One problem related to metal noise has been reported for the 1999 Ford Windstar. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
While cornering at 20 miles per hour, my 1999 Ford wind star gave out a loud metal cracking noise. The driver side of the rear axle assy. Had snapped exactly where everyone who has complained about the same thing on line did. This is not coincidence nor from those, rotten denying reps of Ford, telling us that this is from jacking up the car using the improper position on this axle. Go to the actual Ford service manual and you will see instructions on doing a lot of rear end work using this rear axle housing as a jacking point ( center of housing assy. ). I work from these expensive factory manuals. Ford has a defective part and refuses to admit it. Anyone with basic mentality can understand. This is about money, not safety. I would not blame any man that would lose his family due to this nonsense denial from getting a gun and shooting these !@#$%. They don't seem to give a!@#$% about their faulty parts nor families. So far I have not heard of anyone dying in a crash, but I'll bet it will happen, if it hasn't already.