NHTSA Complaint #731912 — 1997 FORD WINDSTAR

TRANSMISSION FAILED, AT THE TIME OF REPAIR THEY FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS BROKEN, THE VAN WAS PURCHASED FROM THEM 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THEY ACCUSED ME OF HITTING A BUMP AND MAKING THE FRAME BREAK. I PERSONALLY DO NOT REMEMBER HITTING ANYTHING IN THE VAN I DRIVE IT TO AN FROM WORK. IF A BUMP SMALL ENOUGH NOT TO RECALL WILL BREAK THE FRAME WOULD THAT MEAN THE FRAME IS DEFECTED? I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT I PURCHASED THE VAN WITH A BROKEN FRAME AND DRIVING IT FOR SIX MONTHS IN THAT CONDITION COULD OF CAUSED MY TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYWAY OF BEING REIMBURSED OF THIS INCIDENT. I FEEL THE VAN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEMON IF IT WAS SOLD WITH A BROKEN FRAME. IF I HIT A BUMP HARD ENOUGH TO BREAK THE FRAME SHOULDN'T THE AIRBAGS EJECT? ARE THEY DEFECTIVE TOO? I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH CHARRAP FORD AND THEY DID REDUCE THE PRICE OF THE VAN REPAIRS BUT HAVE NO EXPLANATION OF THE BROKEN FRAME OR THE TRANSMISSION. I TRADED IN AN 89 AEROSTAR WHICH DIDN'T GIVE ME HALF THE PROBLEMS THIS 97 WINDSTAR IS . I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND PLEASE CONTACT ME. THANKS! VICKI DANLEY