NHTSA Complaint #10373405 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

AROUND OCTOBER 20TH, 2010, MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR WAS MAKING A WEIRD NOISE WHEN I A MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND ALSO WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT RIGHT A WAY TO MY MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN LIFTED THE VAN, HE NOTICED RIGHT A WAY THE SUB FRAME ALL RUSTED AND BROKEN. MY MECHANIC DID NOT LET ME DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT'S A HIGH RISK, HE SAID THE ENGINE CAN FALL ANY MOMENT. DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF REPLACING A NEW SUB FRAME, THE TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED A USED ONE BUT IN GOOD CONDITION. IT COST ME $723.00 TO REPLACE IT. I WENT TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER TO COMPLAINT BUT I WAS TOLD THAT SPECIFIC PART OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED AND IT'S DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM STILL AFRAID TO DRIVE MY FORD WINDSTAR EVEN AFTER I REPLACED IT. CURRENTLY MY VAN IS SITTING AT FORD DEALER PARKING LOT, IT'S UNDER RECALL FOR THE REAR AXLE. *TR