2002 Ford Windstar: harsh or hard shifting

Filed Jan 28, 2019 · Suspension · 124,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the contact heard a clunking sound emerging from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence where it was discovered that the rear axle fractured. The contact also stated that the vehicle was repaired per the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v608000 (suspension) back in 2015 for the second time. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the recurrence. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000.

Filed Aug 28, 2014 · Suspension, Transmission · 180,000 miles · WI

We were driving around town and we heard a clunking sound in the back of the van. We took the van into the shop where they discovered a crack in the rear axle. Luckily this did not happen the week before, as we were driving many highway miles or it could have been worse. This was a recalled part and it was taken in at the time of the recall. Two different mechanics in town assured us that it was not our fault but that it was a faulty part. We take good care of our cars. We called ford directly thinking that they would honor their vehicle and fix a part they knew would break down. They gave us the run around and then never returned our phone calls. This van would had many good years left in it, now it can not be driven!

Filed Sep 1, 2013 · Transmission · 105,000 miles · IA

Everything was fine until last night when between 50-60 it started making a clunking noise and would shake the entire van. We couldn't get it looked at anywhere because it was late. Well this morning I was driving to work at 6am and I started losing control and the van was swerving all over the road. Luckily there were no cars behind me, I was able to make it to the side of the road and girls weren't with me. I thought I had lost a tire but when I got out to look the back axel was completely split in two. I was really mad because I just paid $800 to have the intake valves fixed. When the taxi came to pick me up he looked it up and said there was a recall. He also said his intake valves went out on his 2000 windstar and that's not covered either. I called my mechanic and he said just a couple weeks ago a lady came in and brought her van to have the back axel fixed. So now my husband and father in law had to pay for towing to bring it to the ford dealership and nothing is open today or tomorrow as it's labor day. Mind you I just bought this van in march as the mileage was low and the price was reasonable. I have now realized I am forced to buy a vehicle with payments.

Filed Sep 21, 2012 · Suspension · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford windstar. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 12v194000 (suspension:front:control arm) and was repaired. After the repairs, the contact noticed a clunking noise exhibited from the vehicle while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The mechanic stated that there was water dripping from the air conditioner line where the original corrosion occurred on the sub frame, which corroded the component that was added under the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician then advised that the sub frame would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Sep 15, 2012 · Steering, Suspension · 105,000 miles · IL

I have a bad vibration when im goin on the highway and when I hit bumps it makes a clunking sound and when I turn and makes a noise.

Filed Sep 13, 2011 · Acceleration, Brakes · 100,000 miles · ME

1st incident happened while driving at highway speeds. Abs and brake light illuminated until car was turned off. Lights now come on randomly. I took my vehicle to a ford dealership on aug. 31 2002 for recall on front and rear axles. They installed shackles on suspension and said that everything was fine. After I came home with vehicle, I noticed a clunking sound coming from the r/f wheel area and my overdrive off dash light starts flashing randomly until car is turned off. Concerning the ABS issue, I took my vehicle to an independent garage and they told me I needed to replace the ABS control module, then he told me that they did the exact same repair on another 02' windstar earlier that week and the repair would cost $700-$800 dollars. Coincidence????

Filed Aug 3, 2010 · Suspension · 81,987 miles · PA

While backing out of the driveway, I heard a clunk from the back of the van. I did not think much about it, but the van started to drive loose especially when driving over holes and bumps in the road. The van started to sway, more so than normal, when cornering turns. After a few days, the car started to feel more out of control, so I looked under the rear of the van and found the axel was sever to shear about 60%.. I stopped driving the vehicle and will call our mechanic for repairs.

Filed Jul 4, 2010 · Suspension · 110,000 miles · MN

2002 ford windstar with "clunking" noise in the rear suspension. Took to repair shop and found that the rear axel was cracked nearly 1/2 way through. Mechanic said that he has never seen this type of failure before. This was in october of 2009 (I have repair bill with exact date and mileage if needed). The axel was replaced with a used axel at that time. June, 2010 again have noise in the rear suspension and take the vehicle to our mechanic. Again, the rear axel is cracked. Again, our mechanic has located a used axel which we are currently in process of having installed. Thankfully, we found the part failure before serious accident or injury happened but to have the same part fail when our mechanic had never seen that type of failure before seems to indicate a problem beyond normal wear.

Filed Apr 3, 2010 · Suspension · 74,000 miles · NJ

For about three to four years now, we have been having what we thought was a problem with the front end of our 2002 ford windstar. We had numerous front end alignments done. We had the caster/camber work done twice at a very high cost. (this requires taking the front cowling apart in order to put in new font end parts) and still the vehicle would pull in either direction at any given time. It would at times wonder back and forth on the road. About a week ago my wife said she herd strange noises. (clunks, squeaks etc.) then today she was driving the van with my kids to church. Luckily it was local. She said she herd a bang and the van started to squeak and wonder all over the road uncontrollably. She started to smell something burning. She said the steering wheel had to be turned in an abnormal position in order to keep the van going straight down the road. When she got home I looked at the van sitting in the driveway and the rear wheels were tilted in at the top. I crawled under and found that the rear axle beam had cracked almost all the way through. The crack was about 18 inches in form the drivers side. The passenger side looked as though it would eventually crack also. When I looked closer at the crack, you could see shining metal at the top part of the crack, indicating it was a new crack. There was surface rust on the lower part of the crack indicating that the crack had been there for some time and had just gotten bigger. This explains the wondering problem we have been having. Being that this is a 2002 it is out of warranty but this is definitely a safety problem and should be addressed as a recall by ford. I am scared thinking what could have happened if my wife and kids were driving on an interstate at 65 MPH. I am also scared thinking that my 16 year old daughter who just started driving on her permit was driving this vehicle in this condition. Thank god they were driving local at the time that the crack worsened to a point that it is now undrivable.

Filed Mar 12, 2010 · Suspension · 78,338 miles · NY

Driving home from a family outing on 03/06/2010, we heard a loud sound/clunk coming from the rear of our 2002 ford windstar. Luckily, we were only doing 30 MPH on our street right almost to our driveway, instead of being on the expressway doing 60 MPH as we were only minutes before . The van's rear end swerved as I applied the brakes. I managed to pull into our driveway and calm the wife and kids down (who were hysterical). I have to admit that I was scared also. When I managed to park the van, I noticed that the rear tires were slanted into the van, rubbing the wheel wells at the top. I then looked under the rear of the van and seen that the rear axle beam was broke, about 18" from the driver side rear tire. I implore everone that this has happened to to call the ford customer care number (1‑800‑241‑3673) and report it. This is the only way that ford will acknowledge this problem as a potential manufacturer defect. Our 2002 windstar has only 78,338 miles on it. Our local dealer, where we bought it from, said they have never heard of this happening. I find it very hard to believe since I can bring up about 100 different complaints about this very sam thing for the model years 2000-2002.

Filed Jul 10, 2008 · Body · 70,000 miles · OH

Clunking noise heard in right rear of 2002 ford windstar. Inspection by owner found crack in rear axle beam. Ford dealer replaced axle beam stating it was cracked due to improper jacking. They pointed out two "dimples" in the underside of the axle beam as evidence of the improper jacking, and stated that the crack started there. After the rear axle beam was replaced, I investigated the underside of the new beam, and found the identical "dimples" were present on the new beam. These "dimples" are, I believe, caused by the forming of the beam by the manufacturer and not due to improper jacking. I believe that the rear axle beam of my ford windstar cracked because of an inherent defect caused during the forming process.

Filed Sep 21, 2006 · Brakes, Transmission · 2,000 miles · CA

Our 2002 windstar has had numerous issues. From clunking front suspension; rattling sliding doors; interior lights and locks that would come on and off by themselves. However, there are two unresolved issues and it's been to dealers numerous times, and each time, they just blow me off. The transmission shudders between the first and second shift, and does a "two-step" shift. When it finally does the second half of the two-step and engages, there is an audible cookoo, just like a cookoo clock. The other infuriating problem and possible danger is the brake pedal. It squeaks like an old mattress and also sticks to the floor if you have to brake while you are driving at freeway speeds. You have to use the tip of your shoe to pull the pedal back up. Visit after visit after visit to 3 different dealers and they always claim there is nothing wrong. They were playing "beat the clock" with the warranty and now that's gone, and they are still doing it with the extended warranty. Infuriating. Nobody cares and nobody will help.