Four problems related to steering tie rod assembly have been reported for the 2001 Ford Windstar. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2001 Ford Windstar based on all problems reported for the 2001 Windstar.
I was driving at 35mph when I heard a loud boom and my Windstar careened wildly back and forth and felt like I had slammed on the brakes. The Windstar could not even be driven to the shoulder. The tow truck driver said the subframe was broken and possibly the tie rods had broken as well. The front wheels were pointed outward in opposite directions.
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. While driving approximately 60 mph she noticed that she could turn the steering wheel but the vehicle would not change directions. The vehicle was stopped and shut off. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where she was informed that the frame under the vehicle was severely corroded and that the tie rods failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 150,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I have a 2001 Ford Windstar. The vehicle currently has 100,205 miles on it. I have had to replace the front strut bearings and struts at 75,000 miles and again at 100,000. I have also had to replace the inner and outer tie rods at 69,000 miles. And the left outer tie rod again at 100,000. I have had over $2,500 in repairs in the time frame of one year, not including 4-wheel brake job. I brought the vehicle in for service at 82,000 miles and told the Ford dealership that I was again hearing the "bad strut noise". At this time the 1 yr, 12,000 mile warranty would have picked up the cost of the repair. I was told that there was not anything wrong with the struts. I would be interested to know if anyone else has had ongoing strut and tie rod problems.
I had my van for 1 year. Recently, the inner tie rod on the drivers side had to be replaced, because it was already worn out with just 56,000 miles on it. I had this done because the vans steering had a lean to it. It would feel like the left tire was leaning when I would go through a turn. At normal speeds, I have even had the van lurch to the right about 3 feet when making a left turn on a curve. I am putting it back in the shop, because my mechanic can't find the problem. We looked today(04-01-03) and when you turn the wheel, the entire rack will move. It moves before the tires even move. A definite safety issue to say the least. Definitely not what you would expect from a $27,000 dollar van with mostly highway miles on it.