Outcome of Ford Windstar Recall

[klj27]

Our 2002 Windstar is at the dealership right now for the recall on the back axel. I have heard of people being told the vehicle can not be released to them and being placed in rental cars for months and some people offered buy backs at the blue book value if the problem is found. Just wondering if you had your windstar looked at and if there was a problem with it or not. If so, what resolution did they offer?

 

[Geoff_M]

What was the nature of the 2002 recall? We had a 1999 Windstar that we had to junk two years ago because the subframe section that the passenger-side front wheel attached to was about to rust through and it was unsafe to drive. Repair costs would have exceeded the car's value, plus our mechanic found the problem when they were about to change the steering rack... and that would have been even more $$$.

 

[klj27]

http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/ford-windstar-recall-rear-axle-fracture-12465/


Here is some info. The recall involced 1998-2003 windstars in what they consider cold weather states.

 

[Geoff_M]

From what I've sensed, those Windstar's weren't too "salt" friendly... ironically, our 1995 Windstar is still serving a the teen around-town "beater".

 

[Singleminnie]

OMG, I have a 2002 Windstar that has been making unusual sounds in the back. However, I checked and I don't live in the cold weather states, I live in Nebraska, how that does not count I don't know why! I have an apt. to get it looked at, but my dealership said there is no recall on it. If there is a problem, do you think I can get mine fixed? I am trying to get ahold of the NHTSA to see what they say, and ask why NE wasn't included. UGH

 

[scrapquitler]

Our 2002 Windstar is at the dealership right now for the recall on the back axel. I have heard of people being told the vehicle can not be released to them and being placed in rental cars for months and some people offered buy backs at the blue book value if the problem is found. Just wondering if you had your windstar looked at and if there was a problem with it or not. If so, what resolution did they offer?

THanks for reminding me about this...I have yet to call and schedule an appointment to have my van looked at. Having a rental car might not be such a bad option I'm planning to replace my WIndstar in the spring anyway, so if I have this problem, I'd be thrilled to have them buy me out.

 

[SeaSpray]

I own a 2003 Ford Windstar and live in one of the "cold weather" states, but I haven't received a recall notice. Should I call the closest Ford dealership to find out what to do? Thanks.

 

[dislal]

I own a 2003 Ford Windstar and live in one of the "cold weather" states, but I haven't received a recall notice. Should I call the closest Ford dealership to find out what to do? Thanks.

I also own a 2003 and I haven't heard anything about a recall! Ours is making funny noises though!

 

[fraggle551]

My boyfriend is a Ford Mechanic and I hear about this recall all day! They currently have 34 Windstars in the dealership parking lot waiting to be repaired. Form what he told me, once the owner brings in the car for the recall, the dealership is not allowed to let them leave with it for safety reasons. I believe the dealership is paying for the rental, but i'm not positive. He said that Ford won't have the part they need ready until after the new year.

I keep telling him I would be mighty angry at Ford if I was one of those people! Some of them haven't had their cars since Sept/Oct.

 

[dislal]

My boyfriend is a Ford Mechanic and I hear about this recall all day! They currently have 34 Windstars in the dealership parking lot waiting to be repaired. Form what he told me, once the owner brings in the car for the recall, the dealership is not allowed to let them leave with it for safety reasons. I believe the dealership is paying for the rental, but i'm not positive. He said that Ford won't have the part they need ready until after the new year.

I keep telling him I would be mighty angry at Ford if I was one of those people! Some of them haven't had their cars since Sept/Oct.

I'm really scared now , I just called DH and he reminded me that the ford dealership we bought ours from went out of business earlier in the year. would this be why we didn't receive a letter? Does anyone have a phone number that I could call?

I am going to look this up,

Thank you OP

 

[klj27]

My husband just called and said that they left a message that the van is ready and the recall checked out okay. (no damage.) They also said they have some other things to discuss with us though. (Repairs that we are not planning on.) That is why we never take it to the dealership for repairs, so much upselling.

 

[kacaju]

We got the notice for our 2001 Windstar back in Oct. I junked it back in May 2010 and replaced the rear axle back in March 2009. I replaced it because I was driving it one day and the rear end felt funny. Sure enough the rear axle was cracked!!

Cost me almost $900 to fix and I had no choice because I needed the van back ASAP.
When I got the recall notice I wasn't sure if they would honor it since I no longer had the van.
Called Ford and went to the dealer and no one would say yes ot no if they would pay since I no longer owned the van.
I was told to call the dealer back in Feb if I had not heard from them.
WELL...Surprise, surprise...On Nov 13 we recieved a check for the full amount of the repair!!

added... I did have to send the repair bill to Ford to get the refund.

