NHTSA Complaint #10596762 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

MY WIFE DRIVING TO WORK THURSDAY 40 MPH AND REAR AXLE BROKE. LEFT REAR TIRE FORCED AGAINST WHEEL WELL CAUSING SIGNIFICANT SMOKE AND TIRE DAMAGE. PASSING CAR FLAG MY WIFE DOWN AND GOT HER TO PULL OVER. WHEN I CHECKED IT OUT LATER IN THE DAY FOUND THAT REAR AXLE WAS BROKE AND NOT DRIVABLE. COST TO FIX AT MY TOTAL EXPENSE 1030.00 PLUS TAX PLUS NEW TIRE. RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN 2011 AT KISTLER FORD TO INSTALL SOME KIND OF REAR AXLE SUPPORTS AND ALSO SOMETHING DONE TO REINFORCE FRONT SUBFRAME. AXLE IN BACK LOOKS LIKE IT BROKE INSIDE THE REINFORCEMENTS ON OR NEAR THE LEFT SIDE. KISTLER FORD SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE HAS SEEN THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES AFTER RECALL REPAIR AND FORD NOT WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF ADDITIONAL ISSUES AFTER THE RECALL. THAT DOES NOT SEEM ACCEPTABLE TO ME. SEEMS THEIR RECALL REPAIR NOT SUFFICIENT. KISTLER FORD SERVICE MANAGER NOR MYSELF A(54YR OLD) HAVE EVER HEARD OF AXLES FAILING UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES EVER. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN. THIS WILL KILL AND INJURE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE. WHAT IF MY WIFE DRIVING 70MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED? WE WERE PLANNING ON TAKING MY FAMILY OF 5 TO THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS END OF THIS MONTH. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE DISASTER. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2003 KEEPING IT WELL MAINTAINED WITH INTENTION OF PASSING IT DOWN TO OUR 20,19 AND 16 YEAR OLD. THERE ARE REPORTS OF ACCIDENTS AND AT LEAST 1 DEATH AS THE RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. I ALSO RECOMMENDED THEY EXAMINE THE FRONT SUBFRAME SINCE THERE MAY BE ISSUES WITH THAT REPAIR FROM REPORTS SEEN ON THE INTERNET. DO NOT WANT TO FIX THE REAR AND HAVE THAT GO BAD ALSO. SOUNDS LIKE THEY NEED TO TAKE THESE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. I HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THE REAR AXLE. *TR