NHTSA Complaint #10670058 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

WORK WAS PERFORMED ON THE SUB FRAME OF THE 2000 FORD WINDSTAR REFERENCED ABOVE ON APRIL 16, 2012, AS A RESULT OF A FORD RECALL NOTICE, NUMBER: 11S16. THE RECALL DESCRIPTION IS AS FOLLOWS: "CORROSION-RELATED FRACTURES OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKETS AND BODY MOUNT ATTACHMENTS MAY OCCUR. A SEPARATION OF A FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR ATTACHING BRACKET MAY RESULT IN A LOWER CONTROL ARM SEPARATION. A SEPARATION OF BOTH FRONT SUBFRAME REAR BODY MOUNTS MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH." THE WORK DONE ON APRIL 16, 2012 WAS PERFORMED BY SHEEHY FORD IN GAITHERSBURG, MD. WHO INSTALLED NEW BRACKETS ON THE SUB FRAME, TO PREVENT THE SUB FRAME FROM BREAKING AND/OR ERODING. AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF ADVANCED RUSTING ON THE SUB FRAME. ON AUGUST 30, 2014, THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO SHEEHY FORD, AFTER LOUD KNOCKING NOISES COULD BE HEARD UNDER THE HOOD. SHEEHY FORD LOOKED AT THE CAR, CONSULTED WITH THEIR TECHNICIANS AND REPORTED BACK ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THE SOUNDS COMING FROM THE CAR WERE DUE TO THE UNSTABLE SUB FRAME, WHICH HOLDS THE PARTS OF THE CAR IN PLACE. THEY ALSO ADVISED THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL REVIEW, SHEEHY FORD CONCLUDED THAT THE PREVIOUS WORK IN APRIL OF 2012 WAS SUFFICIENT TO HOLD THE SUB FRAME. THEY HAVE SINCE HELD FAST TO THEIR CLAIM THAT NO FURTHER "PROGRAMS" ARE AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE CURRENT PROBLEM OF A RUSTED SUB FRAME IN THE CAR. A COMPLAINT WAS ALSO MADE THROUGH FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER. THEY TOOK THE COMPLAINT AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER OF: 5190828L6X2X4X, BUT ULTIMATELY THEIR DECISION IS THE SAME AS SHEEHY: NO OTHER PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO COVER THE COST OF ANY ADDITIONAL REPAIR TO THE CAR. 1/5/15.