NHTSA Complaint #740415 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

I HAD BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND WAS PROCEEDING FORWARD WHEN THE FRONT OF CAR, LEFT SIDE, DROPPED DOWN ABUPTLY. VAN GROUND TO A STOP AND I HOPPED OUT TO INVESTIGATE. THE LEFT FRONT FENDER WAS MUCH LOWER THAN THE RIGHT, BUT IT WAS DARK SO I COULDN'T SEE MUCH ELSE. WANTING TO GET THE VAN BACK TO MY HOME, I TRIED TO DRIVE IT FARTHER, BUT IT MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT SOUNDED SIMILAR TO A TRAIN ON A TRACK, AND BEGAN TO SMELL LIKE BURNT RUBBER. AT THIS POINT I DECIDED IT BEST TO STOP AND HAD THE VAN TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS BROKE AND ON HIS ADVISE I HAD BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE STRUTS. HE SAID I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE MOVING AT SUCH A SLOW SPEED BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE SPRING RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE AND RIM. WE ALSO REPLACED THE TIRE. WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOWED THE SERVICE MANAGER THE BROKEN COIL SPRING AND WROTE A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE. THE AREA INSPECTOR, WHO NEVER SAW THE PART, TURNED DOWN THE REQUEST BECAUSE I DIDN'T TAKE THE VAN TO THE FORD DEALER. THE VEHICLE WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY AND I NEEDED IT FIX RIGHT AWAY, PLUS THE DEALER WAS 20 MILES AWAY, SO I MADE A QUICK DECISION TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHO WAS CLOSE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG, I'M NOT A MECHANIC! AFTER ALOT OF RUN-AROUND, THE DEALERSHIP HAS OFFERED TO COVER HALF THE REPAIR BILL AND I THINK THAT IS AS GOOD AS IT WILL GET. I'M STILL CONCERNED THAT OTHERS MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY AS I WAS TO BE IN A PARKNIG LOT AND MOVING SO SLOW. I SAW THE USA TODAY PRESS RELEASE AND KNEW THIS HAD TO BE REPORTED. THANK-YOU!!! *AK