Frame Rust Problems of Ford Windstar - part 1

Subframe rusted on left front passenger side. 1998 Ford Windstar. I had a popping noise when I made a left turn and loud crunching noise and steering wheel pulled to left. I had taken it to a auto shop and they replaced struts. Sway bars and brakes . No one told me about the rust issue with the sub frame. I drove it home from shop. Same problem. Returned the vehicle to same repair shop and the had a welder attach steel bracket to hold up sub frame. 2 days later worse. I had a second mechanic look at it and he told me the first repair should not have asked me to repair anything on the van. Sub frame is failed at 128,436 miles. I notified Ford motor CO . Of the failure, was givin a case number. Engine will fall out of bottom with corrosion of sub frame. Vehicle is not safe to drive.

See all problems of the 1998 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Tl- the contact owns a 2000 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under the NHTSA campaign number: 11v030000 (structure) but the recall remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the entire sub frame should have been replaced. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic for new struts and the contact was always informed that the frame was rusted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic rest. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 166,000. Dr.

See all problems of the 2000 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Tl the contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph while the brake pedal was depressed an extended braking time was needed to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The contact mentioned that by the time the vehicle was parked, the brake pedal traveled to the floor board. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the vehicle would need to be towed to another shop in regards to it being a modified vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to another independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not safe to drive and that the frame was rusted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,000.

See all problems of the 2001 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Tl the contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. While the vehicle was undergoing a routine check-up at an independent mechanic shop, the technician noticed that the subframe was rusted. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to benna Ford superior (715-394-8669, located at 3022 tower Ave, superior, WI 54880) where it was diagnosed that the subframe was rusted out and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware and stated that the failure was due to the age of the vehicle and the mileage. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

This van looks fine on the outside,but the frame and floor are rusted out. I was driving on a city street when the brakes went out and when I took it to be repaired the mechanic at carls body shop , where it was ti be repaired told me it was beyond repair and unsafe to drive. The van is made to transport a wheelchair and the area where the wheelchair is rusted the worst. The mechanic also took pictures of the under body to show me how bad it really was.

Tl-the contact owns a 2002 Ford wind star. There are zero recalls on this vehicle. However, the contact stated that their sub frame rusted out. The vehicle will be taken to the dealer at the end of the month for repair. The vehicle was not diagnossed and the manufacturer was not made aware. Jw.

See all problems of the 2002 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Tl the contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. While inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the subframe had rusted and a hole was present located behind the front driver side wheel. The hole was approximately 1. 5 inches in diameter. Also, the instrument cluster would randomly stop operating. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer (dick brantmeier Ford in sheboycan, WI) was notified along with the manufacturer, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 150,000.

See all problems of the 2003 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Subframe is completely rusted through and will not pass the safety. The vehicle was treated by the recall 11s16-s4. In 2012. I went for a voluntary safety check and the vehicle stayed at the service as very unsafe to drive.

See all problems of the 1999 Ford Windstar 🔎.

The contact owns a 1998 Ford Windstar. While driving, the steering wheel shook and the vehicle pulled to the left and right. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver side subframe was rusted due to corrosion and the subframe needed to be replaced. The contact called john kennedy Ford- pottstown at (800) 790-8132 (located at 3189 w ridge pike, pottstown, PA 19464) where the dealer referenced NHTSA campaign number: 10v385000 (suspension), but not for the subframe. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in a recall. No further assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100,197.

The passenger side sub frame has rusted through. The dealer had done the recall repair and still right in the spot of the repair the sub frame cracked and split. Ford says there is nothing they can do even though this is a known issue and their repair didn't resolve the issue.

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer for a recall related to the lower control arm. The contact stated that the repair for the lower control arm was completed; however, the subframe was rusted. The rust was within the connection between the control arm and the subframe. The dealer determined that the rust was part of the recall repair that was completed. The recall information was not provided. The failure mileage was 140,000.

