NHTSA Complaint #10373551 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

I HAVE A FORD WINDSTAR 2001 MINI VAN AND I LIVE IN NEW YORK STATE. ON DECEMBER 7TH, 2010, AS I WAS PULLING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE I HEARD A LOUD CRACKING SOUND. (AT FIRST I THOUGHT I HAD ROLLED OVER A VERY LARGE PIECE OF ICE) I AGAIN PROCEEDED TO PULL IN, BUT MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. (ENGINE WAS STILL ON) I GOT OUT AND FOUND 3 OF MY TIRES FACING LEFT AND 1 FACING RIGHT. I CALLED AAA AND WAS PREPARING TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. WHEN THE DRIVER/MECHANIC FROM AAA, INFORMED ME THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM (DRIVE ARM) HAD TORE AWAY FROM THE MAIN FRAME (FRONT AXEL) AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR, AND HAD TORE AWAY ALL OF THE DRIVING MECHANISMS AND WOULD NEED A WELDER FIRST , NOT A MECHANIC . SO I HAD HIM TAKE IT TO A LOCAL WELDER. HE WAS ABLE TO FIND SOME CLEAN METAL TO WELD IT BACK ON AND THEN RECOMMENDED I TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC TO FINISH UP WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS NEEDED. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD NEED A CV JOINT AND THE LINKAGE FOR THE TRANSMISSION IN ORDER TO HAVE IT WORKING AGAIN. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE, OR TRANSMISSION PRIOR TO THIS DAY. AND THE CAR HAS VERY LITTLE RUST ON IT'S BODY. SO I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT TO LOOK UNDERNEATH FOR ANY. AND BECAUSE IT WAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED WELL, A MECHANIC WAS HARDLY EVER UNDER HER TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY POSSIBLE DAMAGE EITHER. SHE HAS LESS THAN 75,000 MILES ON HER SO I NEVER EXPECTED THIS TO OCCUR. I HAVE FILED A REPORT WITH FORD AFTER THE INCIDENT BUT ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS THANK YOU AND THEY'LL MAKE A NOT OF IT. AND THAT THE REAR AXEL WAS ON RECALL....BUT IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WHY NOT THE FRONT AXEL TOO??? *TR