Five problems related to steering tie rod assembly have been reported for the 1999 Ford Windstar. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
1999 Ford Windstar lx. Engine cradle failure at mount point passenger rear. Reference NHTSA # pe10026. I am in the same situation. The passenger rear engine cradle mount has failed causing steering problems and loss of control. The passenger tie rod and control arm are now bent. At this point the vehicle is not safe, but I am forced to drive it. The vehicle is pulling severely to the left. This condition is worse on acceleration due to the bent steering components. The failure occurred while driving @ 50 mph causing difficulty steering.
: the contact stated while the vehicle was driven 30 mph, there was a popping noise, and the steering shifted pulling the vehicle to the right. The vehicle was driven to the residence, where the contact inspected the steering and found the steering was turned to the left. When the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, the vehicle was put onto a lift. The subframe was found to be rusted out and had a fracture. The front left tie rod was bent due to the frame failure on the opposite side. The sub frame section supporting the engine and transmission and the left outer tie rod were replaced. The manufacturer was notified.
1999 Ford Windstar: tie rod ends degraded at 60,000 miles, sending bits of metal through the seals in the rack and pinyon steering system; generated very expensive repair. Could have caused dangerous accident. Mechanics first replaced power steering pump , whcih did not correct problem. Second repair was replacement of r&p steering system. Repair was over $1,000.
Concerning: 1999 Ford Windstar with with 59,000 miles. Recently our vehicle started making a strange rubbing sound when turning and rapidly started to get worse. We took our van into the Ford dealership for service and were told that the tie rod ends were shot. The repairman (at Ford) told us that we are lucky we got it in for service when we did. Apparently the tie rods could have broken at any time while driving! the van is well taken care of and I don't understand why the tie rods would be in such bad shape. This seems like a manufacturer concern and certainly a safety concern for all of those who transport their families in a Windstar! I'd like to see Ford cover the cost of this repair and tell me why my families' safety was put into jeopardy while driving such a new vehicle.
Consumer states vehicle makes unpleasant rubbing, groaning noises when the steering wheel is turned, the dealer informed consumer that the tie rod ends are defective.