NHTSA Complaint #10611277 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION I HEARD A LOUD BANG UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND I LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL! I PARKED THE CAR AND CALLED FOR A TOW. WHEN VAN WAS ON THE FLATBED I OBSERVED THE ENGINE MOUNTING HAD DETACHED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. THE ENGINE AND OTHER COMPONENTS WERE HANGING DOWN. HAD VAN TOWED HOME. THROUGH MY OWN RESEARCH I FOUND THAT MY VAN WAS PART OF RECALL NO. 11S16 FOR CORROSION RELATED FRACTURES AT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS AND BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME. I WAS SHOCKED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL BECAUSE I HAD BEEN NOTIFIED REGARDING RECALL NO 11S13 FOR REAR AXLE CORROSION RELATED CRACKING. VAN WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION AXLE AND WE WERE TOLD IT PASSED AND NOTHING ELSE NEEDED TO BE DONE. HAD VAN TOWED AGAIN, THIS TIME TO DEALER. DEALER SAYS SUBFRAME AND REAR AXLE NEED REPLACED AND FORD WANTS TO DO THE REPLACEMENT. AS A RESULT OF THE FRAME DETACHMENT, THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NEEDS REPLACED. THERE ARE OTHER UNKNOWN COMPONENTS THAT MAY NEED REPAIRED/REPLACED AND THEY WON'T KNOW UNTIL THEY DO THE WORK. THE OTHER REPAIRS MAY OR MAY NOT BE PAID FOR BY FORD. UNDER FORD'S OWN REMEDIES, IF BRACKETS CAN NOT REPAIR THE ORIGINAL SUBFRAME, THEN A REPURCHASE OFFER FOR THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE MADE. TO DATE, FORD HAS REFUSED THIS AS A REMEDY. INSTEAD, THEY WANT TO REPLACE THE SUBFRAME AND AXLE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ATTACHED TO OTHER CORRODED PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. MY FAMILY'S LIVES WERE ALREADY PUT IN DANGER ENOUGH BY THESE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED REGARDING THE SUBFRAME RECALL AND THE REAR AXLE WAS IMPROPERLY HANDLED. THE AXLE SHOULD HAVE HAD REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS ATTACHED EVEN IF IT DID PASS INSPECTION. THIS WAS NOT DONE NOR WERE WE TOLD TO BRING IT BACK IN TO BE DONE. FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO BUY BACK MY VEHICLE UNDER IT'S OWN REMEDY INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO THE NHTSA. *TR