NHTSA Complaint #11352877 — 2002 FORD WINDSTAR

ON SATURDAY AUGUST 29, 2020 I WAS DRIVING IN MY 2002 FORD WINDSTAR DOWN A ROAD THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE SPEED LIMIT OF THE ROAD IS 35 MPH AND THERE IS A CURRENT BUMP IN THE ROAD AT AN ASPHALT ELEVATION CHANGE. AS SOON AS I WENT OVER THE BUMP IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS SEVERELY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A LOUD "BANG" AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING WILDLY AND MAKING SEVERE NOISES. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAD OCCURRED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULL ONTO A SIDE STREET SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE REAR DRIVER-SIDE WHEEL WAS ANGLED INTO THE BODY OF THE VAN. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, PEERING UNDER THE VEHICLE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE ACTUAL CAUSE WAS THAT THE VEHICLE'S REAR AXLE HAD FRACTURED NEARLY COMPLETELY THROUGH (SEE PICTURES). IN THIS CONDITION BOTH REAR TIRES COLLAPSED INTO THE VEHICLE FRAME. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN RECALLS RELATED TO THE REAR AXLE ON THIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. AFTER THE INSPECTION, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE TO INSTALL BRACKETS ON THE AXLE HAD BEEN PERFORMED IN DEC 2010 AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY. DUE TO THIS, FORD'S POSITION WAS THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS RELATED TO THE RECALLS AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SAFETY FAILURE ON THEIR VEHICLE. I TRIED TO CONTEND THAT THE INTENT OF THE RECALL WAS TO PREVENT THE AXLE FROM FRACTURING, WHICH OBVIOUSLY THEIR PREVIOUS RECALL "FIX" DIDN'T APPROPRIATELY ACCOMPLISH. IT WAS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE TO HAVE AN AXLE FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND FORD'S PREVIOUS RECALL "FIX" FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM MAKING THE VEHICLE A HAZARD TO DRIVE.