NHTSA Complaint #10477821 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

7/21/2011 BOUGHT VAN FROM PRIVATE PARTY. RECALL COMPLETED IN MARCH OF 2011 REGARDING BACK AXLE. ON 7/13/2012 8PM, MY 18YR OLD SON, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM LACROSSE PRACTICE, NEARLY KILLED. UPON PULLING OUT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, HE LOST ALL CONTROLS, NO STEERING, NO BRAKES AND NO POWER. HE COASTED AND PRAYED IT WOULD STOP. I ARRIVED, WE CALLED AAA. FLATBED TO MY HOME DRIVER COULD NOT BELIEVE HIS EYES. THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN OUT. 7/16/12 CALLED FORD IN MICH AND SPOKE TO REP. TO BE TOWED 13 MILES AWAY TO ROUTE 23 AUTO AT OUR EXPENSE. REALLY? ROUTE23 WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH ME (THEY DID RECALL). WENT BACK AND FORTH THEN PER RT23 "IT WILL BE A MONTH UNTIL WE CAN LOOK AT IT" GETTING KNOW WHERE. 7/18-22 BORROWED FRIEND CAR FOR TOURNAMENT. 8/1/12 CALLED MAGARINO FORD AND WITH GREAT CONCERN HAD A FLATBED THAT NIGHT. THIS TOW TRUCK DRIVER COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. FLUIDS RACED OUT AND DOUBLE STABILIZED FOR ENGINE SLIDING DURING TRANSPORT. 8/2/12 MAGARINO CALLED 9AM, PICTURES SENT TO FORD AND AWAITING REPLY. 8/5/12 T/C FROM M STATING FORD REFUSES TO BUY BACK AND SENDING A SUBFRAME. YOU MEAN A RECALLED ONE? MAGARINO CAUGHT IN MIDDLE I QUESTIONED WHETHER HE WOULD PUT HIS CHILDREN IN THIS VAN. HE SOFTLY REPLIED, "NO" WHAT AM I TO DO, OUT OF WORK 2 YEARS, SINGLE PARENT WITH NO CAR TO FIND WORK. 8/8/12 I QUESTIONED FORD WHY THIS VAN EVER LEFT RT 23 AUTO, ACCORDING TO RESEARCHED PAPER A PART WAS WAITING ON. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT UPON THIS FIXED AXLE NOBODY NOTICED THE SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED FROM INSIDE OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT THE NEXT SUMMER NEARLY KILLING MY SON! BUT THEY SIGNED IT WAS FINE! REALLY? NOW WE HAVE CASE # 1373091992 8/10/12 PICKED UP VAN. BROKE= A/C, R-WINDOW, HEATER ENGINE, AIRBAG, BRAKE LIGHT ON, RUNS HOT STEERING= THUMPS MAKES NOISE (FULL FLUID) SKIP GEARS, SWAYS, BARELY CAN GET UP A HILL. 11YR OLD SCARED TO DRIVE IN IT