Back in late August of 2010, Ford issued a recall list for the Windstar van. The rear axle when subject to the salt and snow of northern states becomes rusted which compromises the strength of the part. The rear axle then breaks, causing loss of control and can even cause the van to flip according to NHTSA testing.
Click here to see the Ford Windstar recall list!
The most recent death occurred in late December of 2010 according to The Injury Board Blog Network. "A teenager was driving a classmate to community college when the rear axle on the Ford Windstar he was driving cracked in half. This caused the Windstar to crash into a building. Sadly, the teen driver did not survive the accident. One week later, a recall notice from Ford arrived in the mail. It said the Windstar’s axle should be checked out because it could corrode and break. The family of the deceased teen say Ford failed to give the recall the urgency it deserved."
Update! Click here to learn about Ford Windstar fires.
Back in late October of 2010, a father driving in his Ford Windstar lost control and was killed upon impact. Sean Bowman, father of two and husband of Justine Bowman, lost his life due to Ford's neglectful build ethics which caused the rear axle of his Windstar to snap in half, resulting in yet another Windstar crashing into a building. Just like the case with the teenager above, a recall notice showed up a week later after Sean had died telling the family their Ford Windstar was recalled.
How many more people must die before Ford takes this recall seriously? According to comments left by several Windstar owners on my previous article, Ford is being neglectful and in some circumstances outright inhumane. Even when customers noticed the faulty axle prior to the recall, Ford denied them service. Accounts of owners in other states not listed within the recall having the same issues as those listed are being denied recall service even though their vehicle is just as dangerous and showing the same signs.
Notable comments on Ford Windstar recall list article:
"My axle just broke literally 2 weeks ago. Snapped right in half while driving with kids in te car. Luckily we were on a side road doing like 30 mph. We also lost both back tires." - Melissa Catalfamo-Sagendorf
"We have a 2002 Ford Windstar SE and had heard about the possibility of a cracked axle while reading online about 3 weeks ago. I told my husband about the problems Windstar owners are having with this and he inspected our van. Sure enough we have a crack in our axle. He contacted the dealer a couple weeks ago and they said they could not do anything since For had not issued a recall." - anonymous
"I live in Oklahoma and we are not listed under the recall either but my axle broke last week and I am taking mine to the dealership. This is Fords mistake and they are trying to cover up the fact that the axles are junk and some one could have been killed. I will fight to my dying day to get FORD to cover the repairs." - anonymous
"i own a taxi company, 3 vans broken axle one just 2 wks ago will take this one to get fixed,but it did cost me $2000.00 to fix others, and i own more. more how due we recieve the money back after we already pay. for the repairs?????????also check (a)frame motor sits on this frame . in front where passenger side motor mount rust out and frame does as well .this happens in the front passenger side as well." - anonymous
"My Windstar's axle broke after pulling off at a turnpike service station. I had just traveled 950 miles that day all on interstates, the van's ride became irregular, so pulled off. I was going to backup when the axle totally broke. It cost me about $3,000 in repairs; they also found a few other rusted parts. Van has less than 72,000 miles and I am not in the recall states. We were excited to hear about the recall until I read this morning that it applies to certain states." - anonymous
"My 2001 Windstar the control armed rusted away and the axle from the frame.I take my car in to the shop for oil changes and No one told me The front frame was rusted more than normal.I was doing 70 on interstate and like th officer said I had an angel riding with me.Don't know how I didn't get killed or kill the other people on the interstate,Ford will no even address this.Everyone needs to check their front frame.Someone is going to be killed from this." - anonymous
These few notable comments are just a fraction of the almost 70 comments left by disgruntled Ford Windstar owners since the Ford Windstar recall list article was published in late August of 2010. Most of them complain that Ford isn't being active enough, and that they didn't find out about the recall until the axle snapped and they brought the vehicle in for service. How many more lives are to be at risk?
If you know anyone with a Ford Windstar, it is your human duty to forward this article to them so that they too can understand the magnitude of the Windstar recall.
Sources: http://www.examiner.com/automotive-news-in-national/ford-windstar-recall-list , virginiabeach.injuryboard.com, NHTSA.gov
Comments
The blogger you're quoting from the inquiry board is incorrect. Sean Bowman was the "teenager" picking up a friend to go to community college and crashed into a building. They are the same incident. He's not a teenager.
No they aren't the same incident. Check your facts again. Sean Bowman was about to go pickup his children, while the teenager was driving a classmate to the community college. Two completely different accidents, two completely different people, two completely different deaths; one vehicle responsible --------> FORD WINDSTAR.
I have had to replace the axel twice. Then 2 months later received the recall notice. 1st one (2008) was on the highway, luckily I paid attention & got off highway before it broke. I just thought it was rotors or something. Tow truck came & axel dropped on side of highway. He said I should have been dead. I got that one replaced....2nd axel 2010: I had driven into & back from Logan airport, put car into reverse to straighten out and axel dropped on parking space. Sounded like an explosion. I should have been dead. Now the van has compeltely died in cold & won't start at all. I'm done. But have no credit from ex husband & bankruptcy. Have no extra $ for down payment. & Whos going to give me $ for a dead car. I'm taking it to Ford and who knows how they'll handle it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
My Daughter was taking me to the Hospital to be with My wife, when we heard a loud snap and the van started to act funny, we stopped ans looked around the van and could not find what had happen.
As we drove down the Interstate the back of the van bounced more than Normal, I said Maybe we lost a Shock.
The next day I told her that we would look under the van and see what happen but we needed to go to the Store first. as we backed out of the drive, there wa aloud crack and the a loud scraping sound, thinking that a shock had broke loose, I looked under the Van and saw the Broken Axel.I thought to myself that is what broke on the Highway. Talk about a scared feeling.
Ford you used to Build Good Cars, What Happen.
I should have been dead. I got that one replaced....2nd axel 2010: I had driven into & back from Logan airport, put car into reverse to straighten out and axel dropped on parking space. Sounded like an explosion. I should have been dead.
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Kims
used cars
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