NHTSA Complaint #10915296 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

TOOK MY VAN TO FORD BECAUSE A RADIATOR HOSE CAME OFF, $350 FOR PART OF A HOSE CLAMP. WHILE THERE HAD THE 3RD REAR AXLE SAFETY RECALL INSPECTION, I DON'T THINK THEY DID IT, TOLD ME MY VAN WAS A 16 YEAR OLD JUNKER NOT WORTH FIXING. REPLACEMENT OF NON-STRUCTURAL STEEL REAR AXLE WAS AGAIN OFFERED FOR $300. I WANT THE AXLE I PAID FOR WHEN I BOUGHT THE VAN NEW, STRUCTURAL STEEL THAT MEETS SAFETY AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, INSTALLED AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. HOW IS IT LEGAL TO ALLOW THESE UNSAFE AXLES? YOUR SITE INFO IS INCORRECT ON THIS, THE "SAFETY BRACKETS" DO NOT KEEP THE DEFECTIVE AXLES FROM BREAKING, THEY ARE TO KEEP THE WHEELS, WHEN THE AXLE DOES CRACK, FROM CANTERING OUT AND JAMMING IN THE WHEEL WELLS, CAUSING ABSOLUTE TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. NOT ACCEPTABLE. REPLACE AXLE. A NUMBER OF RECALLS LISTED HERE WERE NOT SENT OR PERFORMED. IN ADDITION, AFTER THE FIRST AXLE RECALL 6-8 YEARS AGO, I TRIED TO TRADE THE FORD CREDIT PURCHASED VEHICLE IN ON A NEW 40K FORD SUV, THEY OFFERED ME HALF OF BLUEBOOK VALUE, INDICATING FORD'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEHICLES DEFECTS, AND POOR VALUE. THIS RECALL, DEALER TOLD ME MY 16 YEAR OLD VAN WAS JUNK AND NOT WORTH FIXING, CHARGED $350 FOR PART OF A RADIATOR HOSE CLAMP, GOT WRONG PART AND STUCK ME WITH 4 EXTRA DAYS CAR RENTAL AT $250. AFTER ARGUING WITH BREDEMANN FORD FOR 3 HOURS IN 3 OFFICES, THEY HANDED ME A STACK OF INVOICES AND POINTED ME TO MY VAN WITH THE KEYS IN AND ENGINE RUNNING. MANAGER CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND ACCUSED ME OF THEFT, THREATENING POLICE ACTION. I PAID HIM BY PHONE AN CALLED MY ATTORNEY. I WILL SUE THESE CREEPS.