NHTSA Complaint #10378516 — 1999 FORD WINDSTAR

FLEET OWNED 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOCATED IN THE CHICAGO AREA SINCE NEW. COMPLAINT WAS THAT THE EXHAUST WAS LOUD AND LOOKED TO BE HANGING LOW. THE EXHAUST FLANGE ON THE FLEX-PIPE SECTION RUSTED THIN AND BROKE OFF FROM THE Y-PIPE. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR OF THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE SUBFRAME WAS HANGING DOWN ABOUT 1.5" FROM WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. THE EXHAUST Y-PIPE FLANGE IS MUCH LOWER THAN IT SHOULD NORMALLY BE, WHICH TELLS ME THAT THE ENGINE/TRANS ASSEMBLY IS LEANING TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR MOUNT OF THE SUBFRAME IS CRACKED WHERE IT MEETS THE BODY. ALSO NOTED THAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME WHERE THE ENGINE MOUNT ATTACHES AND THE SUBFRAME REAR CROSSMEMBER MEET, THE SUBFRAME IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. I CAN FORESEE THIS PROBLEM EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE AXLES TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM THE TRANS, WIRE HARNESSES GETTING DAMAGED, LOWER CONTROL ARMS BECOMING DETACHED FROM THE SUBFRAME, EXHAUST DAMAGE, STEERING RACK DAMAGE, WHEEL ALIGNMENT ISSUES, ETC. THE ONLY REPAIR THAT I CAN SEE MAKING THIS VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN WOULD BE SUBFRAME REPLACEMENT. *TR