NHTSA Complaint #11323445 — 2003 FORD WINDSTAR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON A CITY STREET AT 35 MPH AND THE REAR AXLE BROKE ON THE DRIVER SIDE UNDERNEATH THE RECALL BRACKET INSTALLED BY FORD. RECALL 10S13 WAS PERFORMED ON THIS VEHICLE IN 2008 OR 2009. THE BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED AS SPECIFIED BY FORD AND OBVIOUSLY WERE INADEQUATE TO FIX OR PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM THE ORIGINAL RECALL. FORD SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS POORLY DESIGNED AND EXECUTED REPAIR TO THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY AT A FORD DEALER THAT VERIFIED THAT THE BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED CORRECTLY PER 15S27 AND FORD DENIED COVERING ANY OF THE REPAIR COST. I HAVE BACKGROUND STUDY AS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER (I'M A LICENSED CIVIL ENGINEER) AND I USED TO WORK IN AN AUTOMOTIVE PARTS AND MACHINE SHOP. GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE, IF YOU REFER TO 10S13 THERE IS A LOCATION ON THE AXLE REFERRED TO AS A "TOOLING HOLE" ON PAGE 18 THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED IF FORD EVER INTENDED THESE REPAIR BRACKETS TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL. I CANT IMAGINE ANY ENGINEER DESIGNED THESE THINGS AND DISREGARDED THE OBVIOUS, TYING THE LOAD TO THIS HOLE. I HAVE THE VEHICLE BACK AND I'VE USED THIS HOLE ON BOTH SIDES TO PULL THE AXLE BACK TOGETHER AND MAKE IT AT LEAST MOVABLE UNTIL THE NEW PART ARRIVES, SO NOT ONLY DOES IT MAKE SENSE STRUCTURALLY, BUT IT WORKS PHYSICALLY AS WELL. WHY THE NHTSA WOULD ALLOW FORD TO CALL THIS A FIX AND MAKE THESE VEHICLES ACCEPTABLE TO DRIVE IS BEYOND ME. THE AXLE ALSO HAS A HORIZONTAL CRACK IN THE MIDDLE, ITS BEEN THERE SINCE THE BRACKETS WERE INSTALLED. I DO NOT BELIEVE FORD HAS BEEN HONEST OR USEFUL IN TAKING CARE OF THIS PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES, AND IT APPEARS THE NHTSA IS BACKING THEM ON IT. CURIOUS HOW A RECALL FOR A CRACKING PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED BUT ITS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY? I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THERE WAS NO POINT IN ANY OF THE RECALL WORK AS NOTHING WAS FIXED. FAILURE IS IDENTICAL TO PRE-RECALL. *TR