I received a safety recall in 2012 about the subframe supporting the motor and transmission. Ford put two brackets on my vehicle over the rust spots. Now the frame has almost rusted away. My mechanic said I should not drive the vehicle in that condition, it is not safe. Instead of replacing the rusty component Ford patched it. I still drive the van, it has 138,000 miles on it. I live in minnesota where rust is a problem. The fix was inappropriate for the area.

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. While driving 35 mph, the contact heard a noise on the floorboard and the check engine and brake indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was rusted beyond repair. The technician stated that the option was a complete replacement of the frame. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the recall expired after three years. The failure was not remedied. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Front sub frame, passenger side rear mount completely rotted away. The recall "fix it clamp on piece" does nothing as there is no frame left to connect to. Dealer service manager claimed it broke from the transmission mount being rotted away. When confronted that the mount was sound, admitted it wasn't rusted , but did nothing to substantiate my claim to the frame rusting away. Still makes a clunking sound when turning. It is unsafe to drive and is parked till we hear back from Ford .

The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. During an oil change, the contact noticed that the front subframe was rusted and corroded. There were no warning indicators. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who stated that there was no recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v608000 (suspension); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The failure mileage was 103,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

After noticing wobbling of my back tire driving my daughter home from school my father looked at me vehicle to not only see that my rear axel had cracked (in process of insepction for recall repair on that) but also notuce the the front sub frame is rusting so much that everything attached to it is starting to detach.

The k frame rusted out where the control arms mount to the frame and the front driver's side coil spring broke while driving at 65 miles per hour on the interstate.

See all problems of the 1996 Ford Windstar 🔎.

Our van has a rusting subframe. We brought it in to a mechanic because of a scraping sound we heard when making sharp right-hand turns, especially when driving down an incline. The mechanic told us of a potential recall on a rusting subframe so we brought it into a Ford dealership. They refused to take responsibility of the subframe at their cost.

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the rear passenger side tire was bent and noticed that the sub frame was rusted. The contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure). However, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

Tl-the contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated repair, who discovered that the entire frame completely rusted which caused the front end support bracket to detach from the vehicle. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign number: 11v030000 (structure) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 134,972. Js.

The contact owns a 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was found that the subframe was rusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was confirmed. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

Took in for a recall on subframe put on support brackets. Went to get it inspected. Subframe is rotted out. I was told another recall was done for those in cold weather climates. Ford recall computer is down. The consumer was informed the vehicle was unsafe to drive, as the frame was structurally unsound. No was willing to fix the other problems with the vehicle, due to the rusted out frame. Updated 05/12/14.

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated the sway bar bracket fractured as a result of the sub frame rust corrosion. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection who informed the entire sub frame would need to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000. Js.

Passage side sub frame is rusted, almost broken.

I heard loud clunking sounds in the front that were more pronounced when I went over bumps. The sway bar has broken off from the front sub-frame passenger side of the car. The dealer said the sub-frame is so rusted that the only way to reattach the sway bar is to replace the entire front sub-frame at a cost of $3,500. It is not covered under previous recalls, since the prior 2 recalls in 2010 and 2011 only specifically covered the rear axle and the separation of the front lower control arms attaching brackets and body mount attachments at the rear of the front sub-frame. This problem is so similar to the Jan. 2011 recall w/a part breaking off from a rusted sub-frame. It's the corrosion of the sub-frame that is at the root of these problems. They should have just replaced the sub-frame at that time instead of doing a patch job w/ brackets. The dealer deemed my car unsafe to drive, as I won't have control of my car on quick turns or be able to make fast maneuvers in the event of an accident or to avoid potential accidents. Another risk is that my engine may fall out the bottom of my car while driving (which I see has happened to others with my same problem), endangering my family and others on the road. I plan on parking this car in my driveway and waiting for Ford to be forced to recall these vehicles. In the meantime, if any of you have a similar problem, please report them to Ford corporation and the NHTSA, so what I believe to be an inevitable recall will be expedited. Even the Ford customer service rep encouraged me to file a report with the NHTSA because she has gotten calls with other similar complaints. She was very sympathetic to my situation but said there is nothing she can do until enough complaints get filed with the NHTSA so they open an investigation. What happened to companies wanting to help their customers w/o being forced by a governmental agency?!.

