NHTSA Complaint #10377754 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

VEHICLE WAS PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD THUNK. THE ENGINE RAN AWAY, THE STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, AND THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS HEADED UPHILL AND BEACHED ITSELF ON A SNOW DRIFT ON THE SIDEWALK. BOTH REAR ATTACHMENT POINTS FOR THE ENGINE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED OUT AND GIVEN WAY. THE ENGINE DROPPED UNTIL IT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE REMAINDER OF THE FRAME AND EXHAUST SYSTEM DRAGGING THE ROAD. IF THIS HAD NOT HAPPENED AT SUCH A LOW SPEED, THIS COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN A DEADLY FAILURE. AS A LONG TIME ENGINEER IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, I FIND THIS TYPE OF FAILURE WITHIN THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE TO BE TOTALLY INEXCUSABLE. THIS FORM DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A LISTING FOR A FRAME FAILURE. ON A FINAL NOTE, I CALLED FORD ABOUT THIS FAILURE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE - ALSO INEXCUSABLE.