Steering Wheel problems of the 2001 Ford Windstar

Right front (passenger side) sway bar mounting bracket separated from vehicle, at front lower control arm rear attaching bracket, less than 30 days after recall ( NHTSA campaign id number: 11v030000) was performed. This has rendered the vehicle unsafe to drive and it will not pass new york state vehicle safety inspection. Ford dealership denies any responsibility and Ford, the manufacturer, will not repair as part of recall.

Tl- the contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The vehicle was included in the recall under NHTSA campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields) and the recall under NHTSA campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly) and was taken to the dealer for repair. After the repair the contact noticed a grinding and a cracking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle while driving at approximately 65 mph. Also, the vehicle would shake vigorously and the steering would turn on it own forcefully. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostics. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000. Ds.

I am not a mechanic but will attempt to relay my best interpretation of what I believe happened. While my wife was driving a total loss of steering occurred. Very luckily she was not on a major highway travelling at high speed or in the process of navigating a turn. After inspection by our mechanic it was determined that the cradle that supports the front suspension fractured. This occurred on the front passenger side of the vehicle and the front axle connected to passenger side wheel was then disconnected from the transmission this was either caused by lower control arm disconnected or the vice/versa. The vehicle lost the ability to turn and luckily there was nobody tailgating as she was forced to park the vehicle stranded in the middle of the road. It is my opinion that an existing open defect investigation, pe10026 , is an exact match to the problem encountered. I tried to resolve with Ford but at this time they do not consider the 100+ instances of this occurring as sufficient cause to warrant a recall and I guess that over the next year or two as this component of the vehicle continues to age we will see more incidents like this. I just had the vehicle serviced and my mechanic knew to check for the rear axle failure but had there been proper notification already in place they may have been able to check for this defect before the vehicle was put back on the road at risk of human life.

The bracket that holds the passenger side front suspension lower arm to the subframe failed while driving the car. This bracket that holds this arm to the subframe was completed corroded away, causing the failure. All that is left on the subframe is corrosion and weld marks. The arm is completely disconnected from the subframe. Without this lower arm, the wheel on the passenger side, toed out and had negative camber which popped out the drive shaft from the transmission. Fortunately, this happened at a low speed, 10 mph and there were no injuries. At a higher speed, I speculate that this was a very dangerous condition since the vehicle pulled very hard to the right and you didn't have adequate control over the steering. I have talked to a Ford representative and he indicated that they had no information on this type of failure, and that there isn't any recall. I understand that your department is looking into it.

Advised by Ford dealership service manager that the front subframe assemblies on both sides are cracked and severely rusted.

Took my 2001 Ford Windstar to the local Ford dealership for rear axle recall. I was advised by the service manager at my Ford dealership that rear axle was cracked, and that the metal was rusted and pitted. It was determined by the service manager that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. Apparently there are several Windstars with this problem. While performing the rear axle inspection, the dealership found that the front subframe assemblies on both sides of the vehicle are severely rusted and cracked. This also appears to be a common problem. However, Ford has yet to issue a recall on this problem. Have your dealership check your subframe assemblies, and if problems are found, file a complaint with NHTSA so we can also get this unsafe condition remedied. There is an ongoing investigation, and it appears there are more and more cases arising. There needs to be sufficient number of claims in order for Ford to recall these vehicles.

I was told by my mechanic in October 2010 that I have a crack in the front subframe on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Our van has been in the garage since sept. 2010 waiting on the replacement part for the axle recall, and now the front sub frames might also need to be replaced. I think both parts should be replaced while the dealers have everybody's vehicle. . I don't really want to get our van out of the garage just to turn around and put it back in. But I will if I have to because I think that Ford should replace the ones that need it, before there is more accident and injuries. ///it would also be cheaper to them to fix the problem than to buy everyone's vehicle from them. We've had enough recalls on these. Let's just get them fixed right and get it over with.