Lived in the salt belt state of IL. When I was driving, front subframe falling off and some components were touching the ground due to severe front subframe rusted out. I lost steering control and gear control on a multiple lane road. Ford has never sent any notice to me regarding any recall. This is a known issue via NHTSA action number: pe10026 and I would like Ford to repair the rusted subframe and all other broken components directly caused by subfram falling off. Ford refused to provide any car rental by saying ?this is an old recall and we do not give car rental now?.

I was driving home when I went around a corner I heard a thump in the front passenger side of my Windstar, the following morning I took it into my mechanic. He looked the vehicle over and told me the sub frame has rusted out where the stabilizer bar connects. This issue was supposed to have been addressed by Ford the previous year when they had it in for the rear axle recall. I find Ford had made the decision to put some useless brackets in and not replace the sub-frame. I called customer care concerning the problem and was told there was only a year warranty on the work so there was nothing they could do as I had picked up the van end of April /beginning of may 2011. A recall was issued for this problem and quite evidently their fix with some little brackets did not repair the issue, I am not sure how some brackets are suppose to correct a rusting out sub frame to begin with.

Front sub-frame badly rusted and sway bar welded mounts on the sub-frame have rusted and broken in half causing poor steering control and excessive body roll. As a note, this vehicle was rustproofed when new and inspected over the life of the vehicle each year. Also, Ford has inspected the front sub-frame in January of 2011 on a recall and it appears did not find a problem with the sub-frame in this area. Given the severity of the rust it would appear the problem existed at the time of inspection.

Front sub frame completely rusted out. Ford has sub frame recall for the 1999-2003 but not the 1998.

The contact owns a 1998 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for routine brake service when he noticed that the sub frame was rusted and hanging from the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that there were no recalls for the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and was no longer being driven as a result. The failure mileage was 65,000.

Took the vehicle in for new tires because one was going bald fast and they found that the passenger side rear sub frame mount was rusted away.

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign id number: 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields). The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for recall repairs to the front passenger side sub frame and the rear axle. The vehicle was repaired however, the sub frame failed a few months later. The contact went to have an alignment performed on the vehicle and was advised that she needed to take the vehicle to the dealer because the sub frame was rusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised that there was a hole in the sub frame and the vehicle was no longer safe to drive. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 75,000.

The owns 1999 Ford Windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 11v030000 (structure: frame and members:underbody shields). Approximately one week later, the contact could hear a loud noise coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the front sub frame was rusted all the way through the sway bar mount. The contact was also informed that this failure was not included in the previously repaired recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

I received a letter earlier this year regarding my 1998 Ford Windstar for a rear axle recall. I had it serviced at malouf Ford in north brunswick, NJ. When my son picked it up, he was told there was a new recall for the front right subframe rusting out (similar problem as the rear axle). They checked the subframe on my car and it was severely rusted. He was told they would call us when the parts came in to fix it. I had an appointment to fix the subframe this past Tuesday (24/may). The service department called and said that while the subframe was definitely rusted out, and that it was due to the same defect as decribed, that particular recall was for 1999-2003 Windstars and since mine is a 1998, they will not fix it. Please note I had no clue of the recall or the damage. The Ford dealership advised me of it. I waited for the parts and brought the car in when they asked. Now, though they confirm that this rusted-out subframe on the passenger side is exactly what the recall is for, and there is the potential for a deadly crash if that subframe fails, they are not "authorized" to repair a 1998 Windstar. I don't know if my car is a late-model 1998, but it was manufactured at the same ontario, canada plant as the cars that qualify for the recall, and a rusted right subframe is not a normal wear-and-tear condition. It is beyond negligent to acknowledge the problem in a 1999 Windstar, but pretent the same exact problem in a 1998 Windstar from the same plant is not their problem.

1999 Ford Windstar- front sub frame rust. Local Ford dealer said they would not fix it. VIN 2fmza5142xbb20759.