The long-term effect of this design flaw is one that is made in a class-action lawsuit being pursued

Letters are in mailboxes recalling Ford Windstars produced between 1997 and 2003. These minivans have a rear axle that collects road salt and other corrosive contaminants and can fracture as a result of rust. The vehicles rental cars affected are in 21 states, Washington D.C. and Canada where road salt is used to facilitate winter driving, as is Michigan--all in the list that is commonly known as the “salt belt.”
This recall is concerned with high-mileage vehicles that have been on the road for a minimum of seven years. However, the problem has been reported for some time and has been evident to the automotive community, if not because of its frequency, but for the severity of its consequences. Broken axles do not commonly happen over the lifetime of a vehicle. When they do, it is a curiosity to the service facility that encounters one.
But the notable consequence of a fractured axle is what it does to the vehicle both in the near and long term. When the axle fractures (in this case at either rental cars end) the top of the wheel nearest to the break tilts in toward the vehicle, and as the Ford recall letter states, “vehicle handling may be affected which could increase the risk of a crash.” The tire may then come in contact with the inner fender for, well, a chance meeting that every driver can do without, especially at highway speeds.
At the time of the recall announcement rental cars the Wheels blog reported that the NHTSA had received 234 complaints, rental cars including two accidents with no injuries. Not so bad considering that 975,000 Windstars were included in the recall you might say? That may be true if the number of compromised vehicles was a known quantity. My guess is that the fractures that have already occurred are the leading edge of this problem, since these vehicles rental cars are seven years old and probably just reaching 100,000 miles.
The long-term effect of this design flaw is one that is made in a class-action lawsuit being pursued in Pennsylvania. The suit contends that Ford has breached an implied warranty of merchantability. These vehicles are not salable with an axle that is prone to fatigue or fracture.
To Ford’s credit, the company is anxious to get these issues resolved, and it is taking swift measures to get them off the road. The recall letter states that if a vehicle fails an axle inspection Ford will pay for a rental until “a remedy rental cars is available.” In addition the company plans to make repurchase offers to owners of Windstars “with cracked or perforated axles in lieu of replacing the axle.”
Our Ford Dealer in NJ is providing a rental car from Enterprise while the dealer waits for parts ('maybe' 30 to 90 days)to repair the Winstar's rear axle. But they are telling us we have to pay a $5 per day tax on the rental of a replacement car. We don't think that we should pay anything; we want OUR MiniVan fixed and returned quickly, not some medium sized rental car they expect us to pay part of the cost for. Also we have teenage drivers who, since it is a rental from Enterprise, aren't allowed to use the rental. Ford needs to resolve this quicker than 'maybe' 30 to 90 days.
This is the second Ford that we've had serious problems with. The first was a 1995 Windstar whose engine blew at 55,000 miles due to a defect. While Ford eventully paid for the replacement engine, it took them almost four months. Thinking our next car won't be a Ford, even though we've bought Fords for 25 years.
You have to be kidding me. I brought my wife’s 2001 Windstar to the dealer today and they said that they need to keep the car for 90 days! If this happened with a Toyota vehicle it would be on the new 24X7. This is ridicules. Who do they think they are, Microsoft, producing such crap and just expecting us to take it! Again, rental cars this is ridicules.
Bought my 2003 Windstar from a Ford dealership on 11/11, took ownership on 11/13 (they had to finish a "safety check"). Was called on 11/16 to bring the minivan in for the recall check. Sure enough, on 11/17 when I was there I was told the axle was cracked.
So we got a Ford Focus(?) and was told that if we want a minivan it's going to be $8/day extra because Ford doesn't reimburse for the rate that Enterprise charges. rental cars Oh yeah - Ford will only pay for your rental if it's a Ford. So if there's no Fords available, you're SOL.
Meanwhile, I'm paying for a minivan that I can't drive. Was told "1st Qtr at earliest" for fix. Went back to dealer to get items out of minivan and was told another customer was told April 2011 at earliest.
Well, I have two Windstars and Ford gave me a rental car for each one. I dont care how long they have my vans. I'm not putting mileage and the wear and tear on mine. If Ford would like to buy me out of my Windstars rental cars then let them. Well the deal would have to be pretty good for me to sell.
They took my 2001 Windstar 2 wks ago. They are letting me use a Chevy Van so far. No idea about a fix date. In my small town of 18000 people, there are 20 Windstars rental cars parked in the graveyard in back of the dealership. They are trying, but if they try to stiff us with a cheap 2500 buyback, I hope that windstar owners go nuts. Why hasn't this gotten CNN's rath?
