNAP SOUND OCCURRED, FOLLOWED BY WOBBLING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR AND BURNING RUBBER SMELL AS THE VEHICLE CAME TO A SCRAPPING STOP. WE GOT OUT TO SEE THAT THE REAR AXLE BAR HAD SNAPPED IN TWO ABOUT A FOOT OR SO FROM THE DRIVERS REAR WHEEL. WE CALLED GEICO AND FILED A CLAIM, THEY ARE GOING TO REPAIR IT BUT WE WILL STILL HAVE TO PAY A $500 DEDUCTIBLE. THEY SAID THAT IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN GOING AFTER FORD FOR THIS "DEFECT", WE WOULD THEM BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE $500 BACK . WE SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE TWO YOUTUBE.COM VIDEOS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THESE AXLES ARE SNAPPED EXACTLY WHERE OURS LET GO. WE ALSO SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THE NHTSA HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM SINCE MAY OF 2010. AS OF THAT DATE THERE WERE ALMOST 300 OCCURRENCES OF THIS FAILURE IN THE NORTHEAST, I GUESS MORE AND MORE OF THIS OCCURRENCE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL FORD RECALLS THIS DEFECTIVE WELD OR INADEQUATE THICKNESS OF THE REAR AXEL BAR ITSELF. WE HOPE NO-ONE HAS TO LOOSE THEIR LIVES BEFORE FORD ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. WE ARE SO GLAD THAT WE NEVER MADE IT TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE HIGHWAY, BECAUSE I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR