NHTSA Complaint #10434039 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

MY WINDSTAR WENT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP A FEW MONTHS AGO FOR THE SUBFRAME RECALL AND REAR AXLE RECALL. IT WAS SAID TO BE IN GREAT CONDITION AND FITTED WITH THE REPAIR KITS. SUBSEQUENTLY, MY HUSBAND WENT UNDER THE CAR FOR UNRELATED REASONS AND SAW THE SUBFRAME BRACKET WAS NOT HOLDING ANYTHING BECAUSE THE PASSENGERS SIDE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED AWAY. WHEN HE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT SHOULD BE LEFT WITH HIM BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. MY HUSBAND REQUESTED THEY REMOVE THE BACK AXEL BRACKET WHICH THEY DID ONLY TO REVEAL A CRACK IN THE AXEL. WE WERE TOLD BY SEVERAL EMPLOYEES THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED FORD DI DEPT WHO REJECTED THE CLAIM BASED ON THE FACT THAT IT WAS POOR WORKMANSHIP OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALERSHIP BLAMES FORD. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY GAVE ME BACK MY CAR WITH A RUSTED SUBFRAME AND CRACKED AXEL STATING THAT IT WAS IN FACT REPAIRED TO FORDS STANDARD. MY HUSBAND HAS PICTURES OF BOTH THE SUBFRAME W KIT AND AXEL. IT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND HOW FORD CAN DEEM IT SAFE TO DRIVE? IN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL RECALL, I BELIEVE FORD IS COVERING UP THE DEFECT AND ATTEMPTING TO GET AWAY WITH PUTTING RECALL "KITS" ON CARS THAT MAY BE UNSAFE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE SURE MY CAR IS INFACT SAFE. *TR