There has been a death due to Ford Not making this a MANDATORY rental cars recall, a single father of 2 young children. Ford Voluntarily let someone die. We cannot let FORD get away with this. I paid my van off and will not be able to start new payments for a few years. Ford has breached an implied warranty of merchantability. I will not just settle. I will drive the Ford rental till it's axles fall off too!!!! By the way, my axle broke in 2 on the busy interstate @65mph on the way home from my aunts funeral. I had 3 children in the car. We were truly blessed. THIS NEEDS TO BE A MANDATORY RECALL. rental cars I see so many Ford Windstars on the road and I want to shout out the window rental cars at them to pull over so I can warn them. I want to personally tell the owners in my small town to get them off the road immediately. I had no warning, as a matter of fact, my front end was making cracking noises before this happened.
My van is sitting in the Ford Dealers back lot with about 40 other vans, same problem I was told, cracked and corrotted rear axle. My van was dropped of early November, now it's mid December, I'm guessing my van will be on list of repairs being a 2002. I was given the option of a rental, which I did take, (a Toyota Camry mind you!) I'm thinking maybe April 2011, my van should be fixed. I was told I was responsible for the sales tax which is 6.25% in Massachusetts! I don't think I should have to pay, so I hope and pray that Ford will stand by thier product and pay for the whole thing, since I did pay for my van with interest! And completed my loan. But in the mean time driving this toyota, rental cars I'm becomming attached to it, the car is really nice.. lookout FORD...I may switch sides..
Took our 03 Windstar Limited in yesterday rental cars for recall. Glad I took it in. Thinking of all the times we packed that van full and loaded a car top carrier full and headed out on vacation with a car load of grandkids. Thankful nothing ever happened. They told us could be March before repaired. With in 30 mintes of findng out our van was one with bad axle, Ford had us a rental lined up. My only out of pocket cost was a $50 deposite for key to vehicle. Enterprize didn't have van for us, but promised to have one by Monday. Our Windstar rental cars has been a wonderful family vehicle. I only wish Ford would offer a generous buy back for 03 models so I could buy a new Flex. At least they are fixing van. I am thankful for that.
We bought a van on Oct. 10 - a 2001 Windstar. To be on the safe side, we brought it to the dealership on Oct. 20 for an inspection. Turned out the axle was cracked. Ford told us 30 days, and paid for a rental. It's Dec. 21, we still have the rental, rental cars and have been told it could be as far out as March before they get the part. Ford sent us an offer to purchase the vehicle back, however, it was $300 less than what we paid for it. We sold our newer and nicer car to buy an older van because we needed the room, and now we're stuck driving a town car for upwards of 5 or 6 months that isn't even ours. Thankfully, they're still paying for the rental..... jeesh.
I have a 99 Windstar with a hole in the axle. At present my vehicle rental cars info has been faxed to Ford Canada in hopes of getting a buyout. Blue book values that Ford uses in their offers should a least be doubled to help compensate rental cars for the thousands of dollars many owners have spent in keeping their vehicles on the road. Transmission, heating, rental cars a/c, rack and pinion steering, stabilizer bars,wiper motor,sensors,cruise control and the appearance of premature rust has been an ongoing problem. Some of these problems have been fixed multiple times in a short period of time. Ford is responsible for the quality of their product but seems to think that Windstar owners rental cars should bare the full cost. Ford messed up in their engineering design and now wants everyone to pay for their mistakes. I've been driving for 47 years and this is the worst vehicle that I've ever owned. Ford made the Aerostar followed by the Windstar and the Freestar. I own the fourth one in the series. It's called the Lemonstar.
I also have a Lemonstar. rental cars Confirmed cracked rear axle, 11 recalls rental cars so far on this gem. Ford was ordered to recall by Fed Judge, not by choice. They knew about this issue long before the recall was ordered. There is a also an issue with the front axles too, which they did not address. To think my 16 year old had been driving this van - we kept it just for this purpose - as a starter car for our son. Shame on Ford. I am however now driving a very nice rental Town & Country mini van which I have grown very fond of. Hmmm. I wonder if Ford has lost a customer? Not to mention generations below who will remember rental cars this incident and talk about it for years to come. What a PR nightmare. I hope ford does the right thing, like buy back and perhaps a $5000 voucher towards a new Ford vehicle for the tro