 

[marimorr1]

Just wanted to let everyone know how serious this recall is... I have been without my 2002 windstar with only 68,000 miles because of the axle. I brought it in because of the recall and it was making strange noises, too. The axle was cracking and it is unsafe to drive. My ford dealer has 60 of these already at the lot waiting to be repaired! I am in a rental van and ford is paying all costs.... I may not get it back until March! Someone has already died from this and it was on abc world news tonight. Think I read it will be on Good Morning America tomorrow, too. If you have one of these cars, please take it in. It makes me sick to think that I've been taking my kids around in it!

 

[IDoDis]

We got rid of our 2000 Windstar during the cash for clunkers deal. I'm so glad we did! I still got a recall notice even though we haven't had the van for 18 months. The worst auto decision we ever made was buying a Windstar. The best auto decision we ever made was putting it to sleep right in the car lot where we bought our new replacement car!

 

[DawnM]

We had a Windstar too long ago. NEVER again, never Ford again! At about 100K miles the engine died. Just died. This was 2003 or 2004.

I can't remember what year it was though.

Dawn

We got rid of our 2000 Windstar during the cash for clunkers deal. I'm so glad we did! I still got a recall notice even though we haven't had the van for 18 months. The worst auto decision we ever made was buying a Windstar. The best auto decision we ever made was putting it to sleep right in the car lot where we bought our new replacement car!

 

[kellyg403]

We almost traded in our 1994 Ford Aerostar for a Windstar in 2001. Our 1994 had two seriouis problems, the ignition was never correct, sometimes you could turn the key and nothing would happen and sometimes you could just touch the key and the whole car would turn on. Another time, we were driving home from the airport, about a 3 hour drive on a major highway. The car started smoking etc. Turns out the seal on the transmission was faulty and transmission fluid was leaking and almost caused a fire under the car. Both issues were recalls in other Aerostars but ours was not 'under' the recall. I now have a 1994 Aerostar sitting in my driveway with 80,000 miles on it that I don't let anyone drive. The transmission repair was in the thousands to fix. It boggles my mind that they know these are two issues they have had huge recalls on and said neither problem was covered.

Never buying a Ford again.

Kelly

 

[luvmy3]

OMG, I have a 2002 Windstar that has been making unusual sounds in the back. However, I checked and I don't live in the cold weather states, I live in Nebraska, how that does not count I don't know why! I have an apt. to get it looked at, but my dealership said there is no recall on it. If there is a problem, do you think I can get mine fixed? I am trying to get ahold of the NHTSA to see what they say, and ask why NE wasn't included. UGH

Do you get alot of snow and use alot of salt on your roads in NE?

I'm really scared now , I just called DH and he reminded me that the ford dealership we bought ours from went out of business earlier in the year. would this be why we didn't receive a letter? Does anyone have a phone number that I could call?

I am going to look this up,

Thank you OP

The dealership we bought ours from has been out of business and we still recieved our letter. It comes from Ford Motor Company, not the individual dealerships.
I haven't brought mine in, but my SIL works for a Ford dealership and told me that the part needed will not be available until February, Ford will pay for a rental car or offer to buy the Windstar. I think my letter said "in lieu" of so it may depend on the value of the car versus the cost of the rental as to what they do. I think I'll schedule it to go in next week since we were planning on renting a car anyway for our travels.

 

[tvguy]

Kind of impressed they'd do so much for a 11 year old vehicle.

Never owned one, several co-workers have and drove over 150,000 miles before they traded them in. Never heard many complaints.

 

[kacaju]

Just wanted to let everyone know how serious this recall is... I have been without my 2002 windstar with only 68,000 miles because of the axle. I brought it in because of the recall and it was making strange noises, too. The axle was cracking and it is unsafe to drive. My ford dealer has 60 of these already at the lot waiting to be repaired! I am in a rental van and ford is paying all costs.... I may not get it back until March! Someone has already died from this and it was on abc world news tonight. Think I read it will be on Good Morning America tomorrow, too. If you have one of these cars, please take it in. It makes me sick to think that I've been taking my kids around in it!

I agree 1000%!! My axle was cracking, i was driving it and it felt funny so after dropping my daughter and her friend off at school, I took it right to the repair man that is down the road from us. He showed me the cracked axle and I was sick to my stomach at the thought that I could have been on the highway (which I am 3-4 times a week) and have that break as i was going 60 miles an hour!!

 

[kacaju]

Kind of impressed they'd do so much for a 11 year old vehicle.

Never owned one, several co-workers have and drove over 150,000 miles before they traded them in. Never heard many complaints.

I replaced the axle in my van in March 2009, got rid of it in May 2010 and they refunded my money for the axle in Nov 2010.
I loved my 2001 Windstar and never had much problems with it (except the axle) and had over 135,000 miles on it